26 April Migrants

Same as previous with the weather looking good it was off to find some migrants along the coast at Cresswell at least 22 Wheatear and 8 Yellow Wagtail, further inland near Longframlington Moor Linnets, Reed Bunting and Willows with only a couple of Chiff singing, I also had a singing Ring Ouzel moving through the dense gorse and a couple of shots of this Stoat

Another Stoat this one unaware I was there
Very pale Willow Warbler or is it the light
Plenty of Wheatears along the coast this one near the road
Four of at least 8 Yellow Wagtail

23-04-07 VOLES

A Trip inland to look for migrants stopped at a suitable spot and had two Whitethroat and about 6 Willow warblers also a Blackcap ,Sparrowhawk over but I also heard these I think are Common Vole in the leaf litter standing very still they came out on the surface,I had at least six individuals doing this the first I have been able to get some photos of .
COMMON VOLE

FIRST WHITETHROAT OF THE YEAR
THIS STOAT WENT THROUGH THE HOLE AND TURNED TO HAVE A LOOK AT ME
NOT SURE IF THAT IS WHAT THE NUTHATCH HAS PUT IN THE HOLE ,IN THE BACKGROUND

BEECH SEEDLINGS, HARD TO BELIEVE THEY GROW SO HUGE

22-04-07 ROLLA AT CRAGSIDE

Today it was my fist visit to the house at Cragside,wow what a place I have not uploaded any pictures of it as it is best seen for yourself I think its £9 or so to visit and well worth it I am not much of a fan of this sort of place they are to expensive, Wallington listed a dawn chorus walk at £12 and bat walk at £10 these are also offered free elsewhere so well worth checking out ,there are extensive grounds but most of the walks are rather boring going through very tall very thick Rhododendron bushes Wallington listed a dawn chorus walk at £12 and bat walk at £10 these are also offered free elsewhere so well worth checking out.
More Willow Warblers here and a couple of Woodpeckers, with one Buzzard over and a Greylag coming to bread on the upper lake,
It was here that a Rolls Royce decided not to start right in the middle of the estate drive, lucky for the driver he could get a mobile signal but with only 30mins to the road closure he must have been in a panic.
CONFIDING GREYLAG ON THE SOUTH LAKE
ONLY TWO MALLARD ON THE SMALL POOL
FRITTILLARY IN THE WOOD
SWALLOW SINGING FROM THE ROOF,FORMAL GARDEN CRAGSIDE

21-04-07 WALLIINGTON HALL

Wallington
We had a corporate pass for the National Trust so decided to pay a visit to Wallington to see the Squirrels we only had them at the feeding station5-6 but also a Goshawk circled overhead on the way up plenty of Nuthatch calling, Woodpeckers drumming and on the feeders ,Grey Wagtail on the stream, Wren feeding young and Stoat looking for the nest, rather a grey day only a couple of Chiff singing but also my first Willow of the year NORWAY MAPLE

JUST HANGING AROUND

BUTTERBUR

18-04-07 Swallows,Wheatears & Garganey

Cycled to St Mary’s Island to look for the Garganey, had my first Swalllow on the way with a further two over the horse fields lots of Linnets, Meadow Pipits and four Reed Bunting + three Stonechats ,and also my first Wheatears with three in the ploughed field near the masts the Garganey where showing but in the distance they did come nearer later a very nice pair of birds, I had an adult gull with yellow legs take off just as I looked through the screen, relocated what I thought was it on the sea in the north bay but I.D. not confirmed. A very high tide with Sanderling ,Turnstone ,Redshank & a couple of Dunlin

9-04-07 North Northumberland

Started the day off at Old Bewick walked up to Blawearie and over towards Ross castle three Buzzards over the nearby wood ,Yellowhammer
& Chaffinch singing in the farmyard but again no Wheatear on the walk,over Cateran Hill and down to Hare Crag,Egligham Moor,to Harehope and then over Tick Law through the Hill Forts and back down to Old Bewick. Grey & Red-legged Partridge,Red Grouse and a Further Three Buzzards,Peacocks common now and four pairs of Stonechat but not as confiding as they are on the coast.
Blawearie from Tick Law
WWII Pillbox in the valley,one of several
The Farnes from Cateran Hill

Burial Cyst towards the Cheviots

7-04-07 Holburn Moss Area

Two soaring Buzzards over the open valley

Today we had a run to just north of Belford for a walk around to St Cuthbert's cave a pair of Buzzards over the wood some fantastic views to be had,GSW drumming, Chiffs singing along with Wren, Chaffinch, Siskin and a single Corn Bunting by the time I picked it up at the top of a tall tree just got the camera on and it was gone,Ladybirds in there hundreds as they where all along the walk as where Tiger Beetles flying along the tracks through the heather,Common & Herring Gulls at the pool.along with Shellduck,Greylag,Goldeneye,Mallard with a superb male Merlin passing over,further on as we sat in the sun at the edge of the wood two Tawny called to each other not far away by the sound of it.
Back at the car sitting enjoying the last rays of sun,Hares in the nearby field and about a dozen Red Legged Partridge calling and prancing around with some Fielfares in the distance and a Sparrowhawk sitting out in the open but at some distance,still no Wheatears for me I thought this would have been a safe bet,nevertheless a good day out the sunny day was the sort of weather required for yesterdays raptors.

This creature landed on the map at the end of the day,its just west of Belford Red Legged's in the field near the car the only ones we saw that day

Tiger Beetles all along the tracks before flying off managed only one shot
Plenty of Gulls at Holburn Moss

The approach to St Cuthberts Cave not as many Daffs as there used to be.
Hundreds of Ladybirds in the sunny tracks
Lots of Violets in bloom
I think this is a Lime Kiln

6-04-07 Kielder Area

This was to be a day at Kielder Water area looking for raptors but it soon clouded over,while I was trying to photograph the Mandarins two called from just behind me they had been at a small pool beside a muck heap just yards from me they called as they lifted and I managed to get a couple of shots before they where gone the ones on the river where to far away in the end nothing else of note other than some Sand Martins

5-04-07 Cresswell Area