Cresswell,Pond, Bonxie, Bittern, Stint

Cresswell Pond  stopped at the North end to check for waders about 10 or so Dunlin which flew off to the main pond  but I then noticed  a Bonxie on the spit presumed the same one that was in the area for a week or so but seemed to have left , went upto the hide only taking the camera as I did not have long , a little stint was pointed out to me right up at the  far end it did come nearer but not for my lens , the Bonxie also lifted causing chaos but did not make a kill, the Coots headed en mass to the safety of the outflow it was odd to see them all swim then all run across the sand bar as fast as they could . I was told I had just missed a Bittern but within minutes one lifted and flew around  2-3 mins  high up it looked as though it was heading off but circled and dropped near the outflow, not a bad half hour   !!!

 Bonxie settles back on the spit

 I caught the Little Stint as it left the sand bar to go back to the far end

 A Bittern flies high before dropping back into the reeds

More Bonxie action

Monday decided to go back up and look for the Pectoral Sandpiper reported at Lynemouth  but apparently a Peregrine had put everything up  and nothing returned save a lone Ruff. At Cresswell  started at the North end first 3 Stonechats and 2 Wheatears by the car park, headed up to the hide the Bonxie still present on the spit , two tight flocks of Coot kept close to the reeds and as expected when the Bonxie did eventually take flight there was sheer panic it made several attempts to drop on to birds settling eventually on the water and drifting /swimming around it seemed to try and get nearer to birds . I was trying to follow it via the scope and camera at one stage it lay prone on the water swimming towards its target keeping very low till it lifted and tried to drop onto something . Again it dropped on the water then at one point attacked the Coot right in front of the hide disappearing for a few seconds but still no kill , eventually settling back on the water for a prolonged bathe before settling back on the spit .....panic over.

I decided to check the path up towards Warkworth lane , it was warm and sheltered in parts several Speckled wood and lots of Common Darters on the wing , there are a few small ponds either side of the track but no waders around, chanced on a Hawker which settled briefly , ended up at the lane nothing out the ordinary so headed back a Black Darter crossed the path and watching it till it settled I was able to get a couple of shots till it started to lash down so into the trees till it stopped then headed back to see if the darter was still perched and got some more shots rain drops included.

On to Druridge bay to look for a Whinchat which was located with 2 Stonechats , 17 Bar Tailed and 3 Black tailed on a small pond by the old coal road , Gannets looked as though they where very close inshore on the high tide so I went over again mostly juveniles dropping very close inshore. Last stop Lynemouth flash again  there was some waders around but the looking into the light it was impossible to check them out  3 Yellow Wagtails along the edge ended the day .

 Bonxie swimming prone just before an attack

 You always hope the bird is going to come close , but when they do it always catches you out ,here it has just lifted from behind the reeds

 100 Pinkfeet in the fields near Cresswell

 Black Darter after the rain

 Black Darter very settled but in an awkward location

 numerous Speckled Woods today noted at most locations

 Female Migrant hawker lands briefly

 Gannets feeding close inshore

 Sparrowhawk mobbed by Corvids

 Whinchat

Despite there being 3 Yellow Wagtails could only manage one snap

After several unsuccessful attacks the Bonxie settles for a prolonged bathe before heading back to the spit .
Apparantly this bird dropped into Holywell Pond Tuesdsay where it killed a Coot but strangely did not eat it ,heading off south after awhile.

Cresswell and the Bonxie

Saturday headed up the coast stopping at any sheltered spot that mat have had any Dragonflies, at this time of year they can be found hanging from a bush or tree trying to absorb the suns energy  we found plenty of common darter a 2-3 Speckled  Woods on the wing also Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell  but no larger hawkers. Checked out the flash at Lynemouth single Ruff and Curlew sandpiper in with the c50 Dunlin good to see some waders on here at last, masses of Hirundines  over to hard to even estimate with mixed feeding of House martin , Swallow and Sand Martin. Passing Cresswell the car park was full of cars so we headed to the top end  which actually had nothing other than a singing Chiff  on to Druridge again nothing much of interest but at least more Butterflies in the form of Small Copper ,Painted lady and Wall Brown with again many Common Darters landing on your head ears and anywhere else they could land . Back at Cresswell I headed to the hide now nearly empty no sign of the Bonxie till it suddenly appeared on the far side looked like it had been off for a bathe it sat preening for forty mins , so I checked over the pond Long Tailed Duck perhaps male 1st winter, Great Crested Grebe  and a quick count of the Gadwall got to me to 100+ the most I have ever seen (I have since heard of much larger counts) this a species you had to go to Gosforth Park for the one reliable site of the day. Well the Bonxie seemed content to just preen moving briefly before settling down on the ground , so I decided to move on packed my gear away and was just heading out the door when all hell broke loose the Coots in a mass panic as was everything else the Bonxie was on the wing creating havoc it made a couple of half hearted attempts to drop on something before settling into the field  ...panic over  though the Coots still milled around in a tight flock not sure what to do , no leisurely feeding and loafing around today for them . 

 Curlew Sandpiper ,Lyenmouth flash best viewed in the morning else your looking into the light as here

 Plenty of Ladybirds around at some spots !

 Common Darters a plenty at Dru these on the bench

 Red Admiral

 Small Copper on Bistort

 Painted Lady first for sometime

 And the Bonxie in flight creating panic in every direction

More Sewatching..........14-8-10

Another session at St Mary's on Saturday morning produced

08:00-10:30

Manx...................80

Sooty....................5

Teal........................55

Scoter........................16

Bonxie.......................9

Arctic Skua...............7

RTD..............................1

Grey Plover .................2

Returned later in the afternoon but the sea had dropped considerably over 2 hundred Kittiwakes sitting on the sea & rocks Roseate Tern & my first Juvenile of the year also a colour ringed juvenile Sandwich tern as far as I can find out it was ringed at "Griend" Dutch Wadden Sea with no further or contact details, sea passage was by now sparse and I left by 18:15.

A few days up the coast 8/10-7-09

8/10/-7-09 Spent a few days up the coast near Beadnel tried a couple of seawatches from Dunstanburgh Castle,the first evening I just took the scope its a bit of a trek but certainly a dramatic setting ,350 Kittiwakes & 165 Gannets + 4 Little Gulls North in 1 1/2 hours a lot of birds came past fairly close only 11 Manx but giving good views , as did the single Velvet Scoter & single Bonxie followed by another then 3 one coming right overhead, the usual phrase went through my mind "wish I had brought the camera", I did on the second night but not much moving then.
9-7-09 A walk along through Embleton to Newton Pool those steps up to the hide always give the sense of the un -expected you just never know what your going to open the shutters onto, alas today not much on show , so after awhile it was back along the coast via the beach, later I walked back to Dunstanburgh (30 min walk) with scope tripod and camera for an evening watch but only a single Bonxie, Gannets 200 hr, 4 manx, 3 Bar Tailed Godwits, but I still enjoyed it , by early evening not a sole around, I went around to the Rumbling Churn the cove at the base of the castle and just took in the scene the waves crashing on the rocks and the constant noise of Seabirds ,with mostly Razorbills coming at time overhead I slept well that night especially after a bottle of wine , I set the bat detector up outside but it missed a Pip as it came overhead, battery dead was the answer !!!
10-7-09 A day at the Long Nanny was fantastic it was glorious weather I spent a couple of hours at the watch point , the warden was busy so I could not get any info as to numbers of Little Tern & Arctic Tern I could only pick out half a dozen or so Littles although the heat haze did not help, Pyramidal orchids out in mass, as where Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Heath & Wall Brown, hundreds of Burnett Moths, a small colony of Sand Martins it was along walk back to Beadnell after the heat of the day, which I ended with a short spell seawatching from a point on the edge of the village again birds coming close to shore at times with Auks in the hundreds more Manx this evening with 100 in 30 mins.
It just goes to show you do not have to go far for something different, the walk from Beadnell to the Long Nanny there along the beach and back via the dunes was the first time I have done this, get out there and enjoy it for yourself.............. The Rumbling Churn

Razorbill and Guillemot

Vole on the path

Common Blues out in very good numbers

and as Usual loads of Burnett's

I took this not just for the sign but the plant at the base

Just coming into flower I presume

The view from the Wardens hut

The Posing Perch !!!!!!

They fight constantly but only very briefly climbing all the time till they just drift off