The Long Nanny -3

 

Another visit to the Long Nanny to see how things are progressing ,it started off a nice sunny day but the further north I drove the sun soon disappeared , I was hoping to check out  the  dune slacks  either on the way to The Long Nanny or on the way back . I decided to walk straight there along the beach a cool breeze blowing onshore . I viewed from the wardens hut area the Arctic Terns nesting right up to the roped off area as you come off the beach into the dunes . Two LIttle Gulls , Sandwhich Tern, and a couple of first Summer Arctics on the beach.There where high Spring tides  due in the next few days so attempts where made to protect the Little Terns which seem to prefer to nest in potential danger areas. I went over the bridge to the other side and sat and had my lunch, Sand Martins digging nest holes in the dune edge, and the odd Little Tern would fly along the burn fishing  you had to be ever watchful as they just appeared dropped in the water and where gone in a flash. I headed back via the dunes a few Wall Brown and a couple of Common Blue , I also tried to find any new flowers but with no joy , even the Northern Marsh Orchids where very scarce or just coming through , I will have another look in July and see what has developed its a magic place and a constant stream of visitors to the viewing point where well impressed .

 

Arctic Terns nesting just off the path

 

This one favours a dried out branch giving great views 

Sand Martins digging in the dunes ,not sure if this is a serious attempt or not

The Marram Grass roots providing a convenient perch but would also provide the same for a Magpie or Crow

Every now and then the whole lot would get up in a panic but usually soon settle

A Little Tern drops in the burn with the wardens hut in the background

Little Tern hovers momentarily , when you watch them fly the flight looks slow and floating but they can move surprising quickly especially if you have ever seen them on a seawatch

A view from the footbridge , Beadnell in the background and the Wardens Hut on the right

Druridge Pools

I am a bit behind with my photos for the blog of late,partly due to the lack of storage and the processing speed of my computer it's time for a complete reboot I think but boy what a task that is . While on the way for an evening visit to Coquet  Island( for another post) the end of last month I called at Druridge Pools 

Black Headed Juvenile drops down and chases the Common Tern away I used one of the shots for my header this month

 Fortunately for us birders, birds do like to have a bathe in front of the hide even if you have to stand up to see out the window and between the grass stems . The classic Tern wing stretch now there's a design for flight , pity we cant get someone to design a hide you can actually see out of without having to stand between seat and shelf. One of the best hides in the area is at Hauxley the wader hide and I must confess I did see the Greater Yellow Legs from there .

Taking a bath now those wings just don't look real at all !

Juvenile Yellow Wagtail also drops in for a bath

 Presume from the same same brood but very individual

 One of the Little Gulls drops in to the shore

 They always look so delicate the ones observed at Blyth earlier in the year would often paddle on the water surface as they fed in the surf zone.   Fab birds.

I do like Little Gulls would love to see them on there breeding grounds in large numbers

 Here with a Common Sandpiper I did also have the Yellow Wagtail in with them just as I pressed the shutter its head went down behind a stone spoiling the threesome shot.

Druridge and the Dunes

Recent visit up the coast Cresswell had up to 9 Avocets and 2 Common Sandpipers a look of the dunes saw several large flocks of Common Scoter and many Terns feeding in the bay also 3 Red Throated Divers. Druridge pools although I was looking for Dragonflies of which I could find none a Little Gull on the shore was a nice find a large group of Sand Martins feeding low over the water and some resting on branches single Dunlin also present

Bushes held numerous Sand Martins with also many feeding over the pools

 Swallow alights on the shore , not sure what the strange growth is ?

 Dunlin looking for food along the shore

 Little Gull sat with it's head in most of the time till disturbed by a Black Headed

 Betony out in force

 And here with Burnett Moths

 Good numbers of Common Blues and masses of Meadow Brown

St John's Wort but I forget which

 Dune Helleborine now fully out some 20 specimens in this group

 I had Meadow rue nearby last year but could not find it on this visit

Little Gull

Just sorted a few more images from the recent influx of Little Gulls and thought you might like to see this one

Blyth Harbour Beach

Here are a few shots from the recent visit of Little Gulls to Blyth Beach and Harbour area, I took rather a lot of photos you just have to take them while you can  just lately ,I enjoy the taking of them anyway it's more when you look back over the years a photo brings back instant memories of the day (well most of the time), a couple of Kittiwakes also dropped in to feed numerous Turnstones, Sanderlings, a Rock Pipit and  three Purple Sandpipers gave good views as they dropped down onto the beach from the 4-5 ' bank that was formed as the surging waters washed away the shore ,what they where picking up must have minute as I could see nothing save for the small shrimp taken by a Purple Sandpiper.

 Purple Sandpiper with a sort of shrimp

The following taken with mi phone, there are Little Gulls in there somewhere

 Thats a lot of sand removed , Turnstones on the top waiting to drop down on any morsels of food

 In the corner a large amount of seaweed ,small branches ,and all sorts of other rubbish , including the odd Puffin and Lapwing .

 It's actually calming down in this shot and again Little Gulls in there somewhere

Little Gulls

With up to at least ten Little Gulls in Blyth Bay I tried my hand at getting some photos ,well getting the photos is easy as I must have taken a couple of hundred over three days but sorting out any decent ones is harder ,these birds are ariel masters and seem to float across the water barely touching it with their  feet you just get on to one focus and press ..........to late it's half out of shot or came nearer and thus out of focus, so I have grabbed this one as it shows the pink flush coming onto the breast sadly none had the full black head but they are a stunning Little bird also a Snow Bunting present off and on I managed to get a couple of shots. .

More Spoonbills 2-6-11

Hound's -tongue

Started Off at East Chevington or actually the back of Druridge Bay Country park  , great views of Male Marsh Harrier, Lesser Butterfly Orchids out as where lots of Damselflies but no Dragonflies, Butterflies : Common Blue,Small Skipper, Small copper, Small Heath. Got to Druridge just going into the Budge and where told nothing around  but we had a look any way no sooner had we got there when Four Spoonbills drifted over and dropped in , as they flew in the first thing I looked for was colour rings but could not see any, but oddly as they started to feed one was indeed wearing colour rings different  combination to the previous birds ,this group was clearly connected in some way , I made a right mess of the digiscoping somehow as they are all out of focus they always look OK on the monitor, eventually they headed North but circled back and landed  near the small hide. So I think these are Four new birds

Cresswell 4 Avocets and 6 little Gulls was a good end to the day.....Thanks to Pat for the lift down good to meet you !!!

look  So intent on looking for rings as they flew in I neglected to check for any black in the wing tips, but I think these are perhaps 3 full adults and one 2nd year bird , this bird clearly shows an ochre patch which in the illustration of Collins is non breeding but in the text  its Adult breeding

 Rings reflecting in the water so that is not the colour combination

 Colour ringed bird with a different combination than the one I saw on Sunday