West of Rothbury
Hi June, Anglers is a local for us - great wee place to visit!!
The bridge at Paperhaugh never fails to thrill with something wonderful each time I stop!! Gooseanders are so very elegant |8)|. Dippers I often see when driving over the bridge in Rothbury or at the Haugh car park area there.
Now for those of you in a hurry the birds should appear in
BLUE
Managed out early this glorious am as I had to drop 2 eldest boys in Rothbury before 8. Decided that I'd take a wee run on out to the nature reserve just up the Coquet west of R. I found how to get here earlier this winter after seeing hides on the ponds + wondering for ages what it was. Its Trout Fishing Ponds, owners have been so lovely on the last couple of occasions + are happy for me to go out + always have time for a chat :t:. I had escaped last week + was desperate to return earlier this week but it wasn't to be.
So this morning I decided to go the opposite way from last time, headed over the river by the gravel workings, it was the 1st day of fishing so I wasn't alone today. Lots of wee birds in the trees
Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Pied Wagtail + Pheasant with
Wood Pigeon, Rook, Carrion Crow + Jackdaw flying over.
Down the side of the pond + into the hide sun behind me + there were lots of geese honking away, lots of arqumentative
Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swans, Tufties, Malard + Goldeneye. Then a wee darting flash of colour just above the water - the
Kingfisher just where I'd seen it last time!!:-O
There was a wee bridge over the pond + in there
Dabchick bobbing around + a wonderful wee pair of
Long Tailed Tits lining their nest with the goose feathers they'd gathered. Found the nest what a spectacular construction it is you could see the lichen from the trees all threaded together, amazing + all seen from the path, what a treat
. Saw treecreepers + bullies here last time but not a one today.
Back onto the main path + decided to go east to have a see what was on the sandy heaps - lots more geese,
Oystercatcher, Teal, Wigeon, Red shank, Cormorant, Shellduck, Lapwing (peewit), BHGull, Buzzards + Curlew. Some
Yellow Hammers + Skylarks singing in the fields to the south. Now thanks to reading this thread I had a much closer look at the geese that came in + low there were things I would never have expected. Thanks all!! So there were
Greylag, Pink-footed + White-fronted, :eek!: the white above the bill was quite noticeable but I've never knowingly seen them before, hangs head in shame as I've watched geese since before I could walk!! There was also a larger than last time flock of
Whooper Swans I think but they were a way away, just so different from the mutes that were so much closer + paired of
Headed back towards the pond along the hedge that is just bursting with splashes of green popping out in the sun. On round to some of the other hides seeing a wonderful wee
Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch + Coal Tit. The hide is v v shallow + tiny me can hardly stand in it as the quarry have flooded it with mud.
Gadwall, more coot, moorhen, mutes, dabbies + a
Reed Bunting on these quieter ponds surrounded by reed willow + bullrush. There were masses of
Frogs in the one area of the ponds, they hid as soon as I got close to the edge but they are a lot later spawning here, my tadpoles have hatched so not sure what kind of frogs these were. There were also quite a few
Toads on the paths some doing their I'm huge impression!! In the next hide it was a flash of a white bottom that caught my eye + ther tip toeing through the woods on the other side were a wee hariem of
Roe Deer, 3doe, 1buck in the velvet. Incredible to watch them move unstratled, so different from how I've seen them so often before, not a sound.
Round onto the main pond area where there was less than before due to all the boats being out. Had some company here + heard of were to look for kingfishers in this area, about osprey + otters - lots to look forward to + return to see!! So exciting!!
Returning as I was keen to see if I could spot the kfisher again there was a
Tawny Owl calling from the pine trees, was about mid day by then so this was a pleasant surprise.
Just awesome loved every moment of the whole experience!!
For those of you who read all my blethery rantings B
:-O