Great White Egret

The Great White Egret at Bothal Pond  presented no problems as I pulled it there it was just along the edge of the pool with just a couple of observers there also , they soon left and it was strange standing there alone with such a one time mega bird ,it still is a mega bird but sightings are more regular now  and it's the sort of rarity you could easily find for yourself . So I enjoyed it all to myself as it wandered around the pond edge then hopped over the fence to the north end .

 The bird had a drooping feather in flight it looked either the innermost primary or outermost secondary , not sure if it's moult or damage .

  Called in at castle Island on the way past but nothing of note the water level fairly low .
Also stopped at the quayside River Blyth   Red Throated Diver not far off the side of the river but just to far away in the non accessible area , three or four Guillemots with a couple of dead birds on the tideline . The Tall ship has a new berth taking off more of the jetty access so you cant see down to the piers as well .

A Couple of short videos of the bird feeding , the sound needs to muted to drown out traffic etc: you can see it paddling its feet to try and disturb fish

Humford Woods to Blyth

4th Feb Today I had decided to get the bus to the old footpath that leads down to the stepping stones  which we as kids used to take to get to  the old outdoor swimming pool at Humford Mill . I took a couple of side paths first but the going very muddy and slippery and given the fact I saw not one bird along either path I headed back to the river and the stones , the water was well  over the top of most of the stepping stones so rather than walk around in very  wet boots  for the rest of the day the boots and socks came off, the water was freezing so I hurried across , eventually following the path along the river edge which is mostly rock . I was well down the river before a Dipper flashed past , Jay heard , Treecreeper and Nuthatch seen a few Tits but all rather quiet . In the open area near the historical Old Bedlington Iron Works  my first Snowdrops and Butterburr of the year lots of old bottles along the bank side from some large scale dumping but this was more 40's ,50's  not the Victorian stuff ,even a huge knuckle bone , hard to believe they would dump rubbish so near the river but I remember the very same on the River Blyth at Kitty Brewster when I was at school just up the hill  . Not till I got to the Rail and road  bridge   did the birds start to appear with about 15 Mallard and several Goldeneye , then I got a flash of white in the field an Ermine Stoat  fossicking  (been waiting to get that in ) through the grass and under some old wood ,it heard the camera shutter and started heading towards me but rather too quick  disappearing in the long grass  only to reappear and before I could focus it was hidden again , the battery died and just as I got it changed it dashed across the track in front of me and was gone a brief though  enjoyable encounter. 

I forgot to look on the map for the name of this stream which feeds into Blyth could be the Horton Burn ?

First Butterburr of the year a curious plant the flower always coming before the leaves 

 The site of the Bedlington Iron Works hard to believe they used to smelt Iron & Steel here  but it is still called furnace bank , one of the locals told me a Steam Train made here is still operational in Russia , not sure if it's true another thing to search the net for .

 The high stone walls are from quays used to unload the ore from barges

This is one of the large rings used to moor the barges ,there is always a bit of history left behind if you look

This was taken just before the snow returned so this Stoat would at least for a short time blend in just a bit better !!!

Blyth Estuary

An extended walk along the banks of the River Blyth as it changes from mud flats to more stony sides obviously the birds change waders and gulls feeding on the mud and waters edge ,Goldeneye & Mergansers moving upstream with the incoming tide  ,Black Headed Gulls dip feeding on whatever comes from the surface water  drain that pours into he centre of the river . In between the two bridges one rail one road is where the mallards are feeding also up to a dozen Moorhens ,this day the water was fairly fast flowing and I was surprised to see a Dipper on the far side well that was it scope set up to watch it feed as it dipped into the water and bobbed back up like a cork the water instantly running off it's back . I tried to follow as it was underwater crossing the flow on a diagonal path as it walked along the river bottom but the trouble with digiscoping is once youv'e lost the target its very hard to pick it up again having to take the camera off to re-aquire the bird ,but luckily it posed in-between its forays . The faint call of a second bird could be heard and I picked it up further upstream as it softly called from its perch on a small rock  ,there flight call is usually much clearer alerting you to there passing , and the song is also faint sometimes barely audible above the sound of the water ,but it must be clear to other Dippers, I spent a good 40 mins watching these two birds which is better than just ticking them off and walking on .

Just a couple of short clips I left the sound on in the hope of picking up the call but its impossible to hear over the traffic and flowing river.

You can see just how fast the river is running , an amazing creature that can virtually walk under water , the ever flicking nictitating membrane crossing the eye as it makes a cleaning sweep ,it seems to work from top to bottom ,also the dipping and fanning of the tail.

As I got back further down the river the tide had pushed in this Common Seal popped up to check me out , I love the way they just sink back  into the depths  !!!

Little Egrets

Little Egret being harrassad by the local Magpies not keen to have this strange bird on their patch 

There have not been  many Little  Egrets around this year I have seen them at Alnmouth and Warkworth Gut  and only one on the River Blyth, where last year there was four which hung around for a month or so keeping up river though. Two Kingfishers around and a single Greenshank, with a few Bar-tailed Godwits  in with the large number of Redshank and lots of Curlew, and the strange sight of two pure white Doves living under the road bridge 

 Not the best photo as I have missed off the tip of the Bill but it does show pink to the underside which I believe is indicative of a Juvenile  so I wonder where this bird was born ?

The bird always distant and very wary so photos taken from range

 Good to hear the call of a Greenshank this one feeding well up river

Blyth River waders

Yesterday the 12th September I cycled along the River Blyth and around to the area we used to call Monkey's Island just to the east of the boatyard , the tide already pushing in and most of the waders had left apart from a number of Redshank and 6 Knot with a Goosander  in the open water ,headed further upstream looking for any colour ringed birds be they gulls or waders , 30 or so Black headed's feeding from the outfall pipe not sure what this is from, Redshank by far the most common wader here , they have the annoying habit of giving there alarm call chasing everything off but then they settle not far away , so trying to approach waders with Redshank  in front is a waste of time. Thought I picked out a Little Stint  but by the time the scope was up the lot had moved over to the other side and I could not find one. Went as far as the two bridges four Goosanders here and about 20-30 Mallard  which seem to feed at this area. Kingfisher calling between the bridges but could not locate it , two pure white Doves under the road bridge looked odd, back down the river too view across to where the waders gather sometimes to roost  but most fly off to the staithes over at Cambois. Set the scope up to check over the other side it's a fair way off so a scope is essential , in the rain picked out a wader with the Dunlin  couldn't make it out for some time till it brightened up slightly and I could see it was a Wood Sandpiper, also here a Black tailed Godwit and Spotted Redshank , about a dozen Swallows hawking the river which was although rising very still , a Whimbrel was heard but not seen and a Skein of about c100 Pinkfeet headed South  a very good couple of hours despite getting soaked.

 A couple of digi scoped shots the waders where rather far off

 Wood Sandpiper

 Black Tailed Godwit and Spotted Redshank(left )

River Blyth

A visit along Blyth  River just before last weeks heavy rain actually last weeks very ,very heavy rain , it had been raining most of the morning but cleared enough to prompt me to get out  so the River being the nearest area I headed off  might as well have gone in the rain because as I crossed through the long grass  I was soaked through even into my so called waterproof Goretex boots . The settling pools where at full flow but not even a Gull on them two Linnets several Meadow Pipits and also two Reed Buntings inhabited the fence around the compounds I checked the rough ground within looking for any waders which I am sure must nest there as it suffers from no disturbance at all ,well human anyway, Some guys looking for bait on the mud flats of Monkeys Island ( I forget why they called it that ) so ,little around there 1 Male and 2 female Goldeneye on the river but from where , as they are surely early  winter visitors.

This year was the first time I had noticed Lesser Black Backs  nesting on the Power Station sheds and some of the  factories  I knew Herring Gulls where using factory roofs etc: as there are several pairs around the streets where I live nesting between the large chimneys, there where a few Herring Gull young around but I could see no young LBB as they all still seemed to be sitting, I wanted to try and get a series of photos of  young/juvenile LBB, I have not been back since but fear they are probably all gone washed off by the rain not much could stand that.

 Common Blue the only butterfly noted , not seen any Dragons/Damsels at this site of any kind yet it looks ideal at first glance but nor have I seen an any kind of life in the water of the settling pools

 Lesser Black Backs presume it's the Male bringing fresh nesting material for the Female

 Two young Herring Gulls centre

 First of the year Five Spot Burnet Moth but again will these be as common this year

LBB in the centre that could be a chick with it

River Blyth

A trip out on the bike the other day looking for Speckled wood I found non but came across this Shield Bug  it would make a nice subject for a macro lens , plenty of  Wall Brown  on the wing with the habit of landing on the path in front of me. The River Blyth has had of late a Curlew Sandpiper and several Black tailed Godwits have been around for a few days one of which is colour ringed , I have also came across several Fox including  some cubs but with no camera at the time , that's the curse of a camera take it and find it hard at times to get some good shots , leave it at home and something will pop up just in front of you  !!!

 The new track along the riverside of Blyth has this area fenced off with about six of these signs ,perhaps the new path is to be the wedding way !!!

 Meadow Pipits making use of any bit of height  within their  territory

 This one came back to the same spot several times

 A few new ponds formed after the heavy rains of April how long will they last with the hot weather as this one is evaporating rapidly ,this one near the old reservoir , which had not a single Dragonfly or Damselfly but actually plenty of fish coming to the surface in the warm weather.

Blyth River

Checking along the river Blyth a few days ago The Little Egret still present also a couple of Seals near the loading dock of the long gone Bait's Pit also 3 Mergansers with two Goosanders well up river , 60 Golden plover on the spit, earlier in the day a look at Seaton Sluice only produced a single Common Scoter usually there is a small flock here and there is always the hope of something in with them single RTD also

Cresswell pond in the afternoon was a rather short visit due to some people who where very loud and insisted in pointing out the windows at things so I headed to the outflow for a look on the sea numerous Red Throats dotted about and 4-5 Pied Wagtails working the tideline

 Goosanders well up river

 Two Seals sunning themselves till the tide engulfed them

 Still a Little Egret hanging around

My last photos of the |Little Egret this one just to compare with a Curlew in the background

 Common Scoter on the sea

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.