Wednesday 22 October 2008

Linton Lane, confused Grey Heron and huge Gulls

Before I start I dont know why there is such a big gap after my pictures in my last post.
On Sunday I went to Linton Lane again in the hope of seeing some winter migrants.
On my way to the smaller pond a flock of 20 Goldfinches flew over as did two Great Tits also I could hear a couple of Jays calling from the trees further down the railway track.
The Gadwall I saw last time had been replaced by 13 Teal and on the bigger pond a Little Grebe avoided every camera opportunity as it dived in the water near the hide. No sign of the Tundra Bean goose from last week or any geese at all.
Over the last week I have noticed more and more Gulls returning to the grounds of CLV, mainly Common and BH.
Today a huge Lesser Black Backed Gull pulled three BH Gulls around the quad as it stole their sausage roll. This gull is one of a few LBB Gulls around CLV and it takes no shit from anything.
Also today I was as looking out of a window in B block when I saw a Grey Heron circling the Cricket pitch.
It then landed on a roof next to the schools wildlife area and ran up the roof before landing between the trees where the small pond is.
The schools wildlife area is really crap and all there are few trees and a pond you could jump across.
Still it was a good CLV patch tick.

2 comments:

Stewart said...

Crammy, Cramlington is one of the few places that LBBG's can be found wintering in Northumberland. When I worked there I often saw an odd one ... They are generally very hard to find after October....

Crammy Birder said...

Yer its true I have seen them in February and March standing on the frozen ice at Arcot pond a few times.
I think they are one of cramlington's specialities.