This morning was spent away from the coast for a change. Early spring is a good time to go inland in Northumberland to look for raptors and for some of our returning upland species.
Dispite the cold strong breeze, a lot of Red Grouse were displaying today. Their calls 'go back go back go back grrrrrr' could be heard all over as they chased back and forward over the moors. While watching them a flock of 35 Golden Plovers flew west, heading off back to their breeding grounds. Also around were singing Skylarks in their dozens, Stonechats and Mistle Thrushes while small parties of Meadow Pipits seemed to be stopping off to feed.
At mid morning I had a lucky break, when a huge beast of a bird came over. The juvenile Goshawk flew overhead to soar above a nearby pine wood where it was mobbed by a Kestrel in panic mode. This gave a good size comparison, the Kestrel's wing span being about one wing of the Gos! The size of this bird would make it a female. It was a nice golden buff colour streaked darker below and showed well before the Kestrel's agitation had the desired effect and it moved off over the hill.
Not far away, a group of about 20 Siskins and Golfinches were feeding on larch cones out of the wind in a shelterd lee on the moor edge.
All in all a nice morning out...
5 comments:
i had to laugh at your border collie x crocodile cross , I dread to think if I had to describe ours it would be Border Collie x obsessive compulsive disorder
steve
Beautiful watercolor sketches! I love the head attitudes you got, and the flight poses. Great work!
Glad you got the Goshawk BB. I failed at the weekend, had a possible but miles away, it was big but can't tick that one. Tried to text you last week but it came back, however nothing much to report. BR
i see on one of your older posts that you keep a fish list
dont tell me you used to go snorkling in ulgham burn is it a sea fish list or freshwater.
ps can you not make it easier to post a comment on your blog its like trying to crack the devinci code
Steve - All Border Collies are like that...
Debbie - Thank you, humbling from a 'proper' artist like yourself.
BR - I wonder what happened with the text? Maybe a poor signal area...
Chris - Fish List contains everything with gills, either seen or caught.
As for comments, yes i know how you feel. I would do away with that funny word thingy but it stops spam. If I remove it I'll have a hundred comments offering me viagra! ( No I dont need it, before some smart arse asks...) )
Post a Comment