No I haven't resorted to Liverbirder style innuendo, there is actually a place we went through today called Cock Play.
I set off early this morning with SH and MH for Kielder. The day got off to a great start as I added Lesser Black Backed Gull to the patch list as we went through Nelson industrial estate.
On the way up I spotted a dead Badger on the roadside at Cock Play, strange place to find one as there didn't seem to be any sutaible habitat near by.
We stopped and spent over an hour at Bull Crag first where a number of Crossbills were feeding on the pines behind us. They were quite tame even letting me walk under the tree and watch them feed. More were heard everywhere we went throughout the day.
The wind was starting to pick up and so did the raptors as three Buzzard started soaring. It wasn't long until I found a distant Goshawk which circled for a while before dropping behind the tree tops.
Whilst waiting for it to reapear two male Goshawks much closer chased each other over the trees. These were my first ever detailed views of Goshawks.
We went to Bakethin Res next which was Mandarin less. 19 Goldeneye were together on the water with a few Cormorants and Canada Geese.
Sand Martins were hawking over the water also.
At an undisclosed site we had good views of a Peregrine fly over with it's prey, land on a wall and eat it.
We checked Ridley Stokeo for Mandarin on the way back and a pair were flushed from the gravel island in the river.
71 - Lesser Black Backed Gull
Showing posts with label Crossbill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crossbill. Show all posts
Saturday, 27 March 2010
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Good end to a good month on the patch
I got a message from D McK this morning saying that a Green Woodpecker was showing well at Arcot Pond on the dead trees in the south west corner.
By time I got there there was no sign but a drake Shoveler - patch tick, asleep at the back of the pond made up for the woodpeckers absence.
I wasn't helped by the fact that two Harris Hawks were flying around.
Later on after dropping some stuff off at high pit we went for a quick walk around East Cramlington Nature reserve, which is within the cramlington boundary despite what I have been told.
After walking down to the end of the road before the track runs out I had only spotted a Sparrowhawk and as it started to rain I didn't hold my breath about seeing much else.
As we headed back I heard a Siskin - Patch Tick, call overhead. I finally spotted it sitting at the top of a tree, it was soon joined by another 12 which seemed to follow us back to the car.
Whilst watching them fly close overhead I heard the distinct sound of Crossbill - Patch Tick.
I heard them again a few times and even got brief views as two females landed on the top of a conifer before flying off.
60 - Shoveler
61 - Siskin
62 - Crossbill
By time I got there there was no sign but a drake Shoveler - patch tick, asleep at the back of the pond made up for the woodpeckers absence.
I wasn't helped by the fact that two Harris Hawks were flying around.
Later on after dropping some stuff off at high pit we went for a quick walk around East Cramlington Nature reserve, which is within the cramlington boundary despite what I have been told.
After walking down to the end of the road before the track runs out I had only spotted a Sparrowhawk and as it started to rain I didn't hold my breath about seeing much else.
As we headed back I heard a Siskin - Patch Tick, call overhead. I finally spotted it sitting at the top of a tree, it was soon joined by another 12 which seemed to follow us back to the car.
Whilst watching them fly close overhead I heard the distinct sound of Crossbill - Patch Tick.
I heard them again a few times and even got brief views as two females landed on the top of a conifer before flying off.
60 - Shoveler
61 - Siskin
62 - Crossbill
Sunday, 2 August 2009
Kielder
I went to Kielder yesterday with Steve H and D McK. Now that the Osprey chicks have fledged we planned to try different vantage points around Kielder.
On the way we stopped at Ridley Stokoe to look for Mandarins. The river was flowing a lot faster than usual so there wasn’t anything on the water.
We stopped at the raptor viewpoint at Bakethin. We only stayed ten minutes as the trees were blocking most of the view and we were being attacked by insects.
Five Crossbill were around the viewpoint including a male, which showed well in a tree opposite the viewpoint.
Are next stop was the viaduct at Bakethin Reservoir. As well as the Ospreys we were still keeping an eye out for Mandarins but only found Tufted and Mallard.
9 Cormorants were flying around before landing on the water and a Little Grebe was diving.
Willow Warbler and Goldcrest were calling from the trees around the viaduct, as was a Yaffling Green Woodpecker.
We then tried to park at the area where other birders had said to park, but in the last week the car park has been closed for the summer.
Instead we parked at Otterstone Viewpoint car park at Bull Crag, somewhere none of us had been.
After following the access track out of the car park we stopped on the side of a sloping meadow next to some stone benches.
From here a good view of the open water and forest on its banks is given, the perfect place to see an Osprey and other Raptors.
A slight breeze was starting to pick up and the first Buzzards of the day began appearing over the treetops.
I took my eye off the ball for a second and Steve had an Osprey just dropping out of sight behind a clearing in the trees.
Whilst waiting for it to reappear 3 Crossbill and 2 Siskins flew overhead along with a very vocal Lesser Redpoll - Lifer.
A Raven flew east along the treetops and three Buzzards were dropping in and out of view. Not long after this a distant Raptor appeared in the same area. As it turned in the air I could see its body was all white and it hand slightly rounded wings pointing to it being an Osprey.It stayed in the air for a few minutes before disappearing again.
On the way we stopped at Ridley Stokoe to look for Mandarins. The river was flowing a lot faster than usual so there wasn’t anything on the water.
We stopped at the raptor viewpoint at Bakethin. We only stayed ten minutes as the trees were blocking most of the view and we were being attacked by insects.
Five Crossbill were around the viewpoint including a male, which showed well in a tree opposite the viewpoint.
Are next stop was the viaduct at Bakethin Reservoir. As well as the Ospreys we were still keeping an eye out for Mandarins but only found Tufted and Mallard.
9 Cormorants were flying around before landing on the water and a Little Grebe was diving.
Willow Warbler and Goldcrest were calling from the trees around the viaduct, as was a Yaffling Green Woodpecker.
We then tried to park at the area where other birders had said to park, but in the last week the car park has been closed for the summer.
Instead we parked at Otterstone Viewpoint car park at Bull Crag, somewhere none of us had been.
After following the access track out of the car park we stopped on the side of a sloping meadow next to some stone benches.
From here a good view of the open water and forest on its banks is given, the perfect place to see an Osprey and other Raptors.
A slight breeze was starting to pick up and the first Buzzards of the day began appearing over the treetops.
I took my eye off the ball for a second and Steve had an Osprey just dropping out of sight behind a clearing in the trees.
Whilst waiting for it to reappear 3 Crossbill and 2 Siskins flew overhead along with a very vocal Lesser Redpoll - Lifer.
A Raven flew east along the treetops and three Buzzards were dropping in and out of view. Not long after this a distant Raptor appeared in the same area. As it turned in the air I could see its body was all white and it hand slightly rounded wings pointing to it being an Osprey.It stayed in the air for a few minutes before disappearing again.
Saturday, 20 December 2008
4 Hours, 3 County Ticks, 2 New Sites and 1 Lifer.
Out again with Steve holliday this afternoon in the south of the county for a change.
First stop, Dinnington in search of Little Owl. We searched the Owl's usual tree but no sign, so we checked the trees to the right and there a few feet off the ground was a Little owl half asleep against the tree trunk, to far away for a photo of one of my favourite birds- New County tick.
We then went to Havannah Nature Reserve, somewhere I have never been. I didn't know what to expect and was suprised to see a slightly different reserve perfect for Snipe and wintering duck.
A Green Woodpecker flew across from the field behind the first small pond we came to- County tick.
We checked the big pond and flushed two Mallard and a Fox which ran around the pond in and out of the reeds. Only one common Snipe flew overhead as did 500+ Woodpigeon. Blue tit, Long Tailed tit, Reed Bunting and a Goldcrest were also in the trees.
We then noticed 9 Birds on the tree tops a couple of hundred yards away which were 3 bright red male and 6 duller green female Crossbill - Lifer, which stayed for about five minutes before flying east.
A good half an hour at a site which I will definetly visit again.
Next we went to Prestwick Carr (another new site for me) where after walking around most of the site in an hour, saw 2 buzzard and flush a jack Snipe, they were the highlights.
We stayed until sun set but no sign of any Hen Harriers.
We might be heading up the cost in the afternoon tommorrow, weather permitted.
First stop, Dinnington in search of Little Owl. We searched the Owl's usual tree but no sign, so we checked the trees to the right and there a few feet off the ground was a Little owl half asleep against the tree trunk, to far away for a photo of one of my favourite birds- New County tick.
We then went to Havannah Nature Reserve, somewhere I have never been. I didn't know what to expect and was suprised to see a slightly different reserve perfect for Snipe and wintering duck.
A Green Woodpecker flew across from the field behind the first small pond we came to- County tick.
We checked the big pond and flushed two Mallard and a Fox which ran around the pond in and out of the reeds. Only one common Snipe flew overhead as did 500+ Woodpigeon. Blue tit, Long Tailed tit, Reed Bunting and a Goldcrest were also in the trees.
We then noticed 9 Birds on the tree tops a couple of hundred yards away which were 3 bright red male and 6 duller green female Crossbill - Lifer, which stayed for about five minutes before flying east.
A good half an hour at a site which I will definetly visit again.
Next we went to Prestwick Carr (another new site for me) where after walking around most of the site in an hour, saw 2 buzzard and flush a jack Snipe, they were the highlights.
We stayed until sun set but no sign of any Hen Harriers.
We might be heading up the cost in the afternoon tommorrow, weather permitted.
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