Out and about with JWR yesterday. The weather was hopeless, windy and dull all day so most of the day was spent in the car drinking tea and catching up.
First stop was a drive around the forest tracks at Harwood Forest. As usual birds thin on the ground at this time of year but we had about 8 Crossbills fly over plus lots more heard but not seen, a single cock Siskin and 4 Buzzards.
Nothing of note was seen up the Simonsides road past Lordenshaws, though I nearly stopped to 'blog' some 5000 yr old cup and ring marked stones but I was put off by about 30 cars in the car park.
Down to Thrum Mill at Rothbury that provided today's highlights. 3 Dippers showed well, with 2 males singing and scrapping in the streams while a female watched on. I remember a couple of years back when ADMc watched two males fighting at Morpeth and one was killed by the other. These territorial disputes can be quite serious.
Also here a Kingfisher flushed by the Dippers flew downstream, a Heron looked for spawning fish and a cock Bullfinch was near the car.
Hopefully the weather will brighten a bit in days to come...
2 comments:
Nice photo of the Dipper! I've never managed to get that close to one.
Cheers MM. At the minute they are singing and establishing a territory. If you see a bird, find some rocks sticking out of some shallow rippled water and wait nearby...or use a scope and cheat like me.
S...
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