February ... where did that month go?

Frosty mornings, even icicles on the beach.

Long-billed Dowitcher giving some closer views this week.

Ah ... the rare Magpie Thrush (Pica turdus) at an undisclosed location.

A trip to Saltholme (RSPB) and earlier in the week to Harwood made a pleasant change but none of the target birds were seen.

Don't you just love the way there is always one stray reed.

This is the reason for the reduction in the juvenile Mute Swan numbers a Chev, I suspect.

Yet again a stick gets in the way ... boo hoo.

Spoonbill

This is information I just received about a colour ringed Spoonbill. There is a lot to get through but briefly I reported the bird in 2014. It was ringed as a 'pullus' in 2009 in the Netherlands. As you will see the co-ordinator of the research has been seriously ill and still has a long way to reach full recovery. However a team has stared to get information out to people (So if you're still waiting please be patient.)

first of all, our sincere apologies for not replying earlier on your
observation of a colour ringed Spoonbill,
Due to a serious illness of Otto Overdijk, the pivot on which everything
turned, and his very slow recovery, we had a serious backlog in processing
all the reports.
We first processed the 2015/2016 observations, and now we are working hard
to diminish the backlog of the older observations.

Thank you for your understanding and patience, and if there are questions
still unanswered, or just in case you have other observations of
colourringed Spoonbill, please feel free to contact me!

Unfortunately Otto is not fully recovered now, it will take some more time.

Nevertheless we have now a small group of enthusiastic people to process the observations of colourringed Spoonbills, and we are almost ready to process the new observations of this spring. The first Spoonbills arrived already in The Netherlands.

Would be great if you could observe and report colourringed Spoonbills in the (near) future!

Kind regards

On behalf of Werkgroep Lepelaar

Overview Spoonbill Resightings

David Elliott

YaL/YYfR

Resightings of this bird:

Site Observer(s)

Colourcode:

Date

Ringing site: Schiermonnikoog, Oosterkwelder

Name Ringer: Otto Overdijk

Ringing Date: 25-6-2009

The Netherlands

Ringnr: 8050679

Distance to

ringing site

Ageclass: pullus

6-9-2009 Lauwersmeer, Achter de Zwarte 53,40N 6,22E The Netherlands 10 km Eddie Douwma

12-9-2009 Lauwersmeer, Jaap Deensgat 53,38N 6,23E The Netherlands 11 km Egbert Boekema

16-9-2009 Cantabria, Bahia de Santona 43,45N -3,48E Spain 1325 SEO Santona

26-5-2011 Stockton-on-Tees, Black Salthol 54,60N -1,22E United Kingdom 503 k J.G Grieveson

27-5-2011 Northhumberland, N.R. Drurudg 55,28N -1,57E United Kingdom 545 k Mike S. Hodgson

30-5-2011 Cleveland, Saltholme 54,60N -1,22E United Kingdom 503 k Martin Blick

22-6-2011 Norfolk, Breydon Water 52,62N 1,72E United Kingdom 318 k John Burton

23-6-2011 Norfolk, Breydon Water 52,62N 1,72E United Kingdom 318 k John Burton

24-6-2011 Norfolk, Breydon Water 52,62N 1,72E United Kingdom 318 k Peter Allard

28-6-2011 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k Scott Mayson

1-7-2011 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k Peter Soper

2-7-2011 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k David Fairhurst

2-7-2011 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k Peter Soper

8-7-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

13-7-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k M.Golley & Wileman

16-7-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

16-7-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k Mark Golley

17-7-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

18-7-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

28-7-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David Lake

2-8-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

2-8-2011 Norfolk, Holkham 52,97N 0,80E United Kingdom 368 k Michael Rooney

5-8-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

7-8-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k Don Dorling

10-8-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

11-8-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k Mark Golley

12-8-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

zaterdag 27 februari 2016 Page 1

29-8-2011 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

13-6-2012 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k David Fairhurst

20-6-2012 Northumberland, Hauxley NR 55,32N -1,55E United Kingdom 545 k Mike S. Hodgson

24-6-2012 Norfolk, Cley Bird Reserve 52,97N 0,97E United Kingdom 357 k David & Pat Wileman

29-6-2012 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k David Fairhurst

7-7-2012 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

14-7-2012 Suffolk, Havergate Island 52,07N 1,52E United Kingdom 356 k Kieren Alexander

16-7-2012 Suffolk, Havergate Island 52,07N 1,52E United Kingdom 356 k Kieren Alexander

23-7-2012 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

29-7-2012 Suffolk, Havergate Island 52,07N 1,52E United Kingdom 356 k David Fairhurst

1-8-2012 Suffolk, Havergate Island 52,07N 1,52E United Kingdom 356 k Kieren Alexander

12-8-2012 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

19-8-2012 Suffolk, Havergate Island 52,07N 1,52E United Kingdom 356 k David Fairhurst

26-8-2012 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

1-9-2012 Suffolk, Havergate Island 52,07N 1,52E United Kingdom 356 k David Fairhurst

2-9-2012 Suffolk, Havergate Island 52,07N 1,52E United Kingdom 356 k David Fairhurst

20-5-2013 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k Robin Harvey

27-5-2013 Northumberland, Hauxley NR 55,32N -1,55E United Kingdom 545 k David Elliott

29-5-2013 Northumberland, Hauxley NR 55,32N -1,55E United Kingdom 545 k Paul Meesters

29-5-2013 Northumberland, Hauxley NR 55,32N -1,55E United Kingdom 545 k Tim Mason

8-6-2013 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

13-6-2013 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k David Fairhurst

24-6-2013 Suffolk, Minsmere reserve 52,23N 1,60E United Kingdom 342 k Katy Smith

25-4-2014 Northumberland, N.R. Druridge 55,28N -1,57E United Kingdom 545 k David Elliott

25-4-2014 Northumberland, N.R. Druridge 55,28N -1,57E United Kingdom 545 k Ian Douglas

15-5-2014 Northumberland, N.R. Druridge 55,28N -1,57E United Kingdom 545 k Mike S. Hodgson

26-7-2014 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

2-8-2014 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

9-8-2014 Suffolk, Orfordness 52,07N 1,47E United Kingdom 359 k Mike Marsh

zaterdag 27 februari 2016 Page 2

Bob Loos

Dear observer,

Thanks for forwarding your observation! In the appendix of this e-mail you
will find an overview of all observations of  the bird(s) you reported. We
would like to ask you to check the overview and report any mistakes to us.

On our website you can find more information about the spoonbill project:
www.metawad.nl  and www.werkgroeplepelaar.nl .

We are working on a website for online sighting entry where you can see the
life histories of the birds you observed. We hope it will be available in
the course of 2016.

From 2015 on we will stop with the Yellow flags, because we are running out
of combinations. We will also stop with Dark Blue and Lime. Dark Blue is
often confused with Green and Lime is no longer available. As replacement,
we will start with Black and Light Blue flags.
Be aware! The metal ring was and is part of the combination and the place
where the metal ring sits is important. Both the old and the new ringing
combinations consist of: 1 flag, 4 colourrings and 1 metal ring.

The colours that will be used from now on are:
Black = N(oir), Green = G(reen), Red = R(ed), Yellow = Y(ellow), Pale Blue =
P(ale Blue) and the metal ring (a)
The colours that are no longer used, but are still present in the older
combinations are Dark Blue (B) and Lime (L).

The colour of the flag reveals the origin of the bird (i.e. where it was
born):
The Netherlands: previously Yellow flag (Yf), from now on Black flag (Nf)
Belgium: previously Dark Blue flag (Bf), from now on Black flag (Nf)
Germany: Green flag (Gf)
Portugal: previously Dark Blue flag (Bf), from now on Light Blue flag (Pf)
Mauritania: Red flag (Rf)

Hope to hear from you again!

Otto Overdijk, Harry Horn, Bob Loos, Kees Vliet Vlieland, Carl Zuhorn, Tamar
Lok & Petra de Goeij

Potholes Filled .. Grass Cut

Plenty of Finch flocks in the Bay. Goldfinch and Linnets North of Druridge Pools, Twite and Linnet South of the Pools.

Thanks to NCC for filling the holes along the Chevington track. Although a short-term fix it is a big improvement. The pothole reporting part of the website is very good as I only reported the problem a week earlier.

At last today the beach all quiet. Half-term holiday over. (Not what I would have said two years ago!) The first lambs are in the fields around Druridge Farm Cottages and I got the lawn mower out today to tidy up the garden.

Some lovely close in Red-throated Divers in the bay.

Hobbies

Barn Owls everywhere. I found 6 different sites in two days within 5 miles of my house. They are probably finding the hunting difficult (wet, cold nights) and so they have continued hunting well into the daylight hours.

Other wildlife of note: Stoat (almost all white),  Foxes at 3 locations, Roe Deer, Hares and Rabbits.

Hope you like the carefully positioned strand of grass .... ****** .

Common Scoter

Whoopers near Druridge. (19 in field NW of pools)

Fieldfares still near Widdrington.

The Marsh Harrier is still present at Chevington.

Wigeon at Cresswell

Oh ... the title. No not the bird, the past-time. A text from BD on Sunday to inform me of Bearded Tit calling at Chev had me scouring the reserve every day without success. 2014 and 2015 I saw birds in early March but then it was days later before I got seconds. Seems like I will have to wait a while.

Amazingly I noticed this picture in the newsagent and was intrigued. So I bought a copy. Although my father kept caged birds when I was young, I was never really interested. I have always preferred the wild ones. I was gob-smacked to learn that people keep Bearded Tits. The article states that the bird are kept in a 'spacious' 3.9m long x1.2m wide x2.1m high flight (cage). In the wild I watch their aerial displays with vertical flights of 10m, their ability to cover the whole length of Chev in minutes.

It got me wondering about how people perceive others hobbies. I know I can't make judgements being a meat-eater and  so many of my judgements are flawed. But, have these people seen wild birds? Strangely enough the publication (Cage and Avary Birds) was really interesting. Articles about; Feeding garden birds, Taxonomy of Asian thrush species and Migration mapping. 

On the other hand the adverts were rather distressing; Himalayan Snowcock £700 (pair), Elegant Crested Tinamou £250 (pair) etc..

Typing this I'm sitting by the window enjoying; Goldfinch Chaffinch, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Hedge Sparrow, Robin, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Blue Tit and Coal Tit. All these birds free and it costs me a few quid a week to fill up the feeders. Nest Boxes in the garden and in a few months some House Martins under the eaves.

Cold and Bright

Cold, Sunny mornings but the Skylarks were in full song flight today. Ringed Plover were also displaying on the beach.

Nice light for photos.

The Waxwing, still at Widdrington, favours the side of the Hawthorn away from the road making it tricky to get a shot through the branches.

Goosander still putting on a good show.

Nice walk along the beach at Newbiggin. Lots of common waders and this rather nice Linnet.

Back for Seconds.

Crossbills couldn't be found today but some rather splendid Siskins attacking the cones instead.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust

This magnificent Stile was completed this week. A hard-working Trust employee spent the whole day toiling to complete it. Well done! This is over a fence into an enclosed piece of wood that is used by groups of children to make temporary shelters. During the summer they tear down the branches and complete various other useful 'survival' tasks.

Oh! ******!

There is already a gate into this wood (less than 20m away)!

You've got to laugh?

No sign of the work promised at Chevington in January either?

A Nice Variety

Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl and Marsh Harrier started the walk from Druridge to Chevington. (I hadn't seen the Harrier for over a week but glad to see it is still around.)

The Water Rail has been showing well but I still can't manage a good photo. A call from BB alerted me to a Waxwing 0.5 miles from my house. I arrived just as it disappeared, but after a couple of drives along the road eventually allowed me to connect. It was still there today (09/02/2016) but it can disappear into the tall trees to rest and digest its crop full of berries.

This Guillemot looks a bit undernourished but still managed to waddle, swim and dive.

Plenty of feeder action in the garden and Country Park.

A good number of different aged White-fronted Geese at Cresswell.

Finally ... it's almost time for Hayfever Tablets?

Country Park Crossbills