alan tilmouth

Southern Portugal (1)

2012-01-29T19:59:00.000Z

Back in early October I was asked to head off to Southern Portugal by the good folks at Bird Watching magazine to spend five days in the company of top Portugese birder and guide Joáo Jara and then produce an article about the area for the magazine. The February issue of Bird Watching, on sale now, has a 'Portugal Special' and my small contribution features in amongst several others.

As well as the piece in Bird Watching I've also drawn on my experiences in that trip to write about a fantastic site in the Alentejo region called Noudar Nature Park over at 10000birds. An incredible place on so many levels and not just the birds, if anyone gets the chance to go and stay there do as it is has a tremendously relaxed and peaceful ambience (as well as some fantastic birds).

As I hadn't added anything here about that trip, I though I would post a few images and highlight just a few of the great birds we saw whilst there.

No time to waste, we had barely touched the tarmac in Lisbon and the birding started in earnest. The Tagus Estuary is a hugely important wetland reserve just south of Portugal's capital. We headed for one area of the reserve known as the Giganta Rice Fields to sample what the area had to offer.

These fields teemed with life, some crowded with Greater Flamingoes others with large flocks of waders, Glossy Ibis wandered on the periphery of many flocks, whilst a field corner here and there seemed to be especially attractive to Black-winged Stilts. Armies of White Storks rose and fell from one field to the next.

Amongst the massed ranks of waders, flamingoes and flights of egrets, dotted around the bars of idle agricultural apparatus, sheltering from the glare and heat of the afternoon sun, a small number of Black-winged Kites. We were never close to these attractive raptors but we saw enough at this site and at following stops as we made our way south to ensure that everyone tumbled from the transport every time there was the hint of a sighting.

Our lunch taken in a small crowded restaurant providing fresh locally caught fish and local speciality dishes was somewhat fitting after the hectic vistas of the rice fields. After lunch the inevitable post-lunch lethargy was mirrored at the local saltpans, the causeways crammed with Kentish Plovers and lounging Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The journey south was slow but not from traffic, paced to allow us time to visit several small sites and add much more Mediterranean flavour to the day with Hoopoes gently lifting from dusty tracks and Azure-winged Magpies lurking in shady Eucalyptus. Squacco Herons and some of Portugal's established exotica such as Black-headed Weaver and Yellow-crowned Bishop provided further interest as the sun headed west. Beyond dusk when we arrived at our 'base' for the next few days, the white-washed walls of the town of Mertola lit and reflecting in the Guadiana river below.

Holy Island/Budle Bay

2012-01-27T21:01:00.001Z

With ADMc back from visiting Paddington, sun-tanned and a list as long as your arm we headed off up to the north of Northumberland today for some winter birding on a cold but bright day.
First stop Beal where we spent a little time noting colour rings on some of the confiding Pale-bellied Brent Geese, single Skylark and Reed Bunting were year ticks for both of us, at least ADMc had an excuse.

Over to Holy Island and from the lower reaches of The Heugh we had soon picked out five Slavonian Grebes, a single Red-throated Diver and one or two Razorbills. A little further along overlooking the harbour ADMc spotted a single Red-necked Grebe feeding just off the harbour. Suprisingly we couldn't find another diver or a single Long-tailed Duck in an area normally very good for both.

The 'Rocket Field' was quiet with just a single Black-tailed Godwit and a single Short-eared Owl so we headed south to Budle Bay. Lots of Barnacle Geese and common wildfowl and waders whilst we dipped into lunch. Surprise of the day was a smart looking Hooded Crow at the south end, presumably the same individual that has been recorded at Rock and Howick (early Jan and November 2011)? We watched it repeatedly picking up 'cockles' and dropping them from a height to try and break them open.

A brief look from Stag Rocks produced more Slavonian Grebes, a small number of Common Scoters, a single Stonechat and a few Purple Sandpipers. Incredibly here too we found not a single diver or Long-tailed Duck in an area that would have teemed with both a few years ago, the mild winter or long term trend?

Iceland Gulls (Ardglass)

2012-01-26T12:39:00.000Z

A selection of images taken of some of the Iceland Gulls (all glaucoides) at a range of ages at Ardglass on Saturday.

Juvenile with dark underparts and some brown peppering on inner webs of some primaries.

2nd-winter - note pale eye and more rounded primary tips

3rd-winter

Yank Teal

2012-01-25T19:46:00.001Z

With but a couple of hours this afternoon and a promise to cut the fuel bill after going over budget on the Ross's Gull I remained close to home. I caught up with the long-staying drake Green-winged Teal at East Chevington, though it's so far south on the south pool it could almost be a Druridge tick. The wildfowl on the north pool were restless and airborne and a single female Pintail was the best I could pick out.

A few Common Scoters close in off Hadston Scarrs and a half dozen Red-breasted Mergansers on a choppy sea were to be expected; what wasn't expected was the Woodcock that came tearing in off the sea, straight over the dunes and into the country park. There seem to be a few reports along the east coast mentioning Woodcock today so I wonder if there has been a late winter cold weather movement? A male Stonechat was by the boardwalk onto the beach at the south end.

Kumlien's Gull (Ardglass)

2012-01-23T17:45:00.003Z

One of the many highlights of Saturday's trip was catching up with one of the two juvenile/1st-winter Kumlien's Gulls that have been around the harbour. This individual has fairly dark looking primaries with obvious white tips that don't seem to extend into long 'chevrons'. Nice smooth 'velvet' breast and belly and some interesting u-shapes on moulted scapulars. I had wandered over to the mudflats north of the harbour for a break from the Ross's Gull ~~and some chocolate~~ and was picking through the various Glaucous, Iceland and Herring ~~and a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk~~ on offer when I came across this one.
I hadn't really paid much attention to earlier images of these two before I went out but now I've had a look and this seems to be an individual that has been present since at least 6th Jan. The primaries are fairly dark and I did wonder about the possibility of something better but after a night spent trawling the net for equivalent aged gulls that might be well out of range ( and a little help from friends) it would appear to be too pale. Another day maybe....

Ross's Gull - Ardglass, Northern Ireland

2012-01-22T18:20:00.000Z

I had been planning a trip to Ireland this winter. most probably to Killybegs towards the end of January/early February to look for gulls but with the current influx of white-winged gulls and the bonus of an adult Ross's Gull in Ardglass, Co Down I decided to go for it this weekend rather than wait. It probably ended up costing me a little more as I flew over to Belfast and hired a car from there on Saturday morning. I managed to get through Easyjet with camera bag, scope and tripod on the way out but not on the way back adding an extra £25. On the plus side with the car hire, I booked a cheap Fiat Panda type and benefited from a free upgrade to a Vauxhall Zafira; at least I drove around in reasonable comfort and luxury.

Ardglass is a small village about an hour southeast of Belfast with a natural harbour on one side protected by some typical rock formations and a man-made pier/sea wall at the south.

There was a bit of a breeze but otherwise reasonably pleasant. As the Ross's Gull had been parading off the harbour entrance there was reasonably good vantage from atop the sea wall where about a dozen birders were gathered when I arrived mid-morning. The first time the Ross's came in it moved back offshore very quickly but it soon returned and spent much of the rest of the day moving to and fro and feeding actively on a circuit ensuring plenty of time to enjoy it. A superb looking adult in winter plumage with just a smudge of pink on the breast the pale grey wing and big eye gave this a distinctive look. The first image below also highlights the narrow black outer web on P10 and the wedge shaped tail quite nicely too. After a short while it's deep wingbeats and habit of flying in high and then dropping rapidly to either patter briefly or plunge feed allowed it to be easily picked out with the naked eye at some distance (probably helped by the lack of many other small gulls).

The plunge diving in particular was quite an interesting behaviour and not one that I've seen another gull species perform as regularly as this individual, It's mentioned in the literature so is obviously a regular feeding technique employed by the species. The Ross's Gull would continually fly in to within 25m of the sea wall at a height of c25m then drop rapidly, almost tern-like into the sea. Whilst not the sharpest set of images these give an idea as how this looks.

Not once during 4-5 hours did it settle on the sea for more than a split-second, constantly active sometimes heading hundreds of metres out to sea before coming back in and resuming the short feeding circuit along the sea wall and into the harbour mouth. There was lots of other gull action but I'll save that for another post as I won't have too many opportunities to bang on images (even ropey ones like mine) of one these charismatic little beauties.

I can't go without saying a big thanks to Craig and Penny Nash though for kindly putting me up in their wonderful cottage overlooking Strangford Lough, generously cooking and providing an evening of bright conversation that just put an extra shine onto a very enjoyable day in a beautiful location with a stunning little gull. You can find Craig's images of the area and further afield, some of which are incredible, here.

Glaucous & Iceland

2012-01-20T19:06:00.000Z

I had an appointment at one of Newcastle's finest hospitals this morning. Arriving at reception I was handed a pager, told to wait till it went off then head off down the corridor to see someone. For once I felt reasonably qualified to follow the instructions, though the experience of sitting in a room full of people with pagers going off left, right and centre was mildly bemusing.

Afterwards with a couple of hours to spare before recovering the kids from their respective schools and nursery I headed across town towards Blaydon to look for gulls. Recent reports had suggested that there was a juvenile Glaucous Gull in the area. Heading through one of the industrial areas I noticed a spiral of gulls dropping into an area of grass with some small floods ahead of me so I parked and walked the 300m or so to find a group of 150-200 bathing gulls. A typical mix of Herring and Great Blacked Back with groups of Black-headed Gull nearby. Second scan produced an adult Iceland Gull that I was able to show to another lunchtime gull watcher from Natural England.

Ten minutes later after a little turnover a cracking juvenile Glaucous Gull dropped in, presumably the individual that has been at Stella and Shibdon Pond over the past few days. I managed to get some Iphonescoped record shots of this one as it was on the outer section of the roosting gulls.

Glaucous Gull- juvenile

Tomorrow I get to do more gulls, this time in a different country.

Black Red Boy Girl?

2012-01-18T23:30:00.000Z

Had an hour spare in between checking over the repair/improvement work on Seaton Sluice Watchtower and picking up the kids so after a short look for gulls in Blyth Harbour I nipped down to Newbiggin to catch up with the Black Redstart that has been reported from the lifeboat station in recent days (as a female). It seemed to be given a few folk the run around this afternoon. I caught sight of it sat under a boat before it dived into nearby gardens and then reappeared on the roof of the lifeboat house. I left with two birders still circling the lifeboat house as it had once again vanished. I said reported as a female but with a fairly obvious white-wing panel might this be a 2nd or 3rd calendar year male? Svensson seems to suggest that females never show any white in the wing...

CR Shag

2012-01-18T21:23:00.000Z

Just had a nice email from Hannah Grist (thanks for the direct mail Steve) about the colour-ringed Shag I ~~had~~ saw last week at Blyth South Harbour. A quick cut and paste and...

"She was ringed last year (13th May) on the Isle of May as an adult when she bred there for the first time, so we don't know exactly how old she is or where she comes from. It is unusual to have a bird turn up and breed from elsewhere, as about 97% are philopatric, in that they return to the colony where they were hatched to breed themselves. She hasn't been seen since"

More Geese, Gulls and a Goldcrest

2012-01-17T22:06:00.002Z

This winter's goose-fest seems to be showing no signs of abating, whether that is from birds moving south from further north or existing flocks fragmenting and moving around locally it's hard to tell. As mentioned in my previous post I took another look at the Maiden's Hall flock at the end of last week, here are a couple of Iphonescoped Tundra Bean Geese with a few Pink-footed Geese from Friday.

Saturday after spending another hour looking at not much on the sea I stopped off at Bothal Pond and was happy to find a small party of White-fronted Geese. I was even more pleased when it became apparent that both races were present with a single 'Greenland' race individual and six 'European' race birds. The Iphone image below whilst poor quality does highlight the different bill structures of the two races reasonably well.

Monday I headed out to the fish quay with the kids for a bike ride and after an energetic hour I managed to squeeze in a short look at the Black Middens and managed to jam in on the 2nd-winter Iceland Gull that had been around two days earlier, at least I presume it was that individual but this year who knows! Always roosting, in the short time I had it never moved and I'm still waiting to see a bill.

A Brambling in the garden on Sunday reminded me they seem to be in scarce supply this winter so far. This afternoon we took a woodland walk and I had my first Goldcrest of 2012, flitting around in some Hornbeam as well as some splendid Redwings doing their best to blend with the burnt orange of the setting sun. At least two Short-eared Owls were circling the community park as we came past late afternoon with all three kids getting another look at the 'Shorties'.

Short Post on Local Snobs

2012-01-13T22:01:00.000Z

Sunshine and a lighter wind than all the weather apps were forecasting this morning. It was a toss up between staying local or heading off to the north, with christmas, car tax and insurance and the summer hols all putting on the squeeze I decided to stay local.

First port of call was QEII where the East Chevington redhead Smew seems to have relocated to (as reported by Tim Dean last night). Sure enough showing well just in front of the lakeside early morning offering better views than it had at its previous location.

A 2m swell but little wind meant that their wasn't much movement on the sea at Newbiggin, bird of the morning was a tern (sp) that was dip feeding but too far out to do anything with. A single Great Northern Diver moved north and 3 Common Scoters were a year tick. Up the north beach I added Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit and Bar-tailed Godwit as new for the year. Three Snow Buntings fed just north of Beacon Point in typical, er, Arctic habitat, but the walk back over the golf course produced little else.

Bolstered by a lunchtime Cornish and an Apple and Raspberry Slice I headed north, first to Amble to look for gulls with no joy, via the country park which apart from half a dozen Red-breasted Mergansers and 25 Moorhens produced nothing of note. East Chevington still had two Bewick's Swans on the north pool as well as the female Long-tailed Duck. Two Short-eared Owls were present too.

The goose flock at Maiden's Hall Lake is still hugely impressive though hard to work at times depending on where they are feeding. I counted 16 Tundra Bean Geese there were probably many more roosting individuals. As well as the impressive numbers of European White-fronted Geese (250+) there are also 21 Barnacle Geese that have been sucked in now.

After collecting the kids we headed for our usual meeting place with my older son and a short stroll along the river; yesterday we had splendid views of a Kingfisher but there was no repeat performance today. However heading home I picked up an 'eared owl' from the car at Pegswood Community Park. As we slowed alongside J picked up a second so we stopped to take a look as there was good light, the sun just about to set behind us. Not two but three Short-eared Owls put on a great display circling high and tussling over the rough grass for the kids. Such a good year for them and not just at Prestwick Carr, a further two are lingering around the dunes at Cresswell.

Since I last Blogged...

2012-01-10T19:25:00.001Z

The kids and I had a morning out on Monday, duck-feeding at Druridge Bay Country Park, Little Grebe, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Coal Tit were all duly noted as new birds for the year. On the road home the small flock of 50-60 Twite were visible just north of Hemscott Hill and two Mistle Thrush were on wires south of Cresswell.

I got itchy feet around 23:30 so jumped in the car for some owl-hunting; a Barn Owl topped a fencepost in the corner of Pegswood CP and a Tawny Owl behaved in the headlights for a while not far away.

This morning we picked up 7 European White-fronted Geese and a Pink-footed Goose in a field just south of Longhirst Golf Course, I had no optics the first time and to be honest I thought one looked very dark-bellied and orange-billed but back with a scope they were all Euros. The horse field on the north side of the road held a small flock of Fieldfare the first I've seen this year.

Bay Day

2012-01-08T08:17:00.001Z

A pleasant couple of hours pre-work yesterday morning around Druridge Bay. Two fenceposts adorned with Common Buzzards on the way to East Chevington in the half light before dawn. I arrived at East Chevington just as the first golden crescent of dawn was visible over the sea in the east. The North Pool was packed with wildfowl, a redhead Smew that has been around for a few days along with a female Long-tailed Duck performed well. Two Shelduck were the first of the year as were a few Gadwall and Goldeneyes. A tribe of Long-tailed Tits in the birch behind the hide added another new species for 2012.
Druridge Pools was thick with Wigeon and Teal but 3 drake Pintails and several drake Shovelers added some variety. Amongst the Curlews and Redshanks a single Common Snipe was noted. After a week without a Dunnock (how is that possible?) I finally set my eyes on two in the shelter belt. A small party of Linnets fed in the dunes north of Hemscott Hill, no Twite despite looking, maybe my mistake was stopping the car.
A male Stonechat sat just off the roadside south of the Cresswell Pond entrance and a single Purple Sandpiper and 3 Grey Plovers at Snab Point ended my short session before work.

More First Week Birding

2012-01-06T19:50:00.002Z

Yesterday's north-westerly offered the hint of miniature auks off of Church Point, I headed down sure of finding some shelter in the 'hide' after all it was a Thursday and only 5 days into January. I had to take a quick look around the corner of the caravans to convince myself that someone hadn't opened a birdfair style marquee with refreshments such was the footfall heading north for 'the wheatear'. At the point my modest arrival time after the school run was only enough to guarantee me fourth place in the line of seawatchers, not even on the podium. I had stopped for a little glance at the, long staying (2nd year now so I think I can use that phrase) Tundra Bean Goose still loafing around the Church Pool with Greylags and the four Greenland White-fronted Geese. (not pictured before anyone tries it on)

Tundra Bean Goose

The seawatch was less than eventful, Razorbill, Gannet (an adult) and 4/5 Red-throated Divers the best I could muster. An adult Mediterranean Gull I picked up a long way out to the north west came in to Newbiggin, I later counted seven in the south bay.

The plan today had been to do some gulls around Seghill Tip but the tip was closed and I could only find a small group of perhaps 80 gulls at best. I had arranged a meeting with a joiner regarding some internal work on the SSWT so I couldn't move too far from the general area. I headed for North Shields Fish Quay calling in at Marden Quarry on the way for the 1st-winter female Lesser Scaup. Marden Quarry provided year ticks in the form of two drake Goosanders, Sparrowhawk and er Wren!

Lesser Scaup - 1st-winter female

The Fish Quay was very quiet so I moved on to Gloucester Lodge Farm via the chippy and had reasonable views of 16 Snow Buntings around the stubble south of Blyth Cemetery, in the field I saw my first ever Lapwing display as a teenager in the seventies. A nice finch/bunting/sparrow flock to boot.

Meeting over and nearly time to retrieve the kids I dropped into Prestwick Carr for another year tick, it's January I just can't help myself in the first few days. When I arrived birders on site said it hadn't been seen since early morning. I walked 100m down and scanned south and luckily within seconds had latched on to the Great Grey Shrike about 600m across the carr on wires. A couple of Short-eared Owls looked resplendent in the mid-afternoon sun

Domesticity and a Dipper

2012-01-04T16:38:00.000Z

We slipped easily back into the school week routine this morning. With J at school we were through the doors at Asda before nine and back home before ten with two year ticks, Mallard and Canada Goose, rattling around with the diced Lamb and River Cobbler in the bag.
An occasional glance from the window as the morning and domestic chores wore on produced another two, a garden Tree Sparrow easily picked out from its greyer cousins by its paler underparts, whilst out over the fields to the north a Jay flicked along the same hedge that had been Buzzard-topped a couple of days earlier.

A couple of hours work on a piece on Southern Portugal moved me close to completion so I used the last half hour before claiming the kids back to have a short walk along the hedges towards Highford Bridge west of Morpeth. A male Pheasant huddled in a field corner and the quiet tseep of a Redwing was the prelude to nine bursting from the hedge into the grey sky. Further along the same hedge a short tsip revealed another thrush year-tick with a Song Thrush deep in the Hawthorn.

I found a vantage overlooking the river and began to search the edges for signs of life; whilst not in flood there is still a faster force to the Wansbeck in winter months. After a couple of empty scans a movement downstream caught my eye and my first Dipper of the year lived up to its name. Moments later a Grey Heron arrived pushing the Dipper closer into the slower moving shallows below the bank I was stood on. I may have felt the cold on its behalf but there were no obvious signs that it was feeling anything but comfortable as it stood half submerging its head and breast into the water, occasionally emerging with a tasty morsel.

A Collared Dove lifting from a garden bird table as we arrived home on the school return journey turned a non-birding day into a ten tick day. Don't you just love January?

Hedges & Funds Management

2012-01-03T15:14:00.000Z

One of the most annoying sights in late summer is that of a hedgerow being flailed to within an inch of its life, regardless of the loss of food for the millions of recently fledged juvenile birds of countless species through the late summer/early autumn period. Billions of berries and insect larvae that could contribute to fattening up residents and migratory species alike consigned to the ditch for no other reason than neatness.

I can hear the arguments, 'if we don't cut it early the ground gets wet, the weather gets in the way... blah blah blah' well what if you could reduce the cutting from an annual event to one in every three years? A third of your cutting costs and you get to benefit wildlife at the same time - win/win they call it in business. Not only do your costs go down but you get to demonstrate how farmers really are the custodians of our countryside as the NFU et al regularly claim.

Well those farmers that cut annually (and not all do) can now do just that, according to research just published from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology wildlife would receive a huge boost from a 'one in three' cutting regime. It's not rocket science but what's needed is an awareness campaign from our conservation and farming organizations to promote this to farmers and encourage more to change their practices. Helping to educate Joe Public that an uncut hedge is not an eyesore but a key wildlife habitat wouldn't go amiss too.

2-0-1-2 - - - - - ->

2012-01-02T14:42:00.000Z

Is go.
Just.
Working yesterday through most of the daylight hours so the New Year big list totalled a massive 17 by the end of the day, a male Bullfinch providing a splash of colour and a hedge hopping Common Buzzard the highlights.

We've been dog-sitting the wife's brother's durg for the past few days and eldest son J has risen to the challenge of the morning walk. Not working today he and I headed off for an early morning jaunt to Beacon Point. A lifer for J the Desert Wheatear duly obliged and as a result my wife is now the only member of our house not to have seen a Desert Wheatear. A single adult Mediterranean Gull was conveniently yards from the car on our return and a slow-down as we past Woodhorn allowed me to add Greenland White-fronted Goose to 2012's big list, though picking out the Tundra Bean that's been hanging about from a moving car was beyond me.

Tats All Folks

2011-12-31T11:23:00.000Z

At least for this year it is, I hope it has been a good one for you, I've certainly enjoyed it. I've got some great memories and enjoyed some fantastic birding; the speeding fines are paid, the damage to my weight from just two twitches with King Chocolate well-established and needing solid action in 2012.

Too many good memories from 2011 to list them all though the Jack Daniels/Sandhill Crane excursion was hard to beat. The most enjoyable birds of the year have been ones I've found, Nightjar in Central Northumberland and juvenile Yellow-legged Gull at Newbiggin, neither particularly rare on a national scale but neither easy to see in Northumberland (at least away from the known breeding sites in the south west in the case of Nightjar).

Next year will bring some big changes, it is the last summer before the twins start school and I hope that with their endurance improving and their shiny new Santa-delivered binoculars that we'll be out and about to make the most of the full days I have left with them. The thought of doing almost all my birding without them is still a little strange as for most of the time they are the only conversation I manage on weekdays. The upside is that beyond September and school the birding opportunities will improve, at least between nine and three so Autumn could be interesting.

With petrol prices and my waist size seemingly linked in a never ending upward spiral I intend to take on a small personal challenge next year, at least once a week I will switch to the bike with the aim of seeing more species than I weigh in pounds by the end of the year, given that I currently weigh in at a figure somewhere in the region of 195 pounds (otherwise known as the Pegswood Gut) if I don't attack the challenge at both ends it could end in spectacular failure. If I can knock off a stone and a half I may just about scrape it.
All that remains is to wish both of you that read and occasionally manage a comment all the very best birding for 2012. Oh and before anyone tells me I've dropped an 'h' in the title have some 'tats'

2011-12-30T22:11:00.000Z

The other gull of interest was a 2nd-winter that appeared to me to show several Caspian-like features in the field; though far from a clear-cut classic individual the combination of a very white head, dark-looking eye, clean breast and underparts, a high chested look with a mantle that appeared pre-dominantly pale grey with just a few dark centred scaps dotted around along with the apparent gleaming white underwing that was noted whilst wing-stretching marked it out as interesting (if you like that sort of interesting).
On the negative side the head looked a little too large and the bill shorter than classic, it didn't look particularly rangy or long-legged as a result failing to have the jizz that would have had me on the phone (though I may have sounded a bit more bullish after a few drinks last night).
It looked better in the field than it does here, hey-ho, though as in the earlier post I'm happy to make clear that this is another that I'm flagging up as much to get people thinking and looking as anything else. One previous record for Northumberland simply isn't enough.

American Herring Gull/Dark Argentatus?

2011-12-30T11:11:00.000Z

Four hours gull-watching yesterday at Backworth/Seghill began to produce some interesting individuals. First up is a 1st-winter 'Herring Gull' that bears more than a passing resemblance to 1st-winter American Herring Gull. I watched this individual for some 30+ minutes and made the notes below in the field; all images are once again Iphone-scoped hence the poor quality.
I didn't see this individual in flight nor did I see the underwing so unless it gets re-found and flight views/better images produced putting it in the box of either dark argentatus or smithsonianus with any certainty is difficult but from what I saw I believe it is at least as good a candidate as this though to provide some balance see here and anyone seriously interested in proving/disproving it may find this useful.

Compare the more typical 1st-winter 'Herring Gulls' left and below in the 1st image. Note the bill in the 2nd shot above, the basal half beginning to acquire a pinkish base.

Notes

1st-winter, dark almost uniform 'chocolate' brown, lacking much tonal contrast between upperparts and underparts. Underparts showed some paleness around lower throat/upper breast but otherwise fairly uniform through to vent. Mantle/Scapulars showing some 1st-winter feathers, dark-centred (black) and fairly plain with little in the way of pale edges. Juvenile coverts dark, again showing little by way of paleness or barring. Greater coverts plainish brown based on outers with paler buff edges; inner greater coverts showed some barring.

Tertials dark centred with fairly narrow pale fringes, towards feather tips, the tertial step was obvious.Primaries black with faint pale tips. Tail-band appeared solidly dark and uppertail coverts were heavily barred as were the undertail coverts. Bill parallel edged without strong gonys angle, developing pink-ish base towards basal half. Legs dark pink

Post-Christmas Desert

2011-12-28T16:47:00.000Z

I started yesterday with a stroll along the north beach at Newbiggin where the 1st-winter male Desert Wheatear has managed to successfully avoid the attentions of the local Merlin and Peregrine (so far). It is not discerning in who it approaches closely so along with many others I held my breath as it flew towards me, landed 20feet away and then walked up to look at me from closer than I could focus the camera at (so less than 1.8m).

As it fed close to me it spent a great deal of time opening its beak though not to feed, at the closest point I heard it 'croak' a raspy note, I wouldn't describe it as a a call. No doubt New Year's Day will see some heavy footfall.

Three Rock Pipits fed in the same area of the beach. At Church Point 70 Knot were on the rocks along with a single Purple Sandpiper.

Gulls 27th December

2011-12-28T11:17:00.005Z

Spent some time yesterday near Seghill Landfill after hearing that some of the gulls have been mooching in fields visible from one of the nearby roads. Nothing out of the ordinary but as always the variation amongst the Herring Gulls (argenteus and argentatus) ensured there was plenty to look at. All the images below are iphone-scoped.

Small looking head, high chested and long looking bill (probably accentuated by bill pattern), probably a 2CY argentatus (individual facing right).

White-headed with dark shawl, all dark bill and dark centred tertials, but not cutting the mustard, a Finnish/Baltic individual?

All I Want For Christmas...

2011-12-22T22:31:00.000Z

Expectation is in the air, it is the season for it after all. At least two of the kids are getting binoculars from Santa, so listen out for the howls of protest from my small corner of paradise early Christmas morning. Probably in keeping with most veterans of 40+ festive celebrations my own expectations tend to be little greater than hoping we've remembered all the batteries, don't run out of wine and manage to stay awake for The Great Escape.

Last night I got a message from Stef Mcelwee. Friends getting in touch is all part of the season for most people and perhaps along with family the most important part. The message was brief, after all he's a fairly recent 'new dad' and will be dealing with all that goes with the 'first christmas'. I'm not sure what it says about birders (or me) that the message was far from the usual Season's Greetings but rather an excited briefing on the latest news about Northumberland's Landfill sites.

Apparently 2012 will see the closure of Seghill, currently the only operational landfill in the county and a site where the gull action is very difficult to access due to the distance and height of the tip. The potentially thrilling news is that Ellington Road, a mere 2 miles from my current residence, is one of two candidates earmarked to be re-opened to take up the slack. The operators have a licence to operate the site for another 20+ years. The other key thing about Ellington Road is that access and viewing are much easier than Seghill and the proximity of nearby Linton Pond is like a magnet for all those lovely-jubbly gulls to go and bathe and drink. Now where's those party poppers...forget Christmas, roll on Mich-aelmas!

Desert Before Lunch & Extra Beans

2011-12-11T20:58:00.002Z

For various reasons I've been nowhere near Newbiggin since a certain wheatear arrived. In fact with the new work regime kicking in combined with the onset of school christmas productions I have done little birding. An early evening meal with John Mcloughin followed by his insightful talk on Birding Morocco was swiftly followed by another day on the Zinc Works Road this time with great company in the form of Tom Mckinney. The gossip for once outshone the birds as gull numbers were generally low and we failed to ~~string~~ see anything.

So this morning I strolled up to Beacon Point at first light, I say light but reality was it was a tad gloomy, especially for getting any images so high ISO and low quality. Feeding well, probably better than it looks as it is a bit grotty in parts, active and enjoyable though on a fairly mild morning.

On the beach south of the point five rather pucker looking Meadow Pipits had replaced last month's Rock Pipit frenzy with only one of the latter keeping the mipits company. I spent a short while at Church Point, the highlight was a toss up between a hunting Peregrine and a (probable) White-beaked Dolphin, though Ashley Howe's hat ran a close third.
On the road home a false start with eight Pink-footed Geese in fields west of Linton before turning up another two Tundra Bean Geese with 26 Whooper Swans in the large field west of Longhirst Flash and only 2km from home. Such a good year for geese, and with a flock of 158 Tundras still at Loch of Strathbeg yesterday there could be more to come in the next few weeks if they filter south.

Feeding the Ducks

2011-12-05T18:52:00.000Z

A sunny but cold morning provided some respite from domestic duties. I took the kids to Druridge Bay Country Park to 'feed the ducks' as we have done on a few occasions recently. A little disappointed that large gull numbers were very low with perhaps a handful of Herring Gulls amongst their smaller cousins.

After a juvenile Mute Swan nipped both sets of fingers on a previous visit the kids were a little warier choosing to distribute their wares from the safety of a picnic bench. They did manage to pull in a more interesting visitor to their free handout in the shape of a female Pintail.

I scoped the east shore from the landing ramp and sure enough the juvenile Greater Yellowlegs was just north of the visitor centre. With no other birders around I thought I'd take the opportunity to grab some images. After driving around to the far end we walked along the bank but the GY had disappeared; whether it had slipped into the nearby phragmites as it was doing at Cresswell or whether one of the dog walkers had got too close and flushed it who knows. So you'll have to make do with more Pintail.

Bean Too Quick Off The Mark!

2011-11-26T08:52:00.000Z

Set out north on Thursday with Tony Bowman, back over from D&G visiting kin-folk in the bayou. We headed out specifically to look for Bean Geese and we weren't disappointed. We stopped just over the railway line at Little Mill to pick the bones out of a finch flock and spotted four grey geese in the distance two or three fields over to the north. Scopes up and bang, four 'bean geese'. Remarkably when we drove around and repositioned ourselves a little over 100m away they had flown off and been replaced by four Pink-footed Geese in the exact same part of the field. One can only assume the feeding must have been particularly good at that spot!

A few fields west and we picked out a small huddle of grey geese this time perhaps 20-25 strong again at perhaps only 150m distance. Staying low out the car we managed both not to spook them and to get some half-decent views of at least two Bean Geese. The next half hour was spent debating the racial ID of one of these; whilst one was clearly a nailed on 'Tundra' the other showed a bill pattern with more extensive orange running back along the upper mandible. The lie of the land ensured no views of the legs or the tail pattern so head and bill shape, bill pattern and general head/neck colouration were all we had to go on. We did have 12 European White-fronted Geese and a few Greylags for company and comparison. Having done a little more reading tonight I'm back to thinking this was a male and female Tundra though as the bill shape and head profile still seem to fit that race better to my mind.

Next stop Boulmer which was tame in a Grey Plover/Bar-tailed Godwit kind of way.

We broke for lunch at East Chevington, where there appeared to be a significant reduction in numbers from recent days, though nine Pintail were as always nice to see. A search for the Green-winged Teal on the south pool proved fruitless, though this was basically because it was on the north pool, something we discovered just as we were about to tuck into a welsh scone. Back up the path and we were able to deliver it (the teal rather than the scone) to a lady with one of those Zeiss Photoscopes (first one I've seen being used in anger outside of the birdfair) as a lifer. I had a quick glance through the scope and tbh if I had a spare 2.5k....

A short wait at Cresswell provided further views of the Greater Stickleback Ripper as it appeared from the reeds in a passable Mr-Benn emerging from his shop impression and devoured several of said fishies very rapidly. Didn't look too keen on swallowing though but then I couldn't really say how difficult it is to swallow sticklebacks can you?

The other highlight of the day was picking up two Hen Harriers hunting the same area, a male and a ringtail, that afforded excellent views for a few minutes before departing in opposite directions to each other.

Eastern Black Redstart

2011-11-18T15:53:00.000Z

The kids safely in school I sped off north yesterday with ADMc to join the small gathering of birders on the shoreline below The Heugh at Holy Island. Mingling with the various retired, unemployed and skivers we exchanged pleasantries about how wonderful a morning it was and how we missed the nine to five.

An object of beauty quivered it's orange-red tail as it danced across the sunlit rocks, the Eastern Black Redstart may have prompted complicated discussions on its taxonomy and split potential under one or other of the various 'species concepts' but I heard little of that from the assembled voyeurs. 'Smart' 'Gorgeous' Nice' 'Sweet' were the superlatives tripping from lips old and older still, as the boy behaved impeccably. A nearby male Black Redstart the perfect foil.

My images are poor in comparison to those with more reach but I was happy enough just to soak this one up ( can't wait to see what Stewart makes of it!). At one point as early arrivals chatted and dispersed I wandered around the south west tip of The Heugh and for a few minutes had it all to myself as it played hide and seek behind the seaweed and pebble strewn beach.

Eastern Black Redstart

We broke the journey back with some fine Tundra Bean Geese in Budle Bay, at least three amongst the flock of Pink-footed Geese; Andy picked out a Greenshank too. Further down the coast we picked up the huge geese flock that had been found a couple of days in stubble around Dunstan Hill; again at least three Tundra Beans, 2 Ross's Geese a large number of European White-fronted Geese and several tens of Barnacle Geese amongst hundreds of Pink-feet made for an appetising lunch stop.

Still Slavering On

2011-11-16T23:18:00.000Z

I took the twins twitching on Monday, I wonder if there are many four year olds that can claim Greater Yellowlegs, White-throated Robin and Desert Wheatear on their life-list. They hung around taking pictures of other twitchers with their Vtech cameras, catching a few bemused glances.

As we drove out I caught sight of a single goose with a big white blaze on the forehead and one of the current serious influx of European White-fronted Geese was in de bag. Drinking from a puddle it took my paparazzi efforts in it's stride, bloody unflappable these Russians.

Afterwards we stopped off as promised at Druridge Bay CP to feed the ducks and whilst the kids amused themselves I had a quick scan of the lake and bugger me if there's not a Slavonian Grebe not 30m off the jetty.

We finished off with a quick look at East Chev's drake Green-winged Teal.

Yesterday we were back at Hauxley this time having a quick look at the Tundra Bean Goose with White-fronts and Greylags in fields north of Low Hauxley. Whilst watching it we also jammed in on eight Snow Buntings flying around the south end of the field.

On the way home I took a quick look at the Canada Goose flock at Ulgham/East Stobswood to see if anything had been pulled in and sure enough seven European White-fronted Geese and a good 150 Pink-feet along with various dodgy incarnations including 3 Bar-headed Geese and at least one Greylag x Canada hybrid.

Is November The New October?

2011-11-13T22:51:00.000Z

Large parts of last month felt like a bit of a damp squib which is disappointing as October really shouldn't feel like that. The last few days have been providing ample compensation with a raft of decent birds although without a raft of decent images to highlight them.

Wednesday afternoon saw me scratching around the seaweed at Beacon Point trying in vain to find a pipit amongst the eight Rock Pipits that might vaguely resemble something of greater interest. A single Grey Plover amongst the Goldies stood out.

Thursday saw me and the weekend's hero head hopefully for Holy Island. Without turning up anything spectacular we had a steady stream of worthy birds including 3 Lapland Buntings, a Short-eared Owl, ringtail Hen Harrier, 3 Blackcaps and a Goldcrest. A short hop around to Goswick added Great Northern Diver, Long-tailed Duck, 3-4 Velvet Scoters and a nice Peregrine on a beach post.
I counted six Common Buzzards between the Lindisfarne garage and Morpeth, how times have changed.

Friday and I needed to do some Christmas shopping, though I did manage to 'twitch' the Prestwick Carr Great Grey Shrike, another Peregrine and 14 Bullfinch including one large-looking male. A detour back through Whitley Bay resulted in some gull action on the fields behind The Foxhunters where an adult Mediterranean Gull was the only real bit of quality unless you like Herring Gulls (which I do).

Work Saturday was a busy affair, the teeth marks in the desk telling all that needs to be told of the bird of the day. I relaxed at Bothal Pond as the sun went down, oblivious to the second coming further north but charmed by the pair of Goosander showing exceptionally well at the south end.

And so to today, a pre-arranged engagement with 'Urban Birder' David Lindo to explore some of Newcastle's urban edge nature reserves was hijacked by the continued presence of a couple of waders up at Hauxley. We took advantage of the clear roads and not so clear hide to ensure we both had a tick from the morning before feasting on the delights of Prestwick Carr, Killingworth Lake, Big Waters NR, Marden Quarry and Gosforth Park NR. Willow Tits, a Bittern, the pronounced genuine so it must be, Lesser Scaup and some woodland gems such as Nuthatch and Treecreeper kept the conversation flowing.

It will be 'Great' if David can add some much-needed 'Legs' and national weight to the campaign against housing in the areas surrounding Gosforth Park.
I can't end without offering this, I hope that when I'm as old as the finder of yon yellow-legged beauty I still get as excited and breathless as he was when he rang, because if I do it means I'll still be enjoying finding amazingly good birds as much as he obviously does and that is priceless.

Weekend Highlights

2011-11-06T18:56:00.000Z

Having flu not being one of them. Despite the lurgy I managed an hour at West Chevington yesterday afternoon; it was all a bit lazy birding from the car across an area of private former opencast but it did have its rewards namely a stunning adult male Hen Harrier reported the previous day that showed quite well. Common Buzzard and Kestrel added to the raptor mix. This Autumn is turning into what must be one of the best for harriers in living memory.

This morning back at Newbiggin for a relatively quiet morning walk around the golf course. Five Snow Buntings north of Beacon Point were the highlight. Trying to turn a couple of male Bullfinch into 'Northerns' on the Ash Lagoon I got a text to say there was a Siberian Chiffchaff on the Mound so I headed back that way.

Found by Jimmy Steele on Saturday but not calling, the Sibe was performing well today, calling and eventually sitting in the Whitebeam for a little preening session and for the benefit of the camera cosying up with a cousin Common Chiffchaff.

Sibe left (and out of focus) but you get the jist!

I finished this afternoon with an hour at Prestwick Carr mainly to try and catch up with the latest ringtail HH that has arrived but I had the twins so yomping the whole lane was out of the question and we contented ourselves with some tumbling Short-eared Owls; we saw three but Peter assured us there were 7-8 along the length of the lane.

Northern in November

2011-11-04T21:38:00.001Z

You have to feel for them, November must just be a rejection pain filled month if you're a ~~Northern~~ proper Wheatear. You turn up at an appropriate headland expecting to be greeted in a friendly way and instead you get met with disappointment and glances filled with sadness because you're not the delightful deserti or capable of producing the incredulity of isabellina.

They try so hard too, pull themselves up, assuming the position, give it the swagger, but that moment when they know you know, when they see it in your eyes, that rejection must hurt, must cut deep. Perhaps it's no wonder then that in about 150 days when they come back, many of them avoid the same contact, shun the coastal haunts of the migrant hunter and head straight for the upland valleys and lonely rocks.

Wherever you're heading, whether it's the dry montada in Southern Portugal or beyond the deserts of North Africa don't be too sad. It wasn't you it was me, my expectations were too high, I should have been satisfied with you. I promise by the time you come back in March, I'll still be here, waiting to greet you at the same headland. This time there'll be no tears, no disappointment; there'll be nobody more pleased to see you and welcome you back and dance around the rocks with you again.

Wheatear and shit

Gone Are The Heathen Hordes

2011-11-01T22:48:00.000Z

Back to school on Monday morning, so the beaches are back to almost people free and you can once again walk along a track without Eddie Kidd's lovechild cutting you up on the inside. A sunny morning Monday provided an opportunity to get my own tearaways out and about.

First stop the big geese flock north of Ulgham where the night before I'd spied at least four 'white' geese from a moving vehicle about 800m across the tundra. Now unlike many of the top birders I struggle a little with identifying birds whilst looking over my shoulder at 50mph without optics so despite the compulsion to report them as Rough-legged Buzzards 'because they had pale rumps' I waited until the following morning. Good job too as the three still loitering were Bar-headed Geese. The kids were so disgusted they refused to leave the car and insisted we sing Lady Gaga songs all the way to the next stop off point. So by the time we reached
an overflowing Cresswell Pond I was on the edge of something, though not sure what. CP held little of note although a flock of c.25 Common Snipe and 180-ish Golden Plovers kept me entertained whilst the kids looked for squashed frogs. Heading south through the village we jammed into a female/1st-winter Black Redstart on the roof of the community hall and watched from the car as it flicked its way across the adjacent roofs.

Black Redstart

Later as the kids enjoyed an empty park at Newbiggin I counted 10 Mediterranean Gulls on the beach, 5 adults, a 2nd-winter and 4 1st-winters.
Returning from a last minute dash for bandages to turn J into a zombie, Bothal Pond held an unusual number of swans. A quick detour and we had our first Whooper Swans of the autumn with 11 adults and 2 juveniles along the south edge in fading evening light (ISO1600!).

Whoopers High on ISO

Buntings

2011-10-28T15:40:00.000+01:00

Yesterday's wander around Newbiggin produced three species of bunting, a few Reed Buntings on the Ash Lagoon bank, two Lapland Bunting that I inadvertently flushed from the weedy bankside north of Beacon Point (is it just me that does this? blunder in, next thing you know they're halfway to the next town and your left with a couple of flight calls as a reminder of what might have been).
On the beach a 1st-winter male nominate race (oh yes there not just Snobs anymore!) Snow Bunting performed well, Greenland or Scandinavia? Probably the latter I guess. Had it not been for a vocal Pied Wagtail alarm calling whenever I got close it would have been down to a few feet.

A couple of Short-eared Owls hunted above the Ash Lagoons and over the golf course.

Pallid & Plausible?

2011-10-21T17:22:00.000+01:00

You would have to have been living under a rock not to have noticed we are having an exceptionally good year for Pallid Harrier records; almost so common you can pick one up at your local Aldi on a Monday. Rude not to take advantage especially with such seductive advertising as the images captured by Ian Forrest finder of the first Cleveland PH yesterday afternoon at Dormans Pool.

So whilst students still slept, Uncle Andy and I careered our way through cartfuls of commuters on the A1 to arrive on site just as the rain eased and the first rays of morning poked their way through the Petroplus pylons.
A short wait in the chilly wind until 07:57 when up pops our boy, takes a short flight across the pool to the accompanied 'oohs and ahhs' of the expectant small crowd before promptly dropping into the reeds on the west side of the pool for another hours kip, typical bloody youth!

A further hour or so later the rufous-toned Ruski upped and off for a bit of a saunter from one end of the reedbed to the other, briefly dropping onto a small island some 200m in front of us before sneaking off back for more zzzzs in the reeds. A good flypast allowed some good views and whilst my distant record shots don't stand comparison to the finders I was happy enough with a nice display of a super looking bird. Breakfast at Trattoria Saltholme before heading back north.

So with Pallid in the bag and bacon in the belly we gently chugged through the Tyne Tunnel and headed for one of the north's premier wildfowl paradises Marden Quarry. If I'm honest I didn't think the Lesser Scaup, found whilst I was in Portugal, had much going for it before we arrived given the assorted menagerie of plastic, deformed, hybrid wildfowl that it has chosen to keep company with, but I guess there is no accounting for taste.
After wandering around trying to avoid the one-legged begging Canada and its hybrid companion and chortling at the pristine looking Speckled Teal, we found the LS diving alone in the centre of the pond. During the few minutes we were there it appeared wary and stayed well away from the throng of it's cousins squabbling over little Izzy's grain that was being spread liberally around from the shore, choosing instead to dive repeatedly on its little lonesome and therefore displaying admirably 'wild' credentials....perhaps?

Gosforth Park/Salter's Lane

2011-10-20T14:50:00.000+01:00

Newcastle City Council is setting out its latest development plans which they are calling their “One Core Strategy”, this includes a “Strategic Land Review” in which they have identified potential sites for new development. They are proposing that 8,000 new homes are built in the Green Belt, including 600 new homes in the fields next to Gosforth Park Nature Reserve, which they are calling Salter’s Lane Neighbourhood Growth Area – the fields are conveniently owned by Persimmon Homes.

The fields that would be destroyed provide essential foraging habitat for wildlife that lives in the nature reserve. Without this habitat this wildlife will be lost forever. This includes families of badgers and roe deer, brown hare, several species of bats and birds such as barn owl, kestrel, buzzard and reed bunting. Other wildlife in the reserve that would be badly affected by this development include otters, red squirrels, voles, shrews and small birds. The area is also attractive and peaceful countryside that is well used and loved by walkers, nature enthusiasts, dog walkers and cyclists.

10 years ago Newcastle Council designated this area as a Strategic Wildlife Corridor linking Jesmond Dene to the wider countryside. Further developments since then make this wildlife corridor even more important today. The Government’s Environmental White Paper, published in June, highlights the importance of creating buffer zones around important wildlife sites and retaining wildlife corridors – the Council’s proposal clearly goes against this Government advice.

The Council is consulting people on their views of these plans. You have until 18th November to tell them what you think.

YOUR VIEWS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. You can stop the destruction of our wildlife and countryside by telling the council that you object to their plans. The more people who object the better the chance we have to stop this terrible proposal and to save our wildlife and open spaces for future generations.

You can view the Council’s full plans at http://onecorestrategyng-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal If you want to give them your views on their plans to build houses next to the nature reserve then the policy that you are objecting to is Policy CS3 1a Salter’s Lane Neighbourhood Growth Area.

To give your comments online go to http://www.nhsn.ncl.ac.uk/news/cms/save-gosforth-wildlife/ and follow the instructions.

Alternatively send your comments by email to planning&housingstrategy@newcastle.gov.uk or write to Harvey Emms, Director of Planning, Newcastle City Council, Civic Centre, NE1 8PD.

Last Day For A Week

2011-10-07T23:54:00.000+01:00

I made the most of my free time between work shifts today. Last opportunity to get out for a week with my impending foreign trip looming over the weekend. A familiar call as I bundled the kids into the car at 08:30 signalled my first two Redwings of the Autumn as they flew west over the house.

As I stepped from the car at Newbiggin I could hear the 'kik' of a Great Spotted Woodpecker in The Mound nearby, I never found it. I made do chasing a Treecreeper around for a short while. A migrant? Perhaps. My eyes have this individual a shade paler with a fairly prominent supercilium so it could in theory be a 'Northern' but whether they are ever separable in the field....

On the sheltered side of The Mound a few Red Admirals and Speckled Woods basked in the Autumn sunshine. A couple of Goldcrests and a Chiffchaff were all I could mop up down the path.

I hit the Ash Lagoons still feeling good, a few minutes at the 'Bluetail' scrub produced the best bird of the morning with another Newbiggin Yellow-browed Warbler wing-flicking its way across the Whitebeam and Dog Rose, a nice self-found tick. (though others later suggested one has been around there for a few days).

Apart from a single Wheatear out on the golf course this was the last of the obvious passerine migrants of the morning. The first of three groups of Barnacle Geese flew north, 63 in total. The first group inland over the Ash Lagoons , the later groups out over the sea.

A short seawatch from Beacon Point produced little other than the aforementioned geese, 5 adult Little Gulls the pick of a quiet half hour. I headed back via the beach stopping for a while to snap some of the waders loafing on the high tide , mainly Dunlin.

I stopped off at Castle Island which as so often happens flattered to deceive, a Grey Plover, 7 Dunlins and a notable arrival of Teal were as good as it got. Sadly despite a full gull count there was nothing of note amongst them. It could all be over by the time I get back.

Delightful Double D's

2011-10-05T15:37:00.001+01:00

A call from Dave Dack early afternoon broke the monotony of recent days spent mopping fevered brows and scrubbing vomit stains. Bob Dack and John Spraggett had found a couple of dowitcher (sp) at East Chevington North Pool. With two kids back at school and the third 'on the mend' I went for it.
By the time I arrived the finders had sorted it all out and settled on two Long-billed Dowitchers; quite a rare bird in Northumberland with four previous records and last recorded in 2004. At a distance of c.350m there wasn't a huge amount to see and even at 60x the tertial pattern wasn't visible (to me). One looked greyer, more adult like? (the bird to the left in the dodgy images below).

After about 15minutes they got up and flew almost over our heads, at least one calling a single note 'tew' repeated but spaced out with clear pauses between each note. Mysteriously as they arrived there was apparently a third bird, not seen on the pool and at least one observer saw a third wader re-join them in flight as they moved off high to the south.

Going South

2011-09-30T16:18:00.000+01:00

Events conspired yesterday morning so that Northumberland's first Sandhill Crane found by Eric Barnes as it flew over his head at Newbiggin was off into the distance minutes before I arrived. Sadly the speeding ticket from Sunday's twitch to Aberdeen for self-same bird hasn't vanished.
September remains quiet though there is of course always something of interest. Most may not be aware that Eric was watching a Yellow-browed Warbler on the Ash Lagoon banks when the yank flew over. After checking West Hartford for a possible drop in I headed back to Newbiggin and watched the YBW for a while in the scrub. Active is probably the most appropriate adjective and that combined with needing to stay the right side of the fence due to the ongoing presence of workmen resulted in some poor images with which to brighten this here blog.

Interest comes in many forms, working from the kitchen table yesterday I managed a few garden notables including 3 Common Buzzard soaring over, a Sparrowhawk that was just moving locally and keeping the Chiffchaff company in the Mallow a Goldcrest.

The Chiffchaff (or another) is still charging about today, I think my latest ever garden record, though not surprising given the Mediterranean weather.

The day before saw me catching up with the 1st-winter male ringed Stonechat the first this year (for me) at Newbiggin after the recent hard winters. I wonder how many years it will take them to return and breed?

The best news of the week though has to be that I've been invited to a press familiarisation trip in October in Southern Portugal for five days. Always hard work these trips but I'm looking forward to five long days of Mediterranean birding, masochist that I am.

Routine

2011-09-27T21:20:00.000+01:00

An hour at Castle Island with two of the kids mid-afternoon produced nothing of note, I won't bore you with the counts of Lapwing and Great Black-backed Gull. Suffice to say that as we were heading back along the path a female Goosander had been the highlight of the afternoon.

We headed back down with third child an hour later to try and re-find the small sandpiper sp that flew downriver, landing briefly before being flushed by a dog walker from the shore just before we left. We were unsuccessful with no further sign, another one consigned to the bin! The return trip produced a Kingfisher feeding on the south shore long enough for all three kids to watch it fishing and eating.

Yesterday, three Little Egrets roosting on the south side of the Blyth Estuary and two Jays at West Sleekburn Industrial Estate were the highlights of a non-birding day.

Jack Daniels and the Blackdog Surfers

2011-09-26T21:38:00.000+01:00

Despite the protestations of under the thumb trainspotters and the hallucinations and fisherman's tales of others there is just no denying the lure of the yankee crane. A short drive north from my usual haunts (only 47 speed cameras) with Stewart for company quickly passed in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
In the misty morning light, our hearts were thumping as we leapt from the car like salmon after being kindly directed to a convenient parking location near Coralhill by a man in traditional Scottish dress (blue overalls and wellies).
A short walk along the fence line to where the assembled crowds, OK both of them, were crouched like Libyan freedom fighters contemplating their next move, the occasional rattle of a 50d firing off in the distance, and suddenly like a mirage shimmering above the stubble sloped horizon our quarry lifted its head in graceful acknowledgement of our arrival.

Stewart sketched and scribbled whilst I crouched and occasionally fired a volley of shutter clicks and for the best part of 30 minutes we remained at staring distance some 60m away from each other. A young Peregrine sailed past as cool as cucumber just behind us though the confederate crane remained unruffled.

Eventually it managed to entangle a length of straw in its bill and after a little head shaking took off and landed beyond the dunes, we assumed on a fresh water stream running across the beach. It later relocated to the Loch of Strathbeg reserve where we were able to watch it albeit more distantly from the comfort of the Tower Pool hide.

Good birds should be celebrated and back at the car I broke out the appropriate whisky (Jack Daniels) and we toasted our tick. The car full of birders arriving in the field to the news it had just buggered off to the beach seemed oddly stony-faced at our small celebration.

Jack Daniels aka Boulmer Birder

We squeezed out a couple of Little Stints on the reserve and played top trumps with counts of Ruff before heading back south to the the never-ending beach of Blackdog for some cool surfing (eat your heart out Richard).

We were unable to locate the adult drake Black Scoter amongst the estimated 10,000 birds that stretched as far as the eye could see but we did manage one and probably a brief second drake Surf Scoter off the rifle range as well as meeting Scottish legend Evel Mcnevel practising in the dunes.

The day couldn't have gone much better, great bird, excellent company, good whisky and some bonus surf!

Stoatily Gripped

2011-09-14T22:07:00.001+01:00

With last night's teasingly close reports of a possible Sooty/Bridled Tern on the Northumberland/Durham Border the bairns, determined to grip off their older brother, twisted my arm and made me arrange a twitch if news was out by the time we dropped him off at school. With no news by 08:45 it was duly cancelled and we headed for Cresswell instead.

A busy hide with two occupants ensured all the available birds were already pinned down and could be swept up quickly though my daughter seemed more intent on sweeping up literally with the hide brush! A non self-found year tick Little Stint later along with a rather short-billed juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a few Ruff we readied ourself to leave as the phone rang with news that Sooty had turned up on Colt Crag Reservoir.

Should I be ashamed of actually considering letting the kids skip nursery to twitch it? I didn't of course instead spending the morning contacting people I knew were out there and passing info out to those who might waste fuel checking sites that had just been looked at; worked quite well with Sweethope, Capheaton, Colt Crag and Hallington all visited and negative news relayed over the space of an hour.

Kids in nursery I decided to drive down to Derwent on the off chance that Sooty was on a circular route, almost fruitless. Whilst loafing at the roadside at the west end this Stoat wandered over the road and clarted about for a while on the grass verge a few feet away.

Whittle Dene on the road back added little more than 7 Great Crested Grebes and a 3rd-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull that was probably a large male and had me considering michahellis for a short while. Nice to see Mike Richardson (Birds in Northumbria Editor) out in the field here.

Today's Chip Papers

2011-09-13T18:24:00.000+01:00

September, full of promise, my favourite month but 2011 is proving to be a tough challenge. Thursday fine and warm produced a small fall of Wheatears at Newbiggin with perhaps 12 individuals present in the north bay, smaller numbers than further north but one or two looked quite stocky and with the current wind systems there must be at least half a chance that these were Greenland breeders rather than Scandinavian.

Andy pulled out a Merlin that charged through the caravans before banking and building height in pursuit of a westward bound passerine, it was never in the hunt and quickly gave up and drifted off. Probably the highlight of the morning as we returned with little else to show for the next 2 hours.

Sunday morning after an early and rather fruitless visit to St. Mary's I headed along the Ash Lagoon banks. A steady stream of Swallows and Meadow Pipits tracked south along the slight shelter offered by the tall slopes. I counted 120 Swallows over about 45 minutes and probably missed a few whilst trying to dig out other birds in the scrub. Emerging from an hour long vigil all I could muster was a fresh Lesser Whitethroat offering welcome relief from the ubiquitous Common Whitethroats present since spring. I think this is probably a Newbiggin year tick for me though I haven''t checked.

Despite the strengthening wind I headed for the beach; low tide and the usual waders around, another half hour working through the 2-300 strong Golden Plover flock (again!). The seaweed on the high tide line was unusually quiet just one lone alba wagtail. With the identification of 1st-winter White Wagtails topical I gave it a second look. Quite pleased I did as I think it's a White Wagtail.

As I think the images above show, pale grey mantle, crown and forehead; mid-grey rump in the key area between middle two tertials and clean white flanks and belly all point to alba. The greenish/olive cast to the ear coverts and pinkish base to the bill apparently good features for 1st-winter; I don't think there is any moult in the greater coverts, so these are retained juvenile coverts/tertials? I'm posing this as a question as the broad white tips to the greater coverts seem, well, broader than on most of the images available for 1st-winters and maybe more indicative of an adult female?. I found the supercilium extending part way around the back of the ear coverts in 'Citrine-like' fashion quite striking, though maybe I've just not been looking closely enough at these before? Feel free to tell me how wrong I am, it won't be the first (or last) time.

Oh and just to avoid any doubt I've withheld this post for several days to avoid either of these migrants being tape-lured; from what I'm reading there's hundreds of you out there lurking behind every bush and it's all Steve Jobs fault which is the real reason he quit.

Rutland Cormorant

2011-09-07T22:51:00.000+01:00

I mentioned a colour-ringed Cormorant a few weeks ago at Castle Island, I've had the ringing details back and it was indeed ringed this year at Rutland Water on 11th May as 1 of a brood of four. The sighting of ZR6 was the first since then, a movement of 282km in 82 days.

Anyone Seen My Mojo?

2011-08-30T22:00:00.000+01:00

I seem to have misplaced my blogging mojo at the moment, 10 days without a post. The same can't be said about my birding as I've been putting in plenty of hours as things start to liven up. Some of the highlights from my notebook (that sounds vaguely familiar) as follows:

24 August
A walk along the Ash Lagoon Banks to search for the Greenish Warbler found by Tim Cleeves the previous evening. The bird was still present early morning and had even sang briefly. At least two other birders that I spoke to as I walked up flagged up that someone had been playing a tape. There was no sign of the bird when I arrived 20 minutes later, coincidence?
A Redstart and a Garden Warbler in the central scrub patch were patch year ticks.

25 August
The Garden Warbler still on the Ash Lagoon Bank as well as two Song Thrush that may well have been fresh arrivals. Waders in the high tide roost at Beacon Point were numerous, 305 Golden Plovers, exactly 100 Knot and 139 Oystercatchers.

26 August
Back at Beacon Point this time a juvenile Black Tern lingering offshore was the highlight of the day; two Ruff sheltered with the Golden Plovers in the wader roost.Four Wheatears on the beach were my first of the autumn as were two Rock Pipits.

27 August
An early morning seawatch from Church Point produced another (or more likely the same) juvenile Black Tern this time feeding a few hundred metres southeast with a couple of Arctic Terns. Birds moving through included 10 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Arctic Skuas and 2 Great Skuas.

Then a couple of days work break, the main talking point being a Yelkouan Shearwater past Cley that may well turn out to be the first accepted North Sea record judging by the calibre of the observers. Up here the return of the drake Black Scoter off Bamburgh was notable coming from an equally impeccable source.

29 August
A three hour post work seawatch proved to be the highlight of the year's seawatching so far. Decent numbers of Manx Shearwaters and a smattering of Sooty Shearwater meant there was always some movement. The gold star though went to three adult Long-tailed Skuas picked up by Tim Cleeves coming in toward the point before turning north and passing a mere 150m off providing an opportunity to use various superlatives and expletives intermingled amongst the silence of admiration. A Storm Petrel that I picked up briefly and Tim and I saw once more each as it moved north in a heavy swell was tame by comparison given that we were spoilt just a few weeks ago with this species. 7 Arctic Skuas, 5 Great Skuas and 7 Med Gulls were just bit part players.

30 August
A trip to the Metrocentre that I couldn't escape from prompted something different, I figured I was halfway to the south end of the county so we did the extra miles and ended up at Derwent Reservoir. A juvenile Little Ringed Plover, a single Pink-footed Goose, one Goosander and four-five Common Buzzards were all we could muster before heading home.

See you in September

Chasing the American

2011-08-21T11:21:00.000+01:00

Sometimes you go looking for one thing and find another; it's a cliché but it's also true. Yesterday was a classic example. Four hours into work and news came in from Ross Ahmed that he had an American or Pacific Golden Plover on Black Law, a small island in the channel between Ross Back Sands and Holy Island. The distance between Guile Point from where he was viewing and the island causing some difficulty in clinching the ID. I phoned Ross back after a couple of hours by which time he was happy he had sorted it as an American Golden Plover a probable 1st-summer.

With a couple of hours spare post-shift I decided to have a crack at it. A long shot as a further three hours had passed, the tide had changed and it was a 40 minute drive followed by an hour's yomp north to Guile Point. "I need the exercise" I thought. An hour and one Wheatear later I arrived at Guile Point, as I expected there wasn't anyone within two miles of where I was on a perfect sunny afternoon.

I spent two hours searching Black Law by scope cutting a Robinson Crusoe-like figure sat on the sand a couple of metres from the lapping tide. The small pebbled island topped with a single sand dune with some sparse Marram Grass vegetation and the occasional piece of driftwood was alive with waders. Oystercatchers and Bar-tailed Godwits made up the bulk, the godwits ranged from some adults still in summer plumage to grey juveniles. Closer to the water orange-breasted Knot filled the gaps between pebbles with the occasional Redshank standing taller. Higher up the island a couple of dozen Ringed Plovers crouched between the higher pebbles and a single juvenile Grey Plover did a grand job of confusing me for a good while by roosting face on, head tucked in; being the only large 'plover' on the island and roosting well away from the crowds. As the tide rose a small number of Golden Plover added to the mix.

A few metres away a small roost of Knot gathered a few metres away on my side of the channel, the tide gradually pushing them closer. I lost myself over two hours, the only sound the breeze across the water and the occasional wader calling. As the tide rose dark eclipse Common Eiders began to slip through the narrow channel in front of me into the food rich Lindisfarne NNR. and groups of terns broke the silence heading the same way. The nearby Knot became restless and moved off.

I gradually became aware that whilst I may be watching I was also being watched as the Grey Seals also moving through the channel got curious about me and kept popping up just out in the channel opposite me.

Reluctantly I started the walk back, offshore 800 Common Eider had a few Common Scoter amongst them and a couple of Sanderlings were mixed in with Ringed Plovers along the 2 mile stretch of unmarked sand back south. As I wearily trudged back into the hamlet of Ross in a light shower a flock of c.100 Goldfinch followed by 30+ Pied Wagtails and 5 Yellow Wagtails offered the chance to rest before the drive home.

The American may have let me down but I had a dream afternoon in a special place, a rare treat even without the rare.

Fair Days

2011-08-19T18:40:00.000+01:00

They tried to make me go to birdfair, I said no,no,no

Yes I know the crack, autumn's almost back you know, know,know

I ain't got the time with autumn scarce to find

they tried to make me go to birdfair I said no,no,no

A few hours out yesterday and today with the distinct hint of autumn in the air. Yesterday's visit to Newbiggin produced little of note, ADMc had a couple of flyover Yellow Wagtails and we passed the time watching Whitethroats in the Ash Lagoon scrub. Later I called into Castle Island, the Kingfisher from earlier in the month is still around as it flew inland just below my vantage; two Ruff the only other birds of note.

After leaving ADMc and before Castle Island I spent a little time in Newbiggin's south bay with an impressive number of Kittiwakes (over 500) and Mediterranean Gulls (23) in nice light.

This morning a quick glance at the birdguides news app showed a Barred Warbler on the Isle of May. Enthused by this I headed back to Newbiggin; I'd just picked up a Wheatear on the golf course edge when a text came through from Paul Massey - Barred Warbler in the scrub on the Ash Lagoons. I headed up there, though I needn't have hurried as it was to be an hour and half before the juvenile Barred re-appeared and finally gave itself up to decent views gorging on Blackberries. You just know there's a record shot coming so squeamish photographers who prefer perfection look away now.

A last stop at Bothal Pond on the way home produced the now familiar Little Egret, another Green Sandpiper and a Peregrine that rubbed almost every bird on the pond up the wrong way.

Skuas - Good Quality Images Wanted

2011-08-16T21:52:00.000+01:00

Esteemed author and birder Klaus Malling Olsen is urgently seeking good quality images of any skua species for an identification article to be published in a Danish magazine. Please submit any images direct to Klaus at klausmalling@gmail.com

Images are required prior to September 1st.

Adventure in the Lost Land of Greatham Creek

2011-08-15T21:21:00.001+01:00

Far to the south beyond the land of Mack-em lies a mythical creek. Shrouded in choking mists, the air filled with fire and steam the Greatham Creek runs in the midst of a vast marsh. Many have perished searching for the creek, those few hardy souls that have survived return with tales of strange calls from mermaids living in the creek that appear when the tide rises to capture the souls of men and take them far away beyond the seal sands, lost forever over the horizon to the east.
The prophecy written by the bird guides, those that know all and see all, tells that beyond the creek lies the home of salt and that shall come an eclipse and in the eclipse shall come a dragon or drake with blue wings and men from the north and west shall search for the dragon to gaze upon its beauty. Many shall come and many shall fail for the challenge is great, the distance measured in days journey and the false paths legion. My sons and daughter shall we search for the dragon, are we brave of heart and stout of foot?

Look, what was the alternative? Listen kids we're going to have a hundred mile round trip to visit a huge industrial wasteland, walk twice as far as you want to and see a duck that you think looks like every other small brown duck for 40 seconds. After that we'll park by a busy road downwind of the landfill to search for a wader that hasn't been seen all day before nipping up the road to the coast to jostle with teenagers on bikes who think they're part of some nationwide underground movement because they messed up the magazines and stole a mars bar at the local Co-op?

It wasn't going to work was it, so I bent the truth created an adventure turned the fire from Petroplus or whatever into a dragon perched on a steel tower. That and the promise of some RSPB furry birds that you can stick your finger up did the trick, bought me enough time and effort to walk from the Saltholme car park west to Bishop Auckland; OK maybe not quite that far, but about as far as you can go at Saltholme to be underwhelmed by an eclipse drake Blue-winged Teal. I should have known, stuck by the theory if it doesn't come from above the Arctic Circle it's probably not worth it. I was probably more pleased to see Toby Collett than the duck after he appeared behind me as quietly and instantly as Mr Benn. A Wood Sandpiper found on Pat's Pool was far sexier than the BWT.

We did spend a few minutes hanging around Greatham Creek but it's hardly the place to let your kids loose by the side of the road so we passed on any opportunity to re-find Wilson and headed north to Seaburn to have a little wander about the promenade at Parson's Rocks and look for the adult Bonaparte's Gull. A scan from the cliff top produced nothing but Black-headed so we dropped onto the prom, the north bay seemed to be mainly Herring Gulls with the odd GBB so we headed back to the south side but lower down. The kids were having fun finding ladybirds and two birders looking intently at the shore and the small flock of gulls feeding on the lapping waves looked familiar and had I discovered just picked up the Bonaparte's. A pleasant ten minutes with good views before we braved the tunnel back north.

Kids highlight of the day, the tame Fox in Saltholme car park that strolled past them 5m away as cool as cucumber, the incredulous look on their faces was a picture. Another summer holiday success!

National Seabird Centre

2011-08-13T23:19:00.000+01:00

I read with interest this news story from the BBC regarding the RSPB's plans to build a National Seabird Centre at their East Yorkshire reserve at Bempton. Great news they have received a grant of £30k from the Heritage Lottery Fund to plan the facility and happy to see that they plan to carry out further research on seabird feeding areas.
I'm puzzled though that they have chosen Bempton over a new site here in Northumberland. When it comes to seabirds we certainly have the edge in terms of species, whilst we have no Gannets we can add five species of tern into the mix at three sites within a 25 mile stretch of coast.
Establishing a facility of this nature in say Amble or even Seahouses could have provided a much needed boost for the local economy and given the RSPB a much needed bigger presence in a county that they continue to be seriously under represented in.

Shanks For The Memories

2011-08-12T13:51:00.000+01:00

I spent yesterday guiding in the rain and despite growing webs between my toes managed a decent haul of birds. Pick of the bunch were a couple of juvenile Spotted Redshanks at Druridge Pools. After another couple of hours seawatching this morning I headed back up with the camera to see if they were still about as the sea had been quiet. (40+ Common Scoter, 2 Bonxies and 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 White-beaked Dolphins south and an unidentified cetacean/dolphin breaching).

The Druridge main pool hide is tricky at the moment with quite a few strands of tall grass preventing a clear view as with this Common Sandpiper below.

After initially feeding along the south western edge, the two spotshanks flew in front of the hide and did their stuff for a short while before nipping to the north side. A juvenile Ruff was also in front of the hide briefly.

Little Egrets at Longhirst Flash (1) and Bothal Pond (2) completed a drier morning than yesterday.

Review - Deep Country - Neil Ansell

2011-08-05T12:00:00.001+01:00

Much of the time I spend outdoors I am alone, though all too often never far from other people. There are times depending on the chosen destination that I can go many hours without seeing or speaking to anyone. I like this solitude, time not to have to think of anything in particular and often find myself lost in where I am, not aware of thinking about me or family or anything except what's all around me. I find time spent like this cathartic, settling, calming of the mind.

Neil Ansell spent five years, mostly alone, in a run-down cottage in the Welsh Hills, living day by day, no electric, gas or running water. Deep Country is his story or rather the story of the land and the wildlife that he became part of during his chosen retreat from modern life. In fact Deep Country tells you little about Ansell himself, other than an obvious passion for and understanding of nature, instead focussing on the rich array of observed birds and wildlife over the changing seasons.

Ansell has a birder's eye and his naked eye observations and descriptions of both the birds he sees and their behaviour betray a good appreciation of birds. Written a hundred years ago his account would be as cherished as someone like Chapman and no doubt be re-published as the account of an accomplished Victorian naturalist. Ansell plays out some very insightful little cameos without resorting to complicated or pompous language. Anyone who has spent some time really watching the birds around them will find much to appreciate here; from team fishing Goosanders to the Buzzard chasing the Kingfisher via his description of Ravens 'rejoicing in the freedom of the skies' you get a real sense of the time spent in quiet observation and contemplation.

You won't discover much that is new in Deep Country but you will look in a new way at the birds and wildlife that is all around you and often taken for granted. In his epilogue Ansell says he went to the hills to find himself and ended up losing himself instead and that that was 'immeasurably better'; Deep Country may have been better with some sketches, not everyone is an artist (me included) but I think one or two pen and ink thumbnails here and there would have added to the imagery of the prose. However that shouldn't detract from this vibrant and interesting account. Worth a read.

Deep Country is published by Hamish Hamilton
ISBN 978-0-241-14500-5
Price £16.99

Taking the Mich

2011-08-04T18:05:00.001+01:00

The car (predictably) failed the MOT so went back today to have the minor but expensive repairs to enable it to be called roadworthy. Despite the forecast of rain I decided to head back along the Wansbeck and continue till I got fed up.

The adult Spoonbill looking a little spiky in the rain was still loitering around the island, a single Ruff the only new wader. A Kingfisher flying downstream was a bit of a novelty here, despite the presence of breeding pairs further up the Wansbeck and its tributaries I've never done well with it this far down river with only a handful of previous sightings. More predictable was a Grey Wagtail with this species often appearing from August.

The mouth of the Wansbeck proved productive with a tidy little tern roost at low tide including seven adult Roseate Terns and a little further along the beach a dark Arctic Skua harassing terns before landing.

I walked on north to Newbiggin, the very low tide had created some shallow lagoons at the south end of the beach that had trapped sand eels and there was a gull and tern feeding fest ongoing. I started by counting Newbiggin's famous Mediterranean Gulls arriving at 25 today including five juveniles. The gulls were being flushed by various people, dogs, kids etc but most were coming back to land and feed when the disturbances moved on. I started looking through the 2-300 large gulls that were present for michahellis or cachinnans both rare in Northumberland (last michahellis I think 2006). A Yellow-legged Gull had been reported by persons unknown yesterday as part of a seawatch, though I had no idea what age. After a few minutes bingo a smart looking juvenile michahellis Yellow-legged Gull feeding, preening and flying around.YLG is a much needed county and patch tick for me, so I allowed myself a celebratory jig on the beach.
Two Arctic Skuas barely got a cursory glance as did at least 3-4 Roseate Terns; I had left my camera at home to travel light and also avoid the rain so I was forced to resort to Iphone scoping the mich to try and get some record shots for submission. Whilst they are just record shots and don't fully do it justice I think they're enough to see it onto my county list.

MOT

2011-08-01T15:27:00.000+01:00

A garage conveniently located close to the patch so a muggy morning stroll along the Wansbeck taking in Castle Island and the estuary produced a single Jay near Stakeford Bridge and presumably the individual that provided the patch tick a couple of weeks back.
With the weekend mud recovered again the only passage waders were two Common Sandpipers, an adult Spoonbill was a surprise after an absence of 28 days, still present and feeding late morning as I retraced my steps. The first juvenile Herring Gulls of the year put in an appearance along with 48 Cormorants at least seven of which were sinensis race and one colour-ringed. I don't have the final details but it looks very much like it was ringed at Rutland, Leicestershire earlier this year, I'll update when I get confirmation.

Iphone-scoped crap record shot of Spoonbill Gymnastics

Back to Black

2011-07-30T12:06:00.000+01:00

The Storm Petrels have gone, as silently as they appeared they've drifted away. My last one was yesterday afternoon (29th). With it the crowds that descended upon Newbiggin have melted away too. I've spent the last two seawatches in blissful silence other than the occasional call from a passing tern and the constant begging calls of juvenile Guillemots coming from the sea.

The main attraction may have moved on but there is still plenty to see and be found. Yesterday produced a late afternoon adult Mediterranean Gull, another sublime Sooty Shearwater, sleek and sexy on calm seas, effortlessly coasting north. Top marks though to a feeding juvenile Black Tern watched for 10 minutes as it dip fed with a small flock of Arctic Terns moving north, the only disappointment was it wasn't closer to shore. I can't say I've seen one feed at sea before, previous sightings have either been flybys or inland.

There was no repeat this morning but another two Sooty Shearwaters slipped past as did 28 Manx Shearwaters, 5 Great Skuas and 4 Arctic Skuas. I did a quick count of roosting Great Black-backed Gulls before I left of which 253 were loitering on the rocks at Church Point and probably a further 100 at Beacon Point.

Castle Island produced a single Green Sandpiper (still there this morning) and 69 Cormorants loafing around the island and the various sunken trees. A Greenshank was the only new addition there this morning.

Talking Up A Storm

2011-07-24T22:05:00.000+01:00

There is an old Irish saying "The day of the storm is not the day for thatching"; taken literally it means if you haven't done any seawatching this weekend you bloody well should have done. With a North wind occasionally switching NNW and dry and sunny it's been blissful; a slow start Saturday morning gradually came good with an exceptionally strong passage of Storm Petrels from Durham north.

Newton Stringer kicked it off with a couple of decent Stormies last night up at Beadnell, whilst at the Naples of the North (Newbiggin) we were enjoying a Sooty Shearwater that almost brushed our toes as it breezed north.

A second early start this morning saw the floodgates open with my personal tally of 15 Storm Petrels and 11 Great Skuas heading north. Three hours this afternoon added a further 10 Storm Petrels though there were more I missed, a further five Sooty Shearwaters, 6 drake Velvet Scoters, several Little Gulls a Roseate Tern and 50+ Manx Shearwaters.

Whilst the early Storm Petrel sightings were frustratingly brief as they vanished into the deep troughs between waves patience paid off with longer views, eventually some closer and feeding birds allowed us to see the white rump and the white on the underwing on a number of individuals.Circuit feeding, foot paddling was all noted though most unusual was one piece of behaviour this afternoon I've never witnessed before.

Richard Dunn and I were both watching a loose collection of large gulls and tighter Kittiwake flock well offshore when two Storm Petrels appeared to come up from the sea to around 10m in height and at least one continued to build height rapidly before being lost against the blue sky. Was this some kind of escape behaviour to avoid the attentions of the large gulls? (comments and alternate theories not involving House Martins welcome).

An update from Mark Newsome at Whitburn highlights that they have "smashed the county record for Storm Petrels" today and further north there has been at least one Balearic Shearwater seen from two locations.

My Personal tally for Saturday/Sunday as follows:

Storm Petrel 25
Sooty Shearwater 8
Velvet Scoter 6
Little Gull 3
Great Skua 16
Arctic Skua 15
Roseate Tern 1
Manx Shearwater 88
Red-throated Diver 1
Tufted Duck 1
Great Crested Grebe 2

With at least 12 other birders in attendance at various times, the crack was almost as good as the sea at times.The combination of deckchairs new and old along with enough grey hair to fill a Saga tour bus was a heart-warming sight, even the silver fox himself put in an appearance to triple the expletive count in under an hour, happy days.

Golden Hour Balearic

2011-07-20T23:53:00.001+01:00

One of the pioneers of seawatching at Newbiggin used to call it 'The Golden Hour' - an hour late afternoon that was the most promising of the latter part of the day for rare and scarce seabirds.
Having discharged my responsibilities as a parent doing the end of term performance, leaver's assembly and barbecue complete with a barbaric parents v kids netball game (I chickened out), I acted on the lunchtime weather forecast showing light winds but at least with arrows in the right direction.

The sea was too calm for seawatching to be serious and a small trickle of Manx Shearwaters over the next 20 minutes reinforced the point. Then about 800m out moving north just beyond the flag line another shearwater lacking the obvious white underparts of the previous eight, staying low, hugging the waves and dispensing with the showy shears my first Balearic Shearwater of the year moved north.

A few minutes later the only Great Skua of the session muscled through at 600-700m range followed ten minutes later by a single pale morph Arctic Skua that skimmed the rocks as it went by before joining two more in the north bay; the three patrolled extracting fish with menaces as far down as the Wansbeck Estuary

12th of Not Quite

2011-07-12T23:20:00.001+01:00

An hour at the seaside finally yielded a light passage with two male Velvet Scoters the pick of the crop along with five Arctic Skuas. Some distant cetacean action involving two-three breaching White-beaked Dolphins about 2km offshore. A small number of Manx Shearwaters pottered about amongst small feeding parties of Kittiwakes.

As good as it gets from land!

Med Mystery

2011-07-10T20:11:00.000+01:00

I got a text from fellow Newbiggin watcher Steve Holliday yesterday morning alerting me to a further arrival of Mediterranean Gulls at Newbiggin. Steve had counted 22 in total, up by 12 since 4th when I counted 10. I popped down in the afternoon to have a look for ringed birds, though by the time I got their and with the kids in tow I could only find 14. Anyway I spoke to Steve again this morning who was back on the beach and not a single Med was present, so an appeal, if you're out and about and you stumble across some Med Gulls let us know where please as we are both interested as to whether they are moving inland or offshore. Ta.

Knot the News

2011-07-07T22:33:00.000+01:00

I crept to the coast with Cory's on my mind at some ridiculous hour this morning before work. I left after an hour convinced of a Cornish/Irish conspiracy to pummel us into submission with their incredible counts. Kittiwakes are nice though and I saw quite a few this morning.
With an hour to spare and a high tide I headed for the staithes wader roost which held a single summer plumaged Knot, my first of the 'autumn'. Emails later in the day suggested a small arrival with four also at East Chevington.
Castle Island continues to be attractive to a single Black-tailed Godwit.
Post-work another hour staring at a dark sea with some impressive rainstorms over Newcastle and Durham. A marginal improvement on this morning produced two Arctic Skuas north and four Whimbrel south.

Sexier Than A Jockstrap Full of Sand Eels

2011-07-05T21:51:00.000+01:00

Warm. That's what the weather people said of yesterday so what better than a bit plodge in the sea I thought. I've just noticed the Firefox spellcheck doesn't like the word plodge, now if I was Tom Mckinney I could take off at a tangent and convince my US readers that plodging is a heinous act of gross indecency involving sand eels but I'm not Tom and I only have three US readers that I know of so on with the show.

Where was I? Beach, plodging, barefoot kids. Close by a small flock of Black-headed Gulls lingered along the shoreline, occasionally picking at the green slimy seaweed half-heartedly. Amongst them a single adult Mediterranean Gull looking rather sexier than a jockstrap full of sand eels. One would assume that given the proximity to Coquet Island there may be some good news regarding breeding forthcoming at some point. Later as the kids did a bit of beachcombing a few minutes scan offshore produced two Arctic Skuas a dark morph that came in low and landed on the sea, closely followed by an intermediate morph, both looked adult-ish though the heat haze prevented me ageing them with any huge degree of certainty.

We did Druridge Bay Country Park next. Let me rearrange that sentence. We were done at Druridge Bay Country Park next. £1.40 minimum parking charge so my kids could have a half hour in the park, so much for encouraging folk to get outdoors Northumberland County Council.
East Chevington on the other hand was free, a single 1st-summer Little Gull the highlight of the north pool though we did manage both male and female Marsh Harriers whilst on site.

Kids in bed I slid out to Newbiggin for a quick look on the sea, choppy and little movement with c.60 Common Scoters the only notable. A long scan of the south bay produced 10 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 adults and 6 1st-summers. The evening ended with some excellent views of a hunting Long-eared Owl that had been reported to me the previous evening (thanks Paul).

Today being the kids regular swimming day, as opposed to an infrequent plodging day, little opportunity to get anywhere, A quick afternoon jaunt to the island produced a single adult Black-tailed Godwit and 22 Cormorants. However that was eclipsed by a garden mega this evening. I'd just filled the sink and was facing a stinking pile of enchilada encrusted plates when I noticed a movement on the base of the apple tree trunk and you could have rocked me with a sand eel as a Treecreeper crept higher and higher. Presumably post-breeding dispersal this is the first Treecreeper we've had in the garden and I guess along with the appearance of Nuthatch earlier in the year a sign that our trees are maturing.

Island Groove

2011-07-03T20:35:00.000+01:00

I'm kind of getting back into a happy place with one of my former patches at the moment, it's funny how these things come around. Partly pushed by the price of petrol and somewhat seduced by the summer sun I keep finding myself heading that way.

After a lazy day, prompted in part by a late finish after some more Nightjar shenanigans last night with Andy, I headed down to Castle Island early evening. Just to rewind for a second we had some success again last night both hearing a male and having decent views of one Nightjar gliding down the side of the track beside us. The clearing sky ensured light for longer and we must have been in the area until midnight. After first splitting up, Andy heading for the original site where we knew there was at least one pair and me moving off into the adjacent tetrad to search for other territories; we regrouped after an hour. I had drawn a blank but the next tetrad over was much more open with very recent clearfell and perhaps not as suitable. Andy had already heard a churring male but without any sight records, though we quickly put that right after walking back along the original track again.

Tonight then, Castle Island, the water level surprisingly higher than the past few days so either the tide has been high and topped the weir or the weir has been closed to retain more water. A single adult Spoonbill remains; a Common Sandpiper the only passage wader tonight but an interesting and probable patch tick (I need to check) in the form of a Jay that flushed from the end of the dene on the south bank by a couple of families with kids and flew off upriver

Meeting The Man From Glossop

2011-07-03T13:32:00.001+01:00

One of the good things about blogging and birding is meeting other birders. Whilst I'm not that keen on big crowds and big twitches the opportunity to wander around some of the local sites here in Northumberland with birders from outside the area is one I'll rarely pass up. I've been lucky over the past year, partly courtesy of organising NTBC Indoor Meetings and partly due to blogging, to meet up with a diverse array of interesting birders such as Steve Rutt, Martin Garner, Nick Moran and Alan & Ruth Davies.

When I noticed that renowned bird blogger Tom Mckinney was in the area I couldn't resist dropping him a message suggesting we meet up. For those that may not have come across the name, Tom was responsible for what is regarded as one of the seminal personal birding 'blogs', taking what is best described as a very individual outlook on his birding and writing. Tom currently blogs once a week at the multi-authored Birding Blogs and is also a panel member of the birding equivalent of The Archers at Charlie Moores Talking Naturally Conference Calls.

Sadly a chipped tooth two weeks ago came home to haunt me and I woke up Friday with an abscess necessitating an urgent dental appointment (Where's Jimmy when you need him eh?) so time was cut short to a couple of hours. Despite this a visit to Castle Island gave us a bit of time to catch up with a single Spoonbill, Ruff and Green Sandpiper. We chewed the cud, talked raptor persecution, the cost of twitching, blogging, tried not to talk about that birdforum thread and generally had an entertaining morning.

Finally I'd like to thank Tom for providing an exclusive gig performed from the boot of my car in Church Point car park. Sadly I would have liked to bring you the music to enjoy but the lack of a bandwidth sponsor prevents me from doing so.

Tom Mckinney Unplugged at Newbiggin

June 29

2011-06-29T22:35:00.000+01:00

Whilst some will have been distracted by the ongoing listing soap opera and others will be doing dragons and butterflies mid-summer slips gently over and return passage has kicked in. Castle Island has now got 20 years of proven pedigree when it comes to waders if the water levels are decent and the amount of exposed mud is beginning to look good after the recent rain.

2011 will be remembered as an excellent year for Spoonbills in Northumberland, probably the best on record, and hopefully an indicator for future years. Three this afternoon at Castle Island, all un-ringed at least one of which was an immature was a good start just after midday.

Waders included a male Ruff, first reported yesterday, 3 Common Sandpipers and 2 Green Sandpipers were initially well spread; though by the time I called back late afternoon were all at the west end where a large area of mud is currently exposed.

Enthused I headed up into Druridge Bay first to Cresswell, hoping for something nice along the northern edge of the pool. Sadly the waders I found weren't quite what I had hoped for.

There was a further three dogs out of shot, six in total. They weren't too keen on leaving when asked either and we had a frank exchange of views in the car park, though I doubt anything I said permeated the halo the madam was wearing.

Wader-less I moved on up to East Chevington and remained wader-less though a single Roseate Tern made up for it. I shot down to North Blyth on high tide to count the wader roost and whilst the birds here are probably all fairly local, numbers have increased 50% in 6 days indicating the ongoing return to the coast. Roll on July.

Out As Dinner

2011-06-27T12:39:00.000+01:00

Kind of feeling a little unmotivated on the blog front at the moment. I'm not a big fan of the heat, with the extra weight I've acquired over the years I feel sluggish when it gets hot and reminded that I need to exert more self-discipline when it comes to chocolate products.

Last night I allowed myself to become dinner for a small selection of the region's flying insects courtesy of some dusk birding. Whilst I spent most of the time looking like I had some sort of affliction causing me to wave my arms around my head frenetically at intervals of 3-5 seconds, I did manage to get some birding in. A roding Woodock three times overhead or 3 roding Woodcock, two reeling Grasshopper Warblers and (fanfare) a magic encounter with target bird when a Nightjar dropped onto the forest track in front of me and allowed approach to about 20m. I was able to watch for around 2-3 minutes as it flicked up from the track and dropped back down 5-6 times, each time rendering itself invisible as it rose above the pale yellow track.

One of the pleasing aspects of last night's little excursion was that this was the first record for this area in the last six years (possibly only the second ever) and all three species were new for the tetrad in the current Atlas.

Running Out Of Vaguely Humorous Moth Puns

2011-06-19T22:39:00.000+01:00

So I'll just post some pictures of some of the new stuff trapped between 13-17th June. The catches are getting bigger and the micros have appeared so time spent on identification is increasing, with mixed results. Were it not for the patient help of the likes of Tom Tams and Tim Barker the two north east recorders as well as Stewart, I'd be drowning in pugs and Argiresthia sp.

It hasn't been all moths, I managed to spend 14 hours in the field on Thursday much of it on the eastern side of Wark Forest, followed by a spell on Plenmeller and a couple of hours in Slaley Forest. Lots of juvenile Crossbills roaming about in feeding parties, a day count of 25+ 'Northumbrian' Honey Buzzards. Great views of a female Merlin hunting from a fence line, good numbers of Tree Pipit and a brief, loud. close and extremely frustrating 30 second burst of churring from a Nightjar that slipped away unseen into the night.

Castle Island was quiet on Friday after which I spent a happy hour working through a 200 strong flock of Herring Gulls feeding on sand eels trapped in a beach pool trying to turn any of them into something more interesting than argenteus.

Shaded Broad-bar

Magpie Moth

Clouded Border

Figure of Eighty

'Northumbrian' Honey Buzzard (aka Common Buzzard)

A decent vantage

Straw Dot

Barred Yellow

Shoulder-striped Wainscot

Burnished Brass

Sad Tidings

2011-06-17T15:54:00.000+01:00

The news that one of Northumberland's most well known sons has died reached me via the Farnes wardens earlier. Billy Shiel a name synonymous with The Farnes had been at the head of the family business operating the Glad Tidings Boat Trips for many decades. There can't be many birders in the country who haven't travelled over to view the amazing Farnes spectacle using one of Billy's boats over the years.

Whilst I met Billy a few times I can't claim to have known him other than as a passing acquaintance but I have a great deal of respect for the business he built up and the effort he personally put in. I noticed over the winter as I returned from one trip out of Seahouses on a not particularly warm day that one of the few people in Seahouses harbour that day was Billy; despite his years he was still there around the Glad Tidings office with a word for those arriving back from the islands.

He may have been at the head of a family business but I'm also sure that over the years his tours ensured that many many people took more of an interest in birds and nature or at least had the opportunity to get close to a spectacle that rarely fails to impress and amaze those that make the trip. How many of us who talk about inspiring others to take an interest can lay claim to sharing a truly incredible experience with over a million people?

I'm sure everyone reading will join me in sending condolences to the Shiel family on their sad loss.

Smooth Hedgehog & Friends

2011-06-15T00:11:00.000+01:00

Almost a week since my last post and despite coming down from the White-throated Robin fuelled high it has been a fairly busy one. Friday found me heading north into some little watched inland areas, a Cuckoo at Foumart Knowe, Spotted Flycatchers at Chillingham along with breeding Herring & Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Holburn Moss were the highlights.
At the coast a Little Egret was again south of the Holy Island causeway.

Small Copper - Holburn Moss

Red-legged Partridge - Holborn Village

Friday night added a new moth species to the garden list, a common one but that shouldn't detract from the rather impressive Buff-tip that acts as a stunt double for small silver birch branches when they are called for.

Sadly despite hanging onto it for 2 days the light was never good and every time I tried to grab a picture it seemed to rain.

Buff-tip

An early start Sunday produced a single Spoonbill at Castle Island along with a Little Ringed Plover. I'd been poring over a 1st-summer Lesser Black-backed Gull and in the process skipped over a 1st-summer Med Gull that was picked up by STH.and crew further downriver. A 1st-summer drake Goldeneye continued the theme. Further up the coast at Cresswell another Spoonbill slept on the spit whilst at East Chevington I was lucky to be sat just a couple of minutes when a Bittern got up and dropped into the NW corner of the north pool before briefly clambering up the phragmites. A 'white-winged gull' here appeared to be a leucistic Herring Gull or possibly a hybrid with some glaucoides influence. I thought the bird was a 3rd-summer showing a non-adult type washed out looking bill with dark rather than orange/red on the lower mandible.

Monday found the kids and I at Cresswell where four Spoonbills fed briefly before flying off SSW; eight 1st-summer Little Gulls were also hanging about. Monday night was a decent moth night with at least two new moths for the garden, a so far unidentified micro and the aforementioned smooth hedgehog (copyright S Sexton) a Drinker amongst 30 species, 87 individuals. Large Yellow Underwing and Common Wainscot were new for the year.

Drinker

New Month New Moths

2011-06-09T23:36:00.000+01:00

Have trapped three times in the last eight days with mixed results. Good conditions on 3rd resulted in 30 species, 80 moths whilst three days later my return was 6 species 18 moths. Green Pug, Coxcomb Prominent, Snout, Pale-shouldered Brocade and Ghost Moth are all new for the year; the only garden addition so far this month was Ingrailed Clay.

Ingrailed Clay

Pale-shouldered Brocade

Ghost Moth

Filtering the Farnes

2011-06-09T22:21:00.000+01:00

Still wading through megabyte after megabyte of Farnes images, here are a small selection that I quite like so far.

Bowled Over

2011-06-06T21:06:00.000+01:00

After several days of birding I fancied something different today. I'd heard on the grapevine that there was a big bowling match on in Hartlepool and I've been meaning to get the kids interested, it's such a gentle game and all that stretching and knee bending keeps you supple.
I was a little surprised when a couple of the lads wanted to join us as I hadn't realised just how passionate they were about the old game. Stewart even took a flexi day offering to point out the finer points to the kids. Bowling has really taken off in a big way since I was last at a game, I was amazed at the number of spectators who had arrived early and were all enjoying the sunshine, staking their place for the big game. Interesting too how technology seems to have brought lots of new people into the game, many of the fans today had binoculars and even telescopes so they could get up close to the action and not miss out on a crucial end.

Some of the new spectators

You could tell they were all very knowledgeable about the game as I kept overhearing people referring to the "white" and "sweetie" (that's the jack if you're not into bowls) and also quite a few kept talking about the "third" that's the one who decides the result of each end.
It has to be said though that these recent recruits to the game need to polish up on their etiquette a little and improve their attention span. Every few minutes they kept getting distracted by a Robin in the flower beds at one end of the green. I kept telling them I've got two of those coming regularly to my garden, ten a penny down our way, funny thing it was, just a bit bigger than my Robins and didn't even have a proper red breast just some patchy orange shading along it's flanks.

The Robin Causing a Fuss

Just between you and me these new fans also need to get with the dress code, very few in white and quite a few of them could do with a shave.
Apart from this bird causing a distraction the day was superb, we did have a parking problem as we arrived as it seemed some travellers had parked up and their urchin kids were up to no good.

"Can you see the Wallet?"

The Chocolate Bribe

So no birding for me today, anything about?

Endless Summer?

2011-06-04T23:52:00.000+01:00

I'd accepted an invitation to head out west with Stewart, John & Roger to look for butterflies and dragonflies on Friday. The warmth of the sun was already obvious when the car pulled onto the drive early morning. Dressed for a day in the field I was taken aback when two of the Beach Boys slipped from the car to greet me. With no time to change I wedged my gear into the boot, I say wedged as the boot was so full of food I thought we must doing a food drop to Cumbrian Flood victims. "God only knows how they'll get through this lot" I thought.

The Boys set off for a day in the field

We'd no sooner left the street when the harmonies started with Stewart and John in the front; by the time we reached Acomb I was looking out the window thinking "Help me Roger, Help, Help me Roger". A civilised cup of tea in Roger's new lodgings set the pace for the day. We headed to Findlandrigg Wood aiming to connect with Marsh Fritillaries we couldn't have asked for a better day, sunshine as far as the eye could see, I was getting good vibrations.

The Boys at Findlandrigg Wood ready to start (that's Roger with the beard and blue hat)

We fair surfed through the woodland paths to the meadows and very rapidly connected with our first big target of the day Marsh Fritillary. We must have had 20+ during the next hour, many posing nicely for images.

Marsh Frit

This was hot fun in the sun and we almost had the place to ourselves, though the odd butterfly pro (check the hat) came along to chat and get the boys autographs.

The Boys sign autographs.

By the time we got back to the car, the boys were getttin' hungry and it was time to take a load off your feet as the buffet was extracted from the boot. Stewart brought out a bar of Dairy Milk so large we used it as a picnic table. Even here the inverts kept coming with Red-necked Footman trapped as we lunched.

We moved on, all stoked up and ready for some Odonata our next target White-faced Darter at a secret location codename Blueberry Hill. Having visited the site before I got ample warning from the boys "Don't go near the water" exceptionally deep, fall in and you'd be gone forever they told me.

After a tramp through the woods we emerged into a heather filled clearing, we had no sooner reached a small pool surrounded by wet sphagnum moss. I love to see da da darters and we weren't to be disappointed. Good numbers of Four-spot Chaser and White-faced Darter. We used a couple of bare sun-bleched branches as perches and photographic aids.

Setting Up the perches (Roger's onto his second hat of the day)

All worked a treat and we just filled our boots for the next hour in the sun, it could have been California feeling that hot. The darters remained flighty throughout and a challenge to photograph but I have to praise the others, despite their age and jetlag they stuck to the task.

By now "it's getting late" and I had work so we cruised back over the 69, Stewart was honking down the highway to ensure I was back for my shift. It's over now and even if I only get to see them just once in my life I won't be getting the summertime blues. I know I'll look back and this will be one of the best things we did last summer.

How's that 18 of the boys songs included in the post, would I do it again, sure I would.

Struggling to Raise My Head

2011-06-04T01:27:00.000+01:00

So much going with the good weather, an afternoon on The Farnes yesterday produced some 8Gb of images to work through and a little jaunt chasing Odonata and Lepidoptera just added further to the backlog, so it might be a little while before I can raise my head on here and get some posts in.

Joker in the Pack

2011-06-01T18:00:00.001+01:00

After spending much of yesterday afternoon catching up on some NTBC emails and keeping tabs on developments on The Farnes with a boat on standby if events and the stars had aligned (they didn't), I nipped out last night for a few hours evening birding.

Castle Island was Egret-less but a Pale-bellied Brent Goose may well have been a patch tick, I'll need to check. A Little Ringed Plover at the east end was dwarfed by surrounding Shelduck (38) and Mute Swans (100); a drake Goosander lingering around the island too and my first Common Terns at this site this year.

Later I went to stake out a couple of possible Long-eared Owl sites, unsuccessfully from the LEO point of view but I did manage Barn Owl, Lesser Whitethroat, a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and the male Quail still singing from the same field as the previous day, so not a bad evening.
Non-birds involved five Hares in the same field, a Harem?

With the kids off school/nursery I planed a trip to Washington WWT today, conveniently Blackhall Rocks is just a few miles fiurther on and it would have been rude to spurn the opportunity of a quick glance at the splendid drake Surf Scoter. Drakes are just the business, one minute innocently bobbing in the waves with just a white patch on the back of the head to show; flick of the head and there's a duck with a clown mask in the midst of the flock.

At 6-700m offshore it was never close but close enough to appreciate a smart duck, clearly bringing some much needed colour to Blackhall ( having worked in Peterlee for five years I'm not a big fan of the place). So no photos from me but below is a borrowed shot from the flickr album of Chuq Von Rospach who took this one on Shoreline Lake in California and kindly allows it to be used for non-commercial purposes by people like me.

Latest Moths

2011-05-31T15:28:00.000+01:00

Swallow Prominent

Map-winged Swift

Green Carpet

Wet My Lips

2011-05-30T23:29:00.000+01:00

I can see the eyes staring at me through the dirty windscreen of the black 4x4 pickup as it bears down at me along the narrow lane. The suspicion in the eyes causes me to feel momentarily self-concious, it drips from the owner like the saliva from the lolling pink tongue of the sheepdog sat in the back. Try it, park in the gateway of a field along a quiet road and stand for a while, you won't wait long till one of the trundling giant sheepdog carriers comes slowly along, the ruddy-faced driver fixing you with a gaze that tells you he's thinking "What's this scruffy townie bloke doing loitering in my gateway?" I counted three today, all looking for a hint of guilt, questioning my motives, none of them stopped and asked, had they the answer would have been appropriate for the circumstances - wet my lips.

A flat calm sea at Newbiggin revealed all the hidden Puffins early morning, 35 Manx Shearwaters somewhat bizarrely a single and a group of 34 made their way north. Seven Ringed Plovers on the rocks may have been worthy of further scrutiny but my sea-watching chair/cushion/scope/tripod carrying skills are distance limited.
A couple of adult Avocets fed visible from the road at Cresswell and three Spoonbills remained in a zombie-like state at Druridge. East Chevington held two 1st-summer Little Gulls, though 7 were seen later in the day and small numbers of the three 'common' tern species.
I headed inland to search for Quail. I stopped briefly at the new reservoir at Woodside (Woodside Reservoir?) a Barnacle Goose with the small Greylag flock the meagre pickings on the recently created slopes still with an almost complete abscence of vegetation.
Working west and south I found a field, parked and walked; moved on found another suitable looking field, parked and walked and so on for the next 20 minutes. Along the minor road south to Tritlington I finally got my reward as I watched two Hares from the car, the call drifted across, distant at first then closer. Never seen it continued to whip out its song from a few metres into the field, sometimes sounding closer, sometimes further away. Several further stops along the roads to the south produced 2 Red-legged Partridge and a single Grey Partridge as well as a brood of Pheasant.
No tapes were used in the search, just stop, look and listen, something I should try and do more often.

Terek Sandpiper - Hauxley 28 May Record Shots

2011-05-28T23:05:00.000+01:00

27 May

2011-05-27T19:25:00.001+01:00

Great minds think alike. Obviously so do some birders as ADMc and I arrived in Newbiggin car park at 06:00 prompt within 30 seconds of each other with no pre-arrangement at all. Wind not quite as we would have liked with too much of a westerly feature rather than the forecast northwesterly.
A group of 7-8 close Manx Shearwaters as we walked to the point were the vanguard of a further 84 over 06:00-08:00; many of these were feeding dropping onto the sea about 1km offshore. The other immediate notable feature was an impressive gathering of 2-300 Gannet south of Newbiggin off the Wansbeck Estuary, you can make out some of them in flight in the seascape below.

A dark phase Arctic Skua moved south at distance and a pale phase skua (sp) was probably a Pom but too distant to be certain. A Heron (sp) some 2-3km offshore moving north was interesting for a short while till we realised that it was almost certainly Grey. Two Red-throated Divers moved north together. As we left a Great Skua flew over the caravan site; had we been sat at Church Point it would have sneaked behind us and off north. The poor seawatching weather generally this month ensures these are the first skua species I've seen this year, a very poor spring return.

A jog up the coast turned up a 1st-summer Little Gull at Cresswell. Druridge Pools was quiet though the recently fledged family of four young Common Stonechat entertained for a short while.

Five Little Gulls were at East Chevington (again, also present 26th per ADMc); four 1st-summers and 2nd-summer. Here a male Marsh Harrier came in high from the north, spooking the north pool and harassed by Sandwich Terns moved off high to the south before dropping low over Chibburn.

Big Moth Night

2011-05-27T18:00:00.002+01:00

Wednesday night saw a big increase in terms of volume and species trapped with 77 moths trapped across 38 species. Along with four species new for 2011, Buff Ermine, Small Fan-foot, Double Square-spot and Bee Moth, a fantastic eight new species recorded for the first time in the garden. These were Green Silver-lines, Lychnis, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Scorched Wing, Beautiful Golden Y (2), White-spotted Pug, Pale Pinion and Chamomile Shark (2).

I had my work cut out pre and post-work sorting this lot out, dodging showers trying to get images. Stewart popped over lunchtime to see the Scorched Wing, though best moment of the day was my 3 (nearly 4) year old boy pointing at the trap and saying "Dad that spotty one it's a White Ermine" correctly identifying only the second one he's ever seen!

Lychnis

Green Silver-lines

Chamomile Shark

Lesser Swallow Prominent

Scorched Wing

Beautiful Golden Y

Pale Pinion

G-Spot

2011-05-23T20:53:00.000+01:00

If you got here via a Google search you won't be disappointed, trust me, you may have been let down in the past with poor quality images, maybe you've tried therapy and various other treatments and creams and nothing has worked. You find yourself trawling the internet, flirting with and skirting round at the periphery of sites offering porn. Flirt no more, as returning visitors will know this is fast becoming a home for high quality moth porn and tonight is no exception.

First up as the title suggests is the gorgeous Gold Spot and if this doesn't get you going there's just no hope for you.

Gold Spot in Missionary Position

Other stuff from the last couple of nights has included the elegant and sophisticated Angle Shades. If big come to bed eyes and sexy curves are for you then this is right up your street.

Maybe you like it a little darker, a little danger perhaps, not quite sure what you're dealing with and a moth that's just going to play hard to get. We can do that, this one goes both ways and has had several top local mothers questioning "Is it or isn't it?" I guess it's the ladyboy of my moth week. Lick your lips for Mottled Rustic ( or so I'm told).

That's it folks now go and clean yourselves up and close the door on your way out.

Excite Me

2011-05-22T20:42:00.001+01:00

They were my words to Jimmy Steele when I returned his call early this afternoon because inevitably a call from Jimmy in May on a Sunday afternoon will do just that. Over the years I've lost count of the number of times he's turned an afternoon upside down with Short-toed Lark, Black-faced Bunting or Bonelli's Warbler dug out from pure graft.

Today was a little different but no less exciting, a family stroll in Beadnell Bay had turned up a Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus on the beach. Now I won't claim to know much about these matters but from what I've read this evening the first English record was a specimen captured at Burnham Overy on the east coast in 1892. In recent times one was in the Medway , Kent in 1991, another at Hartlepool in 1999 and the only other English record was of one taken into care in Lincolnshire in June 1998. (source)

Having spent the morning doing moths and housework I jumped in the car and drove up. When I arrived on the beach Newton Stringer was watching over the beast, a short 300m hop from the NT car park north of Newton village. We spent about 1.5 hours waiting for the tide to come in getting a good sandblasting. The seal was fairly inactive whilst we there, prompting fears that it was sick. However as I headed home Stringer rang with good news that the Marine Mammal Rescue guy had arrived, consulted with 'experts' elsewhere and was of the opinion this was fairly typical behaviour and that it looked fit and well. As the high tide pushed in it became slightly more active, rolling in the waves and creeping up the beach with the rising water.

Not an Arctic ice floe but a windswept Northumbrian Beach

Live Long & Prosper!

Surf's Up

I haven't compared images tonight but a quick check at birdguides would suggest it isn't the long-staying Orkney animal as that was still at Finstown on 19th.

Pied Twice

2011-05-21T21:10:00.000+01:00

The pool by the footpath always causes me to stop, surprisingly deep, still and dark. I lean over to see me twenty odd years ago looking back from the reflection five feet below. My stare is only broken by the skimmer gently rowing across the surface, catching my eye and dragging it towards the sliver of silver falling like poured wine over the almost fluorescent green moss covered rocks. Around me fern fronds gently unfurl, a tangle of Honeysuckle spills out from a path-side tree, everywhere lies fallen wood, some branches recently fallen, perhaps victims of the winter, some that have lain, decaying, since I first set foot here as a bright young thing.

I don't know why I looked to my right, sometimes you just do, the Tawny Owl motionless atop the small nestbox didn't look the least bit surprised to see me. I turned slowly away and unzipped the camera bag, then turned back to an empty nestbox. After gingerly crossing the muddy floor of the narrow steep sided wood I climbed the footpath on the other side. Up ahead a Pied Flycatcher sang, one of the reasons I had come down to this particular wood. As the morning wore on I saw several, males and females but they were never easy; the males mostly in the canopy and the leaf cover ensuring snatched views. Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard and seen briefly; a Redstart sang from almost the exact same place as one had done last year on my last trip here. From up high looking down I watched a Roe Deer completely unaware of me 30m up above way out of its line of sight. Nuthatch put in a brief appearance, only Wood Warbler missing really.

Female Pied Flycatcher showing typical female behaviour showing off the ring.

Later in the morning as it approached lunchtime I moved a mile or two west to a vantage overlooking the Tyne Valley and started looking for raptors; I say raptors but Osprey, Honey Buzzard and Hobby were the species uppermost in my mind. Admitting to actually looking for Honey Buzzard in Northumberland is akin to admitting a belief in aliens up here, I've never seen an inland Honey Buzzard in Northumberland. The frequent steady showers ensured that that particular status quo exists still.

The hunger built I stopped at a small shop in a village on the way back and bought a seven-sided pie for 95p; I may be getting older but I'm still living dangerously eh. No idea of the contents at the time of purchase it turned out to be Pork, but stuffed so full Mark Reeder would have written a whole post about it, superb value for money and with a Creme Egg for afters lunch was done.

A short stop at Whittle Dene produced little worthy of note, displaying Great Crested Grebes, three Ringed Plovers and a Grey Wagtail.

You Win Some...

2011-05-19T22:52:00.001+01:00

After last night's late-ish report of a Red-throated Pipit at Hauxley, I thought it was worth a punt despite the weather having been less than conducive to arrivals of anything like RtP. Luckily I'm not cynical enough yet to prevent me from getting off my arse and going to have a look for these things, if even one out of twenty proves accurate then occasionally I'll get to see a damn nice bird. Having said that with an overnight clear sky, days of westerlies and a bird reported in the early evening the night before I wasn't anticipating too much joy.
That last part was right, the only pipits present in the general area were Meadow Pipits, though the early morning sun, flat calm sea and complete absence of any other people at all (it was 05:30) was reasonably pleasant.
I may not have turned up the rare but there wasn't a complete absence of birds. A Whimbrel fed along the tideline as did several Knot including one in summer plumage. Common Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers sang from various perches north and south of the village; a single Lesser Whitethroat presumably a fresh arrival plied it's trade from an unlikely single bush by the 'huts'. Two Wheatears moved off the top of the dunes to watch me carefully past from a roadside Hawthorn and a Tree Sparrow popped up on a wall as I returned to the car.

Just up the road to High Hauxley a Barn Owl post hopped nonchalantly ignoring the car completely and only moving at the whirr of the shutter from the camera.

This is Hauxley so notice how everything is sporting bling.

Dropping back past Cresswell, there was little to hold me there long. A Little Ringed Plover at Lynemouth Flash was my first at this site, though the water is almost non-existant now and a White Wagtail provided the final morning 'find' before I headed home to start breakfast and the school run.

A stroll this afternoon with one of the twins still doing his time after vomiting yesterday ( a two day nursery ban) along a short stretch of one of the Wansbeck offshoots produced a fleeting Kingfisher disappearing off upriver as we arrived with all the stealth of an African Elephant. My first of this species this year despite many hours along suitable and former breeding sites.

Moths Fourteenth-Fifteenth

2011-05-18T23:17:00.000+01:00

Gone a little quiet, with the occasional quality moth to liven up proceedings. White-shouldered House Moth was new for the year, as was White Ermine; always a looker White Ermine hence the image below. A single Alder Moth potted outside the trap on 15th is the second this year and the second earliest Northumberland record after Tim Sexton had one in his Tynemouth garden on 8th. On the micro front Epiblema cynosbatella was new for the garden.

White Ermine - the Marilyn Monroe of moths!

Alder Moth (Above & Below)

Ever Had a Cockchafer?

2011-05-18T22:07:00.000+01:00

I hadn't until this morning, till I pulled the beast below out of the trap. Thankfully they don't bite or sting (apparently) but they have got amazing fan like protrusions in front of the eye and make a whirring noise like a miniature microlight in flight. Looking at the National Biodiversity Network website they don't exist up here, or at least no one's recorded them and supplied the data to NBN. I'm sure they must be reasonably common and I'm guessing that there just isn't anyone up here doing beetles in any detail. This one was easily 30mm in length and the kids loved it, till it flew...

Birding Update

2011-05-15T16:12:00.000+01:00

A trip into the Cheviots produced some year ticks in the form of 4 Ring Ouzels, at least 3 pairs of Whinchats, several Spotted Flycatchers, Tree Pipit and Cuckoo. Those bare facts don't do justice to a great morning's birding in one of Northumberland's best locations, throw in Redstarts, Dippers, Grey Wagtails, Common Buzzards and Green Woodpecker and you begin to get a fuller picture.

A coastal search for waders on Friday afternoon in good company added a Wood Sandpiper at Beadnell Flash as well as some good views of Little Terns on the beach at the Long Nanny as well as several hundred Arctic Terns. A Greenshank was down the channel at Warkworth Gut as ADMc and I investigated the new scrapes there and further south a Little Ringed Plover was north of the causeway at Cresswell Pond.
No less than 3 different Marsh Harriers were encountered during the day as we moved from north to south, an adult male and two females.

This morning a shorter trip to the Wansbeck produced two Bullfinch in scrub along the north bank; between 40-50 Common Swift lived up to their name along the river; another Greenshank was the sole wader on the estuary in a quiet morning's stroll.

Some seawatching weather would be nice...

Moths May Ninth & Tenth

2011-05-15T15:00:00.000+01:00

I had posted one half of this post so if you have a sense of deja vu lay the blame at the door of blogger after their little technical hitch. Though I suspect there are quite a few of us out there who felt a sense of 'thank god it isn't just me that has technical glitches'.

New stuff over the 9th and 10th Cinnabar, Dark Spectacle, Silver Y, Common Swift, Freyer's Pug on 9th and Elephant Hawk-moth and Miller on 10th. Of those only Common Swift is not new for the garden. Dark Spectacle, Freyer's Pug, Miller and Elephant Hawk Moth were all new earliest dates for Northumberland. The kids enjoyed the Elephant Hawk Moth.

Freyer's Pug

Dark Spectacle

Silver Y

Elephant Hawk Moth

The Miller

The Freyer's Pug was identified with much needed help from Stewart Sexton and Tom Tams.

More Marsh Terns Please

2011-05-11T18:26:00.000+01:00

I succumbed to the lure of the adult White-winged Black Tern that has been commuting around various pools in Druridge Bay today; joined the half dozen or so birders sat outside the north facing hide at East Chevington watching as this sublimely beautiful marsh tern bobbed and floated around the airspace above the north pool.

Delightfully delicate, beautifully buoyant we miss out so much here in Britain only seeing this whole family sparingly and this particular species even more sparingly, shame as they are just superb.

Later I watched two different female Marsh Harriers at two different sites.

Moths May Eighth

2011-05-10T21:08:00.000+01:00

A modest catch Small Magpie, Brown Rustic, Brimstone and Small Angle Shades new for the year. The Brown Rustic may well be the earliest Northumberland record to date; it pans the website earliest date

by 11 days but with so much early this year there could well be others even earlier that I'm unaware of.
Flame Carpet was new for the garden though of the two trapped only the tatty one behaved for pictures, typical.

Flame Carpet

Brown Rustic

Small Angle Shades

Full Catch:

Eurrhypara hortulata Small Magpie 1
Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 3
Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone 1
Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 2
Odontopera bidentata Scalloped Hazel 3
Euplexia lucipara Small Angle Shades 1
Eupithecia dodoneata Oak Tree Pug 1
Agrotis exclamationis Heart & Dart 2
Biston betularia Peppered Moth 1
Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 4
Apamea crenata Clouded-bordered Brindle 1
Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver 2
Rusina ferruginea Brown Rustic 1
Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet 2

14 species 25 moths

Are You Following Me?

2011-05-08T17:49:00.000+01:00

It's ok it's a bird post, no need to worry, no creepy crawly moths in this one. For most the heavy rain will have been an uninspiring start to the day, a look out the window and a retreat back to bed for a little longer to shake off the self-induced hangover that you promised yourself you weren't going to have again last weekend (that's the same one you have been promising not to have every weekend since 1994).

For birders the opportunity to revel in grounded waders and wet migrants results in a semi-naked dance of celebration for the gentle rattle of rain on the window; this morning was no exception as I threw some of my finest moves whilst trying to pull on trousers without making the floor squeak.

Mentally turning over the destination choices as I hit the Jaffa Cakes (just 3) I headed for the coast. The rain was heavy by the time I pulled along Lynemouth Flash, a few 2CY Black-headed Gulls mooched, preened and occasionally stretched. At the north end a creamy eyebrow in the dock leaves gave away the location of a drake Garganey, perhaps freshly arrived as it was feeding ferociously. A couple of wet Meadow Pipits later I moved on to Cresswell. Pulling in at the north end two Avocets loafed north of the causeway and a small flock of summer plumaged Dunlin dug into the mud.
I climbed into the back of the car and retrieved the scope from the boot to have a closer look and was slightly surprised on looking back to see a drake Garganey out in the open on the small pool. A Greenshank arrived noisily.
The Budge screen at Druridge and the South hide produced little, 2 Common Terns on the main pool and a Greenshank flew over north.

North again to East Chevington more terns with Common Terns and Sandwich Terns braving the rain. After a particularly heavy shower a drake Garganey dropped in over the hide into the corner of the pool. Hat trick! Probably the same individual moving north rather than three different drakes though.

Heading back south an immature male Marsh Harrier showed exceptionally well hunting a wheat field and a small flock of Numenius waders included 2 Whimbrels and 3 Curlews.
I couldn't relocate Garganey at Cresswell or Lynemouth as I retraced my route home strongly suggesting that one individual was involved in all three locations following my route north.

The Birds

2011-05-07T23:28:00.001+01:00

Just in case anyone thinks I've gone completely moff given the last couple of posts and the new header this post is a short ornithological interlude. After work late afternoon I darted around a few local ponds and then Castle Island which turned out to be the most productive site as an unseen calling Greenshank was all I could muster elsewhere.
Two smart looking Little Ringed Plovers at the east end of the island along with three Common Sandpipers, and single Dunlin and Ringed Plover was the assembled wader throng. Seven Goosanders at the west end and four Swifts (still the only place I've seen Swifts this year) added minor interest and I counted the Shelduck too but you're not interested in that.

May Moth Madness

2011-05-07T22:27:00.001+01:00

Rain and the moths went crazy, they came from everywhere, more varieties than Heinz. Obviously having had a trap that invited anything that entered to leave just as easily I wasn't quite prepared to be awash with species this morning. I ended up triple-ing up on pots with three different species in a pot in some instances. Being fairly new to the game It's taken me most of my non-working hours pre-shift and post-shift to photograph, count, identify and get myself into some semblance of order, great fun!

I'd had a few new species leading up to last night that hadn't made the blog so here are a few of those first.

Clouded Silver

Iron Prominent

Pebble Prominent

Last night's garden ticks included Rustic-shoulder Knot, Knot Grass, Cabbage Moth, Grey Pine Carpet & Spruce Carpet. Lots of other 'first of the year' moths too Chinese Character, Brown Silver-line, Common Carpet.

Spruce Carpet

Pale-shouldered Brocade

Lunar Thorn

Brown Silver-line

Cabbage Moth

Common Carpet

Garden Carpet

Grey Pine Carpet

Rustic Shoulder-knot

Small Square-spot

Last Night's full species list was as follows:

Odontopera bidentata Scalloped Hazel 1
Orthosia cerasi Common Quaker 1
Selenia lunularia Lunar Thorn 1
Apamea crenata Clouded-bordered Brindle 6
Notodonta ziczac Pebble Prominent 1
Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 5
Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 1
Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver 4
Notodonta dromedarius Iron Prominent 1
Diaphora mendica Muslin Moth 2
Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 3
Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
Nola confusalis Least Black Arches 1
Orthosia incerta Clouded Drab 1
Petrophora chlorosata Brown Silver-line 1
Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet 1
Agrotis exclamationis Heart & Dart 5
Apamea sordens Rustic Shoulder-knot 1 new for garden
Diarsia rubi Small Square-spot 1
Lacanobia thalassina Pale-shouldered Brocade 1
Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet 2
Eupithecia abbreviata Brindled Pug 1
Mamestra brassicae Cabbage Moth new for garden 1
Thera obeliscata Grey Pine Carpet new for garden 1
Thera britannica Spruce Carpet new for garden 1
Acronicta rumicis Knot Grass new for garden 1
Cilix glaucata Chinese Character 1

Normality Tomorrow

2011-05-02T21:40:00.000+01:00

With four days work from the last five I've been far from the maddening crowd this long weekend, with a massive passage wader invasion across the country and a Pom-fest on the south coast it's been bloody busy too! I've slipped in a couple of early mornings and late afternoons here and there without seeing anything hugely impressive, Whimbrels, singing Reed Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, hods of damselflies at a local golf course on Sunday and returning House Martins over the garden for the first time.
I even managed a lunchtime picnic with the kids on Sunday, Ella correctly identifying Chiffchaff by song during the pate.
A Blackcap has been my constant companion in the willows just beyond the window as I work and the squeaking of the Starling family under a neighbour's eaves is rising in intensity today. Kids back to school this week so I expect to get some birding in Wed/Thur.
Here's a quick lineup of some of the commoner stuff that found their way into the camera this weekend.

Spectacle & Peppered Moth

2011-05-02T21:10:00.000+01:00

Two new additions that snuck into April on the last night that I finally managed to photograph tonight after work and a garage claen, it is a Bank Holiday after all! Last night by contrast was dismal with just three moths (2 Powdered Quakers; 1 Heb Character), tonight might improve as there is some cloud though it's moving pretty quick.

Lesser Treble Bar & Bright Line Brown-eye

2011-05-01T15:25:00.001+01:00

Lesser Treble Bar as previous post, first April records for Northumberland, including that tricky to get abdomen shot. Bright Line Brown-eye recorded on five previous occasions in April one of the other recent catches in the garden.

Yesterday's Spectacle

2011-04-30T17:00:00.001+01:00

Like many thousands of others I was up early yesterday. The camping chair was out as I found myself a prime position to sit and watch from as they passed by. I knew it was to be a long day so I even packed an extra cushion and some food. The weather was good and I was soon enjoying the spectacle of those on the move in smart black and white livery. It wasn't too long before I was joined by another observer keen to make the most of the day and avoid all things wedding.

With a brisk east breeze Newbiggin (where else?) was an obvious destination to check on any sea passage; good numbers of auks including a high percentage of Razorbills moved through (c.20 in 10 minutes); ADMc picked up our first Manx Shearwater of the year and a small movement of Red-throated Divers north punctuated the morning.

Castle Island up next and a drake Shoveler on the river, whilst four Common Swifts were my first this year, hawking for insects above the south bank trees with all three hirundine species present as well.

I headed south to Cambois, quiet for birds with two non-singing Grasshopper Warblers and a Common Whitethroat the only notable sightings. Walking back along the old railway line I did however note some moths on the wing. Last year I 'found' a small colony of Lesser Treble Bar at this site. Struck me yesterday that it was still April (oh I'm bright) and to be honest I wasn't sure if the other (Treble Bar) didn't also occur here,so I texted TT the county moth recorder. Eventually after a few texts I went back to the car and trapped one, it's in the fridge pending pictures and proper identification. Either way it's the first April record in the county for either species and if it is Lesser Treble Bar as I suspect it's a good two weeks earlier than previous earliest.

I headed up the coast in the afternoon, the adult Black-tailed Godwit still on Cresswell Pond though I spent more time searching through the hirundines for non-existent Red-rumped Swallows. A couple of birders at the entrance to Druridge turned out to be watching a spanking male Black Redstart. Sadly I didn't take the camera with me as it was raining when I went back out so I had to improvise with a bit of Iphone-scoping.

After a quick look from the Budge screen, 2 Pintails still and a small number of Wigeon, I moved on to East Chevington chasing the earlier shower and that Red-rumped Swallow or perhaps a Black Tern. In the event I settled for some outstanding views of a flock of 15 Whimbrel feeding in a field south of the north pool. Parking in a gateway, using the car as a hide and simultaneously holding scope and phone produced perhaps the best result I've ever had digiscoping as they fed close to the gate until flushed by a calling Crow.

Easy Easter

2011-04-25T21:36:00.000+01:00

Three days of work included this on Friday. Interspersed with some family stuff over the weekend and some early morning birding today picking up Redstart, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat amongst others along the way.

The moths have been steady with a couple of new additions for the garden including Herald and Muslin Moth; have some pics:

Herald

Muslin Moth

Avoiding the crowds today we took a woodland walk along one of my favourite rivers and discovered a little secret place for the kids to enjoy.

The Price of Pheasants?

2011-04-21T21:42:00.000+01:00

Up in one of the Cheviot Valleys yesterday sans enfants we had almost constant contact with the area's commonest raptor Common Buzzard. Several different individuals picked out over the day as they criss-crossed the valley, often at no more than 60-70ft and directly over our head. They displayed, landed on nearby hillsides and at one point I had a scope view that included two Buzzards and a Brown Hare all within six feet of each other!
One particular individual though stood out and not for the right reasons. Take a look at the left wing of the individual below, it cannot be moult and almost certainly must be as a result of been trapped or shot probably the latter. Anyone with a better explanantion feel free to leave comments.
Whilst circumstantial it was no surprise to see this individual in an area full of released Pheasants and a good few Red Grouse to boot.

Some of the other individuals today:

Quasimodo

2011-04-21T21:02:00.000+01:00

Just three moths in the trap this morning, in no small part due to the sea fret that penetrated far inland overnight, smacking down the temperatures. I pulled out two Hebrew Character and then I pulled out the ugliest moth I think I've ever seen. This thing wouldn't be out of place in a Dr Who Christmas Special, or at least on one of the old Tom Baker episodes. However beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what this particular hunchback has going for it is it's a bit rare up here in the northern wastelands; only five previous records and only recorded for the first time six years back in 2005. After photographing it this morning on a garden Hazel I left it in peace, it was still basking in its ugly rarity this afternoon as I did some pruning. So feast your eyes on the moth formerly known as Quasimodo but since the marketing people got a hold of it now called Tawny Pinion Lithophane semibrunnea.

New Moths

2011-04-20T21:47:00.000+01:00

With the Skinner, numbers have gone up a little but the clear nights still seem to keeping a lid on things. New stuff so far this week has included Shuttle-shaped Dart, Oak Tree Pug and a micro-micro Eriocrania subpurpurella that was a beast to try and photograph without a macro lens. Thanks are due to SS/TT for ID help.

Barbarella - Eriocrania subpurpurella

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Yellow-barred Brindle

2011-04-18T11:01:00.000+01:00

Except it's pistachio green so whoever named it must have been a bit colour blind. Putting that to one side when I eventually managed to ID it I was quite pleased. Only one previous April record before this year, though I read of another earlier one elsewhere this April in addition to mine. A mere 18 county records in total and first recorded in 1977.

Yellow-barred Brindle

Like others I also trapped my first 'normal' Water Carpet of the year a day or two back after the recent dark ones. Tom Tams has kindly loaned me a Skinner trap so I'm expecting big things in the coming weeks, it'll be interesting to see how the catches compare to my home made 'Heath Robinson' now retired to the garage on standby.

Water Carpet