A look at Prestwick Carr today revealed 4 Buzzards,6 hunting Kestrels and at least 2,000 Fieldfares and 50 Redwings. Willow Tit, 6 Bullfinches and 3 Lesser Redpolls. ( a later report of over 3,000 Fieldfares).
On up to Kirkley Hall ,where another 300 Fieldfares noted and 3 Yellowhammers. More Fieldfare flocks near Belsay , then at Bolam things appeared fairly quiet. 6 Coal Tits and 5 Nuthatches and a single calling Brambling being the highlights.
At Harwood village, the feeders attracted around 50 Chaffinches and 10 Coal Tits, and at the Wallington feeding station, Marsh Tit, 6 Nuthatches and 3 Red Squirrels fed with numerous Chaffinches Great and Blue and Coal Tits . Near Scot’s Gap, a male Peregrine sparred with two calling Buzzards overhead.
Heading home via Killigworth Lake where 14 Gooseanders and 5 Goldeneye bobbed around on the increasingly choppy waters,while 129 Coot grazed the grass banks-a good count.
Yesterday at Cresswell, a huge number of Pink footed Geese grazed the fields to the south and west of the pond and more flew in to roadside grass near the causeway . An estimated 3,500-4,000 in total. In the dune grasses, 4 Stonechats caught flies in the mild air and another pair were seen along at Druridge. At Warkworth Lane, 20 Whooper Swans tolerated close approach, only a single juvenile bird with this group. A Shelduck here too.
Fields at Woodhorn contained a flock of Greylags and with them the 3 Greenland White-fronted Geese remained.
A S Jack
