A close encouter of the wildlife kind

Fortunately no, Pesta … but a lot do :mrgreen:

Me three! :lol:

Thanks all, my accent is a mix of Northumbrian and a touch of Tyneside (Gazza).

The Geordie accent is varied within the county, just a few miles away from me.

https://youtu.be/PVA59EPjV2g

Mups this is how the Beddies would sound, Bedlington is right next to Ashington.

You’re right Nom.
I have noticed 3 of them sound just like you, but the two bought-in interlopers haven’t quite got the same accent though. :smiley:

Past few days have found me immobile due to a fall, so by Saturday i was going stir crazy.

So i hopped a bus with no goal in mind other than to journey over the Tyne in the direction of Catherine Cookson country heading toward Sunderland.

As i passed along the Whitburn coastline i decided to jump ship at the Whitburn coastal park, a lovely stretch of clifftop with fairly easy walking.

I ventured down towards the coastal park towards a small overgrown reserve, almost immediately i spied the familiar flap flap glide of a hunting sparrowhawk and saw more later in the day.

The air was full of Speckled wood Butterflies, and the flying seeds of Rosebay Willowherb that live up to their country name of Fireweed.

Small flocks of Goldfinch twittered overhead in search of seed heads to feed on.

On arriving at the reserve, i was soon joined by two delightful fellow birders Ian and Sherrie, looking for a scarce visitor to photograph.

It was found but distant, and patience was required before it gave better views, eventually Ian snapped off a couple of shots, and gratefully allowed a Back of camera shot with my phone.

Red-backed shrike.

I had photographed this small predator a few years ago.

So a nice find of an increasingly hard to see Autumn migrant, the climb back to the bus took quite while, and even the fact that the farmer was muck spreading in the field adjacent the stop could not dampen my enjoyment of the day.

Good pictures again Nom.
Aren’t those little Goldfinches pretty birds - lovely.
Glad you got home in one piece.

Ta Mups, had to give up on the moth trapping night though. :(:frowning:

Glad you managed to get out and about after your fall Nom.

Looks like the journey was successful with some lovely pictures again. :slight_smile:

That photo of Rosebay reminds me of how profilic it used to be. It grew just about everywhere at one time, Bomb sites, Brooks, railway embankments.

There was some superstition about picking it and daring to do so usually earnt us a clip round the ear…so I suppose there is something behind this superstition stuff :smiley:

Lovely photos! Go steady old bean!

This was the very first picture I took with my then brand new Nikon camera. I went into my local park in London looking for subjects and this little guy was about 50/60 yards away but as soon as he saw me approaching, he bolted towards me and just posed on the fencepost!

September has been low key so far, few trips ot due to SW winds.

Brief trip to SMI other day was enjoyable all the same.

On an incoming tide qite a few roosting birds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/qqYbZbEouPM.

Large increase in the Starling flocks.

The birds seen arriving at the end of the video are a winter specialty of St Marys island.

Golden Plover.

They form large flocks and can number as many as 5000.

A fly by Mediterranean gull was a nice find, and passage birds included swallow, meadow pipit, and sandwich terns.

3 Butterfly species still on the wing, small white, peacock and red admiral.

Did feel sorry for the daddy long legs struggling min the wind.

This building is the newly refurbished Spanish City, about a mile away.

Im hoping October will offer a bit of variety.

Thread now closed.

Lovely photos Nom and I enjoyed your video with all the birds flying in.

There is some beautiful scenery around your part of the country :slight_smile:

Super photo’s Nom. Specially the Golden Plovers.

It’s always a pleasure to look in and see what is going on with the wildlife and fauna.

Perhaps I missed something as to why you are closing your thread Nom.

In in general a lack of interest these days in my posting.

Lovely photos. I live quite near a largish pond and all sorts of wildlife can be found there.

One year (Dec 2010) it was almost completely frozen.

I’m interested, so are others, please don’t stop, I am particularly interested in your videos, they’re something new on here, thanks for taking time to do them.

Thank you for answering my question Nom.

Some members posts receive little interest so yes one could fade off into the distance and do a read only, but your photos and above all your explanations are much appreciated by those of us that love nature.

Speaking for myself I apologise if you thought you were not supported with your many beautiful and interesting posts.

Please do continue as they give some of us a lot of pleasure .:023: