Tuesday 4 December 2012

The Font

Today was spent walking up river from Netherwitton to Fontburn Reservoir before the sleet set in.  The male catkins on both the alder and hazel are starting to emerge.  A brown hare running through some wet woodland caused some amusement.  On the bird front it was relatively quiet but marsh tits were seen at two spots (Netherwitton & Ritton), one big flock of siskins (at least 100 birds), at least three flocks of long tailed tits and a 'fly-over' male goshawk.

The biggest surprise was a green sandpiper.  I know that they winter on the Breamish but this bird was feeding along the river under the canopy of the trees at South Healey!  Has anyone seen this behaviour before?  I associated this bird with open habitats not foraging like a woodcock.

1 comment:

  1. Hi George, I have seen Green Sands in woodland habitat before, at Bothal village and at exactly the same spot as you during a green sand survey some years ago.

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