Murmur

Blue sky today, but Burdon Moor was still bleak and almost bird-free. A unseasonal Meadow Pipit was the only bird of note. At Birtley reed beds at least two Water Rail were calling and 10+ Bullfinch were feeding in the hedges. Plenty of birds at Lamesley, but the long staying drake Wigeon the best.

The car park at Far Pasture was the place to be, alive with birds. Treecreeper, 4 Nuthatch, 4 Willow Tit, 3 Goldcrest, 6 Bullfinch and a Chiffchaff were all in the hedges along with plenty of commoner tits and Chaffinch. A male Brambling made a belated addition to my Gateshead year list, dropping in briefly, but not staying for photos.

At dusk I popped down to Shibdon to see the Starling murmuration. A fantastic show with a guestimate of 20,000 birds. Well worth a look down, with the bids swirling overhead for three quarters of an hour before pouring into the reeds.



A few of the Starlings