Bates Pit Ponds

Had a wander around the settlement pools at Bates Pit today with my dog and it was alive with birds.

As I entered the site I spotted a Robin and a Wren sitting in the blackberry bushes then I heard the call of Fieldfare but from this point I couldn't see any. As we headed along the path we spooted some Bullfinch both males and females in a bush eating the orange berries (not sure what plant they are.)

Eventually I stumbled across the fieldfare and there are lots probably about 70 - 100 in one flock, stunning birds but they were rather shy I could've done with a 2x extender on my 400mm lens.

The usual other birds were also present - a couple of Redwing, curlew, kingfisher, gulls, heron, mute swan, moorhen, redshank, blackbirds, thrushes and spuggys with a single skylark too.

News of a couple of my favourite swans only minutes from my house yesterday got me all ready for a trip out today to see if I could get another first for me and it didn't take very long before I found them Two stunning Bewicks only minutes from my house. The first time in four years that Bewicks had been in Northumberland.

When I got to the site I found John Malloy sitting quietly wishing for better light, the sun was behind the swan well slightly left and behind making it very difficult to get decent shots. John's are far better than mine but i'm happy enough just to have found the birds still in the field.

Hopefully I will get back at the weekend this time in the morning if they are still about and the weather is nice.

Well as you will probably have noticed we've had a little snow recently :-)

The above image is of Blyth Crematorium grounds with the crem in the background, while wandering about I noticed loads of the normal thrushes, blackbirds and various tit species but also a very nice redwing which i've posted an image of on here on a previous posting.

One thing unusual for my area was my first ever fieldfare in my garden but only for a quick visit to a cotoneaster bush in the garden behind mine. Still he was a stunning bird.

Hopefully it'll return with its pals to visit the apples i've put out on my bird feeders.

I spotted this kestrel sitting high up in a large conifer in the grounds of Waliington hall near Morpeth, I didn't know if this shot would work with it being really high up but I think its ok

First outing of the year was in our local crematorium grounds, everwhere had 4 inches of fresh snow and the light wasn't too nice but I was sick of sitting indoors.



There was plenty about today - several blue tits and great tits, a few jackdaws and robins but the only thing I managed to get close to was this redwing