Harden Moor

Sunday 19th June a.m.
Good to have a sunny start this morning although the clouds soon bubbled up, a decent temperature at 13°C.We soon got some good birds seeing a pair of Pied Wagtails carrying food,a Kestrel in the quarry, a Little Owl on top of a pole and a distant Oystercatcher with at least one chick.The Sand Martins were busy near their nest site and it was good to see Whitethroat,Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler.Also good to get a good view of a Green Woodpecker as it flew near us, also Redpolls and a couple of Whitethroat chicks on a branch still being fed by the adult.A good number of other common species were also seen and a Bullfinch for the first time for a while.

Pied Wagtail

Kestrel

Little Owl

Oystercatcher

Redpoll

Whitethroat chicks

Whitethroat chicks with adult

Wren

Pied Wagtail

Harden Moor 19/6/2016

Harold Park

Saturday 18th June p.m.
 A quick afternoon visit to Harold Park where it was 16°C with dull overcast conditions but at least it was dry.We headed for the lake where there were a good number of Canadas along with the expected other species.The highlight was seeing the pair of Great Crested Grebes with four young chicks, spending most of their time riding on one of the adults back.The other adult was looking for food and coming back with small fish possibly Sticklebacks.A couple of Swifts were overhead as we went up to the small pond where there were more Canadas with some large goslings.

Great Crested Grebe with its chicks

Coot with chick

Canada Gosling

Canadas and Goslings at Harold Park 18/6/2016

Redcar Tarn

Sunday 12th June a.m.
 A misty start to the morning meant it was mid morning by the time we reached Redcar Tarn as the mist lifted with a temperature of 16°C.The usual birds here with several broods of chicks, good numbers of LBB Gulls with a couple of Herring Gulls to add to the mix.It was good to see a Skylark over the road even though the habitat has been bulldozed away.Also a Lapwing with a young chick which has so far avoided the bulldozers.

LBB Gull

Herring Gull

BH Gull

Coot with chicks

Moorhen

Moorhen with chicks

Pied Wagtail

Skylark

Lapwing

Lapwing chick avoiding the bulldozers so far.

Redcar Tarn 12/6/2016

Garden Visitor

Friday 10th June
 Over the last couple of weeks we've heard the sound of a Chiffchaff around the garden which is a great garden tick for us.Although I'm not sure if you can have too much of a good thing when the bird sings from dawn till dusk.I think you'll agree it is not the greatest song in the bird world maybe a Blackcap or Garden Warbler would be preferred, but there again when it disappears back South later in the year we'll miss it and be waiting its return next spring.Here are a few snaps taken from in our garden as it sang high up in a nearby tree yesterday.

Chiffchaff

Harden Moor

Sunday 5th June a.m.
Another misty start to the day which was slow to clear making finding birds hard work this morning, we started with a temperature of 10°C.The Sand Martins are reliable here and there were c20 of them around, they were also joined by a couple of Swallows and later a couple of Swifts.A Curlew was seen in the distance and we had three Mallards fly over , also  two LBB Gulls flew over.The Cuckoo was heard throughout our visit but we didn't spot it once.A Kestrel was in the quarry and nearby a Little Owl was seen and also a couple of Oystercatchers and Redpolls, plenty Mipits around with other common species.The hightlights for us was seeing several Whitethroats, one of which was collecting food and taking a good selection for its chicks.

Whitethroat

Goldfinch

Kestrel

Little Owl

Redpoll

Whitethroat catching plenty food for its chicks