Shibdon Pond & Thornley Woods

18/01/2010

Started off my half a days birding by heading over to Shibdon Pond. I have been meaning to go here for some time, but the Pale-bellied Brent Goose that has been there since the 10th of January was the final kick up the backside to head down.
So I walked down towards the "feeding area" and came across the Goose straight away feeding with a flock of Moorhen on the short grass. I always find it funny seeing Moorhen so tame here, their not their usual self.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Moorhen . . . 2 Year Ticks

I then tried my best at getting some shots of the numerous gulls flying about the pond, mostly Black-headed, Herring and Common Gull. Got a few snap shots but when I looked at them on the computer, it looks like the lens needs cleaning as there are a few dark spots in the photos, Bugger!

Adult Winter Black-headed Gull

1st Winter Black-headed Gull

The two images above are good to compare the age differences in the 2 separate birds. The adult bird can be told staright away by the pure white tail and lacks the 1st winter black tail band. Also, the 1st winter bird has a paler bill and the Secondaries have a black trailing edge. As well as the Carpal Bar still being the colour of a Juvenille bird, a Gingerey Rufous colour.

I took a few other pics of some birds at the pond and I am happy with the photo below. The colour of the water reflected the Canada Goose well.

Canada Goose

Female Mallard

I moved on from Shibdon and headed back home calling into Thornley Woodlands Centre for an hour. On the way back there was a Red Kite flying over swalwell roundabout. Thornley Woods is a great set up and they always have plenty of feed out for the birds. Just I arrived a man in the hide said I had just missed a Female Sparrowhawk bathing in front of the hide, bugger! I sat down and scanned about and found this bird preening itself in the tree.

Giving itself a good preen!

I had plenty of the common species here but my main aim was to get Willow Tit onto my yearlist. After sitting about for half an hour or so, it appeared and kept going back and forth collecting seed from the table.

Poor photo but a Willow Tit all in all

The people who manage the reserve put flower basket over the seed to stop the ever growing population of Grey Squirrel getting to the seed. I will let you be the judge of whether it is working or not.

?

As I was about to leave I heard the quiet but distinctive call 'phew'. A Group of 3 Bullfinch, 2 male and one female. I love these birds and even the coffee colour of the female is great to look at.

Male Bullfinch

A short post with little writing but took me ages to do, bloody blogger acting up not letting me put photos on!