Harwood and Beyond.... (revisited)

This year is as memorable as last , but for different extremes , I looked back at last year for the same date and apparantly we where up at Harwood Forest  as soon as I read it the post I could remember the day ,although it was supposed to be very warm and sunny  it was a thick mist while others basked in glorious sunshine . Contrast that with this year and today we have more snow and freezing temperatures no way I'm going to Harwood today !!!, so all I have planned is a seawatch later today not expecting anything , but hoping for perhaps a passing Glauc or Iceland  or even a lingering Med Gull which I have still to see in the Blyth Valley area this year. A seawatch on the 1st of March produced well over 600 Kittiwakes heading North where as prior to this I had only seen 3 individuals in January and February , so it's not just scarce birds to be seen , flocks of Kittiwakes in purposeful flight in blue skies across a dark menacing sea topped with white horses , that'll do for me !!!! 

13-3 2012

I forgot to mention we had another run to Harwood Forest and the Gibbet it was supposed to be record breaking warm and sunny but the reality was a thick mist over the whole area, so what do we do wait and see if the sun will burn through and improve visibility, still plenty Common Crossbills working along the trees of the road edge but no chance of any shots, came across a Common Newt it too was probably waiting for the warmth of the sun. A walk over the moor 60+ Fieldfare chacking away as they fed in amongst some short grass, 2 Kestrels and a single Buzzard. We decided to move on and headed home via Rothbury stopping to look for the Fallow Deer at Billsmoor, it was brighter as we started dropping down into the valley but very windy picked out 2 Fallow grazing and a further 12 or more sitting in shelter, a stop north of Caistron to have a look through a flock of  Geese about 600 Greylag , 65 White Fronts and 30+ Pinkfeet, not sure of the access to Caistron these days as it is now a Trout Fishery , there is a path past the south edge giving some views, a look around Rothbury ended the day with the bridge works still ongoing not sure what happened to the bats that roosted there.

Back to Harwood

Another run over to Harwood Forest started at the Gibbet ,Kestrel, Crossbills , Goldfinch, Chafffinch,Buzzards displaying, a bitter cold wind reduced the time of our stay here, going into the forest it was warm in the sun so I looked for perhaps a basking Adder , checking out an open recently felled area , the edge was alive with birds also taking advantage of the warmth of the sun but where the sun did not touch the ground was frozen solid , a walk along the tracks and you soon realise just how large this area is , Crossbills over but not settling ,but again when I got back to the near the car Crossbills  feeding along the road edge and coming down to water, so I just set up the scope and spent the rest of the afternoon watching their behaviour.

 Harwood from the air the trees tightly packed

Great Spotted drops in beside us

 Harwood from the air---actually a clump of Moss!!!!

 Crossbills feeding along the tree edge

 This one coming down to drink

 Juvenile feeding on bark ? or insects below

 looking North towards Cheviot

 looking East ruined cottage which would have been very remote in it's day

 This male also seems to be feeding /stripping bark, mineral content perhaps?

 Talking to one of the locals who said Crossbills regularly come down to  their garden , I could only think of the photographic opportunities if a suitable pool was available all year.

 The wind ruffling up the feathers

 Coming down to water with the dark forest behind

 Not the best of shots but I liked the way it showed the bill and tongue, this one was getting something out of the end of this branch

Also coming to drink , a good water source being essential in their daily life.

Harwood Forest

Harwood this week for the Crossbills parked just along from the turnoff to Harwood plenty of Crossbills in the nearby trees so I tried to digi them a bit breezy even here  the birds showed well but very active by the time I got the scope on one it had moved, Siskin Goldfinch and Chaffinch also around  it was a bit to overcast and cool to expect any Adders but I had a good look anyway. Cycled up the long drag and around to the more open area of Tutehill Moss where I just set up the scope, counting well over a hundred Crossbillls going in all directions some landing nearby but too far to photograph glad I got a couple of shots earlier. Two Great Spotted Woodpecker several Buzzards all too far away (actually nowadays I can see as many and sometimes closer much nearer home who would have thought it a few years ago !!!)  also in the distance a Raptor caught my eye through  the bins getting it in the scope I could see it was not a Buzzard it turned to avoid a Corvid and revealed itself to be a  Ring-tailed Harrier not sure where  it actually was located. It became rather duller so I headed back to the car where I hung around for ten mins or so but no Crossbills . Headed up to the Gibbet another 5-6 Crossbills here on the fence and the ground  even though I pulled up well short they all flew off, unfortunately no sign of any other raptors for me . Called at West Hartford looking from the road only a few gulls on the pond  a Fox heading for me turned and picked up something from the grass before heading out of view so ended the day.

 That's one powerful bill they have

 Not the sharpest but it does show the bill structure

 Found this lonesome pine trying to grow on a fence post

 It always look bleak if the suns not out !!!!
The long drag it s very hard to cycle up and dangerous to go down if you go tooo fast !!

Fox at West Hartford not sure whats it's picked the strong wind blowing the scope

Friday 9th April Harwood Great Grey Shrike

Fridays weather seemed ideal to try for the Great Grey Shrike(found by Abbey meadows for the second year running) deep in Harwood forest, took the bike up and cycled through to the area where the bird has been hanging out, two birders already there, I did not want to just roll up and have it pointed out but nor did I want to wait hours to see it , as it happened it had been seen but not for 1/2 hour , and it took me over 2 1/2 hours to finally pick it out sat right at the top of a pine tree where it sat for some time , and another birder turned up just in time , it flew to the top of a dead tree a little nearer and gave cracking views but by now too dull for digi, large numbers of Crossbills back and forth a couple landing beside the road.

Stonechats and Meadow Pipits also keeping me entertained , luckily I had taken my coffee etc, and just sat and enjoyed the quiet, a few Buzzards over plus Kestrel & Sparrowhawk , a single distant Goshawk,several Great Spotted Woodpeckers. and 2 Fox.

This wooden looking Fungi,

Thats the Shrike right on the top
A few Digi shots unfortunately it was by now rather dull
It sat here for so long we where able to get a little nearer
Meadow Pipit
I was puzzled by these cones, why would someone dump them just here ?.

Just a short bit of video as it sat on the tree top

March 19th Harwood Forest

• Friday the 19th from home it seemed the ideal weather to go back to Harwood to cycle some of the tracks , but when I got there it was blowing hard from the West, well I was there so what else to do other than get on the bike , up past Redpath checked an old sheep enclosure for any sunny spots that may attract Adder , the sun was warm but the gusty wind cool to cold , on to Fallowlees , tree felling in this area so I moved straight on, Frogs a plenty in the roadside streams packed with Spawn, Fallowlees Lough looking rather bleak and mostly frozen, on over Newbiggin Burn which was flowing fast and up towards Chartners complete with new UPVC windows and work being done around the back , so it must be a holiday home a nice looking place in an open location. I went around the side and up to the edge of the forest to look over the open moor a single Meadow Pipit,back onto the track via Darden Rigg a lot of clear felled area here so you could see over to Darden Lough down towards Tod Knowe a section here still had plenty snow about 18"drifted to 2' in parts but it soon opened up again , I stopped and scanned at any suitable spot but nothing eventually getting back to the car late afternoon , to find a forest ranger waiting for me to have a word , "I was parked in the wrong area."

Plenty of Crossbills, and Siskins but no raptors other than a single Kestrel ,it was to be expected given the weather , it was a very hard slog against the strong wind , but I enjoyed it nevertheless, my coffee and pork pies tasting fantastic after sipping water all day.

Back home a good soak in the bath took away some of the aches and pains,listening to Florence turned up loud !!! looking forward to getting back up there !!!!

From Fallowlees
Fallowlees Lough mostly frozen
Bridge over Newbiggin Burn
Chartners

Not sure what this Caterpillar is
Still some snow lying in sheltered areas some very deep
Looking over Boddle Moss at the edge of Harwood
Tosson Hill
View from Darden Rigg
Darden Lough