Especially when there were FIVE of them! Also Bramling, Siskin, Waxwings, Fieldfares and Woodcocks as supporting cast.
Monday, 20 December 2010
LEO
Long-eared Owl. Worth a snowy Sunday trek? Oh yeah!
Especially when there were FIVE of them! Also Bramling, Siskin, Waxwings, Fieldfares and Woodcocks as supporting cast.
Especially when there were FIVE of them! Also Bramling, Siskin, Waxwings, Fieldfares and Woodcocks as supporting cast.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Heronistic Northumberland
A morning well spent with Morpeth's finest on the River Wansbeck: Squacco Heron
... and the afternoon getting boggy in Alnwick with a Great White Egret:
Who needs Cornwall with Green Heron and American Bittern, eh? Good to bump into PC wanderings and Foghorn who was back for seconds. Also Stef McElwee and Shaun . Good banter all day made up for the somewhat wet feet!
... and the afternoon getting boggy in Alnwick with a Great White Egret:
Who needs Cornwall with Green Heron and American Bittern, eh? Good to bump into PC wanderings and Foghorn who was back for seconds. Also Stef McElwee and Shaun . Good banter all day made up for the somewhat wet feet!
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Wax on Wax off
I got a little impatient waiting for some local Waxwings the other weekend so after a productive trip up to Sleddale with my daughter, we took a circular route back to Thirsk via Kirkbymoorside where some waxwings had been reported on Birdguides. Add a little sunshine into the mix and here are the results:
More seem to be appearing closer now with reports in Middlesbrough and Strensall today.
More seem to be appearing closer now with reports in Middlesbrough and Strensall today.
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Friday Warblers
Friday 22 June 2010
I had a little outing down to Derbyshire to see and hear the Great Reed Warbler that has been a long-stayer at Straw's Bridge NR near Ilkeston. A bit further afield than I would normally go, but I decided it would be worth the trip after seeing some footage online. What a loud call! Despite showing "like a porn star" according to one blogger a week or so ago, I had to make do with the occasional reed top perch and sway or the odd few seconds zipping in and out of the lower, greener reeds. No worthwhile photos and a rainy walk back to the car, but worth it.
I called in at Edderthorpe Flash on my way home and after working out the position of a report on Birdguides, I managed to come across four local Barnsley birders and see another lifer, again a warbler in the form of a Marsh Warbler, doing a cracking Song Thrush impression and again playing hide and seek GRW style! Good to hear a pair of Cuckoo here too and a drake Garganey by the roadside of the flash was the day's bonus bird. Always nice to see.
I had a little outing down to Derbyshire to see and hear the Great Reed Warbler that has been a long-stayer at Straw's Bridge NR near Ilkeston. A bit further afield than I would normally go, but I decided it would be worth the trip after seeing some footage online. What a loud call! Despite showing "like a porn star" according to one blogger a week or so ago, I had to make do with the occasional reed top perch and sway or the odd few seconds zipping in and out of the lower, greener reeds. No worthwhile photos and a rainy walk back to the car, but worth it.
I called in at Edderthorpe Flash on my way home and after working out the position of a report on Birdguides, I managed to come across four local Barnsley birders and see another lifer, again a warbler in the form of a Marsh Warbler, doing a cracking Song Thrush impression and again playing hide and seek GRW style! Good to hear a pair of Cuckoo here too and a drake Garganey by the roadside of the flash was the day's bonus bird. Always nice to see.
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
Bank Holiday round-up
I spent Friday mainly in traffic, as I'd decided to try to find the Black stork reported across in Deepdale, to the west of Barnard Castle. I knew that there would be road works on the A1, but I didn't know that the A66 west would be packed solid. the reason: Appleby horse fair this week. Endless queues as vehicles wait to overtake horse-drawn caravans... A scenic diversion up to the A67 and a trail through BC town centre and finally at Lartington. Hours later after a good bit of chat with some DBC members, no Black Stork. Highlights were Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Curlew, with several House Martins and Swallows passing overhead. There seemed to be constant shooting in the woodland, so who knows when the Stork departed - it wasn't seen after 0950 that morning.
A quick look in at Back Saltholme and Port Clarence to check for Stints and no joy there either.
Better luck on Saturday though with Little Stint being located on the A178 side of PC flood in the grassland. Quite a rufous back to it and quite flighty too. I'd just missed the Curlew Sandpiper though - this had flown north, possibly onto Back Saltholme. So that's where I headed next. Plenty of Yellow Wagtails still around on the path from the Visitor Centre to Back Saltholme hide and a Fox spotted on Wet Grassland too. The Curlew Sandpiper, in non-breeding plumage was swiftly picked up on a spit near the Clarence end on the pool and with a few Dunlin for comparison. Nice! Different to the sum-plum one I saw last year.
On Sunday we had a family trip up along the escarpmaent from Sutton Bank to White Horse Bank, which was full of walkers and dogs... until a heavy hail shower! English weather, eh? Highlights were 1 Peregrine hanging in the wind towards Hood Hill, 2 Kestrels and a Common Buzzard (unfortunately not a Honey Buzzard). Plenty of Siskin visiting the feeders outside the gift shop in the two minutes I was there.
I had a trip to Lingham water and Nosterfield NR on Monday. Very few waders except Oycs, Redshank and Ringed Plover. Avocet on each too, but nothing to match the Black Winged Stilt. Will there ever be? A pair of Goldeneye seemed to be a late departure, in amongst the Tufties, Pochard and Shelduck (with little humbug shelducklings).
A quick look in at Back Saltholme and Port Clarence to check for Stints and no joy there either.
Better luck on Saturday though with Little Stint being located on the A178 side of PC flood in the grassland. Quite a rufous back to it and quite flighty too. I'd just missed the Curlew Sandpiper though - this had flown north, possibly onto Back Saltholme. So that's where I headed next. Plenty of Yellow Wagtails still around on the path from the Visitor Centre to Back Saltholme hide and a Fox spotted on Wet Grassland too. The Curlew Sandpiper, in non-breeding plumage was swiftly picked up on a spit near the Clarence end on the pool and with a few Dunlin for comparison. Nice! Different to the sum-plum one I saw last year.
On Sunday we had a family trip up along the escarpmaent from Sutton Bank to White Horse Bank, which was full of walkers and dogs... until a heavy hail shower! English weather, eh? Highlights were 1 Peregrine hanging in the wind towards Hood Hill, 2 Kestrels and a Common Buzzard (unfortunately not a Honey Buzzard). Plenty of Siskin visiting the feeders outside the gift shop in the two minutes I was there.
I had a trip to Lingham water and Nosterfield NR on Monday. Very few waders except Oycs, Redshank and Ringed Plover. Avocet on each too, but nothing to match the Black Winged Stilt. Will there ever be? A pair of Goldeneye seemed to be a late departure, in amongst the Tufties, Pochard and Shelduck (with little humbug shelducklings).
Saturday, 8 May 2010
Notterel (No dotterel)
I had a trip to Danby Beacon yesterday, one of the key migration stop offs at this time of year for Dotterel. A sharp NE wind was blowing and it felt freezing! May? Maybe not! No sign of any Dotterel although sightings have been coming in from the Yorkshire Dales, Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire. However, I did see some striking sumplum Golden Plover, with their mournful cries and Lapwing, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Red Grouse of course. Several Wheatear around the rockier area to the east of the beacon itself too.
Red Grouse female
On the way up/across I took time to check Sleddale. Again, plenty of Wheatear on the Commondale side of the cattle grid uphill from Percy Rigg. Also Pied Wagtail, Lapwing, Curlew, Meadow Pipit and not a single raptor...
Finally, on my way home, I took an excursion via Swainby, Osmotherly and Hawnby, stopping off in the Arden/Hawnby estate following a tip-off from Lapland for Pied Flycatcher, which was exactly where I'd been told. No Redstart though, so perhaps I'll try Ashberry YWT again this year or Garbutt Wood YWT soon.
Pied Flycatcher
Red Grouse female
On the way up/across I took time to check Sleddale. Again, plenty of Wheatear on the Commondale side of the cattle grid uphill from Percy Rigg. Also Pied Wagtail, Lapwing, Curlew, Meadow Pipit and not a single raptor...
Finally, on my way home, I took an excursion via Swainby, Osmotherly and Hawnby, stopping off in the Arden/Hawnby estate following a tip-off from Lapland for Pied Flycatcher, which was exactly where I'd been told. No Redstart though, so perhaps I'll try Ashberry YWT again this year or Garbutt Wood YWT soon.
Pied Flycatcher
Sunday, 2 May 2010
In Beds again
Saturday 1 May 2010
Kept things a little more local with a trip around Flitton Moor, which runs into Flitwick Moor BNCPWT reserve. As I passed Flitton Church, I noticed a Kestrel perching on the De Grey Mausoleum. There were plenty of warblers along the river and around the pond with Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all noted. A Grey Heron was taking a break from nest building on the moor itself. Two Grey Partridges were accidently flushed and seen in flight. The main highlight was a Cuckoo calling and with a little patience, seen in flight then perching in trees and on wires nearby, always a little too distant for a decent photo frustratingly!
Sunday 2 May 2010
A return to Rookery Pit, in the hope of seeing more Hobbies and perhaps catching up with a long staying RC Pochard. I was unlucky on both counts... Pochard, Tufted Duck, Shoveler and GC Grebe all seen as well as Coot, Moorhen and several gull species: GBB, BH etc. A couple of Common and Arctic Terns, but no Black today. Again a Cuckoo heard towards Stewartby chimneys.
No sign of the Turtle Doves along Green Lane between the station and Scrapyard Corner, but I did see a Weasel crossing the road in the cul-de-sac by the yard.
A quick check around the Millbrook side of MVCP for Whinchat or any other seasonal arrivals and empty handed again... All in all though, some very enjoyable birding and great to meet a few Beds birders including Lee Evans, Martin Palmer and Neil Wright.
Back soon!
Kept things a little more local with a trip around Flitton Moor, which runs into Flitwick Moor BNCPWT reserve. As I passed Flitton Church, I noticed a Kestrel perching on the De Grey Mausoleum. There were plenty of warblers along the river and around the pond with Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all noted. A Grey Heron was taking a break from nest building on the moor itself. Two Grey Partridges were accidently flushed and seen in flight. The main highlight was a Cuckoo calling and with a little patience, seen in flight then perching in trees and on wires nearby, always a little too distant for a decent photo frustratingly!
Sunday 2 May 2010
A return to Rookery Pit, in the hope of seeing more Hobbies and perhaps catching up with a long staying RC Pochard. I was unlucky on both counts... Pochard, Tufted Duck, Shoveler and GC Grebe all seen as well as Coot, Moorhen and several gull species: GBB, BH etc. A couple of Common and Arctic Terns, but no Black today. Again a Cuckoo heard towards Stewartby chimneys.
No sign of the Turtle Doves along Green Lane between the station and Scrapyard Corner, but I did see a Weasel crossing the road in the cul-de-sac by the yard.
A quick check around the Millbrook side of MVCP for Whinchat or any other seasonal arrivals and empty handed again... All in all though, some very enjoyable birding and great to meet a few Beds birders including Lee Evans, Martin Palmer and Neil Wright.
Back soon!
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