Redcar Tarn

Friday 7th October p.m.
Today has been a bright and sunny day although there was a cold wind blowing
and so the temperature was only around 12°C. Up at the Tarn this evening were
the usual birds we see here, the Muscovy Ducks are still here. The Tufted Ducks
have returned, Lapwings were in a nearby field and we saw Goosanders here for
the first time.With the Lapwings in the field at first we saw some Starlings feeding
with them, but on closer inspection we believe they are Golden Plover their black
and white speckled back looks similar to a Starlings in the sunlight at distance.
On the way home we saw a Kestrel hovering over a field looking for
its supper in the fading light.
c100 - Mallard
c50 - Lapwing
c30 - BH Gull
c25 - Coot
12 - Canadas
11 - Golden Plover(corrected to Zero)
10 - Tufted Duck
10 - Pied Wagtail
7 - Goosander
5 - Moorhen
3 - LBB Gull
3 - Muscovy Duck
plus other common geese and hybrid Ducks.

Black Headed Gull

Tufted Duck

Goosander

Golden Plover? and Lapwing

Redcar Tarn, Keighley

Harewood Exotics 3

Our last look at Exotics from our Harewood visit on Saturday October 1st where there
are many species of beautiful birds to be seen in addition to those I took pictures of.
 The Chilean Flamingo lives in South and Central America on coastal mud-flats,
estuaries,lagoons and salt lakes. Feeds on algae and tiny shrimp.
 The Golden Pheasant is a native of western China in the forests of mountainous areas,
some have been introduced to the UK. They eat berries,grubs,seeds and other vegetation.
 Lady Amherst's Pheasant also comes from China living in dense woodland,clumps of
Bamboo,thickets and patches of scrub. Some have been released in Southern England.
They eat Bamboo shoots,small insects and berries.
 The Carolina Duck is from North America living in areas of freshwater swamps,marshes,
lakes and rivers surrounded by dense forest.Eats acorns,nuts,seeds and green parts of
aquatic plants.
 The Sharp-winged Teal is from South America  it lives on fresh water lakes,rivers and
marshes usually at high altitude. Eats small water invertebrates,seeds and green parts of
aquatic plants.
 The Egyptian Goose lives in most parts of Africa in open broad leaf woodland,savanna
and scrub land.Eats mostly grass,leaves,vegetables,plants and seeds.Will also eat insects
such as locust and worms.This species can be found in South East England and feral
escapees can also be seen. There were two at Redcar Tarn,Keighley earlier this year.

Chilean Flamingo

Golden Pheasant

Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Cock

Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Hen

Carolina Duck

Sharp-winged Teal

Egyptian Geese

Chilean Flamingo

Harewood Exotics 2

Harewood House visit on Saturday 1st October
Some more birds from the bird garden at Harewood which were great to see on the
day and good to look back at the pictures, hope you enjoy them too.
The Crested Crane lives in the African grassland and eats fish,reptiles,amphibians,
seeds and tubers.
The Eagle Owl is from mainland Europe and Asia, it likes undisturbed wilderness habitats,
from rocky country to ravines and patches of woodland. Eats mostly mammals, such as
Voles,Hares,Rats and Rabbits.Will also eat birds,amphibians,reptiles,fish and invertebrates.
 The Snowy Owl lives in the Arctic Tundra,north of the tree, feeds mainly on Lemmings
and Arctic Hares, but can also take squirrels,ducks and game birds.
 The Hill Mynah lives in India,China and Indonesia in the canopy of tropical forest. They
eat fruit and insects. They can mimic the human voice and so have become pets.
 The Himalayan Monal lives in the Indian and China border region in open pine forests
with steep valleys. Eats seeds,roots,berries and insects, it is the national bird of Napal.
 Waldrapp Ibis is found only in Morocco, it inhabits mountain meadows,rocky semi-arid
areas and high plateaus,always close to water.Eats Grasshoppers and other insects.
 Fulvous Tree Duck lives in African grasslands in marshy habitats and swaps it eats
vegetation.

Crested Crane

Eagle Owl

Snowy Owl

Snowy Owl

Hill Mynah

Himalayan Monal

Waldrapp Ibris

Fulvous Tree Duck

 

Harewood Exotics 1

Harewood Visit on Saturday 1st October
  As I walked round the Bird Garden at Harewood House I took a  lot of
pictures here are some I have sorted out of some wonderful birds from around the
world.
  The White Crowned Robin Chat lives in Savanna Woodlands of North West
Africa and eats insects. The White Stork lives in open areas often wetlands,steppe
and savannahs. It eats invertebrates also frogs,reptiles and small mammals. The
Superb Starling lives in East Africa in open acasia grassland,eats white ants and
termites. Hawaiian Geese live in the islands of Hawaii,nesting between lumps of
larva eating leaves and berries. The Red Crested Touraco inhabits evergreen forest
in Eastern Africa eating seeds,fruit and berries. Ross's Snow Geese live in lowland
tundra and grassland mainly in North America eating various grasses,roots and tubers.

White Crowned Robin Chat

White Stork

Superb Starling

Hawaiian Goose

Red Crested Touraco

Ross's Snow Goose

Walk around Hewenden,Hallas Bridge and Goitstock Woods

Sunday October 2nd a.m.
 This morning started dull and overcast with occational light rain and a
temperature of 12°C. Things started well with a flock of c60 Gulls flying over the
village in a NW direction.At Hewenden Reservoir there were two Grey Heron the
resident Mute Swan and 10 BH Gulls. No Swallows in their usual spot where they
nest, which makes us think they have migrated South. Very quiet from here to Hallas
Bridge and through Goitstock Woods not seeing anything till we approached the road
where we saw a Robin and a few Blue and Great Tits. We didn't see any House Martins,
may have seen these for the last time this year as well.

Robin

Blue Tit

Harewood House Visit

Saturday October 1st
 Today became very hot and sunny in particular this afternoon with the
temperature getting up to 27°C. We spent the day at Harewood House
which is between Leeds and Harrogate, it is a large country estate with
formal gardens. It also has an exotic bird collection and a large pond which
is home to wild foul and other birds. I of course had plenty subjects to take
pictures of and so took far too many to sort out any time soon. I have done
a couple to get started with. Leaving the exotics aside one of the highlights of
the day was watching Red Kites regularly passing overhead gliding on the warm
thermals. Other birds we saw were Canadas,Greylags,Mute Swans,Chaffinch,
Grey Heron,Mallards,Tufted Ducks,Coots and Moorhen.

Red Kite

Two Red Kite

Red Kite

Chaffinch

Harewood House

Grey Heron

Mute Swans

Canada and Greylag Geese around the large pond

Red Kite

Local Walk

Saturday October 1st a.m.
  Another warm start to the day with the temperature up to 15°C and bright
sunny skies. There were plenty Collard Doves about this morning with the
usual movement of Corvids, the Starlings were once again on the overhead wires
and TV aerials  This mornings bonus was two GSWs together.
c60 - Starlings
15 - Collard Dove
2 - GSW

GSW

Two GSW