Little Stint

Took the opportunity to get some shots of the Little Stints that frequented both the North pool and Sand bank at Cresswell Pond 

You would think over the years that using Blogger would get easier such as video uploads etc but I have tried several times to upload videos with no success so I have sent an upload to Youtube even this seemed to take forever so I cancelled it but it appears to have uploaded anyway the usual wind interference which  I normally take out ,there must be an easier way of adding video to a Blog !!!! ?  

Little Stint with Dunlin

This is afternoon light given the birds a ginger look

Little Stints move so fast even when this close they are not in the frame but a split second 

Not a view I have had before Little Stint takes a break from it's frantic search for food and lies tucked up !!

Just missed the tip of the tail which I caught in the next shot but it was slightly blurred

LITTLE STINT Video Link

1000th Post -Great Reed Warbler

Well this is my 1000th post so what better than a new County bird in the form of Great Reed Warbler, it was reported in the morning but with the weather set in I left it till later as I had to go the Wansbeck for 6 to do some Kayaking  so I headed to Cresswell about 3:30 walking up to the hide I was informed the bird was now along at the north carpark in the willows, after about 15mins or so it was seen briefly but not by me , this was going to be no bird perched high singing it's head off this was not going to be easy .After another 15mins or so it was picked up again , lucky for us it favoured the road side of the willows , it sat and gave good views but trying to get a photo was very difficult with always a leave in the way of it's head, it showed off and on so I rattled some shots off most are of the bird hidden so these are the best I got . It was getting brighten but I had to head off , I had visions of it perching high in the open with perhaps a burst of song and someone getting some cracking shots !!!!!

 

 These might not seem very good but given the distance and amount of cover I'm well pleased

 I did get a shot showing the reddish gape  as it opened it's bill but that was all you could see

Yes I'm well happy with my effort a County tick and my 1000th post

Cresswell to East Chevington

Monday 10 Feb
A run up the coast first checking the geese at Woodhorn no sign of the Whitefronts Cresswell water levels was no too bad given the water everywhere Dunlin,Redshanks and a few Curlew on the sand bank with several Snipe on the reed edge the Pinkfeet where very restless and constantly took to the air landing at one stage in view of the hide not sure of the numbers involved seem to me like 6-7 thousand in the air in 2 groups, a lone wader had me intrigued as it fed in the field north of the causeway turned out to be a Knot when I wen t along to view it . Druridge Pools had plenty of wildfowl I scanned as much as possible from the open hide and the main pool had a few duck including a LT, talking to a guy who had been to East Chevington  it seemed like a visit would be worth it, drove around via Hadston Carrs way and went down to the North hide a feeding station has been set up and is visited by at least 12 Redpoll a good opportunity to have some close views of this common but at least in Blyth valley elusive species , checked the pool from the hide which  has got to be at least 200 yds from the water alone they are without doubt the worst hides I have ever been in stand to view you cant see out , sit down to view and you can't see out . I gave up and headed back outside onto the east track and scanned from there could pick out the 2 Slav Grebes and at least 3 LTD , a white shape on the south bank had me intrigued it looked like a dead swan which would probably have a Darvic ring on so I walked all the way around to find it was a dead but fresh Whooper Swan but no ring. I was waiting for dusk in the hope of a SEO, watching the gathering flock of Starlings to the west again several thousand strong 8 was my guess  as the wheeled back and forth across the reddening sky till finally they had dropped out of sight .

Cresswell to East Chevington

The first of November already and I had a run up the coast passing Cresswell Pond the car park had six cars there I thought thats the hide going to be full , so stopped at the north end instead  couple of hundred Wigeon feeding in the field edging the small pond off the causeway but also further up about 60+ Golden Plover hundreds of Starlings  Lapwings  Corvids and Black Headed Gulls , there always seems to be more feeding on grazing pasture than seeded crops . A walk over the dunes , a dead Seal on the beach eyes gone but no signs of injury Grey Seal I think it's always a surprise just how large they are and a fearsome set of teeth to back them up. Druridge Pools had the usual ,Tufted Mallard  and 4 Shoveller from the main hide it's such a dismal hide to sit and awkward to view from so I did not stay long , kestrel flushed on the track so I hung back and it settled again feeding on something , it finished it off and was soon hovering for more, had a walk along past the turning circle 150+ Goldfinch with a few Greenfinch in made an impressive sight  walked over the dunes where 15 Snow Buntings flew over but I could not relocate them .Only went as far as East Chevington outflow a quick scan of the sea , 5 Mergansers, 11 Red Throats ,45 Scoter ,had a good scan along the shoreline for Buntings  none seen but up to 20 Pied Wagtails working the area oddly one avidly chased a Ringed Plover flying around  for several circuits it looked very odd  .Two Stonechats on the way back and one near the car they always pose for you so why waste it !!!

Forgot to mention a Hawker species at Druridge so thy are still around . 

 I forget to set the camera back to quality fine so it was only on basic very evident when I zoomed in

 I have know idea what its eating  but it made short work of it and must have been hungry to stay on the track

 Not sure if  I like the date and time on or not but it's handy when you look back in the future must set the right time though

 Back in the air and looking for more

 Lots of Fungi in the dunes most trampled it has a very short life span

If you can I D these as Goldfinch from this then good on you , the wings look surprisingly long in this shot

 They settled on the ground to grit and back on the Thistles just north of the turning circle , the area looks brilliant for something

 When is close too close when you cut of part of it's head !!

 Dead Grey Seal on the beach at Cresswell north end car park , seagull crap on it's back so they have been down , it's one of my dreams to go along Ross Links find a carcase with an Ivory Gull in attendance , 1st Winter or Adult ,either would suffice.

Given there size and diet , the mouth seems rather small but those teeth don't

Dragonfly Season Ends

Well a few more Dragonfly photos as the season comes to an end these taken from a couple of locations  and some of the recent visitors to Cresswell pond 

 Ruddy Darter

 Common Darter

 Common Blue Damselfly

 Emerald Damselfly

 This Emperor flew around back and forth in front of me for most of my visit but would not land , imagine my surprise to find it just along the hedgerow as I left.

 One of the three Spotted Redshanks at Cresswell Pond this rather distant  shot is at the north end

 Greenshank from the hide via the cut through the reeds

Also Snipe feeding in front of the hide, Ruff, Dunlin , Avocet (1) and also a single Curlew Sandpiper present

Temminck's Stint

Bank Holiday Monday we  headed  up the coast  ,first stop Lynemouth Flash  with only Sand martins feeding and a few Black-headed's , Cresswell next the water level very high apparently washing out the Avocets ,a pair of Sedge warblers near the Car park but nothing at the North end , 3 Barnacle Geese and a single little Gull present on the west side with some Common Terns sitting on the fence line , surprisingly cold after the weekend numerous Swifts , Swallows and Martins feeding over the area . Druridge Pools was also quiet it was marginally warmer with the shelter of the trees but no Butterflies seen at all. The message of a Temminck's Stint having dropped in at Cresswell so we headed back, but it was not to be seen anywhere , eventually it came into sight though distant , giving us a good opportunity to view this very small wader  it seemed size wise on a par with Linnet and slightly smaller than Pied Wagtail , I tried to digiscope it with these but I was too slow so decided on a bit of video instead.

I tried to find out more about Temminck the BTO lists him as 

Conrad Temminck (1778-1858) Dutch Ornithologist and Collector      

In Dutch it's called Temmincks Strandloper

The tertials hung down as though they where about to be shed ,this was a good chance to get a good look at one of these cracking little waders

This shot showing the darker under feathering of presumably  the upper breast band !

The video turned out slightly better than the stills was hoping to get it with a nearby Pied Wagtail  or Linnets  but they wouldn't contribute .

Geese ,Geese and more Geese

Tuesday 8th January was as you know a much brighter day but very cold with that westerly adding to the chill factor I headed up the coast via Lynemouth stopping at the flash  which held about 100 BH Gulls but the field had  a few hundred Wood Pigeons  and a flock of Corvids  with 3 Redshank being the only waders ,passing Cresswell Pond several cars in the car park as usual these days so I headed to the next one Long Tailed Duck noted just on the edge of the reeds buty could not make out much else in the strong light, I could hear Pinkfeet so immediately looked up in the sky seeing non I realised they where in the field going up the hill ,Greylags in the foreground but hundreds of Pinks  behind and disappearing over the hill , a succession of cars pulled up along the fence  I waited till they moved on and with camera and scope in the car and the window down parked along near a small pool.

Eventually they moved closer and many started to bathe in the pool ,with so much water around they probably are spoiled for choice, There cackle was loud and constant along with a low groaning or moaning sound which I've not heard before obviously some form of conversation was going on . I checked as far as I could see but no neck collars or colour rings could be seen , so I just enjoyed the spectacle till another car pulled up and they all moved off again so I headed North.

Pulled up the field that usually holds the Twite but no sign for me only Goldfinch flock with a few Greenfinch in, I got talking to farmer who was dumping manure in the field (this may bring something down as it spreads out)as he could not get to his usual site due to the flooded fields , I asked if the geese posed any problem "yes" was the reply the field with winter wheat in was there evening  roost he said it was now like a ploughed field and would probably be lost "but what can you do you just have to get on with it" was his last words.

Druridge Pools by the screen held good numbers of Teal & Widgeon I scanned through them but further north just beyond the old coal road a huge number of geese , I walked along with the scope but checked the outfall are on the beach for Snow Buntings first just in case , got myself on a slight hill and scoped the geese they just went on and on covered the field then into the next and even more in the adjacent  field no way could I count these so I counted 100 and multiplied it as I went through them I reckon up to 5,000 probably way off the mark  but it's not science its just an observation , again no neck collared birds to be seen and as far as I could tell all where Pinks, another flock of about 30 Goldfinch with a few Greenfinch fed around the cattle field(which is always worth checking) and a single Stonechat sat on the fence in front of me . 

Called again at Woodhorn on the way back no geese on the way up although you could miss them as they where down in the dip nearer the rail line Picked 2 Greenland Whitefronts in with the Greylag why they keep returning here is a puzzle , I found another bird with a few Greylag in-between the South flash and Summerhill Pond .

 Pinkfeet bathing in a small pool formed in the field by the road at Cresswell

 I estimated about 800+ here although they are also over the hill

This is about as near as they came ,till another car pulled up and they rapidly walked off

 Not the best digi pics I know but does show the extensive black

 The two birds kept close company and mostly with just there heads showing , so I had to endure the honking of horns etc, till I got some pics (funny you would think they would not let 12 year olds behind the wheel of a car )

And even a bit of video

Cresswell Pond Jack Snipe

Another visit to Cresswell Pond nature reserve Jack Snipe still on show although at first very hard to see with it's head tucked in but eventually it started to feed and again show us it bobbing action very curious and presumably energy cost expelled must be high but out weighed by the benefits ?

Long Tailed Duck also still present spending 95% of the time diving I got a couple of digishots  just for the sake of it plenty of Wigeon and Teal still around but no Geese in the nearby fields they seem to have abandoned the area for now .