Bad Head Weekend

A couple of visits to Big Waters at the weekend and out last monthly Sunday walk produced a couple of surprises.  On Saturday the sighting of 2 Kingfishers, one of which I got yet another bad pic of but at least it was on the tree in the pond, the other one was flitting from perch to perch on both scrapes.

There was also at least 3 Common Sandpiper around but now the scrape is beginning to look a bit better we can but hope for a few more waders, providing they don't come early morning when it is "chocker" full of Ducks.  Below is a short video of the Sandpipers on the island although a Common Tern is muscling its way into the video with a bit of "displaying"

Common Sandpipers and Common Tern Displaying

The Tree Sparrows are still pouring into the Feeding Station and a couple of Fatballs in the feeder will bring even more (4 Fatballs = 24hrs Max)

The Willow Tit is sticking to a diet of seed though and is appearing quite often although we know there is 2 of them around.

On Sunday a walk round with the usual motley crew  and even though the chatter kept turning to Aeroplanes (anyone got a spare anorak for AJJ, he will be looking at Trains next) we still managed to get some great views of Redstarts, 3 of them to be precise.  Back at the Feeding Station yet another visitation from a Kingfisher.

Compilation of Kingfisher Visits on Saturday and Sunday

(Bit of a wobble occasionally as it was handheld)

Then another year patch tick was spotted in the North Field, well actually I was a bit busy writing up my book so asked AJJ to check through the Gulls for a Med Gull as I thought he needed the practice.  After an initial scan he didn't say anything but a few minutes later he got his scope out and scanned again and he eventually spotted one.  I now suppose I will have to start a new list called "Self Found Assist (Get someone else to look through a bunch of gulls cos you are lazy a bit busy).  Thanks Al

It was a bit of a distance away so photo is not as good as my usual standard.

Med Gull at Big Waters

Another good weekend only spoiled by my headache from a night out in The Toon on Saturday