[The Liverbirder]

Originally Posted by Vipers

Cracking Shots Gordon!!

Thanks, Gents; considering your photography prowess, the compliments are very much appreciated.

I guess after several 000 attempts, getting a few decent captures has been earned. That said, the stoat was within 12 feet for what seemed like an hour but would have been a minute until it saw Yours Truly, whereby it did its 'back legs' tricks and then away it went. Made a change for the camera to be in the hand and not the boot of the car!

[tony robb]

had a walk over Simonside hills yesterday..nothing exciting loads of crossbills,siskins,tits and GSW..hiked up to the ironage fort lots of skylark about as well as Buzzards dualling overhead,stopped off at Arcot on the way home(whats going on there new fences and gates?)..final stop was the Village Hotel Pond where a fine Goosander was on show

[Brian Bullough]

Originally Posted by The Liverbirder

Green Woody at Bassington still this morning. And this show-stopper too.

I have snapped a few in my time but these are superb shots , well done Gordon .

[The Liverbirder]

Originally Posted by Brian Bullough

I have snapped a few in my time but these are superb shots , well done Gordon .

Flattered. Thanks muchly!

[lazza]

Oh, how I wish I was a better birder!

Was out on my bike for a couple of hours Saturday afternoon, and had some good sightings in and around Bothal/Ashington/River Wansbeck, and then several species I just could not identify!

Started off with a field full of fieldfare (50+), redwing (10+) and starling (100+) on the way down into Bothal off the Morpeth-Ashington road, but then saw a flock of around 50 smaller birds swooping around in a non-stop display. Watched them for fully 20 minutes and still no idea what they were! Finch/bunting size, and continually "dancing" and swooping together over a fallow field. I was a good 200m away, so could not hear any calling or song, and my binoculars must need a good clean as I could not get a prolonged good view of them (and I was kind of looking into the sun....ahem!). They occasionally swooped down altogether, seeming to pause over the weeds about to land, before lifting again en-masse and carrying on with their swooping! Lovely to watch, frustrating not to have a clue!

Further round through the village to Bothal lake, there were again a good number of wigeon and a solitary goldeneye, and the fields across to Ashington held 6 Whooper swan and a mixed flock of geese, again too distant for my amateur knowledge and cr@p bins to identify!!

[Negrounder]

lazza. I was out yesterday and looking at the same fieldfare/redwing flock with my 10 yo son who is just getting into birding. We had a flock of maybe 25 linnets behaving as you describe, over the cabbage field on the left before the first right bend in the road. The thrushes were fantastic in the good light, weren't they? My son was impressed - he couldn't recall seeing either species before.

[lazza]

Originally Posted by Negrounder

lazza. I was out yesterday and looking at the same fieldfare/redwing flock with my 10 yo son who is just getting into birding. We had a flock of maybe 25 linnets behaving as you describe, over the cabbage field on the left before the first right bend in the road. The thrushes were fantastic in the good light, weren't they? My son was impressed - he couldn't recall seeing either species before.

THANKS :) That's exactly where they were. Linnet seems to fit, as they did seem to have a rufous coloration as they turned in the sunlight (although I was not even sure of that!)

Yes, the thrushes were beautiful, and as you say, great light for picking out the colours. I was surprised how approachable they were, as I stopped several times at the gaps in the hedges and the birds were just on the other side. Also, for me, the first time I have really heard the Fieldfare's chuckling sound. Did you also get some mistle thrush in the flock? Was not sure if I picked a couple up to start with, but then could not find them!

[Stewart J.]

There are a series of "Wild About Keilder" events planned in 2012 for anyone interested Martin Davison is starting the events with a Goshawk Walk as link below.

http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/...errerPath=news

[lazza]

Went out to check on the Bothal Linnets this morning, and there was still a flock of around 15 at the far side of the fields, and a separate, larger flock which settled in trees nearer to the Morpeth-Ashington road. And without a bike in tow this time, was able to walk a little along the footpath, and with Negrounder's advice in mind, confirmed both flocks of birds as linnets.

On Bothal pond, a second goldeneye (female) has arrived, and also my first Shelduck of 2012. There were also around 50 lapwing and a couple of (juvenile?) cormorant in addition to the usual groups of Wigeon and Canada Geese.

Over towards Ashington, the 6 Whooper swans are still on the fields, and had been joined by around 50 whitefront geese. My identification capabilities rather let me down again, so I am not sure which race, but I would probably say mostly Greenland, as I think they were mostly orange billed (is that diagnostic?). Also my first singing skylark of the year.

[Negrounder]

Sorry I didnt reply earlier lazza. Didn't catch the mistle thrush, but then again with two 10 year olds in tow, we didnt have time to pick carefully through every bird!

Glad you saw the linnets - nice to get a decent flock - best I've seen for ages.

Re the whitefronts. Most of the whitefronts around this winter have been European, rather than Greenland. The bill colour never looks terribly pink to me on Euorpeans - usually only very diagnostic if you can happen to get both forms in one flock (which is not at all easily done, and indeed Northumberland may be one of the most likely places for this to happen).

[lazza]

Originally Posted by Negrounder

Sorry I didnt reply earlier lazza. Didn't catch the mistle thrush, but then again with two 10 year olds in tow, we didnt have time to pick carefully through every bird!

I know that feeling. Was at Cragside with our 4-year-old twins on Sunday, and there was a lot of bridlife in the woods. I could hear goldcrest calling in the trees, but could not find them due to the attentions of our girls.

Originally Posted by Negrounder

Glad you saw the linnets - nice to get a decent flock - best I've seen for ages.

Re the whitefronts. Most of the whitefronts around this winter have been European, rather than Greenland. The bill colour never looks terribly pink to me on Euorpeans - usually only very diagnostic if you can happen to get both forms in one flock (which is not at all easily done, and indeed Northumberland may be one of the most likely places for this to happen).

Last whitefronts I saw were on Bothal pond, when there were 4 European and one clearly different Greenland, so I see what you mean.... having both helps!

[jerkin]

According to the Journal news paper the developers have withdrawn plans to build close to the nature reserve

[Gill Osborne]

Good! I saw that too in the Journal at work today

Stupid idea anyway...quite apart from the conservation aspect....why build more homes which normal folk cannot afford to buy anyway

[Vipers]

Originally Posted by jerkin

According to the Journal news paper the developers have withdrawn plans to build close to the nature reserve

Yeah they are going to build between Havanna and Big Waters now.

[lazza]

Still not managed to catch the green woodpecker at Bassington - tried again Sunday morning while out on my bike. Good, close views of M+F bullfinch though.

Went down from there along Beacon Lane, and past Arcot Hall. Stopped off at a pool next to the hall, first time there for me. It's not labelled on any of my maps, or google, etc. - anyone know if it has a name?

Nice views of gadwall, wigeon and pochard, plus a couple of red-headed sawbills, but not sure what!

[deugar]

Flock of c50 whooper swans this lunchtime adjacent to the site between Wingates and Rayburn Lake which we learned today is being recommended for 3x397ft turbines. Of course the environmental impact assessment and planning report make no mention of this regular flock. If you object to this then lobby your councillor before next week's planning meeting.

Also at least 7 short eared owls observed while driving past the other approved wind farm site at Windylaw, west of Wingates despite the county ecologist claiming they don't exist. 3 pairs were engaging in aerial chases and calling loudly.

[The Liverbirder]

Originally Posted by lazza

Still not managed to catch the green woodpecker at Bassington - tried again Sunday morning while out on my bike. Good, close views of M+F bullfinch though.

NOT SEEN HER FOR TWO WEEKS
Went down from there along Beacon Lane, and past Arcot Hall. Stopped off at a pool next to the hall, first time there for me. It's not labelled on any of my maps, or google, etc. - anyone know if it has a name?

ARCOT POND/LAKE
Nice views of gadwall, wigeon and pochard, plus a couple of red-headed sawbills, but not sure what!

THREE FEMALE GOOSANDERS THERE ON SUNDAY

OK

[PallassW1]

Adult Iceland Gull North Shields fish quay this pm.

[LowellMills]

Great grey shrike, 2-3 short eared owl, 40 curlew, yellowhammer, great spotted woodpecker, two kestrel, 12 fieldfare, lots of pied wagtail and a buzzard at Prestwick Carr today. Get in!

[shellscape]

Sadly i hear sweethope has been sold and a wind farm has been given approval up there- wonder what effect that will have on some decent birds up there!

[deugar]

I've suspected for some time that there were two female hen harriers wintering in the Wingates-Forestburn Gate area but saw them together for the first time this evening. Also good numbers of short eared owls - at least 9 with 6 in the binoculars at one time. Whooper flock still in fields west of Rayburn Lake.

[lazza]

Was at St mary's lighthouse a couple of weekends back, and saw these two mute swans in the bay to the north. Can't say I have seen mute swans in the sea before - is this common behaviour?

Also, there were perhaps 10 or so curlew on the rocks and another 50 or so on the fields by the caravan park. Was quite dark, and excpetionally windy, so only managed one in-focus photo, although I do rather like the evil-eye I'm getting

[IanMc]

Originally Posted by lazza

Was at St mary's lighthouse a couple of weekends back, and saw these two mute swans in the bay to the north. Can't say I have seen mute swans in the sea before - is this common behaviour?

Also, there were perhaps 10 or so curlew on the rocks and another 50 or so on the fields by the caravan park. Was quite dark, and excpetionally windy, so only managed one in-focus photo, although I do rather like the evil-eye I'm getting

Ive quite often seen mute swans off littlehaven beach in south shields and also just off trow now and again

[woodhornbirder]

I assume folk here know about the goshawk walk on sat??

[shellscape]

Osprey sighted in Northumberland today- dont know if its one of our residents or a passage bird though. Fishing at Fontburn.