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...

In the Garden...

This morning while I fed the birds a 'blackcap' was singing from the copse nearby. As I dished the seed out it was apparent that the song was coming from a tall shrub rose in our garden so I waited a short while for the bird to show. It was a surprise when the 'blackcap' emerged and was a Garden Warbler! Now I know these two have similar songs but I have them sussed, you know, the short, more melodic, Blackcap ending in the usual flurry of notes, while Garden Warbler is more prolonged with a hint of mimicry in there. Obviously this one didn't know the rules.

It sang on and off while clambering about various shrubs for a spell but I didnt see it again after mid morning. Maybe this is a new arrival using a shorter sub-song until it gets on breeding territory where it can settle in to a more usual vocal rendition... oh, and the shrub rose? It is a variety appropriately named 'Canary Bird'.

At the village road end, a large female Greenland Wheatear hopped about the sheep cropped turf  catching unseen prey in the grass.

On 'the drive of activity' a Red Admiral was a new arrival.

7.30pm Update - Just walked Bunty along the lane, when a single Waxwing flew over head, calling, then landed briefly in the garden of the Old Rectory before being chased off north by a Starling. My latest one by a mile, but outside here tonight is cold enough to be November...

A Drive of Activity...

After Friday's Royal Wedding party at our Village Hall it was back to normal today, thank goodness.

Today was nice and warm in the sunshine, but in the nagging easterly breeze it could be very cool. Our drive way at home is nicely sheltered from the east, and the garden wildlife was taking full advantage ...

Above - This is the end of the drive, where I operate the moth trap. As you can see, 'wildness' is actively encouraged and apart from hand pulling clumps of grass and nettles, other plants are left for the wildlife. In here are Buddleia, Ivy and Forsythia, Periwinkle and Elder, while in the hardcore are Mullein, Black Medic, Dandelion, Ivy leaved Toadflax, Willowherbs, Teasel, Clover, Cow Parsley etc. Its a nice sunny spot on a day like today...

These Goldfinches and a pair of Greenfinches have been dandelioning daily and this morning a Tree Sparrow was collecting nesting material...

While above a pair of Swallows are investigating the shed...But the main interest has been from butterflies...

Wall Brown, the first of the year.

Orange Tips, usually too quick to photograph. Never still for a second. At least 3 males have been in the garden.

Small Tortoiseshell on White Dead Nettle.

Green veined Whites, this one on Honesty.

So, it just shows what is around if you neglect a little strip of hardcore!