After failing to once again to locate the Todd’s Canada Geese at QE2 this morning with LiverBirder despite scanning every goose and field in the area, I had another go this afternoon.
I was on my way anyway to visit family in Morpeth so we had a quick detour to Bothal Pond. 150+ Canada Geese were on the edge of the pond south of the farm. After scanning through I could see 3 obvious Todd’s Canada Geese- lifer. The main ID points were that they noticeably smaller than the surrounding Canadas, had thinner necks and longer bills, the back was nearly all brown and there was no white neck collar. After checking through again I think there may have been four birds in total but the flock was constantly moving and feeding so viewing was difficult at times. Also a leucistic Canada Goose was present amongst the flock.
Saturday, 24 November 2012
Thursday, 22 November 2012
On our Todd's
I never thought I would see the day that I would be enthusiastically searching through a flock of Canada Geese but yesterday along with Holywell Birder, that’s exactly what we were doing.
We started our search for the two pairs of reported Todd’s Canada Geese at Woodhorn. The stubble field they had been in was goose-less when we checked so we quickly moved onto QE2. The only Canada Geese were a group of around 70 birds near the car park. After scanning through we realised how variable Canada Geese can be, some birds showed features of Lesser Canada Geese but none had all the correct features.
Next we checked the fields with the new turbines in Linton Lane, both Woodhorn flashes and surrounding fields but there were no Geese of any description at any of these sites.
The flock probably either joined the larger inland groups or flocks at the new open cast sites around Widdrington or Bothal Pond.
On our way back Cain had some business to deal with at Gosforth Park NR so we spent an hour on the reserve. The 8 Waxwings which had been feeding along the main path had disappeared by the time we got there but the woods were alive with tits crests and especially Treecreepers including 5 singing within the space of three trees. I have heard Treecreepers singing before but never for so long and I had never heard the endnote, which sounds similar to a Little Grebe.
From the hide we could see hundreds of Wood Pigeons and Jackdaw going to roost along with some very vocal Jays. The pools were quiet but a Water Rail was squealing from the reed bed left of the hide.
We started our search for the two pairs of reported Todd’s Canada Geese at Woodhorn. The stubble field they had been in was goose-less when we checked so we quickly moved onto QE2. The only Canada Geese were a group of around 70 birds near the car park. After scanning through we realised how variable Canada Geese can be, some birds showed features of Lesser Canada Geese but none had all the correct features.
Next we checked the fields with the new turbines in Linton Lane, both Woodhorn flashes and surrounding fields but there were no Geese of any description at any of these sites.
The flock probably either joined the larger inland groups or flocks at the new open cast sites around Widdrington or Bothal Pond.
On our way back Cain had some business to deal with at Gosforth Park NR so we spent an hour on the reserve. The 8 Waxwings which had been feeding along the main path had disappeared by the time we got there but the woods were alive with tits crests and especially Treecreepers including 5 singing within the space of three trees. I have heard Treecreepers singing before but never for so long and I had never heard the endnote, which sounds similar to a Little Grebe.
From the hide we could see hundreds of Wood Pigeons and Jackdaw going to roost along with some very vocal Jays. The pools were quiet but a Water Rail was squealing from the reed bed left of the hide.
Saturday, 17 November 2012
No Owls
Spent an hour at West Hartford from 3:30 until 4:30 yesterday. No sign of any owls as dusk turned to night but a pair of Goosander flew south over the pools and an impressive sight of 200+ Carrion Crows gathered on the pylons before going to roost along the riverside.
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Bees Wax
It seems I’ve done most of my birding of late on housing estates. Last Sunday I was in Seaburn with SH and DMcK. After half an hours waiting the Bee Eater- lifer, finally showed. Over the next hour we got amazing views as it perched in some trees before hawking insects over the streets and then landed on an aerial. Also whilst we were waiting a Crossbill flew over.
Last tuesday by chance I was passing the Moor Farm roundabout between Cramlington and Annitsford when 30+ Waxwings were in the dead trees on the crammy side.
Later that afternoon I went down to West Hartford just in time to see 20+ Waxwing fly over the roundabout in front of the fire station. These were probably the same birds JM had the day before which I missed by a 5 minutes. Anyway that’s another one on my WH list and another first for the site this year.
On Sunday I was out locally for a few hours with SH. The highlight of the morning were 40+ Waxwings (not on a roundabout this time) on the Beaconhill estate. They were in the trees outside the community centre and commuted between the trees and the berry bushes opposite and down the street. They also fed on the ground and visited the puddles on the centre’s flat roof. More Waxwings were later seen near the windmill site and on the Bassington Industrial estate.
It was also the first time I had been to Arcot Pond in a while and the first time I had seen the wildfowl numbers, which have been building up over the last few months. No diving duck but plenty of dabbling duck with over 60 Wigeon, too many Mallard to count and the Coot count was almost at 90! I have never seen the numbers so large here lets just hope it continues over the winter and pulls something else in.
Last tuesday by chance I was passing the Moor Farm roundabout between Cramlington and Annitsford when 30+ Waxwings were in the dead trees on the crammy side.
Later that afternoon I went down to West Hartford just in time to see 20+ Waxwing fly over the roundabout in front of the fire station. These were probably the same birds JM had the day before which I missed by a 5 minutes. Anyway that’s another one on my WH list and another first for the site this year.
On Sunday I was out locally for a few hours with SH. The highlight of the morning were 40+ Waxwings (not on a roundabout this time) on the Beaconhill estate. They were in the trees outside the community centre and commuted between the trees and the berry bushes opposite and down the street. They also fed on the ground and visited the puddles on the centre’s flat roof. More Waxwings were later seen near the windmill site and on the Bassington Industrial estate.
It was also the first time I had been to Arcot Pond in a while and the first time I had seen the wildfowl numbers, which have been building up over the last few months. No diving duck but plenty of dabbling duck with over 60 Wigeon, too many Mallard to count and the Coot count was almost at 90! I have never seen the numbers so large here lets just hope it continues over the winter and pulls something else in.
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Exotic, Possible, Probable?
At 13:15 on Friday I could hear something strange calling that I vaguely recognised. I heard nothing for 20 minutes until I could hear it again as it flew north over my house, turns out it was a Ring Necked Parakeet. Strangely enough it was about this time last year when a mystery parrot sp. was heard by a few different people in cramlington including me.
Anyway onto some proper birding as yesterday myself and GB had a three hour seawatch at Church Point, Newbiggin from 13:40-16:40. My target had been any of the four ‘‘easiest’’ birds I haven’t yet managed to catch up with; Pom and Long Tailed Skua, Grey Phalarope and Little Auk.
It wasn’t long until 5 Little Auk- lifer, flew past north. In total we had 28 past north during the three hours, some very close in.
No skuas at all past but we did see 18 Mallard (N), 7 Wigeon (N), 5 drake Goldeneye (N), 50+ Kittiwake, 7 PB Brent Geese (a family party of five adults and two juvs) (N), 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Common Scoter (N), 2 Med Gull (N) and 3 Manx Shearwater (N).
Most frustratingly of all I picked out a large Diver moving north. It had obvious trailing feet, a heavy build with a solid contrast between its upper and under parts, which were clean and white. Crucially we couldn’t see the bill well enough to confirm whether it was a White Billed or Great Northern Diver. This was 50 minutes after the Whitburn White Billed Diver had been seen flying high north.
Oh well at least I saw the Little Auks.
Anyway onto some proper birding as yesterday myself and GB had a three hour seawatch at Church Point, Newbiggin from 13:40-16:40. My target had been any of the four ‘‘easiest’’ birds I haven’t yet managed to catch up with; Pom and Long Tailed Skua, Grey Phalarope and Little Auk.
It wasn’t long until 5 Little Auk- lifer, flew past north. In total we had 28 past north during the three hours, some very close in.
No skuas at all past but we did see 18 Mallard (N), 7 Wigeon (N), 5 drake Goldeneye (N), 50+ Kittiwake, 7 PB Brent Geese (a family party of five adults and two juvs) (N), 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Common Scoter (N), 2 Med Gull (N) and 3 Manx Shearwater (N).
Most frustratingly of all I picked out a large Diver moving north. It had obvious trailing feet, a heavy build with a solid contrast between its upper and under parts, which were clean and white. Crucially we couldn’t see the bill well enough to confirm whether it was a White Billed or Great Northern Diver. This was 50 minutes after the Whitburn White Billed Diver had been seen flying high north.
Oh well at least I saw the Little Auks.
Saturday, 20 October 2012
Catch up
I’ve been too busy to write up what I have seen over the last week so here it goes. Last Saturday I was at St.Mary’s along with many others watching the mystery Warbler in the willows. I got good views but don’t have the experience to make any claims as to what it might have been, I’m just glad is all been settled and I can now add Blyth’s Reed Warbler to my county list.
Sunday morning it was time for WEBS where the highlight was a drake Pochard amongst the Mallard near Stakeford Bridge. As I was leaving the house a flock of 20 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing flew from the tree in my front garden and continued west. Before an early finish we called in at Cambois railway line. No sign of the Hume’s Leaf or 2 Yellow Browed Warblers but plenty to keep us occupied. A flock of around 50 Redpoll, which contained a possible Mealy, were flying up and down the track. A very vocal Brambling was also nearby before flying off.
On Monday afternoon myself and SH returned to Cambois railway for a few hours. A lot more thrushes had come in overnight and a massive flock of Blackbirds and Song Thrush held two Ring Ouzels, which showed briefly in the dead trees before landing in the ditch near the top bank.
We also had a quick look at the Shags in Blyth Harbour on the way back. Not as many birds as usual but the highlight was a white ringed bird, LDT, which had been ringed as a chick on the Isle of May 9 years ago! Also in the harbour were 13 Purple Sandpipers roosting on the pier.
Sunday morning it was time for WEBS where the highlight was a drake Pochard amongst the Mallard near Stakeford Bridge. As I was leaving the house a flock of 20 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing flew from the tree in my front garden and continued west. Before an early finish we called in at Cambois railway line. No sign of the Hume’s Leaf or 2 Yellow Browed Warblers but plenty to keep us occupied. A flock of around 50 Redpoll, which contained a possible Mealy, were flying up and down the track. A very vocal Brambling was also nearby before flying off.
On Monday afternoon myself and SH returned to Cambois railway for a few hours. A lot more thrushes had come in overnight and a massive flock of Blackbirds and Song Thrush held two Ring Ouzels, which showed briefly in the dead trees before landing in the ditch near the top bank.
We also had a quick look at the Shags in Blyth Harbour on the way back. Not as many birds as usual but the highlight was a white ringed bird, LDT, which had been ringed as a chick on the Isle of May 9 years ago! Also in the harbour were 13 Purple Sandpipers roosting on the pier.
Friday, 12 October 2012
Numbers building
I’ve had a few visits to West Hartford this week. With the pools devoid of life apart from BH Gulls, I decided to focus on the border area next to Hartford Wood.
A WH mega in the form of a Nuthatch was lurking amongst a tit flock behind the substation and 20 Reed Bunting occupied a single stretch of hedgerow between the substation and the new flash pool. I cant remember the last time I saw 20 Reed Buntings together so this must be a new Hartford record.
Large numbers of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll were all around the site in tight flocks most of which were feeding in trees. The highlight of the trip though was a Red Squirrel jumping around the treetops at Hartford Wood. Also a Common Toad I narrowly avoided stepping on was my first at WH. Whilst watching the Toad two Fieldfare flew over calling.
Yesterday on my way to WH 10 Redwing flew from a berry bush next Northburn Community Centre and headed west.
A WH mega in the form of a Nuthatch was lurking amongst a tit flock behind the substation and 20 Reed Bunting occupied a single stretch of hedgerow between the substation and the new flash pool. I cant remember the last time I saw 20 Reed Buntings together so this must be a new Hartford record.
Large numbers of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll were all around the site in tight flocks most of which were feeding in trees. The highlight of the trip though was a Red Squirrel jumping around the treetops at Hartford Wood. Also a Common Toad I narrowly avoided stepping on was my first at WH. Whilst watching the Toad two Fieldfare flew over calling.
Yesterday on my way to WH 10 Redwing flew from a berry bush next Northburn Community Centre and headed west.
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