Where did Autumn go!

 Blink and you'll miss it; that's October in the rear-view mirror. At this time of year, we always have one eye on the weather forecast, hoping it might displace a few birds our way.

Apart from Storm Buelo last weekend, the weather has been mainly uneventful. There have been no major falls of migrants, although a few scarcities did appear along the coast.

After spending the morning of the 11th October covering Longhoughton Steel, where the long staying Lapland Bunting was the highlight, no sooner had I got home when Ben found a Buff breasted Sandpiper in the very field I had just counted 22 Skylarks! It must have literally just arrived.

Due to work and other commitments I couldnt get along for a look until the 15th when after some searching the bird was found but distantly. Scope views were ok but no photos were possible.

Buff breasted Sandpiper field notes.

 On the 17th, an hour-and-a-half seawatch from the coast path here produced 2 ad Pomarine Skuas, 3 juv Long-tailed Skuas, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 4 Manx Shearwaters and 15+ Little Gulls. Motivated by this, John and I did a longer session at Seaton Point the following morning from 0715 to 1200.

Sit-outs on the point are always interesting, especially if the tides are right, i.e. within two hours either side of high tide. This particular morning produced a few winter arrivals, with Brambling, Redwings and Fieldfares all in-off. Of note at sea were 13 Brent Geese, 31 Whooper Swans, 397 Wigeon, 193 Teal, 91 Common Scoter, 2 drake Long-tailed Ducks, 16 Goldeneye, 8 Red-breasted Mergansers, 12 Grey Plovers, 8 Purple Sandpipers, 45 Little Gulls, 1 first-summer Mediterranean Gull, single Arctic and Common Terns, 11 Red-throated Divers, 1 Little Egret, a Peregrine, 2 or 3 Twite and a Short-eared Owl in-off, briefly landing on the rocks and then the dunes before continuing inland over the caravans.

Not a bad, nicely varied haul.

Short eared Owl on Seaton Point

On the 21st October, during Peggy's lunchtime walk in the village wood, 1 or 2 Yellow-browed Warblers were calling and being chased by a belligerent Chiffchaff, so there were no clear views. There were at least five Chiffchaffs present in the same area too. The following day, one of the Yellow-browed Warblers finally showed well low down by the path.

On the way back, a small bird flicked up above the roadside hedge. I hoped it might be one of the Yellow-browed Warblers again but, on lifting the bins, it turned out to be a cracker of a Siberian Chiffchaff. A very sandy, milky-tea-coloured bird with shiny jet-black legs. I didn't hear it call.

Just before Storm Buelo, on the 24th, I was surprised to see a late Swallow heading south over the village hall. Almost certainly my last of the year before spring. More interest came in the form of a Kingfisher flying over the village paddock and into the village wood. Another 'Eastern' type Chiffchaff showed, different from yesterday's bird but not as sandy-coloured. More of an abietinus type.

A few days off work from 28th meant I could venture down to Warkworth beach car park  to see the Red breasted Flycatcher found by Clive on 26th. This was no ordinary RBFly, this was an adult male complete with orange throat and my first in the plumage for many years. Luckily the sun came out and the flycatcher behaved impeccably around the picnic tables where, many years ago, I used to do some ringing... This little stunner may be the highlight of autumn this year...

So here we are in November, into autumn extra time if you like. There is still time ...

 We are just back from a week in Suffolk where we stayed in a small self catering let at Snape Hall. Didnt do a lot of birding and because I was a bit worried about car problems I didn't take the moth trap either. I should have because every day was warm and sunny around 19 - 21 degrees... 

Still there is always something to look for. I 'twitched' a Black Stork only a mile away from our digs and also the Zitting Fantailed Cisticolas at Walberswick, dipping out on both. Bugger. At Snape Maltings, a Hobby catching dragonflies, Bearded Tits, Cetti's Warblers in good numbers including one I even saw well and 200+ Black tailed Godwits were the best. Water Rail, Kingfisher and Little Egrets added to the morning.

Above various views of Snape Maltings, in the sunset image click on it and you can see thousands of Starlings going to roost.

Above -  Views around Southwold

The week before we went to Suffolk, there were a few interesting things locally.

This is an Acorn Weevil busting some moves on the edge of the moth pot before it flew off.

A huge pale imm Peregrince is banking around for a second strafe of the feeding waders on Boulmer beach...

A Lapland Bunting on the deck is a rare thing these days so one on the patch is even more worth a visit. It did give me the run around for an hour before I finally found it.

Agonopterix umbellana is a rare species here, this is only my third and first since 2011!

This Whimbrel at Boulmer looked odd. It was still almost like a chick with its short bill and soft plumage. Ive never seen one like it... 

While we were away we missed a two day window of south easterlies and its deliveries at home. There were a lot of Yellow browed Warblers inc one in my garden thanks to Geoff my neighbour, Little Bunting, Olive Backed Pipit, Richards Pipit, etc. Nearly all gone by this morning though I did mop up a calling Yellow brow in out village wood... lets hope there is more to come this autumn or will my early prediction of westerlies til November prevail..? 

September onwards...

 As expected, the weather is still coming from the south west with no conditions for a fall of migrants or for seawatching either. 

The moth trap continues to provide some good stuff as compensation...

Clockwise from top left - Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae, new for me, the most worn Convolvulous Hawk-moth ever, but is still a Convol, and in the trap too. Ni Moth, the first for VC68 and Phyllonorycter geniculella. 

Clockwise from top left - Red Underwing, rare here, Delicate, only my 3rd, Evergestis extimalis, becoming more regular in the garden and Vine's Rustic a southern species on the move North.

Birds have generally been slow, locally, this last few weeks as a result of the weather, so yesterday we took a short trip south to the Druridge Bay area for a couple of birds Ive not seen for a while. First stop was at Druridge Pools were a nice juvvy Pectoral Sandpiper showed quite well on the Budge Fields. When birding the bay was a regular patch for me, I always said Id never twitch another Pec as you could often find one for yourself, but these days we dine at the peasants table in the pond-free north of the county, so  Pec Sand is quite a big deal! Here is a short video clip of the bird - 

A poor hazy digiscoped attempt but you can see what it is...

Moving north from Druridge up to Hauxley NWT reserve where a juvenile Turtle Dove has taken up residence for a few days. It took a bit of searching for but eventually it was wandering around on the path like a town centre pigeon. Unfortunately flushing could not be helped as visitors walked around to the hides, most scarcely giving it a glance. Philistines! This moulting youngster is my first Turtle Dove in the county for over 20 years and the way things are going it might be my last. A great bird to see...

Juvenile Turtle Dove, Hauxley NWT Reserve 20/09/26

Moth weather...

 As we enter the now annual period of SW winds from September to mid November, it is more suiting to moth trapping than seeing migrant birds. What happened to those days of easterly patterns, drift migrants and sea watching? These days we might get one week day all autumn where a few birds appear then vanish before we can get time off to see or look for any! Watch this space, 3rd week in November, ideal fall conditions but no birds left to be grounded.

So what of the moth fall back situation? Here are the highlights in the garden since my last post. Click for bigger image...

Straw Underwing. Not common here, almost annual.

White line Dart, annual in small numbers

One of those small Coleophoras that isnt mayrella.

Pammene aurita, a scarce moth here

Psychoides fillicivora. Only my 2nd .

Bucculatrix nigricomella. A first for me.

White Point. After the first for Northumberland a week earlier, this is the first for VC68.

Kent Black Arches, This time an absolute first for Northumberland, both VCs 67 and 68.

Bridled or Sooty? That is the question...

 Last Monday a Bridled Tern was reported on Inner Farne briefly. Then, very soon after the Coquet Island wardens put the cat among the pigeons when they reported that a Sooty Tern was on their island. The two bird theory? With no photos of the Farnes bird, it doesnt seem plausible to me that these two tropical terns would arrive on the same afternoon with no sightings of either anywhere else. Apparently the Farnes team are sticking by their guns with their original theory but the bird has not returned.

As is the way, local Puffin Cruises boats were chartered to get birders out to Coquet where those on board got decent views of the Sooty. Unfortunately I was working from home and couldnt make it. Next moring I was passing Amble on the way to work so I took bins and scope hoping for  a distant dot from the mainland. Plans took a dip when there were no further sightings of the bird after Monday night.

Bringing us back to the present, yesterday morning, the WhatsApp buzzed again with Richard the warden reporting that the Sooty Tern was back. After a week where presumably it had been out to sea as these terns are very pelagic, it was now on the island.

This time I was ready to give it a go. Again working from home, I finished earlier and headed down to Hauxley late afternoon. In the two years since the Bridled Tern here., Id forgotten how ridiculous this is. We could see the tern but it was a miniscule speck and in the hour I watched, it didnt fly from its rock. Just when you think views cant get any worse, it sank back over the rock to roost and it couldnt be seen at all.

See here for dejavu...the tale was identical!    

Click to see the bird and this is at 50x mag through the scope!

So at 6pm a dozen of us clambered aboard the boat on a lovely evening and headed across to the island. Due to the tide being quite low we still couldnt get close in but views were at least more reasonable than earlier. The trip was an hour long and for the first half of that the bird was nowhere to be seen. Luckily it eventually reappeared much to the relief of all on board.

This is the 4th Sooty Tern in Northumberland since the first in 1966, and is my 2nd after the 2020 local patch bird. 

Most of the morden day records of this pair of terns in Northumberland get misidentified on first sightings. In 88 a Sooty became Bridled, In 2020 a Bridled became Sooty and again this year.  So, it pays to keep an open mind when one is reported but whichever one it is, they are well worth going to see. Fantastic.

High Summer

 Its been a few weeks since I actually posted about some of the things I have been seeing over the warmer period. Before that though, I'll add, while we have had a nice summer, we've not had a heatwave on the North Northumberland coast. To update here is a bit of a calendar - 

4th July - 

A Quail was calling in the bean field behind us. It was heard a few times but it never did that prolonged dripping tap call they usually do, just an odd phrase here and there.

5th July - 

The Quail again briefly.

7th July - 

And again only once at 11pm.

8th July - 

I didnt get Grasshopper Warbler here in the spring so it was a surprise to get one reeling at this late date in the back hedge at 11pm.  

9th July - 

Despite the moth trap being used, the moth highlight was only my 2nd Bordered Straw perched out at lunchtime on some Sweet Williams. I moved it to Ragwort to get this shot.

10th July - 

Had an open trap morning for AWG with 12 visitors attending. We had 205 moths of 79 species to view.

11th July - 

The morning birding at Alnmouth with John. The wind has swung northerly cooling things a bit. On the estuary were 5 Little Egret, 1 male Bar tailed Godwit in summer plumage, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 Avocet. 

Up viewing Foxton Bends from the road we had- 7 Avocets, 3 Lesser black backed Gulls, 1ad summer Mediterranean Gull, 4 Little Egret, 6 Common Sandpiers, 2 Greenshank and most unusually, a Whooper Swan!

Next off to Seaton Point to check the sea. 11 Manx Shearwaters N, 45 Common Scoter N, 42 Arctic Terns N, 3 Goosander n, 1 Red breasted Merganser N, 18 Sandwich Tern N, 1 ad Little Gull N, 6 Puffins.

13th July - 

A bit of excitement with the arrival of a summer plumaged female Red necked Phalarope on Druridge Budge Fields. What a stunner. 

In the half an hour I was there, while watching the Phalarope, an adult Hobby flew low over the hide and circled the plantation over the field. Nice views. 1 ad Mediterranean Gull flew N, plus 12 Black tailed Godwits, 1 male Ruff and 2 Greenshank.

21st July - 

2 Hedgehogs below our feeders on eating a pear! 30 Sand Martins were picking at the gable end of School House for some unknown reason?

22nd July - 

A large count of 48 Small Mottled Willows in the moth trap, what a year its been for this normally rare moth. A Little Egret was on the rocks at Salters Gate layby and a juv Red Kite was catching grasshoppers up on the Hips Heugh field. A patch first for me and on the garden list too.

 26th July - 

Finally rain all day other than a couple of hours around lunchtime.

At the Aln Estuary were 3 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Avocets plus a chick, 60+ Dunlin all adults, 7 Little Egret, 15 Swifts over head.

1st August - 

A gardening day with 1 Whimbrel over, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Comma and 1 Wool Carder Bee.

Up at the Cricket field a new plant for me, Common Hemp Nettle.

Another quiet summer....

Bill Oddie...

 I was so sad to hear of the passing of Bill Oddie the other day. Are there any long time birders who didnt meet him at one place or another? The thing about Bill is that, unlike the other celeb bandwagon jumpers, he was a real, life long birder. And a top one too. You would see the small bumbling figure of a comic on TV, larking around on a Trandem ? or Triplet as I think its known, totally unaware of his skill and expertise in the field of natural history. 

One of the things that drew me to the great man was his link to Northumberland. You will have read on more than one occasion, if you frequent this blog, of my art hero Eric Ennion and his time as director of Monks House Bird Observatory at Seahouses. Well, not only did Bill know of him, he actually knew him and stayed at the observatory with Eric and his wife! What an era that time must have been.

As with many other birder of a certain age, Mr Oddie's and my own paths crossed a couple of times in the field.

I think the first time was when I was a ringer at Hauxley Ringing Station. It was a quiet early autumn day with a golden glow to the sun as I extracted a small warbler from a 60 ft mist net in from of 'A' Trap on the south edge of the gardens. I felt the presence of a person over my right shoulder and turned to see Bill standing there watching. We exchanged a few pleasantries by the net pole about the recent birding, though I cant remember the details, and off he went, birding.

Not long after, Northumbria Ringing Group was holding its annual members weekend on Holy Island in October. Bill was invited to the soiree to give us a talk on his birding travels. About 20 of us were crammed into the back room of the Lindisfarne Hotel on the Island where we had a great evening chatting to and listening to Bill's tales. At one point he put up a slide of a juvenile  (then) Dendroica warbler and asked us if we could identify it? In days before the internet and great digital images, these things weren't easy, but I recognised this one straight away even though Id never been further west than Wales. It was a Chestnut sided Warbler. Bill was most impressed!

From there, the evening descended into a booze fuelled early hours lock-in, but as the drink took its toll, Bill took the sensible option and vanished to his room.

Next day, I can feel the hangover now typing this, with the wind from the west, migrants were sparse. Head pounding, with a greenish-grey pallor and a bottle of milk in my top pocket, to ease the stomach,  we bumped into Bill along the Crooked Lonnen where he had very little in the way of birds.

I didn't meet him again, but did read his write up of that weekend in Birdwatch and subsequently in his book 'Gripping Yarns'. His phrase, 'there was more bonhomie and booze than birds' summed it up brilliantly.

Rest in peace Bill, you were an inspiration...