Over the sea to Skye II

Part I is on the moth blog, link on the right...

Last week was spent on holiday on the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides. Despite having covered most regions in Scotland, this was our first time on the isle. Rather than go on in details just see pictures and comments below...

Our cottage for the week, Gramarye, The Braes. Google it.

The road down to the cottage...

The evening light on the hills from the garden...

The view the other way towards the Isle of Raasay...

It just didnt seem to get dark. This photo was taken at 11.10pm. Wheatears were still hopping from post to post down at the waters edge.

It wasn't all sunshine. Some dramatic, heavy showers...

One morning a party of 9 Bottle nosed Dolphins appeared as we had breakfast outside. They could be seen tossing salmon into the air...

Some of the neighbours didnt look too good ...

You can see how the 'Black Cuillins' get their name. Click on it to see the cottage in the middle to give some scale.

The scenery was truly amazing. You should have been there....

The view from Elgol looking towards Soay. No idea who the bloke is but those dogs look familiar.

This is one I've stuck together in photoshop to give a better idea of the vistas...

Jane and the terriator enjoying the sun. From here a dozen Black Guillemots were on the sea and a few Bonxies were on a low island just out of shot to the right...

One of the trips highlights for me were the fantastic hay meadows. Full of wildflowers with not much grass we located three calling Corncrakes in two locations. One was here in the distant field full of ox-eye daisies...

Plenty of  Hoodies around. Unusually these were quite confiding in supermarket car parks etc. Ravens were all around the coast too...

In the wildflower meadows and even on roadside verges orchids were in abundance. The Greater Butterfly Orchid was one of many seen along with Lesser Butterfly, Common Spotted, Heath Spotted and Northern Marsh Orchids.

Another great highlight was at Neist Point the most westerly part of Skye. Two Minke Whales were feeding only a hundred metres offshore and showed well for over an hour. Although I have seen Fin Wale, Sperm Whale, Pilot Whale, Killer Whale and Cuviers Beaked Whale, this, the commonest of British whales has always eluded me. Superb. Also here were a few Common Dolphins and Porpoises upping the list to four cetacean species in the week.

Families of Twite were all around the coast. I had a colour ringed bird that I will submit later.

A new plant for me was Oblong leaved Sundew. I have seen Round leaved Sundew in many areas but this one was nicely different.

Species that managed to evade the camera were two Otters together on the first night from the cottage, two Golden Eagles over the cottage and Rock Doves ( or as near as you can get) were all over.

A great week was had.

Marauder.

This morning was nice and sunny with some cloud, a blessed relief after yesterdays effort. JWR and myself headed off west to do his WeBs count.

The gravel pits looked well in their pseudo-summer finery ( after all we can't string two nice days together to merit the name 'summer') with drifts of Birds Foot trefoil and Sheeps Sorrel dotted with clumps of Ragged Robin. Purple Loosestrife and Knapweed in bud hinted at the next generation of flowers to follow on.

Only a few birds were noteworthy - Great Crested Grebe, Little Ringed Plover and Goldeneye being the main attractions with odd Redpolls calling overhead.

A sweep around with my newly acquired net turned up a few new moths ( see the moth blog for details) then John located this -

A female Adder trying to catch some rays.

Next as we wandered back a bird speeding towards us over the pond prompted the cry 'Hobby!' as subbuteo in full hunt mode dashed by too quick to get a pic. I suggested that it was heading to a Sand Martin colony at our next stop.

Onwards after a pastie and tea, to finish at another pit across the main road when our hooded marauder turned up bang on cue.

This one is from John...

This time, no fly by. It circled the lake and riverside, mobbed a Sparrowhawk harried some hirundines then soared off up into the blue after about 5 minutes of great views. Our pictures cant do it justice. Click on them for a better idea....

This evening as the weather reverts to type, windy and dark with heavy rain spattering the windows, the Cuckoo is calling constantly under pressure right next to our garden...

The last case of mistaken identity at Hartlepool...

...was this.

During the Napoleonic War legend has it that a monkey was washed ashore at Hartlepool after a shipwreck. He was mistaken as a French spy and hung.

Oh well, we all make mistakes.

So, this morning as I left for work a pager message said that a Red Flanked Bluetail had been trapped and ringed at Hartlepool Headland and it would be released at 8.30am. I thought this was a good bird to find in June and headed off to work...

Half an hour later as I passed south through Amble, the siren noise from the pager awakened me to a Mega alert. As I glanced down, expecting something in Cornwall or Kent, the message read - WHITE THROATED ROBIN, Hartlepool Headland, NOT Red flanked Bluetail! Now while the Bluetail is a fantastic bird, the Robin is an altogether different kettle of fish. There have only been two previous British records and none of those were accessible to other birders, so this one, on the mainland, would attract an FA Cup sized crowd.

I calmly pulled into a laybye to consider the options. I had no binoculars with me, and I was due in at work, so I rang and texted a few friends before rooting out a brown paper bag to breath into as I continued my commute.

By the time I was in the office, I was pondering a get out clause, then I spoke to Richard, who told me that it would be best to make all efforts to get down the road as the bird had been showing on and off. Right, that was it. Flexi time again to the rescue ( I will be working nights to catch this lot up) and a few calls later and I was off to meet up with Andy and Alan, Finn and Ella in the ASDA car park at Blyth before we headed off to the south ( well, south for me anyway). Alans three year old twins were just the tonic for calming the nerves and took our minds off wondering the will it / wont it scenario.

In no time we were parking up just a toddlers stroll from the Bowling Green where our target was still showing. And was it not. The White throated Robin  performed like a true mega, running out from low bushes to chase insects in some rough weeds on the green edge. Often it would pose for the paparazzi right on the green itself.

What a relief to get this one, a bird I never thought I would see in the UK though I have seen a good few in Eastern Turkey but that was many years ago. We were able to give it a thorough going over before we headed back home and to work. The rest of the afternoon was great seeing pager messages flash up knowing that loads of birders were pounding up M roads from hundreds of miles away, and I could breathe a sigh of relief.

A fantastic bird. Better than a monkey hanging, anyday.

Thanks to Richard Dunn...

...and to Roger Forster for their great photos.

British List - 397

Everything is Rosy...

I've just taken a wander with Bunty along the coast path. The rain has stopped and although its dull, it feels relatively calm and mild.

Just offshore a small feeding frenzy held 28 large gulls, including 2 Lesser and 1 Greater black backed, 6 Guillemots and a handsome Razorbill. At least 6 Sandwich Terns were accompanied by a nice clean pinky Roseate Tern, my first this year. I haven't seen Arctic or Common Tern yet, but there's no doubt they are just waiting out there for me to point a scope their way. While I sat, an adult and an immature Red throated Diver flew north, very close in, almost overhead.

Down on the rocks I was surprised to see a pair of Oystercatchers behaving territorially when a Great Black Back flew over. Later investigation showed one of the birds to be squatting low, on what I assume are small chicks. I didn't disturb her in case the gulls or crows returned but I will keep an eye on them later this week. I've  not noticed them breeding here before, and it is very exposed so I don't expect too much success.

A small area of Bell Heather or Cross leaved Heath is in flower on a precarious cliff edge too, but I'm not sure which it is. I'll confirm that later this week too...

Cuc-koo.

A rare thing on the Northumberland coast these days, the Cuckoo. Last year I dont think I had one on the OFFH list, but one turned up last Saturday in our Village Copse, cuck-oo ing for all to hear. I heard it briefly at a distance last weekend, but yesterday I finally saw it, as it flushed from the back hedge behind us. It was seen off by a few smaller birds and headed towards the coast path and out of view.

I hope it can find a mate in the area, but I think he might have to move towards higher ground before he encounters another of his kind.

Didn't we have a luvverly time the day we went to...

...Carlisle. If its good enough for Lady Gaga, it'll do for us.

The weather forecast today said it was going to be a hot'un, so without further ado, a Flexi day was booked and we were off on a jolly!

After picking up the chaps, we ploughed on, west, towards our target species. First off, into the woods where a large damp field proved to be just the job...

Searching and searching, we looked high and low....

But for some, the quarry was elusive.

While for the rest of us...

..Marsh Fritillarys were all over. At least 20+ were seen in a hundred metre stretch, alongside good numbers of Small Heath. The Marsh Frits were a new butterfly for me and what views we had of these stunners.

Then it was time for lunch and a nap (the heat can take it out of you when you get to our age) ...

... before we headed off to the next stop where a very rare dragon was on offer.

...Over a dozen White faced Darters put on a good show but were tricky to get perched up as they dazzled about often being harried by larger Four spotted Chasers. If you have read this blog for a while you may remember that I posted about these cheeky little chappies a few years back, but you cant get too much of a dragonfly with looks like this.

Then it was off home so that Bird Guides could be up and running ( just a shade late, but it was a quiet afternoon) and we can all peruse our pics at leisure.

A great day out with some great company and crack. Roll on the next one.

Click on the images for a bigger view.

Black and Red and Black Leaf FrogHopperJumperthingys....

While the grapevine buzzes with Terek Sandpiper and Great White Egrets, we took a detour this morning to check an old railway line near Powburn for butterflies. Well, I've seen a couple of Tereks and four or five Great White Egrets in the county anyway...

But, I haven't seen these critters before. Red and Black Froghopper, sometimes known as Black and Red Froghopper ( I kid you not). Cercopis vulnerata. They were everywhere today with at least 30+ along the track. On checking their status I find this...

No records north of the Tyne Valley. I'm sure I saw one on a local blog a while back, maybe at Druridge, ST?

Not many butterflies were had - 5 Orange Tip, 2 Peacock, 2 Red Admiral, several Green veined Whites and a small selection of moths...

Taxa
0016 Gold Swift (Hepialus hecta) 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 2
1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 2
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1958 Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata) 1
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 1

Not bad....

I'm a dad!

Well not really, what I mean is, the Tree Sparrow's fledglings were on the garden wall when I came in from work. There were two of them next to a family of House Sparrows, while a brood of Starlings ransacked the birdbath. Its like a creche not a garden.

Tree Spug chick with another one pitching in...

Last night, the Barn Owl was hunting out the back right up to our garden wall, only  7 or 8 meters from the kitchen window. You guessed, when the camera came out it made off to the back hedge and wasn't seen again.

Two Ticks...

But nothing to write home about. Firstly this morning 2 Sandwich Terns flew south along the coast path just offshore. I haven't done any spring seawatching really so these are rather late on the OFFH list.

Secondly this afternoon a lonesome Swift flew south ahead of a gathering storm. Last year it was June before I saw this species, as it doesnt breed locally so I normally get them on southwards passage in July. Last year though, an hour after my first Swift, a Hobby flew over the garden. I hope this one is an omen...

The Pits

Out to Branton Pits this morning with John doing the WeBs count. All was generally quiet but Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover were noteworthy. My first damselflies of the year were on the wing at Hedgely with -

From the left, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly (teneral) and Blue tailed Damselfly.Click on pic to enlarge.

Other than that and a few moths for the moth blog, that was it really...

Can I have a tern....

I thought to myself as the pager kept updating the presence of an adult White winged Black Tern in Druridge Bay over the last few days. After about 3 days or so, I could stand it no longer, I mean, I drive past the place twice a day so It would be daft not to check it out.

On Wednesday after work a short detour down to East Chevington North Pool found me and the White winger out in some heavy showers. I watched it for about half an hour before heading off home, sometimes close, sometimes distant but always a joy to watch, dip feeding amongst a large flock of hirundines over the pool.

Maybe my fifth county record but the third I've seen from this very same spot. Now, why not a Whiskered?

New Resident...

This is one of my garden nestboxes. No Blue Tits for me this year, oh no. Tree Sparrows! Feeding young with bill fulls of St Marks flies. A while back I mentioned hoping to get the Tree Sparrows to nest as the habitat looks right and they do visit my seed feeder, so I was pleased to finally confirm our new lodgers.

In time for next spring there will be more spuggies boxes erected in the hope of establishing a colony.

Not a lot of bird activity around the village this weekend though two House Martins joined local Swallows on wires during a rain shower, new for the OFFH list. While gardening 3 Whimbrel flew south overhead...autumn is early this year...

Badger...

Late last night I took Bunts for her final stroll, only to be met face to face with Brock just coming out of the Village Hall car park. He sat on the road under the street light for a while, sniffing for terrier, then ambled his way along the road and out of sight. Tremendous. Bunty liked to sniff where he had been walking...

Today looked ok for some migrants but despite walking the whole coast from Howick Burn to Craster all I had were 4 Greenland Wheatears and  a pair of Yellow Wagtails. There seems to be 3 or 4  Sedge Warblers around the Village now and plenty of Whitethroats but nothing to set the pulse racing...

The Kittiwakes on the cliffs are in full breeding mode now, a great sight to accompany any walk on the coast path.

The Hat Trick...

This has been a week of warbler arrivals at Howick. 

After the garden Garden Warbler, and yesterday's Grasshopper Warbler (no sign today), a short judder of a call in an almost blossomless cherry tree in the old school garden had me investigating. Within a few seconds, the Lesser Whitethroat could be seen flickering from twig to twig looking for insects, then, as suddenly as he arrived, he flew, high westwards towards some tall sycamores. I wonder how far it is going....and has he brought his mate, the Wryneck, with him...? If it rains tonight I'll be out checking in the morning...

Thats a nice trilogy of the scarcer patch warblers to get this week.

While watching the Lesser Whitethroat a Yellow Wagtail flew north, calling.

Last night, a Barn Owl flew over the old school towards the paddock, my first sighting of one in the village this year.

Gropper and Squill.

This morning, along the Lane, I heard a short snatch of a rattling song in the hedge next to the road. I peered over into a sunny open patch and saw a nice Grasshopper Warbler creep from under a bramble and out onto a twig only a few inches from the ground. It sang, on and off, in short bursts and looked quite tired. Maybe the white frost this morning hadn't agreed with it, I know it didn't make me too happy either...

It was no more than 15 feet away, and with the naked eye I could see its yellow gape as it churned out its very un-British sounding song... Also here this morning were Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler.

Please click on sketch for a larger image....

Later we had a walk along to Cullernose Point. The sea was bright blue and the sound of Kittiwakes filled the air. But, it wasn't the birds we were after...

Coast Path to Cullernose Point.

It was a scarce plant that until now had eluded me in Northumberland.

Spring Squill

The Spring Squill is a tiny plant that flowers in the salt sprayed turf of cliff tops and shore edges. It is more of a plant of the north, I've only ever seen it on Orkney, and I think Northumberland is as far south on the east coast as it comes. In previous years, I seem to have miss timed my visits and couldn't find it at all.

Today, quite a few were just coming into flower in the short turf between the rocks just above the spray zone. Its very small though, no more than an inch tall, so if you go looking, be careful not to tread on it.

Also around the point were lots of Thrift, Tormentil, Sea Campion and the smell of Thyme, not yet in flower, coming from the rocks when photographing the Spring Squill.

Thrift

Odynerus spinipes.

This Mason Wasp is, I think, Odynerus spinipes. On checking the Gateway Maps, this doesnt seem to be recorded north of Cleveland. I suppose these things will be less monitored than moths so there are probably loads...

 All in all, a very pleasant morning...