At the Howick house tonight at dusk it was a very mild 14 degrees. Two Pipistrelles fittered around the garden, my first mammal tick and my first bats this year. The stubble field out back has been ploughed. 6 alba Wagtails fed along the furrows, 5 Pied and 1 White. On the coast cliffs 100+ Kittiwakes had returned and were making a right old racket as they staked a claim on a comfortable ledge...now to clean the paint brushes....

A short lunchtime stop at Bothal pond hoping for some spring migrants. Unfortunately I had to make do with the locals and didn't even get a sniff of a sand martin On the pond were a few Teal, Gadwall and Tufties but a stiff breeze kept most things in to the sides out of sight.A few Tree Sparrows were calling around the roadside nest boxes and this Robin sang from the hedge.

Today the sun shone and the sky was clear and blue, even though it was still quite cold. It was much better than the freezing gales yesterday. As the wind dropped last night the sea could be heard roaring as we stood at our back door.

Today, as per, I was busy most of the time but at 6pm we walked Bunty from the Howick house, down to the coast path, then south as far as the Rumbling Kern and back by Howick Lane.

My first spring migrants of the year were 3 singing Chiffchaffs in the willows along the lane. 4 Siskins flew in too, probably looking for a drink and a bath before roosting. On the cliff top 62 Whooper Swans flew north, close in, its just a pity I didnt have the camera, and off shore were a good few Gannets, Kittiwakes and Fulmars N and a few Guillemots were on the sea.

The stroll was just a nice fix to tide me over until a proper birding day...

Birding!!

Nearly....


Above - On the way home from work these two summer plumaged Mediterranean Gulls caught my eye on the River Coquet when I was stuck at traffic lights just before Warkworth...



Above - What do you mean 'where'? Look here they are!



Above - Incase you still doubt it...

:) Not the best views but I'm pleased I stopped for a few minutes to scan the flock. As well as the displaying Meds there was a Lesser black backed Gull, 4 Gadwall, and 4 Goldeneye.

I assume these Med Gulls are the ones from Amble Harbour and the same ones seen by JWR just south of the Aln estuary to the north, but who knows...

Right thats enough of that, back to floor tiling...

Renewal...

Spring is the time when all things begin a re-awakening. For some things, such as Dippers or Crossbills, 'spring' starts as early as December but for most, the lengthening daylight hours and slowly rising temperatures start the ball rolling.

Steve at North Downs has highlighted the human, birding, side of things pretty well over the last few weeks. Take a look at his latest...

He is right in that as we get longer in the tooth, the urgency and pressure to be the best in our hobbies dwindles. I often hear ( and can be heard) complaining about this, that and the other but maybe its just a sign that we need to tweak things a little bit and try and get back to basics, to what started us off in the first place.

It is no coincidence that over the past few years my reading material hasn't consisted of the latest gull i.d papers. I dont look at a Canada Geese and ponder if its a littlun or an even littler'un. It may sound heresy but moult strategies dont get me springing out of bed in the morning.

No. I find that I am re-reading old books and looking for old books I haven't read, written by old naturalists who paint a picture of times gone by. I read the magazines but look for something extra in the articles and stories, things with a feel good factor. I am often taken back 30 or 40 years to times fishing, catching newts or crayfish or bullheads, rockpooling and butterfly netting, bird nesting and looking for prey remains in fox dens. Times when Corn Buntings were singing on the wires, a bird between every pole.

Maybe my house move will be a renewal time too. Birding World subs have already been cancelled, what will be next? My pager has barely been out of the house this year and I live too far from Newcastle to make bird club meetings worthwhile...

It could be time to totally rethink...

How not to go Birding...

Today, and for the past few days, I've been seeing mostly, nowt.

Here is what I have not seen this week....

No Ravens at all.
Dave Elliott's Swallow midweek.
ADMc's Sand Martins at Bothal today.
ST's Chiffchaff at Linton.
Nigel's Great Grey Shrike again at Harwood.
Steve Taylor's Black Redstart at North Blyth.
The Wheatear at Cresswell.
The Glauc in Amble Harbour.

Nope, none of those have graced my notebook this week.

Roll on the days when the alarm goes off and a light SE'rly with rain easing greets me as I leave the house at first light. Or a warm sunny day when dragons and damsels are buzzing after each other over a sheltered pool...

What I can see ahead is some costly chimney scaffolding...


( Pushing the depressing never ending DIY aside, a Peregrine flew low over the car on my way home from work on Thursday and a Barn Owl was glimpsed near Embleton last night )

Spar Moths...

Common Quaker...




Yellow Horned.

Yellow Horned is a new one on me.

The background is getting a bit monotonous now so I think I might start placing the moths I can reach on a suitable background to take a photo...cream pebble dashing isn't the most complementary.

Other than those I have seen little other than two Roe Deer on the roadside at Howick this and last evening.

Spar Moth List 6.

Rave on!

What a lovely spring day today. It was made even better when I was knocking a batch of skimming plaster up and I heard the Raven call. I looked up and it was soaring low down just behind the house. I ran for the camera but by the time I dropped plaster everwhere the bird was quite distant for a photo but its better than nothing...

It was a good day for soaring birds with 3 Buzzards and 2 Kestrels in view for a good while at lunchtime.

Great spotted Woodpecker and Reed Bunting were seen when I was mixing stuff too...

The warm sunshine brought out a few Bumblebees in the garden along with Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.

Postcard from Japan...

My friends Ian Fisher and Richard Dunn have recently been to Japan on a birding trip. Look out on their websites (link right) for some pics. Here is a taster from Ian...



A flock of White tailed Eagles and Stellers Sea Eagles like spuggies on your bird table!

Raven again...

Working at the house this morning and I had just taken a break outside when I heard it call, softly, deep and woody from behind the copse next to the garden. This time, the Raven flew slowly right over the village towards the south east, heading for the Howick Dean. It's large cruciform shape was very distinctive with long heavy head almost as long as the tail and deep elastic flapping flight.

Where it has been for the two weeks since my last sighting we can only guess at. Probably between Dunstanburgh and Low Steads I'd imagine. well and truly on the garden list now ( last time, heard from the garden and seen from over the field behind).

It would be great if they nested nearby...

In the Howick woods, 6 Teal and 7 Mallard were on the pond and a Heron could be heard cronking away up in the Scots pines, probably on a nest. Towards Cullernose, 2 Hares were rolling about in the sandy soil.

Back at the Longhoughton house the Pheasant competed with the Rat for some seed (God I hate my feeding station. I remember the days back at Stobswood where Bramblings and Siskins competed at the feeders).

In the new house at 6pm this evening pondering on decorating, when the distinctive trumpeting of Whooper Swans had me dashing to the window in time to see about 45 go north very low right over our garden.

My first Bumblebee of the year made an attempt to come in through the garden door before being encouraged to go elsewhere...



This Pheasant was in our yard this morning, the first I've had here in nearly 4 years....



Walked Bunty to Boulmer north end at lunchtime. As you can see the beach was packed with visitors... :)

At Last...

Two I can identify. On special offer at the Spar shop today were one each of -



March Moth...



And Hebrew Character.

The Spar list now stands at 4...

Here we go again...

This is a 'Pug'. Now there are a lot of Pug species in the UK, but not many are on the wing on the 11th March. Could this be a Brindled Pug? Or not. Please help! Click on the image for a larger view...It was on the wall next to our kitchen window this evening...

PS - Thursday 12th... Thanks to Dean, Tom, Steve and Mike for putting me on the right track. The Pug above is not Ian Douglas (sorry Nigel) but is a Double Striped Pug. I've looked it up now so hopefully I'll know it the next time we meet...

Above - Cullernose Point. Fulmars and Kittiwakes breed here, not remote or high enough for Ravens ?



Above - Fulmar pair.



Above - Extreme feeding the ducks ( well, swans anyway).

A few snaps from Friday was all I could manage. The weekend has been spent visiting down in Manchester where I also had to buy and collect a cast iron wood burning stove at a price £400 cheaper than the same model up here!

I see everyone has had their fill of Great Grey Shrikes over the weekend. Roll on May when I might stand a chance of getting out and about abit more, I'm getting stir crazy now, not to mention a bit panic stricken as there is only 4 or 5 weekends left to finish off loads of work in the house before moving...

A lunchtime walk along the river at Bedlington today from the Bank Top. No bins or camera, just me with eyes and ears. Highlights were 7 Waxwings calling as they flew west upstream low overhead, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Treecreeper, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Siskins and a Grey Wagtail. There was a large clump of Winter Heliotrope in flower, the first flowering Butterbur and loads of green crowns of Arum Leaves...

Raven crack...

Ash left this comment on the post below....

A pair of Ravens turned up on The Farnes in mid-October, they came out from the mainland and headed back after hanging around the Inner Group for about half an hour. They were displaying a bit so maybe looking to breed somewhere along the coast this year? Only the 5th record for the islands so a very pleasant surprise in an otherwise fairly dismal October!

And this one from Dave....

Aye just backing what Ashy said (he found the Farne birds) - the birds appeared on the Farnes and then onto Holy Island a few weeks later - so is it the same two birds? And will they linger and breed locally? Crickey, please not on the Farnes... I'm not sure if there scarce in the area, but had two Red-legged Partridge at Rock today

I'll be looking out for them...

Really I'm just hiding the Great Grey Shrike depression settling over our house just now...sob.

Just a Ravens flap away...

Above - Dunstanburgh Castle. Thats how far it is for a Raven to fly to Howick...



Above - The view South from the same spot the top picture was taken.

After a cold dull start, the day turned out nice and bright. No sign of the Raven today despite a good few hours outdoors listening for it.

Gary at Newton Stringer has left an interesting comment about there being two Ravens at Dunstanburgh castle. This is only about 1 minutes flight away from my sighting so I bet our bird was one of the two...I bet its still hanging around the coastal cliffs somewhere ... Alan Tilmouth reports that there have been no coastal birds in the county since 2004, but I see there was one on Holy Island in Oct 2006. I think I have heard of one there this year too but can't find the record anywhere?

Two Buzzards were running around like chickens hunting worms in the Heugh field, 21 Curlews were in the stubble along with 4 Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer. Two Skylarks were in full song high over the same field. A total of 150 Pink footed Geese flew north this morning and a male Sparrowhawk flashed through the garden.

The Fulmars provided the days strangest view as four of them soared together over the back fields and pine plantation. I wonder if they are daring each other who can go the furthest inland before getting scared!

First Good Bird!

Another day at the house with JWR 'piecing up' here and there.

At about 2 o'clock I had swept up so much plaster dust there was only one thing for it. A cuppa over looking the west fields. Earlier in the day there had been 20 odd Curlew and 4 Buzzards together. As we sat chatting a bird called 'Prukk' in a deep woody tone. I commented to John that if we had been on the moors we would be looking for a Raven making that sound. As we were on the coast though I just left it thinking it was a hoarse Carrion Crow taking exception to the local Buzzards.

We decided to have a stroll up the stubble field towards Hips Heugh and had only gone a few yards when the call came again, this time the more usual 'Cronk' making us stop and look around. Sure enough up on the line of pines on the ridge was an absolutely massive Raven being beaten up by the local Corbies!!! It managed to soar up high to avoid them and began circling around for a bit before heading off steadily to the south.

My very first coastal Raven in the county, and only a field from my house, what a start for the patch. The only downside was that it headed towards Boulmer and may have been visible from there too... Dusty Bins should keep a look out at Alnmouth...

Later this afternoon Bunty's walk took us to the Boulmer north end. The tide was very full and there were excellent numbers of waders on the high tide line - 100+ Oystercatchers, 120+ Turnstone, 30 Bar tailed Godwits, 41 Knot and 17 Purple Sandpipers plus the usual Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Dunlin etc...

Sorry no pics, didn't take the camera....

New spring look to the blog. Slideshow playing up, it keeps throwing in a photo of a bloke running into the sea. Its not mine, honest! This version, right, only shows 12 of the 18 pics for some reason? Ho hum...roll on some birding time, I'm getting bored....

Oarfish II and III...

Remember the Oarfish found at Hadston on Boxing Day that may have been a first for Northumberland? Well now there's a second and a third!

This email was sent to me by its finder, an Amble fisherman called Michael Bould -

Hello Stewart,

Just to let you know that my friends wife found another Oarfish - seemingly still alive - on Turnaway Sand, Amble Monday night. She photo'd it and with her son pushed it back into the water. When I came ashore from fishing on Tuesday lunchtime I took the dog for a walk with the outside chance of getting a glimpse. After walking to tide edge for about 1.5 miles south of the find site, and about to give up I saw a flash of silver half way up the beach and unfortunately the fish was there having died and washed up overnight. I will attach a photo but not too nice as they seem to deteriorate rapidly once dead. The Boxing day fish in your site was a sorry sight only 4 hours later when we took some shots.

One man that is happy at these strandings is David Whittaker from Scarborough. He has been desperate to get one for analysis and I have the latest one preserved in my freezer for him to pick up at weekend - Just heard another one came ashore at Tynemouth yesterday so he may get 2 for 1 special. The fish was 10'6" long and full of krill so has not starved to death.

Cheers - Michael Bould

Michael has done well to recover the fish so far from its original sighting. Its interesting to see that it was full of krill too. This might be a discovery in itself as so little is known about the biology of these fish.

Its great to get emails like this, cheers Michael, now if anyone out there gets a photo of a wild Northumberland Pine Marten or Polecat let me in on it too...

I have just 'borrowed this from the BBC News ...


An unusual deep sea fish has been washed up on a beach in North Tyneside.

The 3m (9ft 8ins) long oarfish was found by a member of the public near cliffs at Tynemouth Pier on Tuesday.

They normally live at depths of up to 3,000ft (1,000m) in the Mediteranean or eastern Atlantic. Since 1981 only four findings have been recorded in the UK.

The specimen, which was in a good condition, has been taken to nearby Blue Reef Aquarium where experts will try to determine how it died.

Oarfish are the world's longest species of bony fish, and can grow to up to 24ft (8m) long, although there have been reports of individuals more than double that length.

Their great size, bizarre appearance and strange undulating way of swimming is believed to have given rise to many "sea monster" sightings over the centuries.

Earlier in February, a decayed specimen was found near Amble in Northumberland.[ This is the Boxing Day fish..]

Blue Reef curator Zahra d'Aronville, said: "Very little is known about the life cycle of these truly magnificent creatures and it's a mystery why two of them should have washed up on our coastlines so close together.

"This particular individual is in really good condition and there are no obvious reasons why it should have died.

"At this stage it's impossible to tell whether it was alive when it stranded or whether the currents simply washed it ashore."

I'm glad this interested the Tynemouth Aquarium, because they didn't reply to my email about the one on Boxing Day. So only 4 UK records and now three in Northumberland in 2 months...