Olive-backed Pipit, Sunderland

 A long overdue world (!) tick for me...

Not the easiest bird to photograph, with a short early morning venture out of the undergrowth and onto the roadside grass, then spending the day in what perhaps could be described as a shady dell.

Finally, a favoured route was identified and a hand held rapid succession of photographs obtained.

So the pictures... in non-timely order.

A smashing bird to see.

Image from first sequence out on roadside grass... bad position for me with the pipit just over a ridge!

In the dark, dark dell. ISO 1600, 1/80th second exposure...

As above, in the "dell"

Finally in a better position for better images... handheld 500mm, ISO 1250!

and we're off!....

In addition - a putative Blythii Lesser Whitethroat... called just like a great tit!

Sunny Days

Great weather continues, and a smattering of birds to see too - yellow-browed warbler at the entrance to Druridge, shore lark still on the beach at East Chevington and just inland on newly created pools, a Slavonian grebe, a thousand or so pink footed geese and a single peregrine.

Spot the shore lark...

Deflated

... the bikes back tyre, not me.

Finally made the effort to head to West Hartford this morning - stonechat secured on the northern edge of the patch. More pleasing were seven tree sparrow flying west and an abundance of meadow pipit and skylark.

To the north, too far away for id with bins were c150 geese - most probably pink-feet or perhaps barnacle - heading steadily west.

At East Hartford 39 skylark lifted from the stubble fields near the water treatment plant and a couple of buzzard patrolled the delightfully bright blue skies.

Horns and Vire-no's

It's been a while since I last saw Shorelark in Northumberland, and today it prove to be compensatory for a lack of Red-eyed Vireo at Newton.

Very dapper.

Newton, along with a nice meal at The Ship, provided another Yellow-browed Warbler.

A little blue

A venture out in the rain this morning provides encounters with the immature blue-winged real on the river Wansbeck, less convincing wildfowl at Hauxley and a little stint at Cresswell. We didn't bump into the caspian gull at Amble, but at least the chips were there.