Flat Out

Its just as well we can be flexible and plans can be re drawn. 

'East Chevington first, catch the Cettis Warbler singing and then straight up the A1 to Budle to have a good look at these Canada Goose races'.

No.

As I pulled away from the drive in the early morning darkness the car felt a bit odd, Puncture !!.
I rang Stewart and asked if I could be collected, of course I could. We still arrived at East Chevington in good time, we drank tea and watched the sunrise.

Sunrise, East Chevington

Taking up position at the south east corner of the north pool we scanned the wildfowl as we listened for singing from the reeds.

Pintail
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Goldeneye
Gadwall
Teal
Mallard
Wigeon

The singing Cetti's Warbler was soon picked up by other birders present, singing quite strongly at times as we loitered near the hide in that area of the reserve. 

A bit of a group assembled, some of the really good local birders, all chatting and exchanging tales.
One called out that a Bittern was flying over the reed bed towards us, missed it. 
Birds seemed restless on the pond and also in the surrounding fields. A Marsh Harrier was floating around, eventually going down in the north western corner, flushing Crows and out of sight. A Peregrine, seen earlier must still be patrolling the area as Lapwings and Starlings in the fields above the reserve were finding it hard to settle.

The mood changed in a second among the group though, a call as heard above, not by me mind. Then what seemed like an age passed, a second or two in truth and someone eventually shouted Bee Eaters!!.. two of these beautifully colorful and exotic Southern European birds were flying north up the coast, over our heads. Of course panic ensued a little as everyone tried to get onto them, I'm not really sure about everyone else but I managed to get them fairly quickly and watched them disappear over Druridge Bay Country Park. They didn't fly directly, they were circling as they moved north giving glimpses of turquoise blue plumage now and again.

You just never know what a day has in store.

Pink Footed Geese