Old ground.

On Sunday I called in with John to see if we could get some photo's of the Rose coloured Starling that has been showing very well for two days in Ashington. Despite sunny weather and an early start to avoid residents, it had gone. So what to do next?

I had a little idea to get a snap of one creature I used to take for granted as a kid. The White clawed Crayfish. Then it was just Crayfish, as we had not yet been invaded by the larger more dangerous American Signal Crayfish. The particular river was my main stomping ground as a child and is one of the last UK hotspots for the species not having received any yankee invaders as yet. It only took me a few minutes to find half a dozen of the little crabby critters. I am concerned that they are all juvs with no larger adults that we used to find in profusion. Maybe Otters have reduced them as there were a few body parts and a carapace lying around.

After getting the said snap, he flipped his way back into the cool flow to rest up for the day.

We then had a wander up into the woodland where the Bluebells were all but over, though still making a pleasant view in the leaf darkened forest floor.

Our journey turned back north to check out a likely looking dragonfly pool for the first odonata of the year. When the sun finally emerged we had 3 Four spotted Chaser, lots of Common Blue Damsels, 4 Large Red Damsels and 4+ Blue tailed Damselflies. My first Wall Brown of the year was nice too followed by one on the home patch as it flew over the village green on Monday. Also at the pools were a Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Grey Partridges of note.

Linnets nest

Northern Marsh Orchid

And that was about it really, a bit of an eclectic morning out not one bit marred by missing seconds of the Rose coloured Starling.

Bank Holiday Weekend...

Not much birding done yesterday apart from a couple of Bunty walks and a very short seawatch. Most of the time was spent gardening and cutting grass, which I'm pleased to have done looking at the weather this morning.

In our back field there is a bit of set aside arable land in the shelter of the tiny wood next to our garden. For weeks now a flock of Linnets have fed there, and there were still 100+ this morning. While I scanned through them for something a bit more interesting ( there rarely is anything with the Linnets) a flash of bright yellow caught my eye. Not the expected Yellowhammer, but a lovely male Yellow Wagtail, with two Pied for company.

I took the dog home all of 20 yards, picked up the camera and came back out to find the birds all flying around. Luckily the Yellow Wag, dropped in reasonably close to where I stood and fed, nervously, for five minutes before taking off to continue its migration.

Its nice to see one on the ground here as most of my birds are fly overs...

Some of the Linnet flock still not away breeding...

Yellow Wagtail about to drop back in...

A vision in yellow...

And off he goes...

 114. Yellow Wagtail

Breezy egret.

After a very gusty wind overnight, where I put the moth trap off before bed, in case it flew seaward, John and myself headed down to Warkworth for a stroll. 

It was bright and warm in the sun, but the wind made it difficult to see very much. The days highlight flew in from the west, and settled on a sheltered bit of the salt marsh - a Little Egret. I didn't notice in the field but it had very long aigrettes right down its back as it was coming into breeding dress.  

There was very little else to note other than a Chiffchaff,  a few Tree Sparrows and a Small Tortosieshell around the car park. This Linnet was also in full song, staking out a territory.

After this, a walk around some farmland and along an old railway near Hipsburn didnt produce much either. Chiffchaffs again, 3 Buzzards, 16+ Redwing, a singing Grey Wagtail and a Red legged Partridge was about it really.

The warm sun had the sallows buzzing with insects.