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River Tees, Barnard Castle 22nd May - Part 2/3 (1 Viewer)

IanF

Moderator
The afternoon walk was to Deepdale Woods, just across the bridge from where I'd parked.

As soon as I'd crossed the bridge I had my first bird of the afternoon, a lovely Spotted Flycatcher sat on the telegraph wires - Spotted Flycatcher. It was flying off the wires catching bugs and then returning, before heading off to an old barn nearby which when I investigated was where it was nesting in a crevice. Whilst I was watching them take food to the nest I noticed a small brown bird making forays too between the bushes beside the barn and some conifers 30 yards away. When I approached the conifers which overhang the farm track I saw a pair of Goldcrests busily taking food to their nest too! They were a bit too quick to get a photo of.

I then entered Deepdale properly and quickly found Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail and the usual Blue, Great and Coal Tits. Whilst I paused beside the beck to take a photo of some Grey Wagtails feeding their young I noticed a pair of LBJs disappearing into the grass, one carrying black horse hair 6" long. When I took a closer look I saw it was a pair of Garden Warblers a life tick for me. They generally paused on a briar before dipping into the nest. Much as I tried for a photo with the scope I never quite managed it though I got some lovely shots of the vacant briar ;) Hopefully they will be still around for the Global Bird Count next weekend.

Whilst watching the Garden Warblers several local birders came passed and were pleased at the discovery. Fortunately for me they shared their sightings too which made for a good afternoon. Coincidently we had just been discussing the scarcity of Bullfinches and Blackcaps this year when a male Bullfinch and a female Blackcap turned up and hung around for quite a while. The Bullfinch went for a bath in the beck whilst the Blackcap fed off the young Raspberry canes and then had a dip in the water too.

Ambling my way along the path I called in at the Dippers nest which last weekend looked as if it had been finished with. I just got the scope on it when the female popped out and joined it's mate by the water. Her brood patch was evident and she looked to be in a tatty state. I didn't embarrass her by taking a photo in that state and got one of the male instead - Dipper

All the while a pair of Pied Wagtails were flitting up and down the stones by the beck - Pied Wagtail

Moving on another five hundred yards I came across a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers busily feeding their young. Green caterpillars were on the menu today. I managed a couple of photos but the light was against me. A morning visit would have been more suitable.

By then time was getting on I retraced my footsteps seeing the same birds over again - including the Spotted Flycatcher perched on the wires once more.

My day good as it had been wasn't quite over as I had a friend to collect who wanted to see a rather special species that are nesting a few miles away - more of that in part 3!
 

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Wow, sounds like a really exciting day you had, and your pictures are exceptional.
I love the GS Woodies.
 
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