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 

Stoat'lly Ruthless

Wednesday another visit to Holywell Pond not expecting much but just another chance to look through the gulls ,good numbers around again and more Common Gulls than usual on the shore at the east end . Thought I would check the fields to the east looking back everything had lifted  took a few seconds to pick out a Peregrine as it lazily flew through the Lapwings rising then headed west. At the west end in the hide all there was to look through where gulls ,then I heard a shrill

squeal first I thought it was going to be gulls chasing each other , no thats too long perhaps Water Rail  fighting , again no it was only one sided  looked out the front a Rabbit hopped leisurely across the front of the hide  a second or two later the sound again what the hell is that I thought , carefully went outside and there right in front of me a Stoat with it's teeth sunk into the neck of the Rabbit  which was squealing very shrill and continuously but this just made the Stoat all the more aggressive. Camera at the ready I took a couple of shots the light so poor all where blurred so I pushed the iso up to 3200 and still I was only 1/50 th ,standing very still trying to hold the camera steady the Stoat could hear the shutter but the wind blowing my way it just had a look around , the Rabbit still not dead squealed again and the Stoat went at it again ,eventually after pulling it this way and that the Stoat satisfied it was dead started to pull it into the undergrowth which must have took some effort given the twigs etc around , one last shot and I left it too it and ten minutes later on the way home both where gone from sight . Thinking about it I have heard Rabbit squeal before but only briefly not on and on like this one nature can be ruthless !!!! 

  

By the time I got this shot the Stoat had been attacking the Rabbit for sometime but the photos turned out blurred

 Now it can hear the shutter sound but it's not sure what it is

Another frantic attack to finish it off

 Again it hears the shutter and heads off into the grass, but I just stand very still and it soon returns ,it's not going to let all that effort go to waste

 Not sure if this Rabbit has perhaps Myxomatosis, making it easier prey

A sizeable prey for such a small predator ,surprisingly only a small amount of blood on the face

And off it goes which is where I left

28th August - 3rd September Update

28th August Cycled along to St Mary's for the incoming tide just a few Common and Sandwich Terns around , Juvenile Med gull in the south bay, on the 22nd some Juvenile gulls trying to get into this plastic ball , dropping it onto a rock where it just rolled into the water time and again this went on for nearly an hour and what was going on today the very same plastic ball with Juveniles trying to get into it convinced it was edible.

Juvenile Med seeing if this was in any way edible !!!!!
30th August Started the day with some seawatching at St Mary's a few Manx, 100+ teal ,Wigeon & Common Scoter, Arctic & a single Juvenile Long Tailed Skua + a couple of Bonxie later a single Juvenile Roseate on the rocks adult Med at Briardene Car park.


31st August Tuesday back up to St Mary's for the reported Greenish Warbler a good few birders there already and within a few minutes the bird was on show I opted to get a good look at it before trying to get some pics , but in the end did not get any photos at all it was reported off and on for a few more days and I tried a couple of times but did not see it again.

Headed up the coast stopping at Summerhill Lane pond a Teneral Migrant Hawker in the grass and an adult on the pond edge with a further three along the hedge near Woodhorn Flash.

Spend about 45mins at Snab Point the sea having dropped to near calm but no sign of any Cetaceans .

Cresswell 6 Black tailed Godwits , 10 Dunlin , 1Knot, & 4 Ruff with a Peregrine spooking everything but with no catch.
Common Darter
Migrant hawker
2nd September,.......... Went along to Newbiggin to try for the Barred Warbler not sure if we where in the right place but no sign and again reported as still there later on , 2 Migrant Hawkers on the track down from the Mound , stopped at Summerhill Lane on the way back Female Migrant Hawker ovipositing but too quick for me to get a photo, male patrolling the same area as the other day but being more obliging and resting now and again.

Migrant Hawker The Mound Newbiggin
Migrant hawker Summerhill Lane
Migrant Hawker in flight Summerhill lane
3rd September,.............. It was a sunny day so I tried some ponds for Dragonflies again only Migrant Hawker along the edge with a few Common Darter , not seen any Ruddy Darters for awhile , Emerald and a couple of Azure still around , picked up this Stoat coming towards me but the sound of the shutter saw him dash back the way it came.

Called back at St Mary's the Greenish reported again but no sign did get this Spotted Flycatcher along the stream with the Willows.

The Naked Birder......................

No not that sort of naked, just going out without bins around your neck sort of nakedness !!!!!

Monday18-01-10

A nice bright sunny day so I had a drive towards Linton Pond for the Smew, which this year has chosen to spend some time on these ponds, on the way along stopped to look at the Swans in the field(north of QE11 lake) that the Cranes visited some while ago, got out the car went to raise the bins which is more just a reflex.............but crap left them at home , I have only done it a couple of times but it's very annoying , I had the scope and thought it not worth the drive back so I just scoped everything all day or used the camera to get a better look at stuff, but reality is you need bins.

Anyway scoped the two flocks of Swans first to the east mainly Mute with 2 Whoopers but the other flack much further along the road were all Whoopers 60 (15 Juv) ,no sign of any Bewick's , but I did pick out a Peregrine on the ground with prey , after it finished it waddled around, not sure what was going on it looked rather ungainly but it eventually took off looking rather laboured after its heavy meal and just landed on a nearby pylon , scanning for more Whoopers(as some just over the brow) I also picked up a small raptor on one of those square fence sections they have in the field ( no idea what they are for).the bird was facing me and I thought Merlin,but it was a long way off it just looked like a Merlin , I kept checking it to see if I could make anything positive on it ,but it had gone , only to the next fence block this time sitting side on a fem/juv Merlin, there seemed a few Skylarks around ,the field looked like it would attract flocks of small birds.

Linton picked up the redhead Smew just out from the hide working the edge of ice in the free water always good to see , would be nice for a male, one of the things I noticed immediately "NO GULLS" this was one of my favourite winter haunts checking through the gulls for white wingers,but it seems the closure of the tip has sent them elsewhere ( was talk of a new tip at Darras Hall area :) ?) so checked what was there ate my sarnie and left for cresswel.

Cresswell water level very high it was good to see the Pinkfeet back ,in with the Canadas 9 Brent geese which ended up feeding on the grass, my plan was to go for a walk trying for some Shorelarks etc: but without bins a none starter so I drove along to Bells for the Twite set the scope up just in time for them to drop on the fence, just as well because I could not pick them out on the ground .

Just happened to look along the road to see a herd of cattle and me stopped in the gateway ,luckily they where heading further along but I put the scope away just in case, ( carbon fibres strong but not that strong ) accompanied by a very large Bull,they where heading for the Twite field and from then I did not see them again other than flying around , so I headed home , just as a huge flock of Pinks filled the air , a great afternoons birding !!!!!

A covey of Grey's in the open near Bells
Smew Linton

Goldeneye Cresswell

Twite Bells farm dunes