A Trickle ...

Arctic Skuas

Great Skua

Seawatching was quite productive this week but no rares. The best I managed was a Sooty Shearwater in great light that kept getting closer and closer eventually banking and showing the silvery underside. (I was so busy watching it that I forgot to take a photo.)

ID when I get around to it.

A distant Pied Flycatcher and a good flock of interesting mixed birds at Chevington. In this case I had several attempts to get a record shot. It then was chased away by the Goldfinches. I thought I had failed to capture it but on checking at home I think I did well. (Don't forget to click on photos to enlarge.)

That damn twig makes it look like a godwit :-(

 

Miscellaneous (plus)

Greenshank

Avocet (juvenile)

Grey Heron

(2) Little Egrets

Great White Egret

In fact one morning Cresswell Pond had 7 Grey, 9 Little and 1 GWE

Tricky when apart.

Hemp Agrimony

Juvenile Little Gull

Pintail

An early returner. It has been at East Chevington for over a week now. Yesterday saw a big movement of Teal and 200+ dropped in at the North pool.

I can still see you!

Black Terns at Chev. (2 maybe 3) First thoughts were this might have been a White-winged Black. White upper tail and no flank smudge. Talked myself out of it!

Beacon Point

Weed Wide Web

Spotted Flycatcher

Great when a plan works. Early morning, Druridge got to be a Pied Flycatcher. Well almost ... but still very happy with it.

Who needs a Rufous-tailed Chat when you can have a Wren instead.?

Migrant Hawkers

Tachina fera

Gold Spot

Bit of Seawatching

Couple of Cranes

Where are the chips?

*%££"!

Roker Pier

Whinchat

 

Teaser

Redshank

Ringed 10/12/2018

Welwick Saltmarsh (Humber)

1st Winter

Observed Amble

first re-sighting

Plume Moth sp?

I must add this is not one of Gary's!

Wheatear

Apart from a busy day at Hedgeley with 6+ birders present. ( I'll leave you guessing what caused the twitch!) I spent last week at various locations including Berwick, Rothbury and Powburn. 

I did enjoy the brief sighting of two 'large' bats during the day near Berwick.

 

Learning Curve

Wasp

Diphysus quadripunctoris

Well that is what I thought. A similar looking Ichneumon might be correct though.

Greenshank

Cresswell continues to host a variety of waders. Yesterday a Little Stint was a nice surprise but by the time I got to the hide it had gone. A Harrier overhead quickly followed by a hunting Merlin probably hastened its departure.

Emerald Damselflies

Sermylassa halensis

Again, my best guess. A similar looking carabid fit the bill but didn't fit the habitat.

Little Egret

According to BiN 2001 (twenty years ago ... great at maths huh!) it was classed as a rare visitor. How many of us now take little notice of them? 11 today at Cresswell. It is worth noting that a check for Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret or Western Reef Heron can fill a dull few minutes when the birding is 'slow'.

Little Ringed Plover