Search This Blog

Saturday 2 November 2013

Cresswell to East Chevington

The first of November already and I had a run up the coast passing Cresswell Pond the car park had six cars there I thought thats the hide going to be full , so stopped at the north end instead  couple of hundred Wigeon feeding in the field edging the small pond off the causeway but also further up about 60+ Golden Plover hundreds of Starlings  Lapwings  Corvids and Black Headed Gulls , there always seems to be more feeding on grazing pasture than seeded crops . A walk over the dunes , a dead Seal on the beach eyes gone but no signs of injury Grey Seal I think it's always a surprise just how large they are and a fearsome set of teeth to back them up. Druridge Pools had the usual ,Tufted Mallard  and 4 Shoveller from the main hide it's such a dismal hide to sit and awkward to view from so I did not stay long , kestrel flushed on the track so I hung back and it settled again feeding on something , it finished it off and was soon hovering for more, had a walk along past the turning circle 150+ Goldfinch with a few Greenfinch in made an impressive sight  walked over the dunes where 15 Snow Buntings flew over but I could not relocate them .Only went as far as East Chevington outflow a quick scan of the sea , 5 Mergansers, 11 Red Throats ,45 Scoter ,had a good scan along the shoreline for Buntings  none seen but up to 20 Pied Wagtails working the area oddly one avidly chased a Ringed Plover flying around  for several circuits it looked very odd  .Two Stonechats on the way back and one near the car they always pose for you so why waste it !!!
Forgot to mention a Hawker species at Druridge so thy are still around . 
 I forget to set the camera back to quality fine so it was only on basic very evident when I zoomed in
 I have know idea what its eating  but it made short work of it and must have been hungry to stay on the track
 Not sure if  I like the date and time on or not but it's handy when you look back in the future must set the right time though
 Back in the air and looking for more
 Lots of Fungi in the dunes most trampled it has a very short life span
If you can I D these as Goldfinch from this then good on you , the wings look surprisingly long in this shot
 They settled on the ground to grit and back on the Thistles just north of the turning circle , the area looks brilliant for something
 When is close too close when you cut of part of it's head !!
 Dead Grey Seal on the beach at Cresswell north end car park , seagull crap on it's back so they have been down , it's one of my dreams to go along Ross Links find a carcase with an Ivory Gull in attendance , 1st Winter or Adult ,either would suffice.
Given there size and diet , the mouth seems rather small but those teeth don't

No comments: