..and out come the birds of the night! After sorting two jobs in Morpeth I headed up to Cresswell where I spent an hour in the hide. Lots of Wigeon and Redshank, a few Dunlin, six Gadwall, two female Goldeneye, the long staying male Long tailed Duck staying out of camera range as usual and two sleeping Red breasted Mergansers. The last fifteen minutes in the hide was enlivened by bright sunshine for what seems the first time in years. I then braced myself for the walk back down the lane into the easterly chill and as I approached the car I noticed the local Barn Owl just feet away from the bonnet and two other birders in a car nearby getting stunning views
It proceeded to hunt the roadside all the way up to the deserted cafe halting cars as they noticed the bird nearby. One group in a people carrier followed it up the road whilst MSH, no doubt on his way home from twitching the returning Marsh Harrier at East Chev, stopped at the roadside whereby the bird perched on a fence post just yards away. I wonder whether he had his camera in the car?
Anyway, after a possible kill in the dunes the bird eventually returned to the car park area and proceeded on another run up the roadside presenting some excellent views. Typically the shot is always on the skyline....
...and with the east wind the bird was always hunting away from me.
One bird that will always bring brightness into a world of gloom and doom.
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