Not a mutant nor a ninja

but definately a Turtle Dove. No 265 on my life list and a great pleasure to observe. I was out with PJA and we had seen loads of Barnacle Geese flying North, flocks of Golden Plover at St Marys, Wheatear at Briar Dene, dipped yet again on the Yellow browed Warbler at Tynemouth and just photographed the Mandarin Duck at Tynemouth when the shout came through.

In flight comparison of size between Turtle and Collared. Thanks to AJ and the Big Waters crew for getting the news out.

A nice evening

A pleasant warm Friday afternoon was spent with some fine birders and a couple of consenting owls. MH put us all to shame by sketching them rather than snapping

Unfortunately no big bird but again eagle eye City birder found an LEO en perch. Too far for shots but SEO was more obliging and 0verhead 300 Pinkfooted Geese S and 9 Whooper Swan SW

Prestwick Carr with the S

At Prestwick Carr with S last night. Where sat a stuffed Short eared Owl, One of two that barely moved for an hour and a half. Both he and V got better shots.
Late evening Sun on Thursday

and Stoat on Monday

Bugger it's a Weasel. That's messed up my theme

Never mind Weaselly done and not bad for shots that were totally underexposed. Photoshop autolevels to the partial rescue.

Tynebeak

Called in at Tynemouth yesterday in the hope of finding the Yellow browed Warbler but no joy although a pleasant hour was spent wandering around in hope. A young gull with a deformed beak had its eye on my Sausage and Bacon sarnie.

and a Guillemot was feeding quite close to the base of the pier

whilst a Kestrel kept a beady eye out from the Priory walls.

The Pilot cutter had to battle against a stiff westerly breeze and of course I finished up back at home watching a nice big bird and eventually three owls do exactly the same. Thanks for the photos Will.

Freeze

Around 4pm as I lost all will to continue working I walked to the back window for a breath of air. There was one of the Doves and at the bottom of the garden a male Sparrowhawk alighted on the out of control Pussy Willow. The Dove stayed Stock still. What Wood happen. It was stuck between a Rock and a hard place. Things could turn Turtle and he would be Collared.

I'm not sure whether he was watching me or the Hawk but the stand off lasted three or four minutes. I didn't want to move in case I spooked it into flying off. Meanwhile the Sparrowhawks gaze searched the garden but he seemed oblivious to the Dove. Perhaps Sparrowhawks have Alien vision. Anyway I eventually sidled away to get the camera and even managed to adjust to get a better depth of field. I then moved to another window and just as I focused full frame on the Hawk he was off. Guarranteed bird scarer every time

No parade if it's raining

Here I sit at 4.17pm with lights ablaze and rain pattering on the window whilst I finish writing up last months bird records and start anew. The first count of October was unstartling with Dunnock the stand out bird finding eight over my 1km route which was shortened due to work commitments. Nasty horrible four letter word.

The PC list edged up to 106 with a Jay battling Magpies in the wood but despite how hard I look I can't find the Marsh Harrier that people are telling me about. The head on this bird looked promising but the markings and the fact it was soaring at high level just confirms Buzzard.

The two Pink footed Geese remain in the horses field one week after they arrived and there are still good flocks of Green and Goldfinch with a good few Goldcrest amongst the Tit flocks. The rain though means my nightly SEO fix may not happen.

I'll just have to do with sorting through the gigabytes of images I already have!

Owl, Owl, Owl, GANNET!*?*!

Watching Shorteared owls tonight in excellent light when Chris and I noticed one spiraling upwards as they have on previous nights. The other bird in the apparent spiral seemed more intent and as it flew past was obviously not an owl. No 105 on this years list a remarkable juvenile Gannet. Actually not a first on the all time patch list as one was found in a shop doorway in Ponteland after a wreck in 1968 but a splendid first for me!! Morgan got a better shot as it flew directly over his head.

Well, almost made up for missing the SH Crane.

DYK Owls and Gannets appear the same size in flight. Not a comparison often available!

Owls are still the dogs bollocks though