Branton and Hedgeley 13th March 2013

With a cold biting wind we decided to have a walk down to Hedgeley Ponds via Branton Ponds.
As we walked along the road we soon picked out 2 Adders sheltered from the Arctic blast on a sunny
south facing slope. A quick scan of the ponds showed several male Goldeneyes displaying to females
along with a pair of Pochards and a pair of Gadwall.
Our next stop was the river Breamish next to Hedgeley Ponds,where a Green Sandpiper flew up from the riverside looking like a giant House Martin, we noted where it had landed and slowly got closer and closer until finally good views were obtained.
Back home and a more unusual sighting of a Moorhen in our garden which appears to have taken up residence,coming out to feed on the grass when things are quiet then sneaking back into the undergrowth when disturbed.