July 2023

24.07.23 : Drigg dunes and Parkside

An early start and a trip to Drigg dunes, the sun was shining and the birds were out ! A Buzzard was soaring above the dunes hunting, the Skylarks were flitting about, but much quieter now that the are off the nests, Meadow Pipits were plentiful and an odd Swallow swooping about.

I took the path down to the river Irt and back into the dunes, on the river estuary there were Oyster catchers, Sand Pipers, a Great Egret, Curlew, a Dipper and a flock of Herring gulls. Sadly there were also a  number of dead gulls,  victims of the avian flu would be my guess.

Just as I was waiting for the Egret which was moving ever closer, a herd of cattle crossed the river in a rush scared it away ! a great site to see but not good for Egret photography 🙂

Headed back to Parkside and was happy to see a Moorhen had arrived on the pond along with our resident Heron but nothing much else to be seen until the evening when a flock of Greylags came into roost in the fields and a chiffchaf was fliting about the Hawthorns