Mouldy's Kingdom (Diary of a frustrated birder) (2 Viewers)

[Mouldy]

Spring in the air (though the air was more like winter)

Sunday 22nd March 2009

Did the local rounds this morning with One Man and his Dog looking for signs of spring, even though the spring weather of the last few days had been replaced by biting arctic blasts.
First off we had a stroll along the river as One Man’s Dog needed a walk. Good choice as a pair of kingfishers zipped past us downstream and the male gave good views perched up a little while later. A pair of grey wags were also flitting about the area and half a dozen sand martins weaved round above our heads (my first of the season)

Next a visit to Shibdon Pond, plenty of sand martins here, and on the pond a pair of gadwall and at least 7 goldeneye. A little grebe pair came close to the hide, oystercatchers on the tern rafts, cormorants on the roosting tree, Canada geese and a dodgy barnacle goose mingled with the assortment of Frankenstein hybrid ducks at the far end of the pond. Chiffchaff sang briefly outside the hide.

A brief stop-off along the river Tyne produced not much more than a few shelduck, curlews and redshanks in the low tide mud, so across to Lamesley where the star attraction from the hide at the moment is an increasing number of little ringed plovers, with six being the best count of the day. A few sand martins here too.
Off to the nearby sewage works and a white wagtail in with the pieds, then to the reedbeds but no sign of the eastern race chiffchaff present the last week or so, but not much singing in the increasingly strong winds anyway.

A couple of stop-offs at small flash pools produced just a few waders and a low flyover buzzard, then off to Ravensworth fell and Burdon moor, where a flock of 500 or so golden plover entertained us with some loose flock aerobatics, and a wheatear pair on the moor was a great sight, lovely little birds these, not seen often enough since I moved inland from the coast.
Far too windy to stay out in these exposed areas we soon headed back to the valley, and a visit to far pasture just in case the garganey had decided to come back.

They hadn’t, but new birds not seen during the week were a mute swan (at last), Canada goose pair and teal pair, and were told the water rail pair had just made another screeching, running appearance.
I remembered back to last weekend when I predicted to Steve we’d have sand martins at Far Pasture by the end of the week, well today we saw them just about everywhere….except Far Pasture.

Mothers Day duties called so this was our last stop, but some good new season birds seen on a pleasant enough trip around the borough.

Alan M

 

[Quacker]

Top notch stuff Alan. You truly are deserving of the official title, well, ok then, MY official title of The Bard of Rowland's Gill. Now we all know the meaning of the phrase "better to travel than to arrive"

Remember those fleeting evenings in that self same shire a few years ago when the quarry that time was those churring Jars of the Night? - I'm not sure the dark woods of Slaley ever recovered. - Not sure if you are aware but that unique "spot" unites you, me and Stewart - Stewart showed me the place and I passed it on to you and Steve (Snapshot?).

 

[Mouldy]

Top notch stuff Alan. You truly are deserving of the official title, well, ok then, MY official title of The Bard of Rowland's Gill. Now we all know the meaning of the phrase "better to travel than to arrive"

Remember those fleeting evenings in that self same shire a few years ago when the quarry that time was those churring Jars of the Night? - I'm not sure the dark woods of Slaley ever recovered. - Not sure if you are aware but that unique "spot" unites you, me and Stewart - Stewart showed me the place and I passed it on to you and Steve (Snapshot?).

Aye Quack, I remember it well but had forgotten it was Stewart J who started it off, would make a good adventure to recount as I can only remember so much so can make the rest of it up (artistic license :smoke.

I believe me and Steve (now One Man and his Dog as he's given up the photography and got a dog instead:eek! dipped twice on the 'jars before we got the instructions from your good self but made up for the disappointment by 'staking out' the local badgers instead, still my one and only sighting to date. Must dig me notes out on that one.

Dipping on birds doesn't really bother me as I can't say I'm much of a twitcher, (but then again GGS wasn't a lifer!) as with the shrikes it was the search and good crack with Will and Bill, and there's always next time.

Cheers then Steve, glad you enjoyed my tale and good to hear from you, drop in to my kingdom anytime. :t:

Alan M

 

[seahawk]

Just read your story Alan,and I think it is absolutely brilliant!I also recall the Nightjar trips with Steve and Stewart.

_________________

Les.

 

[Mouldy]

Tales of the Riverbank

Just read your story Alan,and I think it is absolutely brilliant!I also recall the Nightjar trips with Steve and Stewart.

_________________

Les.

Cheers Les, think I've set meself an impossible task now living up to that tale, but I might just surprise youz all one day with another....:eek!:

In the meantime......

Had to go to B & Q today, spring always brings DIY and plenty of it, but not one to miss an opportunity went by bike along the derwent walk and through the park, taking in a few stops (as you do) on the way (and on the way back). Nice sunny morning so took my time, not wanting to overdo it with my fitness level running low heh heh.

highlights as follows:

River Derwent (nine arches viaduct - B&Q )
1 kingfisher flying downstream under 1998 bridge (clock burn lake)
Clockburn lake itself held pair mutes, dabchicks, tufties, canadas, coots and moorhens, mallards, cormorants and BH gulls.
2 dipper at usual spots
2 pairs grey wags and a single.
Redshank, dipper and pair of teal at lady steps dam head, kestrel overhead.
LBB gull at riverside by B&Q, also mute swan pair and fishing cormorant

Nine-arches viaduct raptor watching -
2 red kites close by, at least 6 distant
1 buzzard overhead, 4 distant towards fell side including displaying pair
1 kestrel overhead
1 sparrow hawk distant, brief diving display then mingled with buzzards.

other stuff of note
c30 sand martins above paddock hill woods
Chiffchaffs widespread throughout the valley
Mallards widespread along the river with maybe a dozen pairs seen all along the stretch.
Pied wagtail feeding (not fielding) at short leg position on cricket pitch
Green woodpeckers heard yaffling from two areas of woodland.

And by the way I got the required items from B & Q and made it back in time for the nursery drop-off so still in the good books (just) :t:

Alan M

 

[Mouldy]

Not much to report of late, mainly due to crap weather last week combined with me stuck indoors painting and decorating and having decided to shut my garden feeding station down for a few days ’cos a couple of chaffinches looked like they may have been coming down with that finch disease I can’t remember the name of (looked a bit lethargic and fluffed up).:-C

Back to business on Sunday though, weather bright and calm so spent a few hours locally up near the brow of the valley with OMahD scanning the area for raptors.
One area in particular has produced displaying goshawks two of the last three years so that was our particular target, and our four hour session produced: too many red kite sightings to remember, four buzzards in the area, two displaying and perching close by, the odd sparrow hawk and kestrel and after a probable but distant and brief goshawk in the morning our patience paid off when I spotted a large raptor soaring with a couple of kites high in the distance, not a great view but Steve got his scope on it which unfortunately for him I ‘borrowed’ as the bird in question started to glide off right. I could only see it side on so couldn’t tell what it was, fortunately though it came to a halt and started to circle again. Definite accipter, appeared uniformly pale underneath, heavy-bodied, broad-winged and mass of white under tail coverts blinding in the sunlight, not forgetting it being not much smaller than the kites, all the jizz pointing to a cracking goshawk.:smoke:

To today then, I investigated a scratching noise by the side fence and discovered a newly fledged blackbird in the garden this morning, I’d obviously startled it so gave it a wide berth for the rest of the day as ma and pa gathered food from the lawn for it. Didn’t look like much of a flyer and spent most of the day hiding in a shrub (could hear it calling into the early evening) so hope it survives the numerous cats prowling the night round here…..:cat:

Cheers

Alan M

Photo is of a gossy taken two years ago by One Man and his Dog from the same spot we were at on Sunday, this one was a lot closer though.

 

[will@bill]

i knew it would have been you spotting the gossy on the gateshead site:t: we had to go up to kielder last week to see one
we had a good day yesterday at holy island got some good close veiws of the slav grebes and LT ducks peregrine right over the car as well maybe next time you will give work the heave ho and come along:t:

 

[Mouldy]

No fools today

i knew it would have been you spotting the gossy on the gateshead site:t: we had to go up to kielder last week to see one
we had a good day yesterday at holy island got some good close veiws of the slav grebes and LT ducks peregrine right over the car as well maybe next time you will give work the heave ho and come along:t:

Aye Will, saw your piccies on the Northumberland thread, slav grebe in summer duds, nice.

First swallow of the summer today while raptor watching for an hour this affa at north end of the village, interesting sight of buzzards skydancing and one hovering, no unusual raptors today but plenty of the common lot to entertain me.
Did find remains of a woodpigeon, at least a large spread circle of feathers, in a field beside the woods, expertly plucked so I reckon raptor kill (gossy perhaps? or more likely fem sprawk)
Plenty of butterflies on the wing, mainly small tortoiseshell, one or two comma and small white. Small numbers of linnet, yellowhammer and skylark on the farmland.

Young blackbird survived the night ok in the garden, still holed up in the same shrub, never moved today, still being fed by mama.

 

[Mouldy]

The Boy is Back in Town...

Well, haven’t signed in for a while, busy busy busy, a couple of weeks spent just watching the spring come in as I went about my daily routines, but finally got a trip out and about the borough with One Man and his Dog on Sunday, and a good days sky watching yesterday.

Highlight of Sunday’s dodge about was without doubt a hunting long-eared owl, had something small in its talons as it flew up out of the rough behind us, we watched its low weaving flight before flying up over the road and into the young conifer plantation beyond.
Was surprised to see a leo out so early in the day.
Also there my first reeling gropper of the season, heard only and frustratingly so as it seemed to be very close by.
A couple of wheatears were the only other spring find of the day, though blackcaps and willow warblers plentiful and in good voice, and as the sun got up we spent some time raptor watching back in the valley hoping to catch a passing migrant. No luck but plenty of kites, buzzards, kestrel and sparrow hawks to keep us interested.

Yesterdays sunshine was ideal for sky watching so having made a temporary studio in the greenhouse I found I could work and sky watch at the same time, genius eh?
A mid-morning best of 7 kites and 3 buzzards milling about together in the skies overhead was the best raptor count, other highlights were pair of buzzards talon grappling, another sky dancing, the local kite pair displaying just about all day low over the houses, and one kite did a peregrine type stoop, pulled in its wings from high up and dropped like a stone out of the sky, seen plenty other species do this but my first time for a kite, quite spectacular.

The school holidays spoilt any ideas I may have had of getting out on my own over the Easter period, Easter Monday the only day I managed, and that was out of necessity as I had to cycle up to B&Q to get some sort of ant repellent, as our house was invaded at the weekend, I discovered them coming out of the skirting in their hundreds in the kids room of all places, a scout must have found some spilt fruit juice and all hell was let loose in ant world.
I really dislike killing anything and they don’t do any harm so just hoovered them up with the spider catcher (great invention this) and put them outside, stupidly close to the nest so they probably just came back in again.
Anyway after two days of this the decision was made to get rid, by now small numbers were crawling all over the house looking for more booty, an ant bait trap was purchased and the poor sods were dispatched probably in great agony within a day and a half.

Otherwise in the garden, young blackbird (and its sibling) still thriving, ma and pa been bringing them to the garden each day, but last couple of days they’ve been more independent, and mother b has started chasing them off on occasions, they’re looking good.
Still getting a few siskins at the feeders, and nearly had my head taken off by a big fem sparrowhawk attacking my feeding birds this last week, the second time being hotly pursued by an even bigger crow.

A flyover curlew last week was garden tick number 70.

Also our resident hedgehog was out last night late on, running all over the lawn and beyond at some speed, first time I‘ve seen it this year though evidence of it has been found all over the lawn for weeks now.

Cheers, will try not to leave it so long next time.

 

[tjbirdofprey]

welcome back Mouldy,great thread:t: keep it upB

 

[Mouldy]

The Good and the Bad....

Thanks TJ glad you enjoy it :t:

The good… the (very) local red kite pair came over this morning, displaying as usual (they seem to be at it all day long), one is a green tag (no. 77 I think) so a 2006 release bird, and the other has a purple tag (though I can’t make out the number) so is one of the youngsters bred here in 2007, an official Gatesheed Kite.
Anyhow after a bit of chasing and talon grappling, green tag zoomed into the conifers over the road and came out front side carrying something small in it’s talons, “wouldn’t have caught a bird would it?” I thought as there are always loadsa small birds flitting about there.
Anyhow it came over my way and I strained with my bins to see what it was it had caught - a pine cone!

Then the two birds came together and it was passed from one to the other, though the second bird dropped it, the first swooped to recover it before it hit the ground, then off they went again, chasing each other back over the conifers and away. Another cracking little cameo from the kites. :clap:

But now the bad… looks like I spoke too soon about the young blackbirds doing well, while doing the daily dandelion cull out front this morning with the little’un I came across an assortment of brown speckled feathers and dark primaries, young turdus plumage from I guess a cat kill rather than sparrow hawk as some looked chewed off rather than plucked.

And sure enough, only one youngster seen today with pa blackbird, damned shame. :-C

 

[June Atkinson]

Pine cone play

Thanks TJ glad you enjoy it :t:

The good… the (very) local red kite pair came over this morning, displaying as usual (they same to be at it all day long), one is a green tag (no. 77 I think) so a 2006 release bird, and the other has a purple tag (though I can’t make out the number) so is one of the youngsters bred here in 2007, an official Gatesheed Kite.
Anyhow after a bit of chasing and talon grappling, green tag zoomed into the conifers over the road and came out front side carrying something small in it’s talons, “wouldn’t have caught a bird would it?” I thought as there are always loadsa small birds flitting about there.
Anyhow it came over my way and I strained with my bins to see what it was it had caught - a pine cone!

Then the two birds came together and it was passed from one to the other, though the second bird dropped it, the first swooped to recover it before it hit the ground, then off they went again, chasing each other back over the conifers and away. Another cracking little cameo from the kites. :clap:

But now the bad… looks like I spoke too soon about the young blackbirds doing well, while doing the daily dandelion cull out front this morning with the little’un I came across an assortment of brown speckled feathers and dark primaries, young turdus plumage from I guess a cat kill rather than sparrow hawk as some looked chewed off rather than plucked.

And sure enough, only one youngster seen today with pa blackbird, damned shame. :-C

That's a lovely little cameo, Alan. May I save and quote it for our Friends of Red Kites Presentation database? It's the sort of story which would enliven and amuse an audience, don't you think?
Did you read the story of the hang-glider who found himself accompanied by a red kite, at 1200 feet! As he turned back to complete his flight, the kite was still going up, up, up and away! Amazing!

I envy you the ringside seat for the local displays.............ever thought of having a Kite Night?

 

[Mouldy]

Swallow with a red rump

Use it if you want June, though I don't think it as amusing as the German Shepherd tale a few months back.


Monday 27th April 2009

Today I fluked a red-rumped swallow, best bird I've ever found so here's a guide on how to find rare birds on your local patch.

1. Study the weather conditions, check internet for what’s about in other areas, what is likely to be seen at this time of year and most favourable habitat
Or:
Sprog - “Daddy I want to go out for a walk”
Me - “But it’s raining son”
Sprog - “But you said yesterday” (I did)
Me - “Well it will have to be a short walk as you have to go to nursery in a couple of hours”

2. Choose site and target species
Or
Sprog - “We can go to the house beside the pond so if it rains we won’t get wet” (The hide at Far Pasture, he remembered from last time it was raining)
Me - “OK then” (I’d been wanting to get down anyway to check for warblers, gropper there last week and maybe whitethroats, sedge and garden there by now) And within ten minutes we were off.

3. Check every bird
Or:
Above the approach to Far Pasture the overcast sky was teeming with low flying hirundines, literally hundreds, airborne insects over the adjacent water treatment works pulling them in no doubt.
As it was still raining, light but steady, we made way to the hide without giving them a second glance. From the hide they were all over, many swooping low and speeding past the windows “hmmm wonder if it’s worth checking for a red-rumped” I thought to myself but angle of seat to window height made it uncomfortable/difficult and the dull conditions didn’t help so I quickly put the thought to rest and concentrated on the dozen or so resident wildfowl, coots, moorhen, swan, dabchick, tufties and Canada goose.

4. Stay on site as long as it takes
Or:
No more than ten minutes in; “Daddy can we go now?”, my four-year old’s initial enthusiasm after being amused by a honking Canada goose as it swam past the hide quickly diminished, and he couldn’t clomp about as there was someone else in the hide, ’spoiling his fun’.
“OK then“, there wasn’t really much doing here anyway and I wanted to check the carpark for warblers
The rain seemed heavier now as we left the hide, I didn’t want the little ’un getting too wet so thought we may as well just head off home, nothing singing anyway, but spying an assortment of hirundines on the telephone wires just outside the car park I thought I’d give them the onceover before putting my bins away as I hadn‘t had a good look at any so far this year and swallows and martins are real bonny birds.

5. Know the diagnostic features of your target
Or:
So, the part of the wire I can see between the taller bushes has eight birds on it, four swallows, three sand martins and a ….? Now what’s that I wonder, all I see is what looks like a pale faced swallow with reddish neck and little blue cap, couldn’t be a red-rumped could it? Couldn’t see the rump from the angle I had and as I had never seen one before I honestly just wasn’t sure what I was looking at. The birds were settled for a while so I got my camera out, ’shoot first, ask questions later’ I thought. But as always happens, by the time I looked up again the wire was bare, cue expletives.

6. Dont panic, and find an expert to confirm it.
Or:
Not being one who encounters many rarities and having learned from an experience with a laughing gull a couple of years back (more on that later) I always carry a pocket field guide about, and as I flicked through it, wishing someone else was here as I couldn't hang about too long, and who should motor into the car park but Steve and Tilly (One Man and his Dog)
“I think I’ve just had a (I find the page) “£!* *&^^% “ aaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Red rumped swallow.”
“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?”
“Aye just here on the wire”
He wants to put news out straight away but I’m not sure, even though I’m sure (know what I mean?) and want to confirm it before getting people down on a wild swallow chase, so Steve (never seen one either) quickly sets up his scope and digi camera bracket and the next few minutes we (along with the bloke from the hide who’s never seen one either) frantically search every bird that comes down to the wire, still hundreds low in the skies zooming around at great speed, but no more than silhouettes in the dull daylight.
I have to confirm it as I’ve got to go, little feller has to go to nursery and time’s getting on.
Panic setting in, but it's only been a couple of minutes when Steve suddenly yells “Got it!” it momentarily lands on the wire and straight off again, I didn’t see it, but Steve a hundred percent certain puts it out on the pager, lucky him, he can stay, its his day off, unlucky me I really have to go but I really need to see it again for my own peace of mind.

It doesn’t reappear so reluctantly I wheel the buggy to the car park entrance, “get a picture for me Steve” I shout back dispiritedly, and I look up; and right in front of me sitting alone on the wire, obscured from the car park, is one red-rumped swallow.
I alert Steve and the other feller, it stays perched long enough for excellent views and a couple of record shots. Then it flies up and I get great views of the pale rusty rump as it weaves about.

“Fantastic!!“ Can’t believe my luck, I start to head home, buzzing but still gutted I can’t stay, and planning to go back down after I get my business out of the way at home, but about an hour later Steve rings. “Hasn’t been seen again before I left” he says “the weather improved and all the birds started feeding higher in the skies then started to disperse, not much came down to the wires.” But at least he had a couple of decent shots from that last sighting.

My better half got called away so I had to stay home the rest of the day anyway so I’m happy to reflect that all the planning, field craft, experience and ID skills at my disposal resulted in a patch and borough first.... or was it the fact I was cajoled into going out in the rain by a four-year old who then wanted to go home at the precise moment a red-rumped swallow practically perched in front of my face, one of eight birds I looked at out of hundreds. YOU decide.


Here's the couple of record shots I reeled off at the last minute, some better photos on www.gatesheadbirders.co.uk and I hear it was actually seen again not long before dusk.

 

[will@bill]

very good find alan:t: picture brighten up a bit

 

[Mouldy]

very good find alan:t: picture brighten up a bit

Cheers Will, can't tell on these laptop screens, we found a lesser whitethroat after we seen you yesterday up near kibblesworth.

 

[tjbirdofprey]

Nice find Mouldy, i will never look at the hirundines without looking for a red rumped swallow now(just in case3)

 

[Mouldy]

Nice find Mouldy, i will never look at the hirundines without looking for a red rumped swallow now(just in case3)

Well you may laugh TJ but I'll bet more go undetected than found because people don't look for them :t:

Sunday 26th April 2009

Back to Sunday, I was expecting great things with the wind having turned round, overnight rain and a good smattering of migrants seen around the borough late in the week.

Unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way, shibdon pond produced the first common whitethroats but the previously seen lesser and sedge warbler didn’t materialise.
We got talking to a ringer there who told us where he’d had marsh tits recently as they’re very scarce in the borough, but we continued looking for migrants.
Lamesley produced a few little-ringed plovers and a wheatear and we tried a few sites where lesser whitethroats had been present in previous years but to no avail.

So we gave up and decided to have a look for the marsh tits, but this too was proving fruitless, walking a section of old railway line with not much more than a chaffinch for our pains, then lo and behold, as we approached the car a burst of song from a gorse revealed a cracking lesser whitethroat, which gave us both best ever views as it flitted about in the open.

With the day somewhat rescued I relaxed later at home in the back garden, to be treated for a full half hour of low level displaying by five red kites (2 pairs and a gooseberry) it was as if they were performing just for me, circling all around but hardly ever leaving my sight, and often so low I could see every detail and hear their tags flapping in the wind as they chased, weaved and twisted around each other.
It really was fantastic to witness (two green tags, a purple tag, a black tag, and a no tag)

I was just thinking how great life is here when I received a txt from ‘One Man’ saying he’d just been to Saltholme where he got 2 whiskered terns, 2 drake garganey, a short eared owl and a spoonbill.
My reply isn’t printable on here.


Some shots I took of the kites early evening while I was enjoying myself :C

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Hi Mouldy,
I visited a Kite feeding station while I was away visiting the Solway Coast. They are such agile birds with their aerial acrobatics. I found them difficult to photograph as they changed flight path so quickly. It must be wonderful to have them on your doorstep or should I say flying over it!!:t:

 

[June Atkinson]

Dumfries & Galloway Kites

Hi Mouldy,
I visited a Kite feeding station while I was away visiting the Solway Coast. They are such agile birds with their aerial acrobatics. I found them difficult to photograph as they changed flight path so quickly. It must be wonderful to have them on your doorstep or should I say flying over it!!:t:

This was presumably the Red Kite Feeding station run by two ladies on their farm in D&G. Excellent viewing for the public, and great for seeing the graceful acrobatics of the kites as they wheel and dive for the chicken pieces on the table.
The other Argaty Kites Centre near Stirling also feeds their kites, but limits the quantity so that the birds still have to forage for themselves, which I think is paramount.

Gald you enjoyed your experience, but come June 8th, why not come to the Derwent Valley and see our Kites? Our Kitewatch begins that week-end. And you could also go to the Highland Cattle Centre, near Whittonstall, where two of our kites are nesting. (See post on Northern Kites thread).
June

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Hi June,
Not sure I'll get down to your part of the world, usually I am just passing through on the way to Yorkshire!