Nightwatch

Last night I went for a walk around Arcot golfcourse with SH in the hope of hearing some Tawny Owls.
We set off at 6:15 just as it was begining to get dark, the wind which had been strong throughout the day had now gone.
Walking through the fields between Beacon Hill and Beacon Lane, a vocal Yellowhammer - Patch Tick, showed well in the headgerow.

As we walked down the lane a flock of 180+ Golden Plover - Patch Tick, which had been resting in a field with some Lapwing, took off.
A pair of Grey Partridge - Patch Tick, were calling and showing well in a field on the opposite side of the lane. Another pair were next to the horse field before running accross the path and into the hedgerow.

Once we were on the golfcourse we headed for the gap in the hedge that over looks the back of Arcot Pond and the fields behind it.
Nothing was on the pond but I just managed to spot a Short Eared Owl flying low over the field to our left. The light was fading very fast so we could just see the owls outline as it hunted low over the ground.

We stayed on the golfcourse for about an hour listening from different spots but no sign of any Tawnys or even more suprisingly any Woodcock.

65 - Yellowhammer

66 - Golden Plover

67 - Grey Partridge

Spotted Patch tick

I got word from Steve H this morning that he had 2 Willow Tit at Beacon Lane and a Spotted Flycatcher at Arcot.
At 1 I headed off to see if they were still around. There wasn’t much of note on the walk up.
There was a better chance of hearing the Willow Tits rather than seeing them but despite checking the right area of the lane and walking up and down the rest of it I couldn’t hear or see them on my way there or back.
It started to rain as I got to Arcot so I took cover next to the bushes by the crossroad behind the pond.
As I was checking the trees I saw something small and grey fly from the bottom of a bush to the top, it was a Spotted Flycatcher- Patch Tick.
It sat at the top of the tree for 10 seconds or so before going deeper into the bushes.

I stayed at the pond for around 45 minutes. 44 Greylag Geese were swimming from one side of the pond to the other and the number of Teal on the back island is growing with around 40 there today.
3 Roe Deer skipped through the field behind the pond before stopping and watching me.
I was watching the pond from the fence line on the east shore for a change and it was a good job I did as a Water Rail ran out in front of me and called constantly for 5 minutes from the reeds.
I’m glad I saw the Spotted Flycatcher today as the window of opportunity to see them in crammy is much smaller than that of a Willow Tit.

107- Spotted Flycatcher

Who says February is boring?

Quite sad looking, lonely this valentines day?

A bit of a show-off!

Distant Glauc

I spent two hour at Blyth Harbour this morning to try and find the Glaucous Gull.
As soon as I arrived the Iceland Gull was standing on the edge of the pier only a meter away from me and was happy to have its picture taken.
It flew around the harbour a few times and settled on the pier opposite.
All the other Gulls in the harbour joined the Cormorants in raiding the boats coming into the harbour.
A quick scan and I found a 1st winter Glaucous Gull next to a group of Eiders on the water. I managed to get a distant shot of it to confirm it wasn’t another Iceland.
The Glauc swan under the pier the Iceland was sitting on, as if for comparison.
I noticed the difference straight away; the Glauc was much stockier with smaller wings and a more angry expression.
Eiders, Shag, female Merganser etc were also in the harbour.

I was in Manor Walks this afternoon and I got a text from Steve Holliday saying 13+ Tree Sparrow on the Beacon scrubland, I finished in Subway and was straight off to Beacon Lane.
After nearly breaking my neck on the ice, I took the over the bridge route to Beacon Lane and just as I crossed the bridge 10+ Tree Sparrows- Patch Tick, flew from the stubble field and into the trees.
The hedge row where they had first been seen was being cut by the council tree chopping van so I stood back and watched it flush out 10+ Tree Sparrow, 15+ Yellowhammer, 40+ Reed Bunting, 20+ Chaffinch, 16 Fieldfare and a Mistle Thrush.
Also 60+ Carrion Crow were flushed from the stubble and 50+ Skylark were flying over the field.That has to be the best twitch I have ever had in Crammy, what a day.

This week I have also seen 18 Fieldfare feeding on berries near Nelson Hill, have had a pair of Bullfinches visiting my garden everyday and had 50 Pink Footed Geese fly over Sainsburys car park today.

Patch Tick

I kept my promise and had a quick walk around Crammy today but stayed mainly at Beacon Lane.
A flock of about 40 Geese went over head but I couldn't identify them as they were to high up and I didn't have my binoculars. On my way back a Grey Wagtail flew over head calling, (Patch Tick).
I haven't had a chance to upload the rest of my photos from saturaday yet.