After the storm...

Wonderful West Hartford...

I took a bike ride out to West Hartford this afternoon after a really heavy rain shower had bombarded Cramlington for a half our or so. The immediate effects of the rain can be seen in the two photographs of the Horton Burn (below) - but more of West Hartford first...

I'd thought that there may be the chance of a wader or two after the down pour, and that water levels on the flash would have been greater - alas no to both theories - no waders (as such, oystercatcher don't count in this equation), as the "water" equated to a few puddles... A few pied wagatail fed on the mud, but it was raptors that provided the entertainment - 1 water-logged buzzard sat miserable in the hawthorns, while in the distance a hobby was flycatching over the course of the River Blyth. 2nd consecutive year that I've had this species here. A few texts and call were made to the Cramlington birders and not long later I was joined by LMcD / GM.  No repeat of the hobby during our vigil, but 1 sparrowhawk and a couple of kestrel were noted up till late afternoon.

Otherwise WH was quiet - a single great spotted woodpecker was working the dead trees that edge the main flash and an occassional stock dove made an appearance with the wood pigeon. 9 mallard flew out of the marsh but that was about it!

The Horton Burn had been the instigator of my trip out - having passed over it coming back from a shopping trip it was clear that the volume of rain water had swollen the river course - most of the housing estate storm water drains into the burn - and has an instant effect - !



Horton Burn - just after the rain storm



Horton Burn - a couple of hours later!