Another look for Dragonflies

Another one of those days looking for Dragonflies no sign of Emperor's ,4 Spots , or Black Tailed Skimmers which are now replaced with Southern Hawkers and Migrant Hawkers  in the recent couple of weeks I have only seen Migrant hawkers on the wing but today one settled on a tree and 5-6 Southern Hawker which is the more commoner at first and the one encountered at most small ponds they will come right up to you to investigate . A few more Common Darters around but still not in a large numbers and  on this day no Black Darters yet

 Southern Hawker

Common Blue Damselfly

 Migrant Hawker

Came across these eggs  I couldn't get any nearer for a better photograph anyone any idea as to what they are ?

 Speckled Wood a bit more prominent with 10-15 on the wing

 Common Darter they like to rest on the ground as well as a  perch presume they absorb the heat from the path

Another Southern Hawker

Ended the day at Seaton Sluice this Razorbill just offshore with a Juvenile

Black-necked Grebe....Big Waters

Tuesday the 18th decided to check out the Black-necked Grebe still present at Big Waters another fine sunny day bit cool unless your in a sheltered spot which is the first thing I checked out looking for any dragonflies , only Speckled wood at the western dipping pool and an obliging Southern Hawker , got in the hide  plenty of Duck on the water including 2 Great Crested  and numerous BHeaded  and some Lesser Black Backs , I located the BN Grebe but it was way off  even for the scope , then I was distracted by a Kingfisher which came into the western scrape bit  to far away so I digiscoped it , ALWAYS  fantastic to see there are numerous perches for it to use luckily it sat around for several minutes , I videoed it till it flew off so stopped the vid only to have it pop back on so I missed the flight and dive , eventually off it went so back to checking the pond . The BNG by now was over near the Island so as the hide there was now empty I legged it around it did come fairly close but never managed any decent shots a GCG swan past it the size difference was  ridiculous got them both in only to find the BNG had put it's head down  and spoilt the shot .  So back around to the main hide carefully checking for the hoped for dragonfly taking a rest in the sun but nothing , a Migrant Hawker in front of the hide  would not settle so I tried some flight shots good job it's digital  , checking the pond again was deciding to go somewhere else , a guy said there is supposed to be a BNG here but I can't see it , I located it way over the pond by it's action of swimming with it's head under water before diving , this guy was expecting something on the lines of GCG size  so through his bins it would just look like a lump in the water . If he had seen it close up which it eventually did come , I'm sure he would have been impressed ,who wouldn't as it swam off again I headed home with the intention of  an evening at Holywell Pond  to record Bats ................... I got a few other surprises too !!!

Not the best flight shot but not bad for a Digiscoped shot

You have to take off the red eye reduction in your camera to get the eye colour :)

Southern Hawker taking in the Sun

Very confiding individual but the wind blowing it around

Tried some flight shots of this Migrant Hawker

Always seemed to be facing away but at least holding station

Speckled Wood just a couple around the reserve

More Bonxie action

Monday decided to go back up and look for the Pectoral Sandpiper reported at Lynemouth  but apparently a Peregrine had put everything up  and nothing returned save a lone Ruff. At Cresswell  started at the North end first 3 Stonechats and 2 Wheatears by the car park, headed up to the hide the Bonxie still present on the spit , two tight flocks of Coot kept close to the reeds and as expected when the Bonxie did eventually take flight there was sheer panic it made several attempts to drop on to birds settling eventually on the water and drifting /swimming around it seemed to try and get nearer to birds . I was trying to follow it via the scope and camera at one stage it lay prone on the water swimming towards its target keeping very low till it lifted and tried to drop onto something . Again it dropped on the water then at one point attacked the Coot right in front of the hide disappearing for a few seconds but still no kill , eventually settling back on the water for a prolonged bathe before settling back on the spit .....panic over.

I decided to check the path up towards Warkworth lane , it was warm and sheltered in parts several Speckled wood and lots of Common Darters on the wing , there are a few small ponds either side of the track but no waders around, chanced on a Hawker which settled briefly , ended up at the lane nothing out the ordinary so headed back a Black Darter crossed the path and watching it till it settled I was able to get a couple of shots till it started to lash down so into the trees till it stopped then headed back to see if the darter was still perched and got some more shots rain drops included.

On to Druridge bay to look for a Whinchat which was located with 2 Stonechats , 17 Bar Tailed and 3 Black tailed on a small pond by the old coal road , Gannets looked as though they where very close inshore on the high tide so I went over again mostly juveniles dropping very close inshore. Last stop Lynemouth flash again  there was some waders around but the looking into the light it was impossible to check them out  3 Yellow Wagtails along the edge ended the day .

 Bonxie swimming prone just before an attack

 You always hope the bird is going to come close , but when they do it always catches you out ,here it has just lifted from behind the reeds

 100 Pinkfeet in the fields near Cresswell

 Black Darter after the rain

 Black Darter very settled but in an awkward location

 numerous Speckled Woods today noted at most locations

 Female Migrant hawker lands briefly

 Gannets feeding close inshore

 Sparrowhawk mobbed by Corvids

 Whinchat

Despite there being 3 Yellow Wagtails could only manage one snap

After several unsuccessful attacks the Bonxie settles for a prolonged bathe before heading back to the spit .
Apparantly this bird dropped into Holywell Pond Tuesdsay where it killed a Coot but strangely did not eat it ,heading off south after awhile.

Mixed Bag of sightings

A few photos from some recent days out , a run through to Thornley for perhaps the last of the Dragons ,produced a female briefly and a male looking for the said female , with still a few Speckled Woods, a Buzzard and Red Kite over , on the way to Shibdon had a look over the old bridge on to the river with , Kingfisher, Dipper & Grey Wagtail noted , Shibdon Pond  had a couple of Migrant Hawkers  taking advantage of the sunny spell , a couple of cycle rides along the River Blyth of late to check out the waders nearing high tide has been interesting, heightened one day we I came across one of the smallest Curlew I have ever seen , I tried to stop behind a small bush to have a look at it but it was off  and immediately out of sight,  I did try and find it but it will remain a mystery ,was it as small as I thought or just because I caught a glance of it as I passed , interesting bird nevertheless and it was in my thoughts  for the rest of the day. While checking out the waders a Kingfisher past silently and headed further up river behind me a loose flock of Long Tailed ,Blue and Great Tits with  2 Chiffchaffs  tagging along , across the river 2 Wheatears dropped onto insects from fences and posts the Curlews gathered on the field edge up-to a 150  but no sign of my runt

 Migrant Hawker from the track at Prestwick Carr

 Migrant Hawker taken at Shibdon Pond

 Buzzard over Thornley Woodland

 Red Kite also over Thornley Woods just over a small clearing

 Red Kite again as it circled the small clearing briefly

 This Fungi forcing its way through the bark of a Birch Tree at Thornley Woodland

 Two Moorhens give the classic pose as they fight over ? , just that bit to far for a decent shot, Shibdon Pond

 Little Egret one of up to Four along the River Blyth

Still find it hard to believe that we now have Little Egret , becoming a fairly common sight in Northumberland and especially these four birds along the River amongst old tyres ,shopping trolleys ,traffic cones , and many other mystery objects.

Great Crested Grebe  taken along the River Blyth.

Hawker,Darter, Vole & Lizard

A run up the coast to Cresswell and a walk along the road/ track to East Chevington, brief stop at the flash near Lynemouth revealed 5 Ruff , then the stop at Cresswell was also brief the water level very high and onto the road 2 Ruff and  three Black-tailed Godwits circled the point but then headed South.

Nothing of note at Druridge ,plenty of Common Darter and a single Migrant Hawker just a little to high for me , a walk along the tarmacked road was just a stroll  but was pleased to find a Common Lizard in the brief period of sunshine , and I nearly stood on this Short -tailed Field Vole ,which seemed totally unconcerned by me  even when I put the camera near 

Migrant hawker

Common Darter, absorbing heat from the ground

Still a few Butterflies around  also, Small Copper, Peacock,Red Admiral, Wall & Meadow Brown

I nearly stood on this but instead of it disappearing it allowed me to get a few shots

 Common Lizard  was getting some sun , which allowed me to just stand very still and get some shots