Abbey Meadows

Abbey Meadows

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Great grey in Harwood








Lightening strikes for the third time in 18 months in almost exactly the same spot...though the photos get no better. I cycled from Harwood village past Redpath where there were two fine Stonechats, Fallowlees and Chartners and back to the village via Tutehill moss with Bennyboy panting on ahead of me. Plenty of birds in the forest with Great spotted woodpeckers, Siskin and Crossbills and a steady stream of Redwings flying west overhead. I stopped for a break at a small lay-by next to the track just up from Fallowlees bridge at Tutehill when a Goshawk flew over the track and into the tall pines behind Redpath. About ten minutes later some Siskins were alarming behind me and when I turned around they were mobbing a Great Grey Shrike on top of the low pines. Although a bit distant I managed to get the above shots. It got sick of the Siskins and flew towards the edge of the pines that flank the moss. I picked it up again a bit further away but sitting happy with no Siskins buzzing above its head.
On the way home there were at least 3 Bramblings with 30 Chaffinches at the Longwitton Beech avenue and 11 Red legged Partridges just inside the field.

5 comments:

Andrew Kinghorn said...

Nice one, well done. :)

Nellie from Beyond My Garden said...

I've had lots of trouble, too trying to photograph a bird when I have to zoom in. Just when I finally get focused, the bird flies away.

Anonymous said...

Got the Shrike on my BFHL today-totally shattered!!
I saw it soon as I arrived but it went missing for 45 minutes before seeing it again in the same place-this time it showed well for 30 mins.
It was on the clear fell close to the bridge before moving to the right of the raised area in the middle of the clear fell.
ADMc

Ghost of Stringer said...

Good work !! A nice find !!

abbey meadows said...

Thanks for the comments. Its a large forest to cover, I have to do it by bike. Andy..I'm knackered biking around the forest tracks but I wouldn;t do it from Morpeth...Great stuff.