Some favourites

Male and female flowers of Alder...they have a nice purplish tinge this time of year.

Dozens of these pellets at Widdrington tip.

My favourite view in Harwood forest...Redpath with the Simonsides in the distance Most of the snow has gone now.

I've been out everyday this week but not many photos taken. On Tuesday I was at Widdrington tip and there were a lot of birds around. 18 Skylarks singing, 2 meadow pipits, Yellowhammers and Reed buntings. 17 siskins flew north but a heron and a Buzzard were feeding on Frogs among the wet Alder plantation. Also 18 Common Snipe and 1 Jack. A couple of favourites here with Siskin and probably my favourite tree the Alder, because I like the habitat associated with this tree.

Yesterday I was at Harwood forest. There were hundreds of Siskin here as well as good numbers of Redpolls and Crossbills. The highlight was a Black grouse at Tutehill moss; my first record here but historically they were once here in big numbers. A male Goshawk was gliding low over the tree tops and at least 7 Buzzards in the area. 7 Roe deer here and one of them was rubbing velvet from its antlers in the rough grass.

Today I had a walk around Scotch gyll but just the regular woodland birds but full of birdsong. This evening my long luck at connecting with Owls this year continued with two Tawny Owls calling to each other in the ivy clad trees at the edge of Falcon hill. One of them looked really good against the dimming sky in the background...I must take my camera with me all the time, even in the dark.