WeBS weekend

I was working on Saturday in Seahouses, so called by Newton to see if the Newton Stringer was about, not much doing bird wise, Gary had 2 velvets offshore tho. The light was fantastic, I caught this linnet by the flood (which is now most of the field).

The good light was fading so I hot-footed it to Dru to get a visit in before dusk, The wet meadows were completely frozen, there was 80+ golden plover in the fields with 30 lapwing and 2 slavonian grebe's offshore with 4 redthroats. To the north a flock of about 80-90 goldfinch were flying around the Druridge bushes. This nice kestrel was on the fence at dusk.

Once my hangover subsided (went to the pub to watch the toon getting drubbed 6-0 offuv Man U.) I went down to Dru (12ish - hangovers take more shifting once you're over thirty) to do the WeBS count.

Teal now numbered 129 and wigeon only 40, the wigeon had all gone yesterday due to the ice, I guess they must go to Cresswell or Chev when Dru is frozen? There were 14 Whoopers with the Mutes in the field. Just outside the patch a flock of about 1000 pink-footed geese were in the fields to the south, I had a scan through but couldn't spot anything different. A flock of 30 fieldfare flew over the oddie hide as I was leaving. I then walked through the tress to the bushes to look through the finch flock, kicking up 2 woodcock. I reckon the flock must be over 200 birds, about 160 goldfinch, 30 greenfinch and a few linnets, it would be nice to trap them. A male sprawk then went through the dunes sending them off.

Weekend year-ticks: golden plover, oystercatcher, greenfinch, snipe, moorhen, slavonian grebe, pink footed goose, linnet. That takes me to 63.