Sunday 27 December 2015

Hanging On


Up to 50 Twite have been feeding and drinking at the Burnmouh, East Chev.


Water Pipit still lingering near the coal road but getting harder to locate. A brief sighing was 'reported' earlier today (27th Dec).



Still checking Amble Harbour ... no big rewards yet.



Monster in the Harbour!


A lot of water about (but mustn't complain ... we're not in Cumbria or Lancashire).



A distant Slavonian Grebe on the North Pool and the Marsh Harrier on the South Pool.

 


Having notice a couple of Iceland Gulls (DBCP) last week I spotted another in fields near the Hauxley turn off. Today there wasn't a gull in the field but DBCP had this rather smart one.


Trick to et exposure right. It was a bright sunny day and despite trying I never quite got it perfect, hey ho!



Juvenile Iceland Gull



At one stage picked up reeds and started snapping them. I wonder if it was looking for wintering larvae?



Just a few more days and the listers will be back to zero for the year. I think I'll avoid Chev on Saturday?


Thursday 17 December 2015

Getting Quieter ... NO


Early start at Warkworth and this Little Egret caught the eye. I have emailed Richard Hearn but the automated reply and his blog last updated in January mean It may take some time for info.



Having checked Amble regularly recently my trip to Warkworth allowed me to explore the North Pier roost but I drew a blank with White-wingers.


When I arrived at the Country Park (DBCP) Ladyburn lake I was amazed to find; 300 Herring, 100 Common and 100 Black-headed Gulls. 

Closer inspection also revealed this first-winter Iceland Gull.




Then this one appeared  this is also a Juv. Iceland Gull but at a more advance state of plumage. The dark iris turns paler in the second year. (Always learning!)


As I wandered around Chev later I was informed of a Lapland Bunting sighting in the dunes but sadly I failed to relocate it. I was compensated by a flock of 30 Twite.

Wednesday 16 December 2015

More Water ...


I returned on Monday (14/12/2015) to check on the Water Pipit and found two!

My initial sighting on Sunday was of two pipits but when I returned with CB (Once again thanks Chris for the help with the ID.) one of the two pipits was a meadow pipit. (Three bird theory?)




This is what confused me on my first sighting. The two birds in different light look rather different.


The birds returned to the same area on several occasions and were finding larvae very easily. A lot of people visited the site on Tuesday morning but to my knowledge none of them shared the information.

Poor shot of Dowitcher... but it is still present at Cresswell and at times giving better views through the telescope.


Early morning at Newbiggin


Brent Goose on the Golf Course at Newbiggin.


Kestrel after a bath.


Oh, and another pipit, Rock this time.
The weather was quite remarkable today and the seaweed at Hauxley was teeming with flies. Rock Pipits, Pied Wagtails an Meadow Pipits were making the most of the food supply.

Sunday 13 December 2015

Finches and a Pipit or Two


Twite



Lesser Redpoll


A cold and still morning and my walk from Druridge to DBCP was mostly about the finches.


A colourful collection


On the way back I found two pipits. One looked interesting but was closely associating with a second which looked more like a meadow pipit. So I headed back to Druridge and returned to Chev in the car taking my field guide with me. (I have made the mistake of confusing Littoralis Rock Pipit and Water Pipit before.)


I met CB and mentioned my funny pipit. We arrived to find it still present with the Meadow Pipit. Chris managed some good photos with important details and we agreed it was a Water Pipit . It did eventually fly South and CB and HG relocated it in the field just South of Druridge Pools. Sadly when I arrived there with BB and RD it had just flown South again. I am sure it is now on the Budge field but will take a lucky spot to find it on there.



Hope my ID of the pipit is correct. Let me know if I've messed it up again.


Features: Bold spercillium, Clear double wing bar, White outer tail feathers, Orange-brown unstreaked rump, very pale colour, streaking restricted mainly to upper breast, streaking on flanks diffuse and dark brown legs.