Out for Webs yesterday with SH and DMcK, at Castle Island which although unfrozen was very bleak.
Viewed from the metal gate opposite the Windmill at Woodhorn were 4 distant Greenland White Fronted Geese amongst a group of Pink feet. I had only ever seen the Eurasian race of White Fronted Geese before yesterday.
Whilst looking through the scope at the Geese 6 silent Waxwing flew over which I missed, (one missed).
In Blyth Harbour I had my best ever views of Red Necked Grebe, hopefully it will stick around so that it can be seen in summer plumage.
Whilst waiting to look through the scope at the grebe again I noticed a Snow Bunting sitting on top of a trailer, (one found).
Back in cram the only wildfowl on Arcot were 3 Mute Swans. A walk around Arcot golfcourse provided a few more patch ticks. A Common Buzzard was circling the pond area, whilst both GS Woodpecker and Nuthatch were heard calling.
On the way home 3 Lapwing were in the ploughed field between Nelson Hill and Focus. Whilst watching a Brambling on the feeders in my garden 70+ Pink Footed Geese flew north.
33 - Mute Swan
34 - Common Buzzard
35 - Great Spotted Woodpecker
36 - Nuthatch
37 - Lapwing
38 - Pink Footed Geese
Monday, 17 January 2011
Friday, 14 January 2011
The owls are not what they seem
After almost finishing both of my assignments during the week I finally got the chance to do some birding yesterday. Cain (Holywell Birder) came down to Middlesbrough to pick me up and we went off to Saltholme.
After a quick stop in the visitors centre for breakfast we accidentally ended up going on the (pensioners) owl tour.
Whilst waiting for the walk to begin a Little Egret landed on the visitors centre pool near to the window. It or another bird was seen flying around the reserve throughout the rest of the time we were there.
We were told that up to 7 Long Eared Owls have been seen in the communal roost site but only one had been found before the tour began yesterday.
With about 30 people wanting to see the owls we were allowed to view from a distance in small groups. Cain with his hidden ability to see through trees managed to pick up the LEO straight away but I could only see it when looking through the scope.
My poor knowledge of tree types didn’t help when Cain was trying to describe the area the owl was in but the fact that it was roosting behind a branch and only half of its body and its ear tufts could be seen didn’t help. There was another LEO near it but I couldn’t see that either.
Before leaving we checked the Saltholme pools hide where 8 Pintail (6 Drakes, 2 female), 1 Shelduck and a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers were on the water amongst large numbers of Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall.
On the way home we stopped at Cowpen Bewley Country Park where the Ring Necked Duck was still showing well amongst the Tufted Duck and Pochard.
This is presumably the same bird, which has over wintered at Teesside for the last couple of years. It is almost a year since I saw Ring Necked Duck at this site, at least this time it was a lifer for Cain.
The patch list has been largely ignored since the 1st apart from the birds I have had in the garden but this morning I planned to twitch the 28-32 Waxwings LMcD had found at East Cramlington during the week.
Before leaving there was a lot of activity at the feeders and after a while checking with the bins a pair of Brambling dropped in.
When we got to the site at East Cram there was no sign of any Waxwings.
On the way back I noticed 5 flying around the treetops opposite the High Pit chippy. We pulled into the Burton House car park to get a better look but by this time the birds had landed out of sight.
I then heard the distinctive trilling coming from behind the car. 4 Waxwings were feeding on rotten apples on a tree in the car park. After watching them for 5 minutes the 5, which had disappeared, flew from one of the joining gardens and began feeding on the apples.
As if it couldn’t get any better, a male Blackcap (the first over wintering one I have ever seen), joined the Waxwings.
30 - Brambling
31 - Waxwing
32 - Blackcap
After a quick stop in the visitors centre for breakfast we accidentally ended up going on the (pensioners) owl tour.
Whilst waiting for the walk to begin a Little Egret landed on the visitors centre pool near to the window. It or another bird was seen flying around the reserve throughout the rest of the time we were there.
We were told that up to 7 Long Eared Owls have been seen in the communal roost site but only one had been found before the tour began yesterday.
With about 30 people wanting to see the owls we were allowed to view from a distance in small groups. Cain with his hidden ability to see through trees managed to pick up the LEO straight away but I could only see it when looking through the scope.
My poor knowledge of tree types didn’t help when Cain was trying to describe the area the owl was in but the fact that it was roosting behind a branch and only half of its body and its ear tufts could be seen didn’t help. There was another LEO near it but I couldn’t see that either.
Before leaving we checked the Saltholme pools hide where 8 Pintail (6 Drakes, 2 female), 1 Shelduck and a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers were on the water amongst large numbers of Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall.
On the way home we stopped at Cowpen Bewley Country Park where the Ring Necked Duck was still showing well amongst the Tufted Duck and Pochard.
This is presumably the same bird, which has over wintered at Teesside for the last couple of years. It is almost a year since I saw Ring Necked Duck at this site, at least this time it was a lifer for Cain.
The patch list has been largely ignored since the 1st apart from the birds I have had in the garden but this morning I planned to twitch the 28-32 Waxwings LMcD had found at East Cramlington during the week.
Before leaving there was a lot of activity at the feeders and after a while checking with the bins a pair of Brambling dropped in.
When we got to the site at East Cram there was no sign of any Waxwings.
On the way back I noticed 5 flying around the treetops opposite the High Pit chippy. We pulled into the Burton House car park to get a better look but by this time the birds had landed out of sight.
I then heard the distinctive trilling coming from behind the car. 4 Waxwings were feeding on rotten apples on a tree in the car park. After watching them for 5 minutes the 5, which had disappeared, flew from one of the joining gardens and began feeding on the apples.
As if it couldn’t get any better, a male Blackcap (the first over wintering one I have ever seen), joined the Waxwings.
30 - Brambling
31 - Waxwing
32 - Blackcap
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Three more
I’ve been in the house finishing off my coursework for uni all this week. I was hoping that I would have added another 10 or so species to the patch list but the presence of a Sparrowhawk most days has meant that the garden has been very quiet.
Only three birds added, all were seen on Tuesday. 7 Jackdaw flew over the house and a Common Gull was amongst the BH Gulls on the school roof.
The final of the three was a Lesser Redpoll, which landed briefly on the fence amongst a group of Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch.
I think there were more in the school field but the flock took off before I had a chance to check properly. I didn’t think I would ever have Redpoll in the garden again.
Only three birds added, all were seen on Tuesday. 7 Jackdaw flew over the house and a Common Gull was amongst the BH Gulls on the school roof.
The final of the three was a Lesser Redpoll, which landed briefly on the fence amongst a group of Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch.
I think there were more in the school field but the flock took off before I had a chance to check properly. I didn’t think I would ever have Redpoll in the garden again.
Monday, 3 January 2011
Patch update
Just totalled up what I have seen on the patch so far this year. In Order:
Green= birds in garden
1. Blackbird
2. Herring Gull
3. Black Headed Gull
4. Collard Dove
5. Kestrel
6. Carrion Crow
7. Woodpigeon
8. Grey Heron
9. Kingfisher
10. Redwing
11. Wren
12. Magpie
13. House Sparrow
14. Robin
15. Chaffinch
16. Snipe
17. Goldfinch
18. Woodcock
19. Great Tit
20. Dunnock
21. Greenfinch
22. Blue Tit
23. Coal Tit
24. Starling
25. Long Tailed Tit
26. Sparrowhawk- a nice Musket was sitting on the fence this morning
Green= birds in garden
1. Blackbird
2. Herring Gull
3. Black Headed Gull
4. Collard Dove
5. Kestrel
6. Carrion Crow
7. Woodpigeon
8. Grey Heron
9. Kingfisher
10. Redwing
11. Wren
12. Magpie
13. House Sparrow
14. Robin
15. Chaffinch
16. Snipe
17. Goldfinch
18. Woodcock
19. Great Tit
20. Dunnock
21. Greenfinch
22. Blue Tit
23. Coal Tit
24. Starling
25. Long Tailed Tit
26. Sparrowhawk- a nice Musket was sitting on the fence this morning
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Good start
Out with SH and DMcK this morning. Started the day at Blyth Estuary. Good count of Grey Plover (20) and Bar Tailed Godwit (15).
Amongst a flock of Linnets in trees near Baites Filtration Pools there were at least 5 Twite, the first time I have seen Twite in trees.
At Newbiggin 16 Brent Geese, (14 pale, 2 dark) were on the shore just off Beacon Point. Whilst throwing out bread on the seafront 5 Med Gulls were amongst the gull flock, which landed.
QE2 had the highest number of birds we saw during the day. Only part of the water has thawed and on the open water were Goldeneye, 32 Wigeon and 135 Coot.
On the ice gulls and corvids were feeding on a dead Canada Goose, a Med Gull was among them.
Amongst the Mute Swans being fed in the car park was a Juv Whooper Swan, which is probably the same bird, which has been seen at Swallow Pond over the last month.
In the fields opposite QE2 there were 91 Mute Swans, 1 adult Whooper Swan and 3 Barnacle Geese.
Back on the patch (which now has the added competition from the Liverbirder who has entered the patch competition 2011 along with me, LMcD and DMcK), We checked the Horton Burn first.
Apart from 2 Redwing it was quiet until a Kingfisher flew west from the fire station end.
At West Hartford the best birds on offer were Snipe and a Woodcock.
I haven’t totalled up the birds I saw on the patch today yet but its always good to get Kingfisher out of the way early, it can be difficult.
Juv Whooper at QE2
Image courtesy of Steve Holliday
Amongst a flock of Linnets in trees near Baites Filtration Pools there were at least 5 Twite, the first time I have seen Twite in trees.
At Newbiggin 16 Brent Geese, (14 pale, 2 dark) were on the shore just off Beacon Point. Whilst throwing out bread on the seafront 5 Med Gulls were amongst the gull flock, which landed.
QE2 had the highest number of birds we saw during the day. Only part of the water has thawed and on the open water were Goldeneye, 32 Wigeon and 135 Coot.
On the ice gulls and corvids were feeding on a dead Canada Goose, a Med Gull was among them.
Amongst the Mute Swans being fed in the car park was a Juv Whooper Swan, which is probably the same bird, which has been seen at Swallow Pond over the last month.
In the fields opposite QE2 there were 91 Mute Swans, 1 adult Whooper Swan and 3 Barnacle Geese.
Back on the patch (which now has the added competition from the Liverbirder who has entered the patch competition 2011 along with me, LMcD and DMcK), We checked the Horton Burn first.
Apart from 2 Redwing it was quiet until a Kingfisher flew west from the fire station end.
At West Hartford the best birds on offer were Snipe and a Woodcock.
I haven’t totalled up the birds I saw on the patch today yet but its always good to get Kingfisher out of the way early, it can be difficult.
Juv Whooper at QE2
Image courtesy of Steve Holliday
Friday, 31 December 2010
2010
Once again what a year! I didn’t think anything could top last years birding but 2010 has done just that.
There are too many highlights for me to list but day trips to Teesside, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire for the Oriental Pratincole have been some of the best highlights.
Also helping out Holywell Birder both in Cumbria and with the scouts at Holywell were good days.
But most of all I have enjoyed birding on the patch. Best birds seen on the patch this year have been Temminck’s Stint, Hobby, Quail and Little Stint.
Some birders never see three Quail during their lifetime but I have been lucky enough to see three on my patch this year, it doesn’t get better than that.
I am pleased to say that I have finished on my highest ever total on the patch this year of 119, if only I had got that Willow Tit at Arcot during the week I would be on 120, but going for 120 is a good aim to have.
Favourite bird seen in 2010: A tie between Rough Legged Buzzard and Squacco Heron.
Thank you to everybody who had helped me throughout this year and read the blog, birding is the only thing that keeps me sane at times.
Happy new year!
There are too many highlights for me to list but day trips to Teesside, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire for the Oriental Pratincole have been some of the best highlights.
Also helping out Holywell Birder both in Cumbria and with the scouts at Holywell were good days.
But most of all I have enjoyed birding on the patch. Best birds seen on the patch this year have been Temminck’s Stint, Hobby, Quail and Little Stint.
Some birders never see three Quail during their lifetime but I have been lucky enough to see three on my patch this year, it doesn’t get better than that.
I am pleased to say that I have finished on my highest ever total on the patch this year of 119, if only I had got that Willow Tit at Arcot during the week I would be on 120, but going for 120 is a good aim to have.
Favourite bird seen in 2010: A tie between Rough Legged Buzzard and Squacco Heron.
Thank you to everybody who had helped me throughout this year and read the blog, birding is the only thing that keeps me sane at times.
Happy new year!
Sunday, 26 December 2010
Christmas Creeper
I had a walk to West Hartford this morning to clear my head, I didn't see much on the way there or at WH. All the bushes and trees were birdless and both pools at Hartford were still frozen.
I was about to go when I could hear a high pitched call coming from the small row of trees between the metal fence and the pools. It sounded like a Goldcrest, then Robin and then Wren. I waited about 5 minutes as I couldn't make my mind up on the call.
Eventually I saw some movement on the underside of the branches, bins lifted, it was a Treecreeper-a first for West Hartford!
Not only is it a new bird for WH it is also my 100th species seen at WH and the first new species I have found, what a christmas present.
Patch Birding doesn't get much better.
I was about to go when I could hear a high pitched call coming from the small row of trees between the metal fence and the pools. It sounded like a Goldcrest, then Robin and then Wren. I waited about 5 minutes as I couldn't make my mind up on the call.
Eventually I saw some movement on the underside of the branches, bins lifted, it was a Treecreeper-a first for West Hartford!
Not only is it a new bird for WH it is also my 100th species seen at WH and the first new species I have found, what a christmas present.
Patch Birding doesn't get much better.
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