Local Patches with cake.

 I've mentioned before my new found use of the eBird app and site online. If nothing else it is a good way to focus the mind, particularly on quieter periods and in a local context.

Now that I am getting more used to it, I try to plan the month ahead, loosely, using the app to do more recording and list management. Here at Howick the plan is to get a full list of species counted maybe once a week, while adding extra species as needed on other days. This will ensure common species aren't overlooked in the quest for the cherry on the top which can often happen, and get records in at the same time. Its a win / win really.   

After taking advice from Ipin at Druridge, yesterday I've used one feature to set up local patches by linking known recorded sites within the patch.  This is a doddle and looks good. For example my own patch consists of 4 spots with in it - Craster, Cullernose Point, Howick Village and Coast, Howick Hall Gardens while the Boulmer patch is made up of Boulmer, Seaton Point and Foxton Golf Course. Both areas under 3.5 miles from home at the furthest point away.

 The majority of recording time is spent in these coastal areas with a lesser period, in better weather, at spots inland from here on moorland or forestry sites. I might even set up an 'Uber Patch' on eBird at sometime to see what all spots are like when linked.

As I am blabbing about Local Patches and Apps, the newly popular Bluesky platform, Twitter replacement app, has a feed called #Lowcarbonbirding that fits quite well with my latest fad. There are some interesting posts on there, often about local patching that had me thinking. It is surprising how many birders take on lengthy hikes in pursuit of ornithological goals. Distances of 15 km plus are quite regularly posted, on foot from home. I read these with mixed emotions varying from Wow! through Guilt to F. That! depending on mood. 15 km is a canny trek with birding gear too, that is time consuming if you add in stopping and watching slots. My walks are no more than about 5 km usually and that still takes a morning. Yesterday morning's amble was around Boulmer and up to Longhoughton Steel and back, a distance of 4.11 km. Sometimes we might double that on a good day.

My friend Alan, seems to know me a bit too well...so I felt the need to reply...

 So far February has not been too productive on the art front, something I must try to address...

Since my last post there have been some pleasant seasonal changes. From 5th Song Thrushes began singing here on fine mornings, always a good harbinger of spring, that one. Skylarks began on the same day. Lovely.

Song Thrush

Our 6 Russian Whitefronts were still hanging on til yesterday when a farm worker and dog went through the field flushing them off. What might have been them were seen flying S at Hauxley, down the coast at lunchtime. I will check to see a bit later.

A pair of Gadwall on the pond were the first of the year coinciding with the end of the shooting season disturbances. Its not just the actual killing and lead shot that causes wildlife problems, the noise from a score of people beating and blasting shotguns through the countryside does nothing to help things. A Kingfisher was almost a daily sighting here last week.

A Woodcock flighting out to feed was nice one evening and at the same time the back field Barn Owls could be heard hissing, though they remain elusive. Some reasonable numbers of birds in the village fields included 37 Curlew, 45 Oystercatcher and 14 Yellowhammers. Best though was a Little Egret flying low, south, from our drive, a rare bird here.

Buzzard

Gadwall

Kingfisher

Russian White fronted Geese

Yesterday our wander around Boulmer was in full overcast, cold and breezy conditions so there wasn't a great deal going on. An adult Mediterranean Gull was a highlight, plus another or the same Little Egret as above, 200+ Curlew, 11 Grey Plover, 14 purple Sandpipers, 50 Linnets, 2 Fieldfares and the first Gannets of the year with 10 birds moving N.

 I will end with some stats off eBird - 

My usual Howick - Craster Patch - 

YL- 80   Feb - 71

My village small area within the above, about 1.5 sq km - 

YL - 75    Feb - 59 

Boulmer with much less coverage -

YL- 64    Feb - 54

 

Its an ill wind...

 Still the North wind doth blow. Our most regular April feature.

Although migrants continue to trickle in, there are no big numbers. It just feels like its all to happen.

Since last week, on the patch, breeding has been confirmed in a few more common species with fledged Song Thrush, Blackbird and Mallard, while Long tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Coot and Mute Swan are all still with nests. I'm not seeing much nestbox activity from the Tree Sparrows yet though, none in fact despite several males doing their banana posture display around the garden.

Over the weekend, around the village the first male Orange Tip put in an appearance, showing that once out of the cold wind, the sunny areas are warm enough for insect activity.

A couple of walks out with Peggy yesterday were very pleasant.  At last a few more Wheatears had arrived and even better, were viewable from our house when 3 males and 2 females adorned the back field. One looked bigger and brighter, despite the distance, looking good for a Greenland.

Overhead at the pond field, a kettle of 5 Buzzards squabbled and drifted high south while back at home another 3 were around the Heugh area.

All Buzzards.

    

One looks bigger and brighter than the other? Wheatears.

On Sunday morning it was back inland where places are much less busy.

Redstarts were back in, with one singing nicely at eye level from a tree top down a bank from the road. Unfortunately by the time the camera was sought, it had gone. Others were heard singing in various spots around the place.

The moors are a riot of bird song now with Willow Warblers, Redpolls, Linnets, Curlews and Lapwings all displaying while Snipe 'tick-tocked' away in the background.

Lesser Redpoll on territory.

In the bottom of a, south facing, sheltered slope insects were active. Bumblebees were very evident on bilberry flowers , with White tailed, Buff tailed, Common Carder as you would expect but also Mountain Bumbler Bombus monticola and Red tailed Cuckoo Bee Bombus rupestris. Pity they are nigh impossible to photograph! The 3 monticola all made a buzz for it as soon as I raised a lens. I'll try again when the weather is more pleasant.

White tailed Bumblebee. 

There were several Green Tiger Beetles on the tracks and burnt heather areas. Speaking of which, we were looking for Green Hairstreaks in this area. Some previously good spots are now lifeless and  charcoal blackened. In the image above you can see an area just left of the copse where the self set Birches are. Luckily some habitat remains and we found 4 of the little green jewels. a little way further down. A short spell luring Emperor Moths attracted 3 males. 

The bilberry around the tumbled down wall was buzzing with bumblebees. 

Formerly the home of Green Hairstreak and Emperor Moth... 

Green Hairstreak butterflies . 4 seen. 

A fast moving Emperor Moth.

Back home in the afternoon, reports of loads (!) of white winged gulls at or passing Boulmer where up to 5 Glaucs and 2 Iceland had passed, enticed me out to Cullernose. I can see Boulmer from here, but could I see any arctic gulls? Not a sniff. Not many gulls at all, certainly no passage. Maybe the Boulmer birds were following feeding frenzies rather than moving north? My highlight from 6pm - 7pm was 1 Bonxie and 1 Red throated Diver both N. 

Moth.

 Its been all birdy for weeks now and I am eager for some variety when the weather gets a bit warmer. Soon it will be time to dust off the moth trap and get some early spring moths caught, but for the minute cold, dull weather means birds will still be the way to go.

As a taster of things to come I was pleased to see this small Many plumed Moth in our house last night, my first moth of 2021 on MapMate...

Many Plumed Moth Alucita hexadactyla beside a drawing pin for size.

 Last night dusk was around 4.45pm as I took Peggy out. It was just about light enough to look for a Barn Owl over the back field but it seemed quiet. Then a movement caught the periphery of my view . In the gloaming, a Buzzard, a male, was in full hunt pursuit of something just behind the hedge line. Then I got my eye on the victim, a bird, very unusual... made even more so when I saw the bird was a Sparrowhawk. You would think it could easily out pace a lumbering Buteo, but its surprising what a run it gave. The hawk had to switch and flip before plummeting like an arrow into some small Scots Pines beside the village hall. the Buzzard followed the same route straight in with such a clatter. The hawk emerged from the other side and off across the road, but it was now too dark to see the Buzzard again.

This shows that these large carrion, worm, and vole eating raptors are more active than you might first think. The Sparrowhawk should thank its lucky stars.

Beauty and the Beast..

A trip out this morning to look for inverts after last nights deluge. Dragons were on our mind, but some butterflies will do nicely too, after all, there will be plenty of bleak fall conditions to look forward to in the autumn, so its time to make the most of the insects.

Willow Warbler

A couple of short wetland stops on route to a favoured woodland area, were also quiet, only giving us a good scattering of Snipe, a Common Sandpiper and a nice Fox doing the 'walk of shame'.

As you can imagine, a wooded area inland is bound to be quiet at this time of year so this Willow Warbler was the only bird to point a camera at. A few Jays glimpsed, plus Great spotted Woodpeckers and calling Buzzards did little to add to the interest.

In the lea of a south facing ride, lots of butterflies were making the most of the warm weather - 10+ Green veined Whites, 10+ Small Skipper, 6+ Meadow Brown, 6+ Ringlet, 4+ Speckled Wood, 4+ Common Blue, 1 Peacock and a 1 Small Copper all looked shining in the warm sunshine.

Common Blue

Small Copper

Some other invertebrates though are more difficult to id. A Wood Wasp or Horntail flew past but this little froghopper thing was new -

Cicadela viridis thanks to Peter and Dave...

One of the strangest things seen though was also the most fearsomely ugly critter I've seen for some time...

Tachina grossa.

This fly was nigh on an inch long, dwarfing bumblebees nearby. For sure you wouldn't want it in the car with you. Anyway, it is a parasite on large moth caterpillars, in particular the Oak Eggar but I bet up here its the Drinker that is the target. While taking pictures, we were targeted by Clegs and ticks...urgh!

Of the odonata, 2 hawker sp were seen that were likely to be Southern along with a few Common Blue damselflies.

Relieved to get back home in tact, this view was from our kitchen window, so excuse the photos...

The Buzzard had taken something quite large, a rabbit probably, and the Magpies were determined to get their share. The raptor was properly irritated by them, and scattered them like a Lion with vultures!

Raptor Fest...

Peregrine, top, mobbing Buzzard ( looks like a sea eagle in this pic!)

Peregrine, top, over 4 Buzzards.

Walked over the back field towards the heugh first thing.

I was pleased to see 4 Buzzards in the air together, just hanging in the wind, when suddenly, a Peregrine came in from the south and was having none of it. Determined to stop their fun, she dived at them a few times before boredom set in and she moved off north, leaving the sluggish Buzzards to get on with it.

No sooner had the Peregrine gone, 3 Kestrels came out of the wood nearby and began displaying and calling. It was nice to see 8 raptors sharing airspace in the space of a few minutes.

A pair of Grey Partridges and a pair of Reed Buntings were in the marshy field corner, and a Grey Wagtail was on the burn in the village....