Craster Fete

This is a late post from the weekend. Its good to get back into routine after the hols, well most of it, apart from the back to work on Monday bit.

On Saturday we walked from home along the coast path to the tiny fishing village of Craster for their annual fete. There's not much there but it raises funds for the lifeboat so its a good thing. The views are great up to Dunstanburgh castle, and the weather was nice.

On the way, near Cullernose Point I found a first for me - Seaside Centaury (above) Centaurium littorale. In the books it looks tricky to identify but in the field it looks different to Common Centaury. This one was out on the rocky shore immediately next to the high tide mark. The leaves are upright and more 'succulent' and leathery. The flowers are gathered in clumps at the top. A nice find.



Before going to Craster, I was cutting the lawn when Ipin 'Druridge Pools' Robson rang to say he was watching a Red Kite over my house. Aaaargggh. I'm outside looking up and no bird. Then I lost signal and had to call him back. Then the directions were a bit more specific, the bird was actually a bit west, moving east towards the Heugh out our back. Despite leaping like a gazelle ( just use your imagination, ok) I was on our drive wall scanning the Heugh. There were Swifts and Swallows, Woodpigeons and a Buzzard at 30,000 feet but no Kite. It must have drifted north out of sight. Its unlucky, that...

Anyway this cock Siskin was nice for the time of year on the niger seed and if anyone can assist with this wild allium sp growing near the wall on our drive I would be grateful. I think it is either Crow Garlic Allium vineale or Sand Leek Allium scorodoprasum , probably the former? Nigel, Steve....


And I almost forgot, the other evening we walked to the cliff path and the sea was oily calm so I scanned for the Dolphin family. No sign but there were 2 Harbour Porpoises in the bay for compensation. They were only half the size with a stubby dorsal fin...