Met up with JWR at Alnmouth and checked the river and shore next to the golf course.
Plenty of wildfowl and waders on the unfrozen estuary mud -
300 Dunlin, 7 Snipe, 5 Woodcock, 200 Teal, 110 Wigeon, 35 Mallard and a drake Gadwall. Only one drake Goldeneye with a Little Grebe made a change from the dabblers. A female Sparrowhawk did some butterfly flapping around a wet piece of marsh looking for crouching snipe.
A few birds were feeding in a strip of game crop - 6+ Tree Sparrow, 50+ Skylarks, 20+ Reed Bunting and 9 Whooper Swans. Down on the beach a small clump of sea buckthorn held a few Song Thrushes and 3 nice Fieldfares plus the now obligatory Woodcocks. Three skeins of Pinkfeet flew south totalling about 300 birds. Two male Stonechats were on the frozen golf course, with one showing particularly well around the car park.
At dusk back home three or four Woodcock were flying around the Village heading out to feeding spots.
A good sighting late on last night, 11.45pm, on my way back after taking Bunty for her bedtime stroll our neighbours outside light came on and lit up a nice Barn Owl sat on our garden fence! It flew off over to the back field. I wonder if it has been looking for mice on my bird feed?
Even tidal waters have been frozen then smashed as the water receded...
Alnmouth Golf Course. The only things on the tee boxes today were Skylarks...
Song Thrush getting some sustenance from the sea buckthorns next to the beach.
4 comments:
The thaw is starting in Ashington, but at St Mary's today Whitley Bay it was much colder. Plenty of seed out for the birds which was good to see.
Nice Thrush Photo
Michelle
The thaw is starting here too. There is snow on the Farnes which you dont see very often. Just want to say i enjoy reading your blogs.
Cheers
Andrew
We had a very good thaw on Saturday, Stewart, and a little yesterday. Virtually non today. It'll take some thawing to get away before the next lot comes.
Sorry, I also meant to say that I liked your pictures and the Stonechat drawing.
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