Coquet Island visit

As  I wrote in the last post  a trip over to Coquet Island with the Natural History Society and North Northumberland Bird Club at the end of last month  weather was a bit dull and cool to cold with some fresh seas on the way out ,but we stayed in the lee of the Island which was reasonably sheltered . The was not a photography trip as all you can shoot is from the swaying boat but they did go in fairly close what does not come across in photos is the noise and smell of a large colony it is very impressive , a Seal popped up to investigate and several more nearby . Birds shot overhead in every direction and I braced against the rail to stop swaying tried to follow some with little success , Roseates could be picked out on the rocks etc: but I did not pick any out in flight , and all to soon it was time to head back by now the seas had calmed some  or we where going with it , everyone remarked how good it had been and for a mere £7 (return) what a bargain .

 We Near the Island ,last year we went around and then towards the jetty ,this year  it was straight to hang around then drift south slightly

 The other boat of the party it looks quite flat but not onboard

 I would love to visit the Island sometime even if there where no birds

 It does have a small beach

This is from the south the other boat now holding station off the jetty

 Crowds of Puffins and many flying off in all directions

 Not sure if this is a prime spot or not.

 Plenty of Juveniles on the beach I will leave you to ID them all

 The terraced nesting boxes

 Numerous Seals around the Island

 Roseate Juvenile on the jetty

 The Puffins just too quick for me and the lens

 Light improved for a few minutes

 Not sure if the hide is to be out of sight or out of falling debris lets say !

Roseate with Juvenile 77 pairs was the last count I heard ?

Back to the calm waters of Amble where I had a red  colour ringed Med Gull probably the Serbian bird but the photo did not reveal any detail and it would not play ball for me.

Roseate Tern Day

Caught up with a couple of Roseate Terns in with Common Terns  plenty of Juvenile Common but  no juvenile Roseate with these adults  also feeding around the area Sandwich Terns but again at the time no juveniles . A Guillemot with young on the river I believe it's the male that rears them when they leave the nest site 

 Adult Roseate Tern

 Juvenile Common Tern

 Adult Roseate I took advantage as it was now on it's own but they flew just after ,into the light unfortunately  so still no flight shots

The jostle for position

 Adult Common Tern it brought in a sand eel  which it held for sometime before swallowing it

 The Adult Common Tern which brought in a Sand Eel but with no takers it ate it itself !

 Calling in the hope of a feed   !!!!!

There seems plenty of time to just loaf around

Wing stretch but for my purposes on the wrong side

Adult Male Guillemot brings it's Juvenile into the river to feed .

Coquet Island

Coquet Island ,the sky was not that blue but the sea was that grey, and it was rather cool. from my phone.

Edit : Word is that 71 pairs of Roseate Terns  reared 75 chicks a good year .

A bit behind with some of my posts and its a couple of weeks since I went over to Coquet Island with the Natural History Society , also along was Killy Birder but he is more efficient than I and has posted to his Blog . A couple of Arctic Skuas on the way over, you forget just how low down you are when on a boat , plenty of Puffins on the sea all lifted as we circled the Island a single Common Scoter on the east side ,then we rounded onto the west , Terns everywhere a few Roseates sitting on the quay and some on the rocks , with birds in flight but the light was poor and no good for flight shots , a single Common Sandpiper lifted and flew in company with a Puffin till they went out of sight , this to me was the highlight of the trip seeing Puffin and Common Sand flying together or I should say side by side. The small Rib came alongside the quay and the wardens came down to meet it looking like a right bunch of HOODIES , essential supplies it seems in the form of fish and chips which they sat down and ate right there and then    !!!! cracking night was had by all ... 

 Two Arctic Skuas

 numerous flocks of Puffins

 The nearest bird of the night , and one of the few nearly in focus , its not easy from a boat.

 The Lighthouse

 Small sandy beach

 The quay and an advert for their Facebook page

Two Juvenile Roseate Terns right and left with an adult centre and a Juv Common Tern in the foreground.

 You can just make out two terns up on the weather vane

The wardens come down to the quay wheelbarrows covered  as well as their heads , its fish and chip time !!!!!!!!

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.