We decided to go out for lunch today, to Alnwick. On route we were passing the entrance to Howick Quarry then just over the main railway line when Jane said 'Look, there' at a large bird sitting on top of a roadside telegraph pole. This very pole is a favourite with local Buzzards so I was just about to say, its a pale one like some of our county Rough leggeds when as we came to point blank range I realised this was an OSPREY!
As we passed, braking, it looked down at us casually and we came to a stop. Again, here is a lesson to take the camera at all times but mine was at home, so I scrabbled for the mobile phone and came up with these truly terrible shots...
Above - Look at the reflection in the car window...
Above - Zoomed in shots....
Above - From the note book...
And no large water bodies nearby. Just a pole on any bit of country road. The bird was clearly an immature and had buffish tips to the upperpart feathers. I assume it is the radio tagged bird from Loch Garten that roosted at nearby Longhoughton earlier last week. A fantastic local record for me, I'm well pleased.
Above - I couldn't resist this Red Green Carpet from last night. Fresh as a daisy, bright green. Other than that nothing new in the trap, 49 moths of 15 sp.
8 comments:
Excellent find, Stewart; a real surprise.
Cracking bird Stew.
I (rather optimistcally )predicted I would get an Osprey on the patch list, this year - so far I've been wrong.
ps: I think that Longhoughton bird is now somewhere over the Pyrenees according to this:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/tracking/lochgartenospreys/index.asp
Well spotted, Jane.
Could you send it my way, Stewart. That`d be a cacking patch tick.
Great record stewart. I spent all afternoon scanning the sky in hot windy conditions looking for one of those, and got nowt!!
Good one Stew...I like the moth as well.
Nice surprise find Stewart, and again it always pays to travel with the camera... good stuff!!
Nice staycation bird! Nice moth too! I had the trap on last night and got a few new ones including sallow and lunar underwing
Excellent punning headline, Stewart. Was it godwit?
I'll fetch me coat...
Jon
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