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Northumbrian Birding (10 Viewers)
- Thread starter Stewart J.
- Start date
martin kitching
Obsessed seawatcher
Members of NTBC can contact the committee in order to obtain a key to the Seaton Sluice watchtower.
cheers
martin
cheers
martin
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
To be honest, I rarely go there and it's not actually the sort of shoreline that I would expect an ibis to be attracted to, being stony and short of mud, but it had been there for large parts of Sunday (when I happened on it and a chocka-block hide of admirers when I went there in the hope of shots of an otter).
There was a greenshank showing off well there yesterday as well (two on Sunday). Also a brief visit from 8 barnacle geese that came in for a drink.
No otters on Sunday either. Maybe the ibis has eaten them.
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martin kitching
Obsessed seawatcher
Like Alan, I'd previously taken shots of the ibis in poor/dismal lighting conditions. Given the clear skies this morning I decided to head up to Druridge in the hope that it would be in good light and at a reasonable distance. My prayers were answered...
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June Atkinson
Well-known member
woodhornbirder
Well-known member
about 3:40 coming from morpeth to ashington on the bus i saw large raptor in the sky over ALdi/woods.
Seemed at first to be a sparrowhawk, it was circling around, and i would have concluded female sparrowhawk. Then i noticed a bird mobbing it. Given the difference in side i first thought it was a swallow size bird, but then a flash of white made me realise it was a BHgull doing the mobbing. SO this raptor was some size, 1.5x - x2 the size of the bhg.
AM puzzled by this bird, seemed very large for sparrowhawk, but yet in wrong area for goshawk. Ive never seen a harrier drift in a circle on thermals, and the tail was too long for buzzard. Surely a migrating honey buzzard would pass straight through, not circle about perhaps on thermals.
Very interesting bird, but am stumped by it.
Seemed at first to be a sparrowhawk, it was circling around, and i would have concluded female sparrowhawk. Then i noticed a bird mobbing it. Given the difference in side i first thought it was a swallow size bird, but then a flash of white made me realise it was a BHgull doing the mobbing. SO this raptor was some size, 1.5x - x2 the size of the bhg.
AM puzzled by this bird, seemed very large for sparrowhawk, but yet in wrong area for goshawk. Ive never seen a harrier drift in a circle on thermals, and the tail was too long for buzzard. Surely a migrating honey buzzard would pass straight through, not circle about perhaps on thermals.
Very interesting bird, but am stumped by it.
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
I have, and I've also compared it on a montage with one of the fifty-plus honey buzzards that I photographed three weeks ago in Spain, but after the reception this report's getting, notably from one poster who removed his post from here within minutes of making it before making snidey comments on his blog about it, I'm bu**ered if I'll be posting them here to be called a stringer.
If anyone wants to see it, I've got a good comparison print that I made last night (good comparison, not good quality) and it'll be in my car with me.
If anyone wants to see it, I've got a good comparison print that I made last night (good comparison, not good quality) and it'll be in my car with me.
The Liverbirder
Well-known member
Birdguides Yesterday
19:56 07/10/09 Honey Buzzard Northumbs Cresswell Pond NWT 14:25
south over the west side before heading southwest over Blakemoor Farm
19:56 07/10/09 Honey Buzzard Northumbs Cresswell Pond NWT 14:25
south over the west side before heading southwest over Blakemoor Farm
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
That was my posting. I was one of a good number of people who saw it, but when nobody else who was there had reported it by then I thought I might as well put my head above the parapet.
Alan G
Well-known member
Snide Comments
For clarification the comment referred to above is:
''What's a Honey Buzzard doing on the Northumberland coast after persistant Westerlies. In fact, on second thoughts, lets not go there.''
Just to clarify that the comment was an attempt (a failed one it seems?) at sarcastically suggesting the bird was blown across from the SW of the county on these westerlies.
I even made a similar jibe while out on Newbiggin Golf Course yesterday afternoon.
I certainly wasn't questioning the bird.
For clarification the comment referred to above is:
''What's a Honey Buzzard doing on the Northumberland coast after persistant Westerlies. In fact, on second thoughts, lets not go there.''
Just to clarify that the comment was an attempt (a failed one it seems?) at sarcastically suggesting the bird was blown across from the SW of the county on these westerlies.
I even made a similar jibe while out on Newbiggin Golf Course yesterday afternoon.
I certainly wasn't questioning the bird.
brianfm
Botanical Birder
Newcastle RSPB Local Group
Fieldtrip to Holy Island Saturday 12th Oct
Cost = £13.00
Coach leaves Newcastle at 9.15am prompt and returns approx 6.00pm
Owing to late cancellations we have 2 places available on this trip
Anyone who would like to join us please PM me ASAP (leaving telephone contact number), but before 6.00pm Friday
No need to feel that there is a need to walk around as a large group. This rarely occurs. No need to feel that you would be left alone either, unless you want to be.
Fieldtrip to Holy Island Saturday 12th Oct
Cost = £13.00
Coach leaves Newcastle at 9.15am prompt and returns approx 6.00pm
Owing to late cancellations we have 2 places available on this trip
Anyone who would like to join us please PM me ASAP (leaving telephone contact number), but before 6.00pm Friday
No need to feel that there is a need to walk around as a large group. This rarely occurs. No need to feel that you would be left alone either, unless you want to be.
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Fair enough Alan.
It seems that the reputation the SW of the county has developed has caused ripples that have spread too far and I was maybe reading more into your comment than you intended.
Alan Tilmouth
Well-known member
There are at least two regular Common Buzzard in the area from Pegswood to QE2 at the moment that have been seen almost daily particularly in the Longhirst Flash area.This would perhaps be the most likely (albeit not the only) option.
woodhornbirder
Well-known member
ahh yes ive seen a buzzard hanging about near longhirst flash back in july/aug.
Actually i recall now, I got off the bus at the catholic church in ash, to try and walk towards the bird, sadly it went out of view and vanished. SO the bird was circling around about 2-300m north of catholic church. Didnt have my bins on me.
Have to say that it didnt look buzzard shaped to me. The jizz was sparrowhawk.
ALways good to err on the side of the common bird tho)
Actually i recall now, I got off the bus at the catholic church in ash, to try and walk towards the bird, sadly it went out of view and vanished. SO the bird was circling around about 2-300m north of catholic church. Didnt have my bins on me.
Have to say that it didnt look buzzard shaped to me. The jizz was sparrowhawk.
ALways good to err on the side of the common bird tho)
woodhornbirder
Well-known member
2.30 this afternoon, on the way to asda, there were 18 redwings flying west overhead.
made me realise that summer has now gone.....(/play drumroll of doom)
made me realise that summer has now gone.....(/play drumroll of doom)
Gill Osborne
Well-known member
Hurrahhhhh....summer is boring and TOO HOT!!!! :smoke: Give me autumn & winter any day....loadsa lovely divers and winter ducks and grebes :t: