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Tuesday 15 September 2009

Craster, Budle ,Stag, Long Nanny

A few days up the coast last week ,the weather was fine but the birding quiet, still a brood of Swallows at the campsite which also held a roost of Pied Wagtails with at least 60 coming to roost in a tree in the middle of the park,plenty of Buzzards around, with Tawnies calling at dusk a set a side field that I thought would be good for Short Eareds was now ploughed over, a small pond nearby had an Emperor and Common Darter but these the only Dragons I saw despite the fine weather.

Cycled along to the Long Nanny which had a huge Gull roost and about 80 Curlew by the stream Newton Pool water level up with absolutely nothing on , Common Porpoise seen from several locations.

A near summer Red Necked Grebe off Stag Rocks and about 100 Linnets in a crop of peas with a Merlin trying to catch one , Monks House Pool a single knot, 30 Snipe 40 + Teal, Budle easily a 1000 Black Headed, with also an adult Med Gull the furthest north in the county for me , 2 Greenshanks 40 Bar Tailed & 30 Dunlin near the road with a strong heat haze affecting the distant views, Craster near the harbour lots & loots of Butterflies on Red Valerium was hoping for a Humming Bird Hawkmoth, but not this year, plenty of Silver Y's.

Still a very pleasant few days in a fantastic area.

Only one left on the nest by the last day

Red Necked Grebe off Stag Rocks


Digiscoped shots from the rocks



Little Egret Budle it's been here for awhile now

























Some early evening shots from near the castle








Dunstanburgh from the fields a small pond here with Mallards & Greylags









Silver Y










The Castle from Craster harbour











Not had time to look this up yet it had a curious flight












A Rook end !!!!













3 comments:

ST said...

insect looks like a crane fly to me

ST said...

mint header pic . Where was that, taken

Northumbrian Birding said...

Thanks ST that header is from Woodhorn Flash, its a heavy crop as they often lay several feet from the edge.
Brian