Sunday 22 February 2009

Big 200 and Beyond!!!















Was out again today with Steve Holliday and D McKeown. First we went to Castle Island for a WEB’S count.
There wasn’t anything much to report just, Shellduck, Canadas etc.
A quick stop at Killingworth Lake where we dipped on the Mandarin and Drake Scaup but I did get my first look at a Male Goosander.
Next we went over the border to Far Pastures to look for Red Kites. In half an hour we had 3 including one overhead.
Nothing from the hide but did have a Willow Tit feeding on peanuts in the Car park where it gave good views.
Before today I hadn’t heard a Willow Tits distinctive call and once I did I recognised it as a call I heard last year near Nelson Hill making it a patch tick.
Next we headed back into the county and across to Allendale to look for Black Grouse.
We checked a field at Sipton Shield and found three males, Lifer, Big 200!!!
I was glad to have such a good bird as my 200th.
On our way to another southwesterly location I saw three Ravens fly over at Sipton Burn, - Lifer.
We got out the car and heard them call, another very distinctive sound.
At the South Westerly location in the county I got my third lifer of the day, a Ringtail Hen Harrier plus a further 5 ravens.
A quick look at Arcot Pond on the way back added Oystercatcher to my patch year list.
200 at last…it’s about time.
67- Oystercatcher

2 comments:

Alan Tilmouth said...

Sounds like a cracking day.

Brian R said...

I think the Mandarin went into hiding, or back to WW Park to escape the paparazi that invaded the lake :))

Good bird to have as your 200th lifer, ive also had ravens at sipton.