Barn Owls back.

After what seems like a long absence (and me moaning about the shortage of Barn Owls in the valley)

It was nice to get not one but at least 3 separate birds in the last week.

Water levels on the NDC are much lower than you would expect at this time of year but that only means that most of the birds down here are concentrated in a much smaller area.

Still lots of Whoopers, Stone chat, Pintail, Teal and Wigeon, and up to 5 Pochard.Big numbers of Golden plover,Dunlin and Knot also observed, Healthy flock of Lapwing too.

Barn Owl return.

 The Buzzard was after the Stonechat and the corvid was well Just been a pain!!

 Golden Plover murmurations !! is there such a thing?

View from the GS hide.

Back at home.

Had a wander down to the GS hide this morning and met up with a couple of other local birders

Visibility was not great and all the birds were distant. Many more swans than in recent weeks at least 70 birds and the place was awash with waders Dunlin,Golden Plover and Lapwing were by the far the most abundant.

Peregrine was flushing the birds up every now and again and a very pale local Buzzard was also keeping them on their toes.

Managed to get a quick view of a Robin which was frantically defending its territory against what i at first thought was another Robin.

But alas not it was two Stonechats a very nice bonus!!!

 Reed bunting active as were Sparrow Hawks and Kestrels.

Wigeon and Teal were abundant as were a huge flock of Shelduck. Plenty of Snipe among the drainage ditches and Grey Heron patrolling.

Finally as i was about to leave one of the other birders in the hide spotted 4 Black Tailed Godwit in the distance and four Redshank.

Not a bad morning me thinks.

Long time no blog!!!!

Due to work,spending lots of time in the Yorkshire Dales and some other lame excuses I have not posted as often as I would have liked.

Should put that to rights this year and might even include some dales stuff.

Started off the year with some new kit and determined to get more time to go birding.
Had a little trip to Castle Howard and Pocklington.

Thought this was odd could not identify this very hungry bird crammed into this bird table.

Had plenty of tufted,gadwall, goldeneye and all the usual suspects.
Also had this strange Canada- Greylag cross.

Moved onto another area and came across 4-6 Red Kite visibility not great and bitterly cold.

Back to the LDV on Sunday and found my self 4 feet away from a Barn Owl not sure who was the most startled me or the Owl!

By the time I had got out the camera it was well away. (Mental note) get camera out of bag before you go out birding.

Also had loads of Fieldfare, Redwing, Bullfinch, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Dunlin, GSW,
lots of finches and tits.