After some family business in Alnwick today I decided to go home via the coast.
My first stop was Druridge Pools where apart from the otter in the north east corner there was nothing. I then walked on the beach down to Cresswell Pond where I apart from the usual sea suspects I had the first of four lifers which where 2 Gannets and 2 Arctic Skuas.
At cresswell pond I saw my other two lifers which where a Curlew Sandpiper feeding with nine Dunlin just north of the causeway and a Wood Sandpiper which was on the mud opposite to the Curlew sandpiper an Dunlins.
Not much at Snab point apart from 1 ringed plover and a couple of gulls and eiders offshore.
A very good day. I also saw an otter at Cresswell.
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Seawatch and the usual boring July
On Wedneday I had a 2 hour sea watch at Seaton Sluice between 7:30 and 9:30.
I sat on the cliff edge and watched 6 Fulmars nesting on the cliff side for most of the time but still managed to see 4 Sandwich Tern, 1 Kittiwake, 2 Herring Gull, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron and 35 Eider duck offshore.
Yesterday I went to St Mary's and saw 6 Turnstone, 7 Lapwing, 9 Oysrercatcher, 3 Curlew, 24 BH Gull, 4 Sand Martin and 2 House Martin.
The wetland was dead apart from 4 Swallow, 7 Linnet, 1 Moorhen, 6 House Sparrow, 4 Goldfinch and 1 Reed Warbler.
Next off to Holywell pond where there was 10 Canada Geese, 6 Greylag Geese, 12 Tufted Duck, 6 Mallard, 4 Pochard, 1 Coot, 6 Great Crested Grebe and 1 Grey Heron, Little Grebe calling in the reeds.
On my way towards the members hide I heard a Grasshopper Warbler.
It's a good job that I didn't walk on the beach at Seaton Sluice the other day as Lesser Weaver Fish have been found there and at South Beach.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Patch Tick
On my way home yesterday I past through the Scrubland behind the Brockwell as I regularly do.
This is an excellent place to find birds in an urban area and in the past I have seen both Reed and Lapland Buntings here.
I wasn't looking for birds yesterday as it was about to rain but on my way out of the scrub two birds flew right out in front of me and landed on a branch a few metres away. They stayed on the branch for for about 10 seconds before a whitethroat chased them away.
It took me a few seconds to click but then I realised that they were Garden Warblers a bird I have not seen in Cramlington before and my 8th patch tick of the year.
This is an excellent place to find birds in an urban area and in the past I have seen both Reed and Lapland Buntings here.
I wasn't looking for birds yesterday as it was about to rain but on my way out of the scrub two birds flew right out in front of me and landed on a branch a few metres away. They stayed on the branch for for about 10 seconds before a whitethroat chased them away.
It took me a few seconds to click but then I realised that they were Garden Warblers a bird I have not seen in Cramlington before and my 8th patch tick of the year.
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Pleasantly Surprised
Screw it I thought yesterday, I'm not going to let the petrol prices stop me reaching 200, so I went off to Washington Wild Fowl Park.
I hadn't been to the Park for over three years and was plesantly suprised to see that the site had moved slightly away from being a prison for exotic birds and was becoming more of a natural habitat for british birds.
After admiring the captives I went to the Waders Lake and managed to see 6 Oystercatcher, 10 Lapwing, 12 Grey Heron, 16 Mallard, 40+ Arctic Tern, 30+ BH Gull, 20 Shellduck, 2 Moorhen, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Teal, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 20 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed plover and 2 Avocet.
The Avocets are annual visiters to the lake and were being dive bombed by the Terns many of which had nests with young chicks of various sizes.
Next I went to the woodland feeding station hide where apart from 4 Grey Squirrels and 3 Brown Rat there were 6 Chaffinch, 4 Bullfinch, 2 great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit, 1 Willow Tit and 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker ( three young and one adult). All in all a good days birding.
Today I though I would go to Big Waters as I hadn't been there for nearly a year.
Walking around the lake I managed to see 6 Arctic Tern, 1 Cormorant, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 1 Common Sandpiper and 12 Mallard+ 14 Ducklings.
At the Feeding station I saw 16 Tree Sparrow, 1 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Pheasant, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker,1 Moorhen and 1 Rabbit.
I hadn't been to the Park for over three years and was plesantly suprised to see that the site had moved slightly away from being a prison for exotic birds and was becoming more of a natural habitat for british birds.
After admiring the captives I went to the Waders Lake and managed to see 6 Oystercatcher, 10 Lapwing, 12 Grey Heron, 16 Mallard, 40+ Arctic Tern, 30+ BH Gull, 20 Shellduck, 2 Moorhen, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Teal, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese, 20 Redshank, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed plover and 2 Avocet.
The Avocets are annual visiters to the lake and were being dive bombed by the Terns many of which had nests with young chicks of various sizes.
Next I went to the woodland feeding station hide where apart from 4 Grey Squirrels and 3 Brown Rat there were 6 Chaffinch, 4 Bullfinch, 2 great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Long Tailed Tit, 1 Willow Tit and 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker ( three young and one adult). All in all a good days birding.
Today I though I would go to Big Waters as I hadn't been there for nearly a year.
Walking around the lake I managed to see 6 Arctic Tern, 1 Cormorant, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Coot, 2 Moorhen, 1 Common Sandpiper and 12 Mallard+ 14 Ducklings.
At the Feeding station I saw 16 Tree Sparrow, 1 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Pheasant, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker,1 Moorhen and 1 Rabbit.
Friday, 27 June 2008
Local patch
With petrol prices rising I didn't have the luxury of going to Cresswell or Druridge ect so decided to look around my local patch for a change, something which I should be doing more often.
I had planned to go to Arcot Pond, West Hartford and Laverock Hall Farm Pond but the weather dedcided that I was only going to go to West hartford.
I spent about 30 minutes at the main flash and managed to see 40+ Lapwing some with young, 6 Oystercatcher, 1 Herring Gull, 1 BH Gull, 3 LBB Gull, 1GBB Gull, 1 Moorhen, 7 Skylark and 3 Rook.
On my way home I checked the marsh field and saw 1 single tiny Moorhen chick which was swimming on a small puddle before it stopped and stared at me for about two minutes it then dissapeard into the reeds where I heard the parent calling. I also heard at least 2 Teal in amongst the reeds.
I had planned to go to Arcot Pond, West Hartford and Laverock Hall Farm Pond but the weather dedcided that I was only going to go to West hartford.
I spent about 30 minutes at the main flash and managed to see 40+ Lapwing some with young, 6 Oystercatcher, 1 Herring Gull, 1 BH Gull, 3 LBB Gull, 1GBB Gull, 1 Moorhen, 7 Skylark and 3 Rook.
On my way home I checked the marsh field and saw 1 single tiny Moorhen chick which was swimming on a small puddle before it stopped and stared at me for about two minutes it then dissapeard into the reeds where I heard the parent calling. I also heard at least 2 Teal in amongst the reeds.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Swimming in the Rain
Yesterday I went to Cresswell pond in search of the Little Gulls that have been there for weeks now.
I parked by the side of the road and all that I saw was 1 grey Heron and 1 Shellduck with 7 humbug style chicks, so I went off to Druridge pools.
As ther heavens opened I ran to the indoor hide where an otter gave brilliant views in the water right outside the hide for about ten minutes.
I have only ever seen one Otter before yesterday and that was at the exact same place very breifly in October as it got dive bombed by a Kingfisher.
I watched the latest otter happily swimming in the rain as it caught a huge fish which it then took onto the bank and ate, but as usual no camera!
I then went to the Budge field hide and apart from the usuals there was a Little Egret fishing behind some reeds. I watched it for about ten minutes before it flew off into the tree tops where it argued with a Grey Heron for a further five minutes.
On my way home I saw a worrying sign as smoke was covering the field and roadside not far from Linton Lane. I can only hope that it was from Linton itself and not another case of arson at the reserve.
I also noticed a summer plumage Long Tailed Duck in the River Wansbeck next to Castle Island.
I parked by the side of the road and all that I saw was 1 grey Heron and 1 Shellduck with 7 humbug style chicks, so I went off to Druridge pools.
As ther heavens opened I ran to the indoor hide where an otter gave brilliant views in the water right outside the hide for about ten minutes.
I have only ever seen one Otter before yesterday and that was at the exact same place very breifly in October as it got dive bombed by a Kingfisher.
I watched the latest otter happily swimming in the rain as it caught a huge fish which it then took onto the bank and ate, but as usual no camera!
I then went to the Budge field hide and apart from the usuals there was a Little Egret fishing behind some reeds. I watched it for about ten minutes before it flew off into the tree tops where it argued with a Grey Heron for a further five minutes.
On my way home I saw a worrying sign as smoke was covering the field and roadside not far from Linton Lane. I can only hope that it was from Linton itself and not another case of arson at the reserve.
I also noticed a summer plumage Long Tailed Duck in the River Wansbeck next to Castle Island.
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