Blog Update - Water Voles

Not been much of a March for me I have been around a few places a visit to Harwood  in what was sunny but cool conditions failed to produce any Adder , huge areas have been clear felled this looking North that's the road on the left leading to Elsdon Gibbet only a thin strip left , no Wheatears for me along the coast  even a trip over to the Leas area  of South Tyneside did not produce any in Spring most seem to go straight up to breeding territories, Chiffchaffs as expected  in good numbers especially vocal in the morning , Gosforth Park  was devoid of Wildfowl leaving only a Pair of Mute Swans a few Coot and two Little Grebes.Big Waters, Holywell Pond although more at the former the only Whoopers I saw in the Blyth valley area was a group of 30+ fly North over my house .East Chevington was probably the most visited  with Slavonian & Red Necked Grebe with a Black Throated Diver all kept their distance but always good to see ,great views of mealy Redpolls with Starling Murmerations to end the day. 

On a differant note ,I have not seen Water Vole  in the County for many years now,the last was on the Coquet  west of Rothbury , though at the time it was of mild  interest, this year it is intended to try out some potential sites over the Summer months .  I would be interested in viewing known occupied  sites if anyone has any up to date information , then at least I would have a better understanding as to what to look for.

 Harwood Forest some huge areas have been cleared

 The ever obliging Stonechat good to see a few pairs along the coast

 Kestrels just what can they see, fluorescent urine trails according to latest reseach  

 Redpolls still at at East Chevington

 Little Grebe with I think a Perch

Vole taking advantage of what is after all a feeding station !

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 .

Druridge Pools

A little behind with my Blog posts of late this is a visit along the coast at the end of the month, again checked the now rather large pond at Lynemouth  but still nothing , something will drop in surely, Cresswell held 22 Little Gulls all 1st summers that I could see as they all spent the time on the spit , report of a Little Egret dropping in when I had left seen a few around but not as yet this year in the Blyth valley patch.  Druridge Pools the next stop juvenile Long Eared Owls just visible in the distance  later I went around to the Oddie hide to find a couple who had been at the Budge screen and shown the Owls through a scope it seems they where not content with this and where up on the banks trying to get a better look  Tossers !!! is all I can say to these sort of people and anyone else  that does the same thing they are not the first people that seem to think the banks are there so they can get a better  view  over the ponds .

It turned out to be a warm day and I found the first Common Darters of the year near the reserve entrance , so I took the opportunity and had a look around for some insect subjects, which also included Large Skipper and 3-4 Speckled Wood, ended up at  East Chevington 2 Cuckoos seen one alighted briefly on the fence only to be mobbed by a Meadow Pipit  , 2 Female and 1 Male Marsh Harrier giving good views over the reeds 

 Juvenile Long Eared Owl this was digiscoped from a long way off , so please don't try to "just get a little closer" ,link below to a short sound clip of the bird calling I have shortened the length between the calls

Juvenile Long Eared Owl Call

 This was on the step up to the Oddie hide

 Large Skipper

 This on Stinging Nettle , not an area to wear shorts in as I found out !

 I Have had these before  they have the largest antenna  you can imagine this one only visible on the right is at least 4-5 times its body length

 Common Darters near the reserve entrance

 I have increased the saturation in this shot just to enhance the veins in the wings , fascinating structure , the four darker sections are what they call the Pterostigma  which you may have seen mentioned

 Speckled Wood at the Budge Screen also

Marsh Harrier over the reeds at East Chevington its good to see they survived the torrential rain of the past weeks

The day of the Floods !!

The day of the floods I went up the coast  having checked the flash at Lynemouth in the horse field ,  next stop at Cresswell  the water levels not too high but nothing like what they used to be in the past , a pair of Avocet still at the north end but nothing on the sand bank , Druridge water level very high no shore here at all a Tufted Duck with brood  by the main hide and my first Black Headed Gull of the year flew over , a Long Eared Owl sat on a post opposite till it was harried by a crow , plenty of  Pardosa  spiders ( Wolf Spiders)on the boardwalk  there are a number of species so that is how they will remain grouped into Wolf Spiders. Single Red Admiral on the Vipers Bugloss also some Betony in flower. Last call East Chevington  both  male and female Marsh harriers on show and a Cuckoo flew across the South pool the plan was to hang around and go look for the Cuckoos at the south end  or a walk in the dunes and then onto the shore at the outfall. It was getting a bit dull so I thought perhaps I should wait till the shower passed over ,standing up on one of the platforms  looking East it became very dark  a bit like Africa when it just goes from day to night looking at the heavy cloud coming towards me you could see the rain falling on the pond but not yet on me then suddenly the first few drops hit and before I could reach the car just 3-4 yds away I was soaked the the full force of the deluge hit the car hammering on the roof , added with the thunder and lightening which seemed all around , I though should have gone home , all I could do was wait it out turned the radio up full to drown out the rain and thunder and just waited . finally it eased when I looked up the road it was just a river heading back out I tried to think are there any dips in this road where it could be very deep ,I just kept on steady only stopping to get a snap of two Mallards that had dropped on the road . The rest of the drive home was pretty uneventful ,water was gushing down the drive at home and the garage was flooded slightly , not till later seeing the news did I realise just how bad it had been , I had got off very easy. My sympathies to those that are still suffering from the floods.   

 Young Tufted Duck they won't last long out in the open like this

 First Juvenile Black Headed Gull of the year

 Pardosa  Wolf Spiders male on the left female with egg sac on the right

 Even this Red Admiral is looking a bit worn

East Chevington looking S/east  the sky Daaaarkens !

 This is the track out of Chevington at the bend two Mallards discover a new home , and I test my car and driving !

"What do think dear looks OK to me "

Maiden Hall Lake and the Coast (again)

Had a run up the coast to Cresswell  but only checked the pool to the north because I wanted to get to Maiden Hall Lake area parked along the West Chevington road and had a short walk no signs of any raptors only 2 red Legged Partridge , further along the 2 Bewick's Swan (adult & Juvenile) in a field near the roadside I pulled over and there was such a crunch, getting out to investigate a manhole cover was missing and I had gone over the corner lucky I didn't go over the middle or that would have been the end of the day and my car . The Geese where as far over as it was possible to be along the east shore and beyond, I scanned through them still many White-fronts mostly keeping to themselves , Greylag and Pinkfeet but I could see no bean Geese , Two Pinkfeet  with neck collars oddly right next to each other way to far to read , a passing RAF jet put them on edge and every one dropped onto the lake for a bathe so I took some awful video just to give an idea of numbers . East Chevington was the next stop got there slowly as I checked every likely tree in the hope of Little Owl, rather blowy at Chevington picked out the Slavonian Grebe plenty of wildfowl but I wasn't in the mood to count them looking over the south Pool a Merlin came over and sat atop a small hawthorn before disappearing, another flock of Pinkfeet about a thousand just west of the south pool but no sign of any  SEO today nor any sign of the Whoopers at Ellington as I stopped there on the way home.

 A couple of very distant digi shots with the two Pinkfeet sporting neck collars

 These Bewick's  have been here for a week or so it seems an odd location hope they are both OK

A bit of dodgy video just to show the number of Geese around

Around the Ponds , looking for something Smew !!

A run up the coast last week starting at QE11 lake which was heaving with wildfowl , 10 Gooseanders (7 male) , and the redhead Smew was still around but more to the south end  good numbers of Goldeneye also around  I did not count everything it would have taken all morning. Next stop the east side of Ellington to have a look through the Whoopers (92) no sign of any Bewick but they where reported there later in  the afternoon , I did have a colour ringed Whooper which till now I forgot to send in . On towards Maiden Hall Lake 2 Buzzards low over the new plantation, still huge numbers of Geese on the and at one stage the surrounding grass ,Pinkfeet , White-fronts, Greylag and some Bean Geese where noted but not counted ,3 Kestrel and a SEO in the distance. East Chevington was the next stop with three SEO being of note one sat on the steel pole for awhile but the news of Jack Snipe showing at Cresswell had me heading that way as it was now getting late in the afternoon , Snipe noted but well hidden , I got a few digi shots before the light went, another 2 SEO also  here made  a good end to the day.

 Goosanders QE11 lake

 Smew also QE11

 Just a couple of lucky shots as it stretched

 PD4 amongst the Whoopers it has probably  already been recorded but I will still send it in.

 Short -Eared Owl East Chevington one of three

Jack Snipe Cresswell pond

Maiden Hall Lake and the Coast

A run up the coast at the weekend picked up a Peregrine sitting on the fence when I stopped to look for the Twite etc:, which I did not see  anything of ,watched the Peregrine for awhile as its nice to see one perched even if it was facing away but a couple of jets going over persuaded it to turn slightly it was still there when I moved on . Called around to this new site Maiden Hall Lake , indeed large numbers of geese around the White-Fronts started to separate and move out onto the grass  I counted about 254 with lots still on the water but  a helicopter over sent everything onto the water, they all drifted into the shore below the gate eventually every single one of about 2,000 birds (Greylag, Canada, Pinkfeet , Barnacle 20, White-fronts) was out of sight  and anyone stopping for a quick look would think there was nothing there, they did eventually drift back out and start to come back ashore , 2 Buzzards, and 3 kestrels in the area.   East Chevington the next stop the 2 Bewick's still around but at the time fast asleep, 4 Short -Eared Owls   two sitting on posts and 2 over the dunes  the 2 Bewick's took off and headed south.

Called in to Druridge Pools   on the off chance the Bewick's had dropped in plenty of Teal  and  Wigeon around and a pair of Pintail but no Bewick's .

Back along the coast towards Cresswell a SEO on the ground and another flying further along was the end to the day