Some images from this morning walk around the patch...




Above - Looking back towards our village over the hay field. Welted Thistle in the foreground.



Above - Howick Burn mouth....



Above - Shady pines in the Long Walk...



Above - 6 spot Burnet Moths. Hundreds on the coast path thistles this morning...



Above - 3 Small Tortoiseshells...



Above - and a dozen Painted Ladies also on the coast path thistles...




Above - This Green Sandpiper dropped into the pond without calling to sit on the lilly pads. As the photo opportunities were not good, the notes were drawn on the spot...

The route took me south from the village past the pond, down the Long Walk and back via the Coastal Path. Highlights seen but not photographed were -

Crossbill 9 flew into pines near the pond
Buzzard 2
Great spotted Woodpecker 1

Large Skipper 3 still around.
Ringlet and Meadow Brown abundant in all areas.
Common Blue 2 along coast path.
Peacock 1 in the woods.

And thats about it really apart from a sad tale to depress even the hardest of hearts...

While I sat taking notes at the pond, the Mute Swan family of 4 were rooting around near the seat. One cygnet sat away slightly and looked a bit unwell. Not thinking too much of it I carried on with my notes. I could hear the adults grunting and squeaking away, like they do, so I glanced up.

The poorly cygnet was dead, face down in the water. After about 20 seconds, the adults and healthy young swam away leaving the sad body floating in the water. Its not often you see the death of a creature in such a benign way...



Above - The adult Swan leaves the dead cygnet...

After the rain...

Today was much better after 24 hours of very heavy rain. This morning was dull with some light showers but this afternoon was warm with sunny spells.

I had an hour and a half seawatch this morning from the coast path near home. I find it strange to pick up the scope and deckchair after seawatching and instead of putting them in the car, I can just walk the few hundred yards back home.

Totals seen as follows-

9.30am - 11am -

Tufted Duck 1 female with a flock of auks N.
Common Scoter 45 N and 7 S
Red breasted Merganser 1 ec male N
Cormorant 6 N
Gannet 1200 per hour N ( 22 in 1 minute)
Fulmar 15 per hour N
Manx Shearwater 20 N
Kittiwake 500 per hour N
Little Gull 2 ad summer N
Puffin 35 N
Bonxie 6 N including a group of 4
Arctic Tern 74 N
Common Tern 4 N
Roseate Tern 4 ad N
Sandwich Tern 13 N
Knot 50 N in one flock. Too quick to get an accurate count.
Sanderling 7 N
Whimbrel 1 N

A Porpoise was seen close in for a few minutes.

This evening at 6pm we had a visit to our friends house to feed their cat. They live on the other side of Howick Estate. On arrival a Barn Owl flushed from the top of a telegraph pole and vanished into the wood. Later 5 Crossbills flew N low over head calling constantly.

Back home, at 7.30pm our Barn Owl was hunting out the back field. In the bright sunshine it looked really good. These images above were taken from inside our kitchen, through the window. After the prolonged heavy rain these birds will be hungry now...

Summer Storms...

Well I think this is the start of the monsoon season good and proper. After a week of fine mornings and rainy afternoons today has gone the whole hog with a strong Northerly force 6 and torrential rain all day.

Looking on the bright side, this might shuffle stuff up a bit, so look out for some seawatching and maybe an arrival of waders as soon as the front abates...

This morning I took Bunty along to the coast path ( its amazing how that's my morning job when the weather is bad...) where we were just in time to catch sight of an adult Arctic Skua very close in move north along the rock edges. This evening, a quick glance from the car window had 1 Little Tern and 10+ Arctic Terns battling into the gale.

Two very wet and bedraggled Siskins were on our niger this evening...

Anniversary...

Its 3 years today since this blog started. The first post was of a Corn Bunting at Boulmer and I've not seen one since.

The Roseate was still there tonight but it flew by at about 30 miles an hour so no photos. In the garden tonight, a juvvy Great spotted Woodpecker and the raggy male Siskin were on the nuts, and a Grey Wagtail flew over, calling...

They're all Red veined Darters!

I couldn't resist it. I popped back to the Summerhouse Lane Pond today for a second look at the Red veined Darter. These dragons are rare migrants from southern Europe and are usually only found in the south in good years and are mega rare up here. A few breed near Southport but other than that they are rarities.

Bearing that in mind, imagine my shock today when I found that every 'red' darter I looked at was a Red veined. I had between 6 and 8 individuals around the pond edge ( I later heard that Richard Dunn had as many as 14!) I think I cocked up i.d yesterday with my Ruddies, they were all RVD's.



Above - This is the pond. RVD Habbo...



Above - Pristine top left wing....




Above - Raggy notched top left wing...



Above - Nice red veins...



Above - Look at the pterostigmas on that...



Above - Only one whitish body stripe...



Above - Blue in the face...

Not only those but the male Black tailed Skimmer ( Harry Eales had 4), 2 Emperors, including one that caught a Meadow Brown in flight, cut its wings off and ate it in about 15 seconds, 1 Four Spotted Chaser, 1 female Common Darter ( or teneral -immature - male).

I hope the pics are not dragon overkill but they are fantastic and up here we might not get the chance again. I suggest you go and see for yourself they are well worth it...

Oh and tonight back home the Roseate Tern was fishing very close in again. I might try and get some pics tomorrow evening if it is there...

Red veined Darter.

After a tip off from Roger Forster and Jimmy Steele, I took a trip at lunchtime to the new pond between Woodhorn and Newbiggin to look for the Red veined Darter.



First dragon seen was the target cruising the shallow margins at a regular pace and pattern. Larger than Ruddy Darter and broader winged, he didn't seem as fidgety either and more dliberate in his flight. It was quite agressive to both Ruddy and Common Darters until the male Black tailed Skimmer put in an appearance and chased him off for a while. The Skimmer itself is a fantastic record for Northumberland and is one of the first records ( I think).



Above - Look at the bright red parallel body and the yellowish pterostigma ( wing spots)visible even in this flight pic.



Although blurred this shows well the red veins and yellow bases to the wings in flight.



As does this.



Above - Head on the body shape and pterostigma spots are still visible.



The two shots show the blue eye base ( click on any picture) and all other features. The legs have faint paler stripes down them.



And finally a merge to compare with a Ruddy from last year. Look at the body shape, eyes etc.




Also present - 1 Four spot Chaser, 1+ Ruddy and 2+ Common Darter and the three common Damselflies.

Cheers lads a great spot!

A sunny July Day...

A nice warm and sunny day with a light SE2 to clear the air. Two short strolls today, firstly this morning to the Pondfield and later to the coast path. Nothing doing bird wise other than a whistling Whimbrel over the garden that remained unseen. The pair of Little Grebes on the pond have three tiny humbug striped chicks now. Plenty of distant fishing Gannets and Kitty frenzies too far to bother with...





A stroll through the meadow next to the pond lifted dozens of Meadow Browns (above) and a couple of Small Tortoiseshells (above) whilst there were about 15+ Ringlets in the Village Wood. New plants in flower in the Meadow were Devils Bit Scabious and Giant Bellflower. One or two Emerald Damselflies were new on the wing too ( above). There was no sign of any Dragons though. A large Trout jumped clear of the water (theres no fish in the pond they reckon)so that may be the reason for lack of Dragons. Plenty of Common Blue Damsels though...



Along the cliff path, some large clumps of Hemp Agrimony were in flower. A new one on me.



And finally, all of the nice spring blossom has turned into Bird Cherries now. They look good enough to eat!

A day late....again.

Not enough time!

Well, last night when I came home from woork I walked Bunty up towards the coast path. As I approached the road end and looked seaward I noticed some birds coming low across the cut hay field ahead. I knew what they were, but thought I must be mistaken so lifted the bins, expecting to be corrected by a family party of gulls, but no, only a couple of hundred yards from home, heading north overland were four tremendous Bonxies! Absolute belters they were too, all adults. Had I been seawatching they would have gone behind me. I should have taken the camera because I would, at least, have had a record shot to show you they were that close.

Thats it, about turn and collect the scope. The wind was a nice NNW4 and the sea had quite a swell on it. I ended up having an hour's look seaward in two halves, after returning Bunty for her tea.



This is the note book entry for the session -


Bonxie (Great Skua) 4
Little Gull 2ad
Whimbrel 2 inc one close enough to grab (well not quite...)
Arctic Tern maybe a dozen
Manx Shearwater 6
Roseate Tern 1 lovely pink adult watched for about 15 minutes hovering and dropping to catch a tiny sandeel then back up. The wind held it nicely at eye level throughout.
Sandwich Tern 2+

Along with plenty of auks, Gannets, Kitties, and Fulmars all going north, a good show for such an early date. A reminder that the autumn seawatching proper is imminent...

Craster Fete

This is a late post from the weekend. Its good to get back into routine after the hols, well most of it, apart from the back to work on Monday bit.

On Saturday we walked from home along the coast path to the tiny fishing village of Craster for their annual fete. There's not much there but it raises funds for the lifeboat so its a good thing. The views are great up to Dunstanburgh castle, and the weather was nice.

On the way, near Cullernose Point I found a first for me - Seaside Centaury (above) Centaurium littorale. In the books it looks tricky to identify but in the field it looks different to Common Centaury. This one was out on the rocky shore immediately next to the high tide mark. The leaves are upright and more 'succulent' and leathery. The flowers are gathered in clumps at the top. A nice find.



Before going to Craster, I was cutting the lawn when Ipin 'Druridge Pools' Robson rang to say he was watching a Red Kite over my house. Aaaargggh. I'm outside looking up and no bird. Then I lost signal and had to call him back. Then the directions were a bit more specific, the bird was actually a bit west, moving east towards the Heugh out our back. Despite leaping like a gazelle ( just use your imagination, ok) I was on our drive wall scanning the Heugh. There were Swifts and Swallows, Woodpigeons and a Buzzard at 30,000 feet but no Kite. It must have drifted north out of sight. Its unlucky, that...

Anyway this cock Siskin was nice for the time of year on the niger seed and if anyone can assist with this wild allium sp growing near the wall on our drive I would be grateful. I think it is either Crow Garlic Allium vineale or Sand Leek Allium scorodoprasum , probably the former? Nigel, Steve....


And I almost forgot, the other evening we walked to the cliff path and the sea was oily calm so I scanned for the Dolphin family. No sign but there were 2 Harbour Porpoises in the bay for compensation. They were only half the size with a stubby dorsal fin...

The New Forest...

I've never been to the New Forest before. Thats what I thought, then read that it was a great place for dragonflies and butterflies, so we gave it a go. We have been away the full week, driving down last Friday and coming home yesterday. Its quite a trek from here, about 385 miles or so. The weather was generally hot and dry with temperatures between 23 and 29.5 degrees every day.




Above - Ponies and Donkeys are all over. This crew thought that the road outside the paper shop would be a good stop. They liked the bus shelter too and kind of made it their own...



Above - One of the valley mires typical of the New Forest heathlands, ideal for rare plants and dragons...



Above - The river Lymington...



Above - For all the die hard birders out there, this is a token gesture. The male Dartford Warbler was calling frequently but it was only after I took the shot I saw the young bird below him. The birding was about non existent this week so apart from a half a dozen Dartfords and being woken through the night by a Nightjar in the cottage garden or very nearby, I saw very little. How on earth can I visit the breeding epicentre for Hobbies in the UK and not get a sniff? Too much looking down instead of up I think...



Above - Two very rare plants in the UK. Top, Hampshire Purslane, found only in the New Forest and one or two spots on Essex and bottom, Coral Necklace found only here and in Cornwall.



Above - Sundews were in their millions. Like lawn daisys on the damp heaths...




Above - What a bonus this was. Jane found this female Stag Beetle wandering across our holiday patio. She's a big'un mind....( er, the beetle that is...)




Above - Downy Emerald Dragonfly. One of 4 new species for me this week. Sorry this is my only shot, taken at Hatchet Pond near Beaulieu...



Above - Beautiful Demoiselle top and bottom. Middle is a Beautiful Dem harassing a Banded Demoiselle off his territory...



Above - MEGA. Well if you like this sort of thing. Southern Damselfly is a very rare species, again most easily seen in the New Forest, This pair were at Crockford Bridge.



Above - Small Red Damsels were quite widespread on the heaths. See the red legs and no black on the tail end separating them from the more robust Large Reds.



Above - Commoner species included from the left, clockwise, Broad bodied Chaser, Black tailed Skimmer and Keeled Skimmer. The latter were in their hundreds all over. I also had Golden ringed, Emperor, Common Darter Dragons, Common Blue, Azure, Common Emerald, Large Red, Blue tailed Damsel etc.



Above - Four new butterflies for me too starting with Silver washed Fritillary. Common in larger woods with up to 30 seen in Bently Wood near Salisbury. I also saw Purple Emperor here but no photos I'm afraid, the buggers stayed too high...



Above - White Admirals at Pondhead Inclosure and Bently Wood. I have never seen as many butterflies in one spot as there were in Bently Wood. There were 50+ Large and Small Skippers, uncountable Speckled Woods, Ringlets and Meadow Browns, Marbled Whire, Red Admiral, Comma, plus the three target species mentioned...



Above - Up to 35+ Silver studded Blues near Hatchet Pond...



Above - A few Dark Green Fritillaries in Hawkhill inclosure...I had a couple of Purple Hairstreaks at Crockford too but again too high....



Above - The cottage outside light attracted some moths too. This lot are from the top left, clockwise, , 2 True Lovers Knot, White Spotted, Buff Ermine, Swallow tailed and Common Emerald



And finally sunset over Hatchet Pond.

Please click on the pictures for larger views. Many thanks to Steve Gale and to Alan of 'Hampshire Butterflies' for their advice on sites for taget species. A great trip!