FOG ON THE TYNE (09/04/10)

We woke this morning to thick mist, waited for the six o’clock forecast which was for light rain by ten. The decision to go deer spotting was helped by the sight that greeted me when I opened the blinds. There for a second was the bird with no name. A clue, he has a long beak, is black and white with a bright red bum. I was blowed if he was going to ruin another breakfast with his shilly shallying back and forth.

By six thirty we were on our way, visibility was not perfect but it is mild and half dry.

    Ten minutes stroll brought us to the Tyne.

      Fog on the Tyne, the South Tyne to be exact. The title borrowed from Lindisfarne, the group, not the Island. As we wandered we called at the pools.

      Now I’m very glad this is a Toad, had it been a frog then the title of today's post would have had you throwing heavy things at your monitor. It’s a Common Toad Bufo Bufo, something stuck from school! As an aside I’ve been checking for frogs and always thought they arrived before toads. Can’t be frog country here.

On we plodded and by eight the sun was out, so were the deer but nowhere near us

       A Goldfinch as a consolation prize, he wasn’t quite close enough but it’s a first for me so I’m happy enough.

On we went the peace suddenly interrupted by tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap, ignore it Molly, whatever it is it’s only trying to wind us up. I had to look and there fifty to a hundred yards away………………

Port side.

Starboard side.

Backside…………………The greater Spotted Woodpecker. Ok, cropped but definitely a Woodpecker, now where’s the Lesser Spotted and Green. I didn’t see them but flushed with success decided to return by way of the burn and give the Dippers a seeing to.

They were sighted but just too far away, a little compensation was provided by the Grey Wagtail again at about my range limit and half hidden by twigs but we got a shot.

       This is cropped  but just about stands it.

Hunger started to make itself apparent so back home, not a bad morning . The forecast rain held off, in fact we enjoyed four hours of very clement weather.