3 Day Weekend (Part 1)

3 Days off and an average of 14hrs absence from the house each day resulted in loads of pics stacking up and no time to write blogs so this is just a quick one with a few pics.   First of all this female Great Spotted Woodpecker was feeding its young ones (numbers unknown) about every 5mins and there was no sign of the Male.   The first pic is when she returns to the nest she sat about 5m away on a branch then called 4 or 5 times, the chicks responded so then she flew in

Then when alighting onto the tree she waited between 5-10 seconds,

then its head goes in - I only got to see a little beak once so I presume they are just recently hatched

At Druridge this little chap/chappess was quite busy just outside the hide building/renewing a nest obviously or it just wanted to look busy (like some people do at work) just shuffling the same item around all the time

In the hide 2 Little Ringed Plover pottered round outside the hide, one of them flying off after 30 secs of the shutters being opened in a Northerly direction and the other hanging around for 5mins then flying off Southerly

Blackbird also at Druridge seeming to be collecting food for chicks also as he kept popping in and out to the same area whilst I was watching the Spoonbills waiting for a bit of movement.  I have never seen birds that sleep as much as they do.  Also spotted a Drake Gargeny.

Thought it was time to go and see the Terns also this weekend.  Plenty of Artic and a few Little Terns at Long Nanny whilst at East Chevington a few Common and Sandwich Terns.  Also a Roseate Tern at Long Nanny was quite a suprise as the Warden said they hadn't been seen for a couple of days.  Seen but not photographed  :(

Artic Tern





Artic Tern



Artic Tern



Little Tern



Little Tern

Spent 2hrs on Sunday morning looking for Great White Egrets and so did a few others but with no luck.  Then off to Cresswell (see next blog)