Sunday, February 14, 2010

Sea and Snowdrops...


Today started clear and frosty with a very light NW2. I headed for the coast for a half hour seawatch to see if I could add to my OFFH list. In the 30 minutes I had -

Gannet 45 N
Auks ( no Puffins but some Guillemots and a couple of Razorbills close enough to identify ) 80+
Red throated Diver 2 S
Curlew 62 N
Common Scoter 6 N
Shag 1 N
Fulmar 20+
Eider 6 on the sea
Herring Gull a steady light passage N include an adult...
Lesser black backed Gull, my first of the year. They are very scarce in Northumberland in winter with only maybe single figures to be found, so I'm always pleased with my first spring migrant.
Meadow Pipit 1 S
Grey Geese sp 25 S unable to id and silent as they flew high over. Probably pinks.




Above - Dunnock in song.


After this I headed to Alnwick to do an atlas square. Although only 25 species were seen in the hour many were in full song and the sun was shining. Nothing unusual, just typical farmland birds though what was strange was the absence of  Magpie, Pheasant and Coal Tit. 

Back Home for lunchtime so we took a walk up to the hall to see the snowdrops in better light.



Above -  Snowdrops and Winter Aconites lighting up a dreary wood.

While up here, 2 Crossbills flew over head 'chipping', 1 Marsh Tit was in Village Wood and a party of Long tailed Tits contained the obligatory Treecreeper.

Our neighbour Julie told me this morning that she had seen a female Blackcap in our garden midweek. I'll be looking closer next time...

I quite like the new blogger posting thing that allows bigger photos...


OFFH List - 95

7 comments:

abbey meadows said...

Nice shots Stew. I had Dunnock singing today in the garden.

Phil said...

Really like the singing dunnock pictures - a song that I always associate with earliest signs of spring

Ipin said...

I was looking for gannets today at Druridge - not a one!

Anonymous said...

Great photos Stewart.
Winter Aconite is still a species that evades me and that inludes naturalised ones.

Stewart said...

Cheers all. Dean try stately homes and church yards....

Anonymous said...

Cheers Stewart. There`s only one of the former near to me and that`s on private land. Likely to get a shotgun blast up the arse if i`m found there.

ST said...

http://sedgedunumwarbler.blogspot.com/