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Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Getting my 1st mega dip out of the way and rewarding Bramlings. Redcar Tarn/Leeshaw.

 Redcar Tarn             Lesser Black Backed and Herring gull
                                                    LBB
                                           Herring gull

 This Herring could have passed for a Yellow Legged
but it was on full sun angle showing its pink
               legs as Yellow.
         Star prize, 1 of 30 Brambling. Enjoying Beech nuts




                                             Chaffinch
 Brambling, hard to photograph as very mobile in
                            thick Beech trees.
 Leeshaw                                     Ad Herring gull

                                       Greylag blast off.

A cracking morning at Redcar Tarn with bright skies on a light SW>3 at 3 degrees with 50% cloud cover.
         First job was to get my first Caspian gull of 2020 dip out of the way which I did with little effort as there was only around 10 big gulls present, 2 of those being LBBs.
With that achieved and out of my system I walked the perimeter a couple of times with the team checking the water , island and surrounding hedges with a high count of species but nothing untoward.
                A quick cup of tea for me and biscuits for the dogs then on to the Beech trees in search of Brambling where a flock of around 30 was present but very high up and mobile working their way through the trees and back again. After a few poor record shots I called it a do as it was getting very busy up there so a final check of the water then back to base.
              Late afternoon at Leeshaw was hazy but workable with a calm SW>3 and still at 3 degrees.
              Again a good species count but nothing unusual with 89 Greylag moving around but no sign of the Pink Footed from before Christmas. The water held 3m and 2 f Goosander plus around 100 small gulls but only 1 adult and 1 first winter Herring gull. Near to 100 Fieldfare were moving to roost and 38 Pheasants were in the fields across the water.
             A good days birding with no fog and the silly season out of the way so its full steam ahead now to longer days and more birds. I may eat my optimistic words tomorrow.!!
BS