Blowing In the Wind

How many seas must a white dove sail, before she sleeps in the sand
How many times must the cannonballs fly, before they are forever banned (Bob Dylan)

31st Jan.  Whether it be cold, rain, sleet, snow or mist, it doesn’t usually dent my birding enjoyment, but strong winds are something else, and so it was today, with very little about in the way of birds.

A stop at an icy cold and windswept Mitford in the slight hope that Hawfinch might appear proved fruitless, with the hornbeams blowing in the wind there was little in the way of birdlife showing.  I guess any Hawfinches will have been deep into the centre of the trees.  We’d seen a Kestrel on route.   Later all we saw at the burn, East Chevington was a flock of Ringed Plover seen at the tideline.  Sand blew around the area giving a rather pleasant look to the place, although if you had been standing amongst it, it would have perhaps been a lot less pleasant.  As we moved off the flock of Whooper Swans was found in the fields behind the dunes.  We didn’t even bother stopping at a barren North Pool which looked more like a choppy sea.  Greylag Geese were in the area.  Druridge Pools weren’t very rewarding, but I did add Black-tailed Godwit to the year list and as we sat eating lunch skeins of Pink-footed Geese flew over giving us our highlight of the day.  We could see no White-fronted Geese amongst them.  A Stonechat appeared too.  The walk between hides and out of the wind was mild and pleasant in the sun.  Being blown about in the open Budge hide was not!  Other birds seen at the pools included Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and Shoveler.

We didn’t even bother stopping at Cresswell Pond as from a distance it was apparent that the area was another windswept desert.  My visits to Cresswell of late have been unrewarding with either wind or high waters or both.  A stop at Newbiggin provided nice sightings of adult Mediterranean Gulls in flight and lit by the sun.  Nice to get the gulls sorted early in the year then I can forget about them. (just joking…well sort of).  The cafes were doing good business today and there were a few hardened walkers out and about.  We decided to add to the café coffers and stop for a cup of tea before heading for home.  So, the year listing has slowed down somewhat with only three new species added today.  I need to ensure I catch up with things during February.