Above - Whooper Swans, Thropton.
Sunday. My intentions of doing an atlas square were well and truly scuppered by the weather. Steady rain in for most of the day, so no Boulmer visits. Out with Bunty this morning, 50 Curlew and 10 Grey Partridges were together in a field behind our village and a Sparrowhawk chased a Collared Dove over our garden but I didn't see the outcome. Thats about it really around here.
Due to the weather I thought this would be a good time to volunteer for some Xmas shopping so we headed off west to Otterburn ( not exactly a mecca for shopping I agree, but we are having a 'no Metro Centre and no Newcastle year' this year).
Its a great scenic route from Alnwick to Otterburn via Rothbury, Thropton and Elsdon even in dull dank winter weather. On route we saw this herd of 61 Whooper Swans at Thropton. I was pleased to see a good percentage of juveniles in the group.
Better weather next weekend eh! Hopefully...
3 comments:
Like the 'no Metro Centre & no Newcastle Xmas' idea.
I'm doing my usual 'no Xmas present' Xmas again, ie: a one-ff visit to the Silverlink for various gift vouchers.
As for Xmas shopping in Otterburn? What you buying people - lambs pellets & wellies :)
Presumably that's a decent count of Whooper Swans in the north-east.
I take it there's a tendency for non or failed breeding adults to arrive first on the big WWT reserves, before the big groups with juveniles?
On a point made on an earlier post, relating to birds still arriving from the North Sea, four Siskin were in-off over the end of Filey Brigg on Saturday.
Hello both-
BB- Oh yes, I'm a proper country yokel and an old hippie to boot! Wellies are a canny present I reckon...
EAB - We get some bigger counts in Northld such as 200+ on the Tweed in the north and similar counts in the SE of the county, but any groups of 50+ is noteworthy.
Still some thrushes arriving up here.
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