Thursday 20 January 2011

Up North for Finch

Rabbit was ill in the morning and needed to go to the vets so I was not able to go up to Morpeth until the afternoon, thankfully the Rabbit is making a nice recovery thanks to her medicine.


On arrival no sign so I went for a wander, the wader was productive with Nuthatch added to the year list then a Marsh Tit seconds later. 2 year ticks in about 30 seconds! Also present Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Blackbird, Magpie, and a whole host of other common birds. I decided to stand and have a chat with Alan Tilmouth who had arrived, during this I had my first Jay of the year and also added a Common Buzzard to the year list. A distant Sparrowhawk had me excited briefly but it wasn't the hoped for Goshawk.


Later on a wander provided another year tick with Coal Tit added to the list, Coal Tit!?!!?! Yeah I know. Shortly after this Alan was leaving he was no further than 50 ft down the path when he shouted of me and Andy, when I got there 1 Hawfinch was flying about in the distance. It did a few circles often coming close and flying over our head, shortly after this it was joined by a second bird and the 2 Hawfinch's put on a nice little show circling around and flying about out heads. They are quite chunky birds and the white colour to the underwing stood out as well as the heavy bill, though the ground colour often appeared a very slight pink! No doubt due to the light and distance of viewing. Frustratingly we didn't see where the birds landed so we didn't get views of the birds sitting. But still it was a lifer and I had 2 birds, so I can't really grumble!


107 - Nuthatch - Morpeth, Northumberland
108 - Marsh Tit - Morpeth, Northumberland
109 - Buzzard - Morpeth, Northumberland
110 - Jay - Morpeth, Northumberland
111 - Coal Tit - Morpeth, Northumberland
112 - Hawfinch - Morpeth, Northumberland (LIFER and a long awaited one)


Until next time, Foghorn out!

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