Harris hawk

The harris hawk is still kicking around, it was reported yesterday at far pastures. Not much about today, i had a good walk around the fields at kibblesworth brick works pools and burdon moor with no luck, just one common snipe and a hare flushed. The only easy"ish" birds i need are little owl and grey partridge, should get them soon :)

Crossbills

Crossbills x 3 at chopwell woods today, near carpark, 2000+ large gulls at landfill.
crossbill was new tick for year :)

Nordic update

All 3 birds are now believed to be 100% Nordic Jackdaws

These 2 birds are less marked than the first, but are still 100% Nordic Jackdaws

Rare Bird Alert said "These are certainly what we call Nordic Jackdaws"

and

Birdguides displayed these images as Nordic Jackdaws on there website

Nordic jackdaw update

A very experienced birder has said that its possible that all three jackdaws could be nordic jackdaws? i'll try to get some more shots of them tomorrow, so they can be identified.

Lothian & Northumberland trip

Great day out today with 68 species seen and 10 new british year ticks, possible 2 bewick swans (tick pending)
waxwing x 3
velvet scoter x 20+
red necked grebe x 1
rock pipit
water pipit
stonechat
black redstart
barnacle goose
white fronted goose
red legged partridge

other birds of interest:-
scandinavian rock pipit
long tailed duck x 30+
purple sandpiper x 15+
great northern diver
whooper swan x 20+

rainbow over stag rocks

long tailed ducks

velvet scoters

water pipit

scandinavian rock pipit

rock pipit

slav grebe

bar tailed godwit

white fronted geese - distant and in the dark

2 possible bewicks with a herd of whoopers and a few mute swans

next trip Dumfries & Galloway & cumbria, just as soon as the weather is right. overnight stay for this trip?
target birds for year list will be:-
surf scoter
blue winged teal
green winged teal
scaup
golden eagle
black guillemot
raven
hawfinch

also possible
great grey shrike (reported galloway forest park)
hooded crow
jack snipe
hen harrier
merlin
black necked grebe
iceland gull

a day full of laughter and a good find

Had a great day out with professor pochard and the ''the gay viking'' oops sorry the centurion, lol :) just a joke he might want to confess to on his blog sometime or not, lol. very few birds about today in the wind but the laughter made up for that, cheers guys. I found a nice nordic jackdaw at shibdon pond today whilst driving past, also 2 possible hybrids, not many gulls about today :), undecided on tomorrows trip? loch ryan and other sites around dumfries&galloway or aberlady bay&northumberland coast? i'll decide soon :)

nordic jackdaw (Note the white half collar, pale markings on breast and pale head)

nordic jackdaw 

nordic jackdaw

nordic jackdaw

hybrid on the left

another shot of both

New garden lifer

Linnet x 4 flew over house this afternoon, nice to See as they are new Gateshead year tick and a life tick for my garden list :) taking my garden life list to 84. also singing wren, 4 x red kite soaring above the garden. Got a text from the centurion today "redpoll in alders opposite yours with siskin" shame l was out :( i'll have to keep an eye out for a redpoll.