Northumbrian Birding (1 Viewer)

[The Liverbirder]

Golden Bishop (GB)

Alan G and Alan S - had a look at several GB photos and consulted 'Er Indoors who saw the bird as I did. In true Eurovision style - 'GB - nil points!' The bird's torso to tail tip was all yellow, and its head was all black ('Like it had a balaclava on', said She Who Must Be Obeyed).

Any further thoughts, Gents?

And whilst I am on, a bird that calls from dusk through the night, repeating a call like a Barn Owl's 'hissing' every 3 - 4 seconds for hours on end. I thought it might have been a Scops Owl but on checking when I got home, wrong again!

 

[Alan G]

Any further thoughts, Gents?

Village Weaver?

Another introduced/from escapee species that I think gets reported around the Algarve.

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Newbiggin point

Seawatching birds of interest (1 hour last night)

38 manx shearwaters
3 artic skua's
1 great skua

cheers one man and his dog

 

[The Liverbirder]

One Man Without a Dog

90 minutes at Church Point late this morning, a few dozen Manxies N, 60 or so Common Scoters N (in two groups), Guillemots N and S, Kittiwakes too, one Puffin S and one Great Skua S.

 

[The Liverbirder]

Prestwick Carr

Spent 90 minutes here this morning. 30 or so species seen and/or heard. The north path was alive with fledglings inc. Blue Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches and the best, four Whitethroats near the Sentry Box being fed by ma and pa. The east path was equally lively with loads of Snipe in the field to the SW of the bridge, plenty of Sedgies in the field SE of the bridge and a Buzzard in the Silver Birches to the north.

 

[The Liverbirder]

Arcot

This morning, one BN Grebe remains. The five Mute cygnets as of Sunday last are regrettably now four. Plenty of Sedgies and L and C Whitethroats about and one Grasshopper in the west of the south field.

 

[The Liverbirder]

St Mary's

Watched the sea from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm. Generally quiet, generally movement was S with a steady stream of Guillemots and Kittiwakes, plus 1 Curlew and a variety of gulls. No Skuas and only 2 Manxies moving N. The highlight for me was a summer plumage BT Diver on the sea and it remained there for good few minutes.

My attempts at digiscoping remain to the same poor standard, the 'best' of a bad bunch being;

 

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Watched the sea from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm. Generally quiet, generally movement was S with a steady stream of Guillemots and Kittiwakes, plus 1 Curlew and a variety of gulls. No Skuas and only 2 Manxies moving N. The highlight for me was a summer plumage BT Diver on the sea and it remained there for good few minutes.

My attempts at digiscoping remain to the same poor standard, the 'best' of a bad bunch being;

hey looks like one of my pics

 

[The Liverbirder]

It's not that good!

 

[The Liverbirder]

Up North

Cresswell this evening - 7 Little Gulls (2 on the shoreline), 1 Greenshank and numerous Lapwings, Cormorants and Shelducks with little'uns.

Budge Hide - 1 Greenshank, Lapwings and Teal, 4 Redshanks and a few BHGs and Snipe.

South-facing Hide - 1 Shelduck and a few Lapwings.

Oddie Hide - outstanding views of a female Marsh Harrier.

And to continue with tradition, some photos of dubious standard (but at least they're better than my Loch Ness Monster BT Diver!!) :-O

 

[martin kitching]

NTBC 50th Anniversary Conference

For details of this not-to-be-missed event

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1223785#post1223785

cheers
martin

 

[The Liverbirder]

Grand Day Out

Took a trip north up the coast today, starting at Bothal. In excess of 50 Coots, plus 23 Canada Geese, a Mallard and eight ducklings and about 14 other species on or next to the water. The 'highlight' was a brace of Ruddy drakes at the north end of the pond.

Longhirst Flash was a dead as a dodo (the Bean Goose that was on Birdguides at noon must have been dressed up as either a Mute Swan, Coot, Little Grebe, Mallard or Gadwall!!).

Cresswell Pond at 09.55 had 16 Little Gulls north of the causeway, two Greenshank on the west shore, and another 8 or so more routine species. An Otter was present in the north west 'corner' of the pond. And in the car park opposite the causeway, a family of Great Tits and a Sedgie.

Next, on to Druridge Pools (Budge), 22 predictables, inc. 3 Mallards with broods of 7, 7 & 5 resp. A Hare was in the field to the west of the pool. On the road as I walked to the Oddie Hide path, a Stoat was back and forth and got close (but not still enough to be captured 'on film').

From the South-facing Hide @ 10.50 am, another 7 or so regulars inc. a Shelduck pair with 6, and then from the Oddie, superb views of a female Marsh Harrier that was sitting on a rock on the west end of the north shore for a good 10 minutes before flying off north, pursued by a couple of bullying Crows. Five Herons, a pair of Mute Swans plus 5 cygnets and a Mallard plus 7 continued the 'aaaaaargh' moments.

11.35 am at East Chevington, a(nother) female Marsh Harrier appeared at 11.50 am, hunting the reeds along the north shore of the North Pool. On and next to the water there were another 18 or so species. And on the South Pool, 7 but nothing to get too excited about.

And so off to Amble for bite to eat and a look at the sea. All very pleasant but as usual, nothing out of the ordinary.

And now the naff photos;

 

[Barred Wobbler]

The bean goose is a master of disguise. I went for it last week and all I could see were canadas and a couple of mute swans. I was about to get back in the car when I noticed a smudge in the long grass next to the swans (the canadas were on the short-cropped grass).

The smudge shifted a little and I could see it was a goose, but obscured by the grass. Eventually it stuck its head up for a look around. Bean Goose.

I think that it gets itself into the long grass for a feed and it looks as if it doesn't exist.

 

[The Liverbirder]

Alan - grateful as ever. I have dusted off my safari suit and pith helmet and will be back tomorrow.

 

[ukjesters]

hen harriers...

i was invited out this afternoon by martin kitching to go and see the hen harriers in northumberland and this post is to thank martin and phil curtis (and the other two gentlemen (volunteer wardens) whose names escape me!) for an excellant few hours. not only did we see both adults - complete with food passes, and the youngsters on the web cam but we were also being watched by countryfile - as the beebs finest were filming there as well and allegedly were gonna be on it!!

so cheers again for a very informative and pleasant afternoon out and i urge anyone who wants to see these birds to check out the availability of the safaris or contact martin himself as he also conducts wildlife tours in the area.

Regards
Rick

 

[craigthirlwell]

i was invited out this afternoon by martin kitching to go and see the hen harriers in northumberland and this post is to thank martin and phil curtis (and the other two gentlemen (volunteer wardens) whose names escape me!) for an excellant few hours. not only did we see both adults - complete with food passes, and the youngsters on the web cam but we were also being watched by countryfile - as the beebs finest were filming there as well and allegedly were gonna be on it!!

so cheers again for a very informative and pleasant afternoon out and i urge anyone who wants to see these birds to check out the availability of the safaris or contact martin himself as he also conducts wildlife tours in the area.

Regards
Rick

The last time i was there i was told that the little uns were due to fledge between the 14th and 16th. Are they still around??

 

[ukjesters]

yeah, the little blighters are acting like spoiled teenagers and are reluctant to fly the nest!

lovely views of them though so it isn't all bad!

 

[John Fleet]

Did the safari with the Forestry commission on Sunday which was great - good views of the local Peregrines as well - a major worry for the chicks when they do eventually fledge. Anyone going in the evening is STRONGLY advised to take their Midge repellant!

 

[The Liverbirder]

Been Goose

Tried again - no geese to be seen at Longhirst (or Bothal) and only two Canadas with 11 wee ones at Linton. Has the Bean been and gone?

6 Little Gulls at Cresswell but little else there or at The Pools (as far as I could see at 11 am; Temminck's Stint on Birdguides at 10am!!).

Little Egret right outside the east hide at Low Hauxley.

 

[The Liverbirder]

Arcot at Tea Time

Bright and sunny and a bit less windy than earlier today. The four cygnets remain fit and healthy, the Common Tern pair appear settled and the one remaining BN Grebe likewise. Otherthan that, nothing new or worth getting too excited about.