Purple patch

A spare couple of hours saw us head out for a bit of relaxing and, of course, some birding. Purple Sandpiper is a superb bird to watch clinging onto the rocks where the sea meets the land. With the tide in they do a bit of foraging around the rock pools.

Back inland to Killingworth Lake for more waterbirds...plenty of Coot...

...Jackdaws picking at the scraps...

...and a couple of Magpies playing in the park.

Pochard is a duck that is not that easy to find these days but there always a few on the lake.

Tufted Duck - well named.

The Moorhens are used to people wandering past so it's a good opportunity to get a close up shot.

There were a couple of Little Grebe resting beside the ducks...

...and a bit of a flap for good measure.

These bird are well fed so it was funny to see this one desperate to get a tasty morsel off the ground. The bird was ringed on 27th November 2013 as a juvenile - I doubt it will stray far.

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.

First and last.

This may be first post in2013 but it's a bunch of photos from the end of 2012. A quick visit to Killingworth Lake to get some shots of the water birds...plenty of Coots milling around.

There were a few Goosander floating around but they kept their distance - male bird...

...and a fancy hairdo for the lady.

Plenty of Tufted Duck but not too many with a decent tuft.

Pochard don't seem to be as numerous any more but you can always get good views of them on the lake.

The females are not that dowdy when you take a good look.

There were not too many Goldeneye and the good looking ones kept their distance while I was there.

A different story with the Moorhens as they come racing over to see if they can get a free handout!

Newcastle.

A change of scenery and some different birds on a trip to Newcastle. The weather has not been the brightest but a run up the coast was nice, visiting some of my old haunts. St Marys Island had the usual array of waders - Sanderling...

...Lapwing, Curlew, Golden Plover, Snipe, Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwit.

 Despite the dull conditions the lighthouse always looks good.

Lots of Dunlin on the rocks.

It was nice to see plenty of Carrion Crow up close.

A few Cormorants were fishing in the surf.

A run up to Newbiggin gave us good views of Black-headed Gull...

...but the Mediterranean Gull wasn't so obliging...

...and the Turnstones stayed away from the dog walkers.

Cresswell next to see plenty of Moorhen...

...Long-tailed Duck and Wigeon...

...a cracking drake Pintail with the Mallard...

...and some shy Grey Partridge.

A brief visit to East Chev before the skies darkened and the rain came produced more Grey Partridge, Goldeneye...

...and plenty of Magpie.