The Long Nanny-Terns

Another visit to the Long Nanny this time via Newton which is a much shorter walk, the Warden team now well encamped , and the area roped off , the wardens where all young and very keen and enthusiastic I had a good talk with a young lady on her first assignment and what better place to start your career in conservation , I remarked that at some stage it would feel like she had been there for years but also at some stage it would all end and then seem like it had gone over  in a flash  but the memories would always be there. Apparently there where some 50 odd Little Terns and an unknown number of Arctic Terns at the time of my visit Terns where well spread on the beach  with some staking claim to sites in the Marram  Grass, amongst those on the beach where a couple of Little Gulls and a Sandwhich Tern , I had opted not to take the scope but it would have been worthwhile although there was a strong heathaze, not long after I had left a Great White Egret had dropped in and recently the report  of White Winged  Black Tern passing through , it really is a fantastic place and a stark contrast to my last visit , with another visit in the next week or so , it should be even better. The breeze off the sea was rather cold and also brought in a mist so I opted to go back through the dunes , only Wall Browns of note and a single Wheatear .

 Beadnell in the distance

 Arctic Tern just by the Wardens hut in the more flattened areas , they seem to have spread past the hut from what I remember from past visits

 I only had my SX50 camera with me and it's not very good with flight shots

 but I did manage to quickly get onto one of two Common Lizards that came onto to snap up an insect or three

 It made my day to see these and manage to get a photo

 I sat in the shelter of the dunes to have lunch with the company of a Reed Bunting singing close by

 A few Violets in the dunes I really must take a book and sort these out at some stage ,attractive nevertheless it's another world when you get right down on the ground

 Not seen these odd shaped Fungi before but have seen them since at Workworth ,another one to look up sometime

 Wall Browns a few around but flighty

 I like this wheatear especially amongst the flowers ,there is always a limit how close they will let you get

 Most of the day there was the sound of I can only describe as someone using a very clunky footpump in need of a good oiling , which turns out to be this which I could only partly see through the hedge near the carpark , which turns out to be a Guinea Fowl they also have Peacocks

 I presume this is a garden escape Cypress Spurge ?

And my last photo of the day as a Wall Brown settles

Crimdon Dene

A visit to Crimdon Dene one reason to check out the Little Tern colony  and another the habit which is supposed to be good for plants . The Little Terns nest on the dune edge on stoney ground which is added to in the winter by wardens the area is fenced off but still seems to get some disturbance ,people seem to think the fence is there so they can use it to watch the Terns from , I have read that 57 pairs  had young  great little birds to watch fiesty when it comes to protecting eggs and young any bird that flew over or near was harried.

Typical of a British Summer it was nice travelling down and for a brief spell there ,but it soon clouded over and became cool so no hope of Butterflies other than the few out earlier, tried to find some new flowers for me without much luck . Called in at the wardens and was immediately given a seat  and a cup of coffee with  commanding views of the sea and coastline what a great spot to spend a bit of time

 I kept well away from the colony but birds would occasionally fly overhead ,this one about to have a mid-air scratch , a scope is needed plenty  of areas with a bit of height to get some good views from

 The fenced area containing the colony , without this they would not have a hope !!!

 Looking back up the beach the fence in the foreground and wardens hut on the hillside

 Some large areas of Betony the soil obviously suiting their needs

 I have to look this up as I am not sure what it is yet.
 Pyramidal Orchid

 Interesting coastline due to the rock type.

There must be vast areas of coast like this with thick virtually inaccessible cover .

Dragons & Terns....8-7-10

Thursday the 8th I again started the day looking for Dragons called at Summerhill lane pond , teneral Emerald , Four Spot Chaser keeping in shelter and out of the wind , a Black tailed Skimmer down on the road as was 4 Tortoiseshell .

Cresswell only had a Common Sandpiper but I did not go into the hide to check the sand bar, Druridge at the screen end my first Common Darter of the year .

East Chevington checked out the north pool numerous Terns collecting now , my first Common Tern juveniles, a single Little Tern and two colour ringed Arctic Terns both standing in water so not sure If I got the combos right they could be off an old scheme, will try and get some gen, apart from a few Dunlin with a couple of juveniles also that was about it.

Common Darter.........imm male would be my guess
More Five Spot Burnett's but still not in large numbers
Stoat checking the verge for Rabbits that had just been out sunning themselves

Four Spot Chaser