Lockdown Birding as spring unfolds ... more summer migrants in ... residents in full song ...

Today was pleasant ... not warm at 5 deg C when I set off ... but little wind and the light was better for trying out my new Nikon Coolpix P1000 as I walked round the Geltsdale Reserve ...

With a focal length of 3000mm the temptation to use full zoom is hard to resist ... using less zoom is good where possible though ...

This nice singing male Reed Bunting was perching obligingly to give me time to explore the photographic options ...

Meadow Pipits were all over the place as I walked by Stagsike Meadow ... and clearly appreciating the gentle wind allowing them to stay a while on song posts ...

On their breeding territories Starlings take on a whole other character ...

... looking dominant and full of character on the wires ...

Common Sandpiper was back on the tarn but gave only a departing but satisfying glimpse ... whereas Lesser Black-backed, Black-headed and Common Gulls lingered at the east end ...

... a first-summer Common Gull among the prospective breeders ...

... and two female Goldeneye still on their winter grounds ...

... a fly-by pair of Greylags ... testing the capabilities of the camera ... and of me ... birds in direct flight are just about do-able with these cameras ...

... much easier though are those species that perch up for a while ... as with this female Stonechat ...

Lockdown Birding ... a slow tour on foot from home ... Willow Warblers in profusion ...

With the current restrictions on travel my birding is limited to the area here in the North Pennines ... what is never a problem here is social distancing ... it is very easy to remain 200m from any other person almost all of the time ...

The recent days have seen Willow Warblers flooding into every little copse and upland spinney ... the small wood at Clesketts had at least four singing males yesterday ...

... darting as they did among the largely leafless branches ...

A pair of Stonechats perched obligingly on some fence and gate posts ...

... with colour rings it should be possible to determine whether this is a breeding pair ( rather than a pair that have wintered together - often a different pairing, apparently )

On Tindale Tarn a pair of Teal were close to the viewing screen but took flight  immediately ...

... all the other birds on the tarn were typically distant ... two Great Black-backed Gulls were soon joined by two lesser Black-backed Gulls ... one an apparent second-summer bird ...

... slightly closer were two pairs of Common Gull, one occupying the recently built-up island which will hopefully not become flooded over as is so often the case here ...

... any hopes of a White Wagtail soon faded but this Pied Wagtail was at least not too distant ...           ( without carrying a 'scope while travelling on foot has its drawbacks ! ) ...

... and a nice male Wheatear was equally obliging ...