Monday 12th November

There have been brief sightings of a nuthatch and a long-tailed tit in the garden plus the odd coal tit.  Otherwise the garden has been totally dominated by marauding jackdaws who get virtually all the feed I'm putting out. They were decimating the peanuts in the feeder and when I replaced them with fat balls to deter them, it didn't work. I'm now seriously considering not feeding the birds at all until there's a decent frost.  Even then I may need to change tactics.

Otherwise I've been on a couple of bike rides in the Consett and Stanley area, where parts of cycle track 7 look very attractive.  Last week I was pushing on to make time and only managed to see a red kite and a hovering kestrel past Beamish.

Sloe bush

On Saturday I determined to take it slowly as I set out towards Consett from Rowland's Gill.  Grey squirrels were clearly very active and I counted a total of eight on the way to Ebchester.

Cycle track 7 didn't produce any notable bird life but a roe deer did cross right in front of me.  There were also a lot of bushes with dark berries. I think were sloes rather than bilberries, which would have been of interest as a possible green hairstreak location. I'll bet the same area is good for butterflies in summer though as it faces south on a slope. And it was notable that the small pond near Annfield Plain, deserted last week, was clearly being fished for carp by at least half a dozen anglers.

Heading towards Tantobie and Lintz on a poor quality track, there were three separate bullfinches and a huge looking red kite skimming the trees by a farm.  On arriving home, I caught sight of another red kite, a male,  hovering low right over the estate.

Today there was a Naturewatch trip to the Low Hauxley Reserve near Amble, which was more eventful.  Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera with me - again - so I'm waiting for some shots from another member of the group who has a better camera anyway.  Full report to follow.