Spring songs and fakes...

The day began at first light with a Brambling calling next to our garden, the first here this year.

I met up with John and went down to Cresswell to look for the Garganey that have been around for a couple of days. We didnt see them, but we did see 10 cars of  'toggers waiting patiently for the most photographed Barn Owl in Europe....

Of note here were a dozen Avocets, a male 'Greenland type' Wheatear , 2 White Wagtails and 2 Bar tailed Godwits.

Next stop was the bird filled Budge fields at Druridge. The Great White Egret seems to have departed, so I'm pleased to have seen it last week. Amongst a field guide plate full of wildfowl on offer were 2 Pintail and 2 Pochard, but it was the resident Great crested Grebes that stole the show. Two and a half pairs were involved in some handbags at dawn out on the mirror calm pool.

Great White Egret last week...

Gadwall

Tufted Duck

Great crested Grebe

Great crested Grebes 'laying 'ern'...( fighting to those not from Northumberland)

In the distance a Sedge Warbler could be heard singing, my earliest ever. Or is it. Read on...

Also here was an injured Russian White fronted Goose grazing with Greylags. A Green veined White was new for the year too.

We made our way along to East Chevington for a tea stop overlooking the pools.  Marsh Harrier could be seen occasionally while the air was filled with the songs of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. After a while a reeling Grasshopper Warbler could just be made out, so we had a walk to investigate and maybe get a photo.

Well, this is why I will not be year ticking my earliest Sedgie just yet...

As we wandered closer to the Grasshopper Warbler, the song got louder until, there, on the small footbridge, was a great view of our songster.... a Shiny Shoed DJ wielding an ipod of British bird songs! I wonder how many times this bloke has to be chastised to get into his nugget that tape luring birds in the breeding season for a year tick is just plain bad form? Why not just wait a week or two when they will be singing all along the dunes? Its beyond me. But now, whilst I may have had an early Sedge Warbler, I cant very well have it, in case it was this tosser with his sound machine! Twat. Thanks for that!

Right, breathe. In the warm sun today were a few butterflies, including Peacocks, Speckled Wood, Large White, Small White and Green veined White...

As the migration picks up apace this week, Yellow Wags and real Groppers might be seen...

Spring.

This morning dawned bright and sunny with a light frost. John arrived at our house at about eight, just in time to catch a pair of Ravens flying south, high overhead, calling and doing some twisting display flight. This is the first here for two years, I wonder if its the same pair we used to get?

We headed off west to look for Adders at Branton Pits.

Looking west from Beanly Moor....

Spring has definitely sprung up here, despite the back drop of a snow covered Cheviot hills, Oystercatchers had arrived en-masse as had Black Headed and Common Gulls. The Oystercatchers breed on the river shingle beds and are absent all winter. It was good to hear them 'kleeping' about all over the place.

On our walk, Kingfishers could be heard whistling a territorial dispute call, but only brief glimpses were had.

Mute Swans and other wildfowl were already paired up, but the swans are in danger if they keep flying about and fighting. Its so easy for them to hit a pylon or fence.

Passerine targets were in short supply today, with no sign of the usual siskin flocks etc. Only 2 Goldcrest, a Yellowhammer and a few Chaffinches put in an appearance.

When the sun came out we checked the usual Adder basking spots, and were pleased to find a single snake quite well hidden out of the wind, catching a few rays. Although there isnt much to them really, a snake has a certain tropical feel and are always exciting to see.

A short stop near some pine woods had a few distant Crossbills calling and flying about but little else... 

Only another singleton from the moth trap this morning, a nice fresh Hebrew Character.