Birding Sunbiggin Tarn

Took the Westies for their usual walk this morning and had a look in at the flood, nothing out of the norm. A good number of Lapwings, and Mallard, but even though I viewed the flood from two different areas there was no sign of any Snipe.


Devil's-Bit Scabious & Hover Fly  near Sunbiggin Tarn

         Back home for a cuppa and to do some house jobs, then took my Daughter into work a Stainton for 12pm. Next I decided to have a drive up to Sunbiggin Tarn to see if there was much about, haven't been up there for a while.



Part of Sunbiggin Tarn looking North-East

There wasn't a great deal on the tarn, just a pair of Little Grebe, 2 Cormorants and a Canada goose. and Mallard on the far tarn. 2 Raven flew over and a few Meadow Pipits

When Talking to John the birder the other week, He told me of a group of small ponds in the same area so I thought I would give them the once over. There was Mallard , 7 Teal and 1 Heron. Then on the far side of the ponds I noticed a Roe Deer, and then a second one joined the first as it came trotting off the fell, and both then took off heading for the road 

Female Roe Deer, Near Sunbiggin Tarn.
I decided to head back to the road in the hope of getting closer to the deer but without any luck. However I did find this Wheatear unfortunately twigs again, and it didn't hang around long enough to get a better angle.

Wheatear near Sunbiggin Tarn.
There was also two Kestrels in the area one below flew over the car, and also two Heron

Kestrel

Devil's-Bit Scabious & Cuckoo Bumble Bee.
As I was driving away from the area a flock of about 20 Goldfinch flew alongside the car, and then later heading back North on the M6 about 200 Lapwing flew over the M6.

 At 5PM I went up to the flood again, Simon also called up, and we saw 5 Snipe leave the flood heading South-East. The Lapwing numbers were still high and about the same amount of Mallard, and what looked to be a White Wagtail on the far side of the flood.