Friday 27 April 2018

Same Old ...


Well like many of the Birdwatching Magazines the photos and stories become very familiar after three years because there is an obvious pattern to the sightings. However one of he delights of 'birding' is that there are always surprises. 


Great White Egret


Red-rumped Swallow


Grasshopper Warbler


Common Whitethroat


Sedge Warbler


Newbiggin

This new flash is perfect for some spring Stints?


Thrift (Sea Pink)
(Armeria maritima)


Common Dog Violet
(Viola riviniana)






Tuesday 24 April 2018

Welcome Home!


Garganey

Spring
A great season to be birding. Anticipating long-travelled birds returning to their breeding grounds.


Chifchaff


Blackcap (Male)


More Black ...



Ruddy Duck


Red Squirrel



Bee Fly



Red Deer



White Wagtail


Yellow Wagtail


Call it what you want!



Red Crested Pochard


Spoonbill



Wheatear
(or White A...)


Sedge Warbler


Lesser Whitethroat

A bit of a colour theme going on. 

Then with Common Whitethroat, House Martin, Arctic Tern, Grasshopper Warbler, Reed Warbler, Swift (today), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and Whimbrel arriving this week it can't get much better.


Wednesday 11 April 2018

Some Spring Moments



Lovley to know this warbler made it through the winter.



Almost in full summer plumage.
Slavonian Grebe



Red Dead-nettle
(Lamium purpureum)


Sweet Violet
(Viola odorata)


Brown Hare


Buff Ermine
(Spilosoma luteum)

Very surprised to find this crawling up the blinds at home. (6/04/2018)

Friday 6 April 2018

Black and Blue ...

... but not sore!


News of a Bluethroat at Newbiggin certainly  made the start to April memorable especially for the finder Gary Storey. Patch birding well rewarded!


The visiting birders were amazingly well behaved and although telescopes were essential for good views it enabled the bird to feed undisturbed.


I made two further visits later in the week but on both occasions I left without seeing the bird. Probably because of the less patient behaviour of some of the visitors.



Black Redstarts also put on a good show. I managed separate birds at Snab, Cresswell Village, Cresswell Pond, DBCP and East Chevington.



This little Merlin although distant was a nice surprise at East Chevington. A female Marsh Harrier (minus two inner primaries on left wing) failed to linger.


Today these Whoopers arrived. One has a very distinctive/unusual bill pattern.


Wheatear, 100+ Sand Martins, 1 Swallow were nice to see back on the Patch.


Wellies Essential for Druridge birding.
However the Budge Field is alive with waders and worth the visit. 50+ Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff and 20 Snipe. (The one above pretending to be a duck?)

Water Pipits at Chev and Druridge still. The Druridge bird is moulting an starting to show some pink colouring. Hope it stays a little longer.