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| Cormorant & Great Black Backed Gull |
I headed out just after 1110. Although it wasn't as cold as I had expected it was windy which seemed to be keeping the smaller birds out of sight. Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon and Herring Gull started the list, while a little further on a Magpie was looking for crumbs around the front of a small takeaway shop before it flew off as I got closer. Across the road a Blue Tit flew out a Rowan tree where a Blackbird was feeding on the plentiful orange berries. From Clepington Road I detoured along Mains Terrace but was only able to add a Robin and a flyover Woodpigeon there.
Next stop was Swannie Ponds where a number of Black Headed Gulls were on the water along with a few Herring Gulls. The water levels were still very low meaning a lack of Tufted Ducks, though there were still a number of Mallards. A Magpie flew off the island. A Coot and a young Mute Swan were seen at the top end of the top pond. A Common Gull was among the gulls on the lower pond. None of the birds seen on the path wore rings.
Eastern Cemetery was next and it was here I was hoping to find Waxwings if there were any around. However it was exceedingly quiet for birds with even the expected Fieldfares, Redwings and Mistle Thrushes noticeable by their absence from the areas they are usually to be found, though as I walked further on a small flock of Redwings did fly over. A Buzzard flew out of a tree near the centre of the cemetery attracting the attention of a few Carrion Crows as it flew low away from me. A Wren flitted around in a small tree near the southeastern gate.
I caught the bus into town to head to City Quay to see if there were any birds there or out on the river. The Foxlake water-park development has meant less birds around the western end of the quay area and only a single Cormorant was briefly seen beyond the Unicorn. A Rock Pipit flew over eastwards as I reached the outer quay area. There were a few Cormorants and a Grey Heron resting up near the south-eastern corner. Out on the river there were a Great Black Backed Gull and a few Cormorants on the concrete structure on Submarine Rock as well as a few Red Breasted Mergansers on the water nearby. Only at this point did I take my camera out of the bag to grab a few photos to illustrate this blog post, but I only took 3 rather poor photos before wandering along towards the V&A and then up through the town to head for home.
Nothing much to show for my efforts with birds seemingly few and far between at all the locations visited. A total of 21 species seen with only the Rock Pipit being slightly unexpected. Rather disappointingly only a single small flock of winter thrushes were seen, and even these were in flight.
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Great Black Backed Gull, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Red Breasted Merganser, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Woodpigeon, Wren.