Monday 15 June 2009

Through the windscreen

Spent the morning in Hexham in bright sunshine then decided after lunch to drive across moors to Allenheads and Blanchland. As soon as we left Hexham it started to chuck it down complete with hailstones. Its the middle of June for goodness sake!
So any attempts at birdwatching were made from the car without apology.
However apart from Curlew, Oystercatcher, Wheatear, Red Grouse, Meadow Pipit, we were very lucky twice, when stopped with the window down, to at first hear and then see, pairs of Cuckoo flying over. The second time near Blanchland one of them was being mugged by a little brown job so we wondered had the Cuckoo just left its egg in the nest.
Was hoping somebody might confirm that the pic below which I got through the windscreen is of a Woodcock rather than a Snipe.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes, thats a Woodcock, great photograph. Cheers Holywell Birder

Alan Tilmouth said...

Particularly like the raindrop at the end of the bill, very atmospheric.

Phil said...

Terrific - whenever I've been that close to a woodcock its camouflage has worked so well that I've completely missed it until it has risen flown off.

Citybirding said...

Thanks to all for the comments.
I thought it was a snipe until I got the pic onto the screen.