A Day Out

The weather has been reasonable and lately I have been feeling that I would like to get out a bit more so with this in mind, my lovely nephew and grandson said he would take me to a local bird hide. He is a bit biased as he is a very keen birdwatcher and photographer. Typically, it looked rather grey so cameras were abandoned and two pairs of binoculars set out in the now pouring rain with more than a little optimism. We headed to Thornley Woodland Centre which has a good hide with usually, an abundance of the more common birds with a few surprises. We were not disappointed as the rain stotted down. The place is an absolute magnet for bullfinches and we saw 1 male and 2 females on one of the many table feeders. Blue, great and coal tits flitted about along with several robins including 2 young with brown streaks on their heads. We were pleased to see a young jay land in the shelter of a tree, out of the persistent rain and then fly to the nearest table to gorge itself on the many nuts and seeds placed there. When I felt sure, it's crop must have been well filled, it decided to settle down and at several points. it looked as if it were going to nodd off. Not clever as a sparrowhawk swept down from a nearby tree and glided effortlessly into trees slightly further away. Neither the sparrowhawk saw the jay nor did the jay show any signs of panic as it sat calmly with it's back to the sparrowhawk. I was pulled both ways, to either watch the possible excitement of watching the hawk swoop down and carry off this charming little bird or do what I have never done before and chase the jay away before it came to harm! Fortunately for the jay, the hawk seemed to have flown away so we left the jay snoozing! Two other jays appeared but they diddn't seem at all perturbed by the youngster and ignored it. My nephew became a little excited when he caught a brief glimpse of a willow warbler and although we waited a while, we didn't get a clear view of it although he discovered that it had been recorded in the book a few days ago. After watching the cheeky and ubiquitous grey squirrels (it's not a red area sadly), we then went off to Far Pastures which is only a couple of miles further south.
The rain did not stop and we held out little hope at we never sen much here. The site is regularly visited by the http://www.gatesheadbirders.co.uk/ who seem to see so many species. However, apart from a heron that hides in the bull rushes and the odd swan and moorhen, we have never had too much luck. As we entered the hide our first reaction was much the same until my observant nephew noticed a kingfisher resting to the left of the hide. For the next hour, we watched this most beautiful of birds fly from left to right and then back again until I was dizzy and started to see in double vision again. Although the kingfisher was not too near, it certainly was a great sighting of such an elusive, shy bird. However, we were right about the other birds although we did see a lone mallard and have distant vies of a couple of swallows and a pinpoint red kite - http://www.northernkites.org.uk/.
We travelled the 20 odd miles home enjoying blue skies an warm sunshine!!