26-27-06-07 Seawatch

Just spent my time this week doing some sea watching not huge movements but did get a couple of Pomerine Skua and Storm Petrel from Seaton Sluice in between the heavy showers, lots of gulls still feeding on Pipe Fish I saw a couple just pick them off the surface, some seem to swallow with ease and others fly around with a section sticking out only a small amount of Manx but I never get tired of seeing them, I have caught them with a hand net many years ago as them came in to land on Bardsey pitch black night to help hide their approach its spooky as you can hear them call and suddenly they come in from the black sky, one bird had a ring that was so worn it had to be replaced if my memory is correct it was ringed about thirty years before and had not been retrapped
Arctic Skua

21-06-07 Holywell to St Mary's

Cycled to Holywell today not much activity but I did see the Female Garganey with now only one young , Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker onto St Mary’s where I was told of a Black Redstart on the Island found it on the ramp but it was always with it’s back to the light so most of the shots I took where rubbish the bird is heavily worn so I would have thought that rules out a 1st Winter bird I don’t have enough books with the detail required like Svennsons ringers guide, I will have a look on the net sometime, there seems to be lots of Kittiwakes along the shore this year I had lots on the beach near Cresswell the other day and there was about 100+ just off the causeway

19/20-06-07 Little R Egret

BLUE EYED GRASS

Had a run to Hauxley for the reported Little Egret which was on the West side and then flew to the South pool not one of my favourite places I always think it should be better than it is, I did get a new flower to me Blue Eyed Grass, and later a fantastic show out at sea hundreds of Gannets, Puffins, Guillemots, Gulls and Terns ploughed into the sea just offshore I only picked out one Razorbill ,but what a spectacle just a mass of birds everywhere you looked not sure what they where feeding on some gulls had Pipe Fish but one Puffin had a bill full of Sand Eels .
Wednesday and back up the coast stopped at Cresswell 9 Little Gulls with one Digiscoped on the causeway, on to Druridge pools the screen has been vandalised with not much to be seen here or at the other hides had another look at the sea from the point but not as much action here as last night

ONE OF 9 LITTLE GULLS CRESSWELL
LITTLE EGRET DIGISCOPED HAUXLEY
LITTLE EGRET HAUXLEY
ODD LOOKING INSECT NOT SURE WHAT IT IS YET

----- 17-06-07 Roundup

Just a round up of the week not been far due to the poor weather Red legged Partridge from a few days ago still on the card as I have not taken many photos, went for the Spoonbill at Longhirst Flash hoping it would be nearer to Digiscope but still very dull light hopeless for photography, there are lots of Lesser Black Backs here of various ages one 2nd year bird I think had a large blue ring with white letters/numbers but as I was setting up the camera to get a shot it was gone.
Linton Ponds then East Chevington with Barn Owl and F Marsh Harrier in the same view, the water level up most Terns along the shore of the islands only two Redshank for wader numbers, Cresswell Pond also high water with the usual flood across the road lots of terns hanging around the flooded pathway with a 1st Summer Artic in with them.
Sunday over to visit Gibside NT we had a corporate card so no entry fee I find these places very overpriced the grounds looked impressive in layout but I found them rather boring not much to see along the walks it is much better in the council run area of Thornley Woods we did come across a fantastic hide overlooking the Brick field according to the map perhaps it is one of the roosting areas for the Kites in Winter.
We did not see any Kites in the air so I decided not to go to see the view point I will wait until the young are larger.
Far Pastures was looking very good spent the time watching these Little Grebes mating and nest building
Mating Little Grebes just outside the window of the hide worth a visit

!st Summer Arctic

There should be a good caption for this but at the moment I can't think of one
Calling bird necked bulled up for effect

Garganey

Yet another dull and cold day for June cycled up to Holywell at least you can sit in the hide for some shelter the surprise of the day for me a family party of Garganey crossed the pond Female in the lead followed by 5 young with the Male in the rear. This is a first for me I never seen young Garganey before ,also a Female Shoveller with 7 young and a pair of Ruddy Duck with the male displaying to the Female, it was only the cold that finally made me think it was time to go home ,no Butterflies on the way up or back

4-06-07 Holywell / St Mary's

What a dull start to June cycled to Holywell the Drake Garganey dropped in it is starting to fade to eclipse plumage ,found a Magpie along the track with this egg cant remember what it is as I have not seen birds eggs for years it was gone when I came back this way, Common Terns present and a shot of a May Fly ? , down to St Mary’s plenty of Sandwich Terns around the Island also feeding Gannets and was lucky enough to get some shots of this Kestrel overhead.

-------3 -06-07

Whooper ringed VAC

Strange Monster Stalks Swan !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a round up of the past few days I caught up with the Lesser Scaup & Spoonbill and managed to get a few Digiscoped shots of both , had a couple of sessions of sea watching which produced my first Pomerine & Great Skuas for the year with a good number of Manx overall and with the odd warmer day I am starting to look for Butterflies & Dragonflies.
I did note a Whooper Swan at Castle Island that had a Darvic ring and metal ring , I know there is one at Druridge Bay this is a good location and could turn up anything I hear the Spoonbill has been here a couple of times, I did photograph a very nice flower that I have not seen before but it could be a garden escape

Not sure of this plant at Castle Island
Plenty of Swifts at Castle Island

Blue
Large Red
Blue Tailed