Pished Off...

 How badly does missing out on seeing a rare bird affect you? Some 'casual' ( ehherm) birders recently on social media have lamented that they don't know how they will cope if they miss the next big thing, having missed out on some mega rare birds recently on various islands around our coastline. Really?

For goodness sake get a grip, if it is troubling you that much maybe you need to get some mental health advice. Most of us, I think, are in the 'bugger' camp where we would like to catch up with something that we then dip out on leaving a little fed up for a spell then we move on. That's life or as some local old timers would phrase it 'That's birding son'.

This weekend, I've had a little taste of this. On Saturday late afternoon around 5.20pm, a message came through from our local insatiable bird finder, Dan, that he had found a Red -eyed Vireo at Boulmer! To be precise, the bird was in a few scattered hawthorns on Seaton Point. 

Seaton Point, pic taken Oct 2020...

The timing couldn't have been worse for me as I had to be at Alnmouth Station at 6pm to pick Jane up from a trip to Newcastle. By then it would be dark anyway so it was a non starter. Wandering around the station 35 mins later, thick clouds gathered, not only in my head, but real ones and the rain started. Darkness brought relief in that my dilemma was now over, it would wait until tomorrow.

Overnight and the wind got up to a near gale from the south west. Seaton Point isn't a good bird holder in decent conditions being so exposed but in this weather I was not hopeful that our East coast yank would still be there.

I met John there at 7am, before first light. John had been quick enough out of the blocks that he saw the bird while Dan was still with it last night so he had the most up to date idea where it was at dusk.

We covered the area until lunchtime along with another good few birders but, as expected, the Vireo was no more. Missing a bird of this magnitude on our local patch does smart a little, but at least I saw the Holy Island bird last autumn so its not too bad. 

What did we see? The answer is, not a lot really. A Peregrine soared over the point in a blustery dawn, 22 Barnacle Geese flew W, about 20 Redwings were in the point bushes and bracken and a couple of Siskins and Grey Wagtail flew S. 

Here's to the next time...

 

If only....things might have been much different...

A flock of storms...

These storms are beginning to irritate now. We've had roll call of  Arwen, Barra, Corrie, Malik, Dudley, Eunice and Franklin since 26th November. I knew when we had those two weeks of  fine, calm, weather in January that we would pay for it. This last week we have had three of these storms and it looks set to be windy for the forseeable.

As a result, I haven't been too far birding and the last two Sundays have been written off due to the weather. Roll on spring!

Around the village this last 10 days or so birding has been done while dog walking with a few things into the notebook.

The back field flash still has a tiny puddle of a marsh that held 4 Snipe the other day and 6 Skylarks flew N, the first signs of viz mig this year.

 On Friday I was pleased to see a Water Rail in the village burn, my first this winter. It paused briefly before scuttling off upstream at a pace. Yesterday, it had a near miss as I drove along the lane when it flew very low right infront of the car into the hedge across the road. Luckily I make a point of driving slowly here as there are always Blackbirds or Roe Deer popping out.

A large flock of 90 - 100 Chaffinches are feeding in the Rectory paddock but there are no Bramblings with them, yet. If the flock holds until April it should attract a few on return migration. Also here 9 Redwings but no Fieldfares. In the wood, Treecreepers are vocal, while Sparrowhawk and Buzzard have been seen each week. 

Not much there to set the ornithological world alight, but there is always something to look at. Maybe this northerly off  'Franklin' will give the chance of a white winged gull or even better, its namesake in coming days?

Redwing.

Treecreeper

 

The Beast.....

What a difference since Monday! Around our house this morning... maybe more to come later...

Since I took these, things have just gone downhill. The wind has increased from the east, drifting the constant snowfall into 2ft deep wedges through gates and across roads. At the time of writing [ 2pm] it is a white-out across the fields behind us. When walking out, you need to keep your face covered or it will freeze and the dry wind blasted snow is stinging. The roads are closed on both of my available routes to work, so I am now on holiday.

Our garden is heaving with birds. We have fed them three times and changed the water four times as it freezes. There are 100+ Starlings, 60+ Tree and House Sparrows, 20+ Chaffinches, 7 Robins, 6 Dunnocks, a wren, 6+ Redwings, 6+ Fieldfares and 20+ Blackbirds. Out in the back field are 6 Skylarks and a Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Partridges with 2 Golden Plovers and a Curlew all trying to get respite from that Siberian wind.

Hopefully this wont last too long after all, it is March tomorrow. I cant see the Garden Moth Scheme opener being up to much on Friday!

Above - This Redwing didnt look too good, sleeping during the day.

A fitter Redwing than at the top, but it still looks bewildered by the freeze.

A Field Day...

Rainbow over the sand flats north of the causeway.

A day off work midweek is never an opportunity to be missed so when JWR said he had to use up some annual leave before the end of the month and we should have a trip out, my flexi day was booked in pronto.

Just like the old days, we decided to have the full day out birding up the coast, rather than just grabbing at a Sunday morning, and headed off to Holy Island early doors. The morning was fine and cool with a light NW breeze, but an ominous looking front could be seen further north in to the Scottish Borders, and it was heading our way.

The island was mainly tourist free, as the crossing would be closed mid morning, so we enjoyed an uninterrupted wander around the village for a couple of hours. Chiffchaff and Blackcap with a few Redwing, Fieldfare and Blackbirds were the only migrants, probably lingering from last week. Masses of Pale bellied Brent Geese and assorted waders fed and flew around the flats either side of the causeway.   As the rain arrived we decided it was time to out run it by heading south.

A few Pale bellied Brent Geese.

Chiffchaff

Redwing

Blackcap

The Bamburgh and Seahouses area was our next stop, taking in several sites in the area. At Budle Bay the tide was almost up and had pushed thousands of birds up together. Highlights here were a powerful immature Peregrine that narrowly missed catching a Redshank before continuing south to let the birds relax until the next 'sortie'.  At Stag Rocks, there was little on the sea other than a Slavonian Grebe but a late Sandwich Tern sat on the rocks with waders was a surprise find at this time of year.

A quick check of the castle wood for migrants was quiet apart from a Woodcock flushed from the leaf litter.

A small feeding station just outside Bamburgh village held the usual woodland species including Marsh Tit, Nuthatch and Great spotted Woodpecker. 

Stag Rocks, Bamburgh

Imm Peregrine.

Marsh Tit

 A final stop at Beadnell and Low Newton where the rain was now becoming irritating turned up a single Long tailed Duck, 3 Red throated Divers, another Chiffchaff and a scattering of Goldcrests.

A quick tally showed that we had recorded 81 species of bird, not a bad total with out really trying too hard. We might start and make this a habit....

What to Look for in Spring...

...goes the title of the ladybird book first published in 1961. I had all of the 'seasons' series, beautifully illustrated by Charles Tunnicliffe. They were very evocative of halcyon days out in the field, before all people cared about was their XBox, OK magazine, Big Brother, Bankers Bonuses, Cuts, Libya and Stejnegers Scoters. I loved them.

Toady up at Branton Pits doing the count with Mr Rutter, was just like the Spring one.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes were keeping close, while Coots were territorial and the Reed Buntings looked lost as they had just returned to look for a place to call home.

Sallows bloomed around the margins, just waiting some warm sunshine to get the bees and moths to pollinate...

A Chiffchaff was in full song between flycatching sorties, and a Redwing looked ready to have a sing before heading north.

The Black headed Gull colony was starting to crowd up while down at the river, the Dippers were in full breeding fettle..

Sigh...

[Oh and I forgot to add a proper patch tick this morning. A single Red legged Partridge was along the lane end.]