Cor, luv a duck!

The stormy weather is continuing but we are missing the worst of it down in Newcastle. A quick visit to one of my old haunts, Cresswell Pond, was just superb. It's all regular fare for the local birders but a lot of stuff is seen by us just once a year on the Christmas visit. There were plenty of Tree Sparrow on the track down to the hide (a blind for you guys in the States)...

...Moorhen is a bird that we don't see very often on Mull...

...and it was nice to find a few Common Snipe hiding in the reeds.

If you want a smart looking bird you can't beat a duck - Eurasian Teal showing off the wing pattern...

...and a smart looking head too.

Eurasian Wigeon are good lookers too.

A Curlew was probing around on the sand bar getting it's feathers ruffled by the wind.

The Redshank were coping a bit better but they are out of the wind.

The Common Snipe had a bit of a shuffle around - a walk of Snipe!

A few Reed Bunting were blending into the background.

A look across the pond was productive with Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Peregrine seen in the air, on the water were RB Merg, Little Grebe and an Otter with an Eel.

More ducks - three Wigeon on the right, a female Mallard in the water with a drake Gadwall just behind.

All of that in less an hour - superb!! A visit to Hauxley was hampered by flooded tracks but the Mute Swans came to see us...

...while the Goldeneye made off in the other direction.

There was just enough time to get some snaps of a Magpie before rain stopped play.