Avocets Return

Half-term holiday in February is rarely very exciting, but looking back at my posts there was plenty to keep the interest going. I think it is all a matter of choosing sites to make the most of the weather and regular visits to local patches will always pay off, as my trip to Cresswell Pond showed this morning. 2 Avocets, no doubt the first of many in the county this year.

Yesterday I noticed a freshly killed Barn Owl just North of Widdrington Village, as I headed for Bamburgh. On my return  thought I'd better check it to see if it had a ring. I know IR rings Barn Owls in the area. Well it was ringed (see above) IR denies responsibility (for the ringing) so I've sent details to BTO but I know they'll be  tad slower than my contacts in Norway ;-)  .

Winter Projects to Keep you Busy?

Well if the birding is a little slow as you await the arrival of Wheatears and Martins take a closer look at the birds along the shore.

Colour-ringed projects include most of our wintering shorebirds. (Below are some notes sent to me by Kjell Mork Soot.)

www.svalbardbirds.com/Sorkappoya-filer/sorkappoya.htm

We are ringing  waders at Svalbard (Longyearbyen Feltbiologiske Forening=LoFF) in co-operation with Norsk Polarinstitutt (NP), and in western Norway (Sunnmøre Ringing Group). I will mention the projects here:

This season we have  started cr-marking Little Stint . (Metal ring left tarsus. Usually red cr-ring over the metal ring. Right tarsus yellow ring engraved with 3 black letters).

We have also other projects.We hope, of course,  that you will look for flagged Common Ringed Plover, Grey Plover ,  Common Sandpiper  and  Curlew Sandpiper  in the future ! These species have red colour ring on left tibia   and yellow flag engraved with 3 black letters on  right tibia.

 We also flag Common Redshank with yellow colour ring left tibia and orange  flag engraved with 3 black letters on right tibia.

We colour ring  Curlew   : orange plain ring on left tibia and orange ring engraved with 3 black letters on right tibia.

And the passerines  Rock Pipit  (Anthus petrosus) , Waxwing (Bombicilla garrulus) , Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba) and Grashopper Warbler (Locustella naevia)  with yellow ring engraved with 3 black letters at right tarsus.

In addition a long running project studying Sanderling is monitored by Jeroen Reneerkens and the Black-headed Gulls monitored by Morten Helberg at email morten.helberg@bio.uio.no

Purple Sandpiper (Colour-ringed)

Found this Purple Sandpiper at Newbiggin today. Sent of the details to Kjell Mork Soot in Norway and early this afternoon I had a reply! Technology is quite amazing these days; from the digital camera, communication via email and finally tweeting and blogging the outcome.

Ring no : Stavanger 8B10335.

Flag lime HAE ( Left tarsus : metal. Left tibia : orange colour ring.  Right tibia: lime flag engraved with three black letters HAE)

Age/sex: 2K+  male/ 2cy+ male (hatched 2009 or before)

Ringing date: 02.08.2010, 13 hrs

Ringing place: Longyearbyen (78.13.13N-15.40.06E)  Svalbard / Spitsbergen

Ringer: Ole Edvard Torland

Obeserved  03.06 + 04.06.2012 Longyearbyen (Kjell Mork Soot)

Finding date: 21.02.2014, 10 a.m.

Observed : Newbiggin  (55.11N-01.31W) Northumberland, England.

Remarks:    Photodocumented. Distinct photo of the flag.

Distance: 2643 km SSW. Direction:  205  deg. Time : 3-6-19. (3 years-6 months - 19 days).

 

A fantastic day birding the patches. Even when the birding is slow (which it wasn't today) a close examination of the shorebirds can be very rewarding. I'll publish more details of the projects to look out for tomorrow. 

Hulne Park

Maidenhair spleenwort? Followed the red route. Very relaxing.

A Walk in the Park

Ater an aborted walk at the coast the thoughts of shelter in Hulne Park, Alnwick seemed a good decision. I followed the red route (4.7 Miles) and was delighted with the birdng. 4 Pairs of Buzzard displaying. 4 Dippers including territorial disputes and the amazing song fom one bird. Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Nuthatches calling from many locations.

At home one of the many House Sparrows visiting the garden.

In the country park two Norwegian ringed BHGs.
Above:

Date	Place	Coordinates	Observers	Days/km/°
19.04 2013	Løkketangen, Bærum, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°53'29"N 010°31'19"E	Helberg, Morten Lorentzen, Nils Helge	-
26.04 2013	Kadettangen, Bærum, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°53'14"N 010°31'48"E	Mjelde, John Martin	7/1/135
29.04 2013	Engervannet, Bærum, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°53'38"N 010°31'32"E	Pedersen, Johnny R.	10/0/35
01.05 2013	Kadettangen, Bærum, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°53'14"N 010°31'48"E	Pedersen, Johnny R.	12/1/135
14.05 2013	Kadettangen, Bærum, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°53'14"N 010°31'48"E	Pedersen, Johnny R.	25/1/135
20.11 2013	Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, Great Britain	55°17'38"N 001°34'52"W	Hodgson, Mike S.	215/883/239
10.01 2014	Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, Great Britain	55°17'38"N 001°34'52"W	Patterson, Tom	266/883/239
20.02 2014	Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, Great Britain	55°17'38"N 001°34'52"W	Elliott, David	307/883/239

CR-Code White ring with black code: J6CZ LBWN(J6CZ);RBM
Ringing Centre Stavanger Museum (Norway) Ring number 6153473
Species Black-headed Gull  Larus ridibundus
Sex Unknown Age 3 cy+

Date	Place	Coordinates	Observers	Days/km/°
29.04 2013	Østensjøvannet, Oslo, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°52'51"N 010°49'57"E	Lome, Carsten Sandøy, John	-
30.04 2013	Østensjøvannet, Oslo, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°52'51"N 010°49'57"E	Isaksen, Kjell	1/0/0
14.06 2013	Østensjøvannet, Oslo, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°52'51"N 010°49'57"E	Sandøy, John	46/0/0
01.07 2013	Østensjøvannet, Oslo, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°52'51"N 010°49'57"E	Evenrud, Jon Johansen, Arnkjell	63/0/0
02.07 2013	Østensjøvannet, Oslo, Akershus & Oslo, Norway	59°52'51"N 010°49'57"E	Mjelde, John Martin	64/0/0
20.11 2013	Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, Great Britain	55°17'38"N 001°34'52"W	Hodgson, Mike S.	205/897/240
14.12 2013	Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, Great Britain	55°17'38"N 001°34'52"W	Elliott, David	229/897/240
20.02 2014	Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, Great Britain	55°17'38"N 001°34'52"W	Elliott, David	297/897/240

CR-Code White ring with black code: J1TL LBM;RBWN(J1TL)
Ringing Centre Stavanger Museum (Norway) Ring number K03055
Species Black-headed Gull  Larus ridibundus
Sex Male Age 3 cy+


The weather was excellent as I finished the day back at Chev; Slav, Red-necked, and Little Grebes, 2 Long-tailed Duck and lots of accompanying wildfowl all in good light.

Hulne Park

Chevington Charmers

I will replace this netting today with another feeder. Thanks to the generous person who keeps stocking the feeders.

I think the rich brown fur indicates Bank Vole?

Could this be similar to the views many had of the YRW?

Weasily identified this one

Avoiding the Birders

Around the patches on Sunday and Monday.

The Chev feeding station can easily occupy an hour. Plenty to admire.

Maiden's Hall Lake has a good selection of waterfowl, scan the south shore to find the hidden gadwall and lapwing.

Too many birders at Chev meant a detour to the dunes and it was nice to meet N&M. Just then the 1st Year M Harrier appeared in the sunlight.

Druridge today hosted a Black-throated Diver (wonder if it is the same one touring the inland pools).

Jacob Sheep? What a sight!

Widdrington Moor Lake is really developing nicely. Good numbers of waterfowl; 4 buzzards, 20 yellowhammers, 6 linnet and 8 stock doves. Definitely a site to watch this year. (Prediction ... LRP)

Park Life

A visit to QE II park lake, Ashington. Good opportunity for close-ups of common birds. In the surrounding woodland Redpoll, Siskin and several Red Squirrels.

Harrier makes an early return

A very dull day with persistent drizzle. However the birding was enough to brighten up the week. ATh put me on to a cream top Marsh Harrier standing in a distant field. The dark plumage suggsted it may have been a young bird.

The feeding station had the usual flock of Redpolls and a good mix of other birds including Long-tailed tits, Goldcrests and a single Chiffchaff.

The County Park feeders attracted 3 Bullfinch and many common birds. A tour of the other pools revealed a smart Black-throated Diver at Maidens Hall Lake but little else.

Druridge pool had the best waterfowl with 2 handsome Pintail.

Sunday Update

Saturday highlights included three Long-tailed Duck at Chev, 150 Fieldfare and GSW in cemetery West of Red Row, 2 White-fronted Geese at Druridge and a GSW in the garden.

Sunday and the birding continued to surprise. A Siskin now mixing with the 14+ Repoll and a GSW at Chev feeders. Slavonian, Great Crested and Little Grebes on the N Pool. 3 Pintail on the S Pool and a Peregrine over the track. Twite at Bell's Dunes. Slavonian Grebe and Scaup, new additions to the Widdrington Moor Lake list. ( I could scope the lake from my front room, just as well I'm not keeping a proper garden list.)

Loving the peace and quiet of winter birding and the lack of birders around the area.

Buzzing

9 Buzzards, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk and 3 Kestrels.

Not bad.

Then Black duck, Black redstart and Black guillemot. Well that was the plan ... ho hum! Actually the first duck at Chev was interesting until it revealed a white bar alongside the blue speculum.

The ringed Redpoll at Chev revealed more letters x677? . Might be one of IRs.

A great weekend after the hard slog of last week.