Holywell Pond

A couple of hours at Holywell Pond 40 odd Greylags ,30+ Teal  at the west end , the Greylags left ,b ut large numbers of Gulls started dropping in to bathe could pick out nothing out of the ordinary from the large gathering but in any case I did not have a scope, the feeders devoid of birds even though they had just been filled.

Huge numbers of Wood Pigeon lifted from the woods and hedge flushed by a Buzzard, this was a well marked individual and I wanted to try and get some photos , but it just sat in various trees on the far side till it eventually dropped over the hedge out of sight . Then I noticed about 20 Geese heading straight for me coming in silent as they dropped on the water I thought  there Bean Geese 18 in total the most I have seen in one flock , I noticed a couple with more orange on the bill with some degree of white to the base and where they larger ? thinking these two could be  Taiga  ,with no scope all I could do was get a few photos the light ever changing making the odd bill look more like Pinkfoot , but  looking at the photos as they left they where all Bean Geese but I think all are Tundra. only one called a single very soft note which I only just heard. I waited for another half hour in the hope of Water Rail but no luck, a flock of 200+ Pinkfeet heading south ended the day.

 Greylag leave

 Bean drop in

 there where two similar birds this is one on the right that I thought may have been Taiga

They drifted nearer

 Before they  lifted as one and left

Yesterday coming through Cramlington on the bus picked out some Waxwings along Horton Drive which seems to attract them every year not sure how many there was  I saw 3-4 ,but past so quickly.

Thursday 17-11-11 headed off to Big Waters to have a look at the two Bewick's Swans that have been around for a couple of days, dont think I saw any last year and the year before just two birds late in the afternoon .

One of these birds seems to have a gape in the bill more so than the other bird , Whoopers would have the odd nip at them or at least one , I counted 19 Whoopers but did not count everything  as I wanted to head next to Prestwick Carr and try and catch up with the Great Grey Shrike , it had been seen in the morning but I knew others had tried and failed and that was my fate no sign of the bird .

I did however have 4-5 Short- eared Owls , 4 Common Buzzards 3-4 Kestrels , numerous Fieldfare a single Willow Tit along the track as where numerous birders & Photographers. I also failed to get any flight shots of the owls but did get a couple as they sat around and a very short video more a silhouette , but it gives a feel of the night.

 Two Bewick's not as regular  as years past

They kept loosely together

 

Whooper Swans near the island Big Waters

This bird had a pronounced gap in the bill not sure if it is just the way it's holding it after feeding or slightly deformed ?

I  cant see any difference in the bill patterns of these two birds . 

Now that's a pose pity it was so far away

And finally a very short video ,just before it got too dark  !!

Gosforth Park

Heading to Morpeth the other day I got excited seeing a Buzzard hovering low to the ground stopped and got the camera out of the boot the bird so low it's head is out of focus due to some long twigs from the hedge ,the hope of Rough legged soon dispelled and even the chance of a good photo spoiled the bird turned and disappeared rapidly. A walk along the river East & West did not produce much more than Black Headed Gulls and Mallard on the river

 A couple of views from the feeding station at Gosforth park

 Fungi frothing from this tree !!!!

Treecreepers are just too far for my lens but cracking little birds to see !!!!

One of three Water Rails seen also a Grey Squirrel , not seen any red in Northumberland for awhile. Little Egret just S/W of the reserve

To The Hills 17-4-11

A run inland today up to the Cheviot area , a walk around the two hill forts of West Hill and St Gregory parked at the Village Hall of Kirknewton headed East, Blackcap the first bird heard singing Swallows overhead, more Blackcaps and Willow Warblers  on the edge of the gardens , some of the feral Goats on the hillside they seem to always be here, a Hare just sitting on the path ahead of us, the Yaffle of Green Woodpecker but no sign , 2 Buzzards over ,Meadow Pipits on the open grassland seemed more than I have ever seen in this area well over 100 birds . Two red Legged Partridge sitting on the wall watching us I  gave directions to where they were sitting  but  one step off the track and they where gone., two nice Male Wheatears  on the walk up West Hill ,Female on the top, another two on St Gregorys , but 7 birds on the track back down to the road  5 male 2 female (much more sheltered here) ,another 2 Hares & the gruesome sight of a dead Lamb with it's eyes pecked out .
called at Brunton Gravel pits on the way back , a hide has been erected and a car park made , but not sure of access, the usual Greylag & Canada a few Black headed Gulls and 20 Tufted Duck.

 Kids butting heads together

 Some of the feral Goats

 Wheatears in good numbers no Ring Ouzel though .

 Hare the wind was in our favour

 Tick on the track below, the river runs in the valley below Green Woodpecker here.

 View across the Millfield plain in the historic past this was a huge lake.

 The camera can't get it all in

A small stream separates the two hills

Kirknewton just below beyond the Gorse no sign of Stonechats they seem to have had a hammering from the harsh winter..

Blog catch-up 21st -26th

On the 21st as we were at ASDA near Swallow pond I walked along for an hour to look for any Dragons ,the views from both screens obscured by rush and reeds ,nothing on the large dipping pool and the small pool on the edge of the wood has been enlarged also as a dipping pool but nothing here either on to the large pool Hadrian Pool I think it is called a pair of Mute Swans with a brood of 7 large young , no small feat on an urban pond also a brood of Tufted giving me the chance to get fairly close.

Tufted Duck with one of her brood behind
Young Tufted Duck
Just missed a Kestrel as it dropped in near the pool seemed to pick something up.

On the 22nd we cycled along to St Mary's to catch the rising tide a couple of hundred Kittiwakes on the rocks also a few Common and Sandwich terns

Oystercatcher having been flushed from the island crowd on the rocks before again heading for the causeway roost.

24th I stopped at the Blyth estuary on the way north , Whinchat and Wheatear on the far side .

Woodhprn Flash only had 2 Common darter not seing many of these at all.

Cresswell had 5 Ruff 2 Greenshank, 4 Ringed Plover,30 Dunlin, and c60 which circled twice but did not land, I did not take a single picture all day !!!!.

25th Started the day at East Cramlington again looking for Dragonflies , it was sunny so waited an hour but nothing showed .

Arcot not my favourite destination but has been good for Dragons in the past so an other hour or so, 3 Greenshank, Small Coppers,lots of Wall Brown, Peacock, Red Ad,Emerald and Common Darter and one Hawker distant and I thought Southern.

Big Waters found a Southern Hawker hanging on nettle , Emeralds & Blue Tailed, again a few Small copper and Wall.

Gosforth Park apart from a couple of Willow Warblers along the boardwalk I saw little else here and wasted an hour doing it.

Swallow Pond being a sunnier day than my last visit I headed back to check the ponds, only to find there was a Teddy Bears picnic in progress and still nothing on the ponds....... no wonder I use so much petrol !!!!!
Peacock Arcot Pond
Arcot Pond
Arcot Pond
I found this freshwater mussel shell on the shore that is a golf ball to show the size of it ,I never thought they got that big ???
Some nice Fungi on the dead trees.

Sothern Hawker Big Waters
Comma Big Waters.

26th Found my first Migrant Hawkers of the year 2 along a hedge near Woodhorn.

Cresswell 5 Greenshank,4 Ruff, 1Whimbrel,2 Buzzard, 1 Pintail, Goldeneye a hawker was flying over the east side of the hide but I could not get a good view and it remained unidentified a few Swallows over heading South. I took the bike and headed up the coast.

Druridge another Migrant Hawker near the entrance,Wheatear and Whinchat at the end of the road.

Hauxley at the Ponteland hide only the usual Greylag and a few Redshank, plenty of waders from the Tern hide but looking into the sun by now, I cycled around to the new Wader hide so called from the days when waders could actually be seen from the hide as the water was much lower................ the hide is brand spanking new 30' x 10' it's huge what was wrong with the old one for the amount of people that actually go around this side , anyway perhaps they hire it out for functions etc: at 300 square feet of floor space you would get a few in ...... I wonder,what bird could turn up here that would fill this hide with birders , it would have to something special,more than the 2 Mallard I had !!!!.

Headed back to Cresswell for the car stopping at Snab Point, I noticed the large Bungalow is for sale. a few bushes in the garden and your own sea watch hide you would get some garden list !!!

Migrant Hawker
Whimbrel over Cresswell again not landing
Wall near the carpark

North Tyne Sunday 5th June

Spent Sunday up the North Tyne valley, before and during the rain , birds encountered included Blackcap, garden warbler,Spotted Flycatcher,Garden Warbler, Tree Pipit, Cuckoo,Buzzard, Common Sandpiper to name a few ,but no Wood Warbler which was the bird hoped for. Rather dull and dismal for most of the day so no bird Photos ,hence the flowers some of which i still have to check out,Bugle
Woodruff




Ramsons
Violet
Sanicle
Herb Paris



The left over level crossing gates from a disused railway
Several of these boxes presume some sort of Squirrel monitoring device.