First thing this morning, a Buzzard was going three rounds with a Carrion Crow over the Heugh. I was looking there again at 8.45am and the crow was battling with another dark bird that looked different enough to warrant a binocular check. It was the Raven! After a back flip or two, the big lad flew off towards the Hall and wasn't seen later. Funny pattern this crow has. Present with its mate for the first 3 weeks of January, then one visit by the pair in mid February and now this glimpse...

ADMc and RF visited today to check out the area. Although it was blustery the rain held off, mostly, and we had a wander around the estate. 4 Buzzards were together behind the Heugh and a drake Tufted Duck was on the pond, an OFFH addition. The track to the pond was covered in pairs of mating Toads, so much so we had to watch the ground to stop treading on them. In the Arboretum my first Coltsfoot and Primrose were in flower....

This evening a female Reed Bunting was feeding from our peanut feeder ( cant say I've seen that before) and it was ringed. Who is ringing my buntings! I suspect that the Snow Bunting was from a good distance away, while this Reed Bunting most likely was ringed at Low Newton, maybe by Gary Stringer?

Last nights moth totals were reasonable and included a new one for me-

Pine Beauty 1 what a nice little creature....
March Moth 10
Common Quaker 5
Red Chestnut 1
Hebrew Character 10
Clouded Drab 2

29 moths of 6 species.

OFFH Birds 107
OFFH Moths 18 I'm sure the moths will catch up in the summer....

More snow....

This lovely white male Snow Bunting showed well near the cattle feed at Low Steads, Longhoughton. You can see its ringed on its left leg...

The WeBs count area. 10am on a Sunday, the beaches are their usual crowded selves... The headland is Howick Haven and Rumbling Kern, with Seahouses Farm viewed from Sugar Sands.  

It was cold and frosty last night so I didnt bother with the moth trap and headed out early to do Julie's WeBs count from Howick Burn to the Fishing Boat Inn, Boulmer. I thought it was due this week but I'm actually a week late. ( Sorry Julie). The morning was nice and clear with only a light SW breeze.

Still, the birds showed little signs of spring other than 2 Chiffchaffs, one singing in Howick Dene, the other in the cliff buckthorns. Some nice birds were noted but none new for the OFFH list. -

Merlin 1 female sat out on a small hawthorn after I flushed it off a fence post. It looked well in the scope but too distant for a photo.

Shelduck 9

Goldeneye 3

Eider 32

Redshank 51

Oystercatcher 36

Grey Plover 3

Curlew 110

Turnstone 7

Purple Sandpiper 3

Knot 10

Dunlin 44

Bar tailed Godwit 6

Sanderling 9

Lots of Linnets were around including groups of 25 and 40, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks were song flighting from territories, 2 Buzzard were over the dene, 10 Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting were near Seahouses Farm. The male Snow Bunting above, was with a few Linnets and Pied Wagtails in a cattle feed area at Longhoughton Low Steads, seen both on my way and on my return. 

I think that the April count will show a lot more changes...

This afternoon I planted out 10 Hazel saplings into my garden where my first Bumblebee of the year was on crocuses....

Migrants!

Well, 2 of one species. This evening 2 Chiffchaffs were vocal in the Village Wood, one showing very well low down in a sallow. Not much else on the bird front despite checking the coast path for Wheatears and Black Redstarts...

Moth trapping was much better than expected. The rain just about held off, it was calm, overcast and about 6 degrees -

688 Agonopterix heracliana 2
1663 March Moth 1
1926 Pale brindled Beauty 1
1934 Dotted Border 1 a very small individual, looked like a carpet...
2187 Common Quaker 8
2188 Clouded Drab 5
2190 Hebrew Character 16
2243 Early Grey 1 only the second record for VC68 after one I took off the Spar shop last spring. A good one for the garden (below).

35 moths of 8 species.

OFFH List 106

705 Agonopterix umbellana.

I forgot about this one. Its dead, but it was in the trap on Wednesday, but its taken until now to identify it correctly I hope.  

A box of moths!

Last nights catch was the best of the year so far, by far....

1663 March Moth 17
2139 Red Chestnut 2 a new species for me and what a cracker.
2182 Small Quaker 1 another new moth for me.
2187 Common Quaker 11
2188 Clouded Drab 1
2190 Hebrew Character 12
2256 Satellite 2 one of each colour form.
2258 Chestnut

Total 47 moths of 8 species....

Top left - Red Chestnut , right, Small Quaker

Bottom left - Clouded Drab and right, Satellites

This morning the trip to work was quite eventful with a Peregrine over the road at Longhoughton and 12 Whooper Swans flew N at Warkworth.

Tonight we had to go on Toad crossing patrol at our lane end. We rescued 26 but another dozen were already pizza'd by the time we arrived. We released the saved ones nearer to their destination, well away from traffic... 

Last nights moths...

Above Left - March Moth, Right - Dotted Border.

Last nights mothing  -

March Moth 1
Dotted Border 1
Hebrew Character 3

5 moths of 3 species.

Early Bird...

I had ADMc on the phone yesterday for a chat and he told an interesting tale.

The other day he had two Tawny Owlets in a tree in Morpeth. The chicks, recently fledged, branch out like this and are still adult dependant. This is very early this year. Andy has checked the dates of fledging and believes these two to be 5 weeks old. Along with a 4 week incubation period, means that this pair had a nest with eggs anwhere round about the 10th January .

Can you remember what the weather was like on 10th January?

Moth Trapping

Thats better! At last some moths (proper ones) in the trap this morning.

Pale Brindled Beauty 1

Common Quaker 1 (above)

Hebrew Character 1 (above)

Chestnut 3 ( above - these two show the normal and darker forms caught together. The dark one shows a worn trailing edge that could make it look like a Dark Chestnut soon)

March Moth 1

7 moths of 5 species. Unfortunately the March Moth flew off before I could deploy the camera...3 new species for the year list.

Agonopterix heracliana...

...snappy, eh. Bound to get more hits on the blog that heading is.


Anyway, last night was my Garden Moth Survey and things looked promising. We went out in the car shortly after dusk, and a good few moths were seen in the headlights not far from home. The first two Pipistrelles of the year flew along the lane, and a Barn Owl was near Hemmel House. Although only a few hundred yards from home, we were in the car so they dont go on to the OFFH lists for obvious reasons.


This morning I was out sharp and keen to see what the trap held. Egg boxes were carefully removed and examined for choice lepidoptera, but as disappointment after disappointment came, the trap was empty with no result. Then I saw a movement on the bare plastic base of the trap. A moth!

Agonopterix heracliana

Not much to look at but I did need to get the books out... better luck next time.

After all that, I headed north to a a little watched forestry area where I have had Goshawk in the past to see what I could find. This area is no Harwood or Kielder but it has no other observers either so it suits me.

After a walk of about 5 miles the only raptor seen was a lone Buzzard being harassed by a crow. Plenty of Crossbills brightened the day and the forest was ringing with their calls. The largest group I saw was of about 40 birds.

Further into the wood I was suprised to see a Brown Hare loping along the ride toward me. I fumbled the camera and only managed a few head shots before it went under the trees. Unusual to see a Hare in the middle of a wood. No sooner had the Hare gone then my eyes focussed on a spotslightly further away to meet with the gaze of this Roe Buck. His antlers are still in velvet. 

The wind has dropped a bit so the trap is on again....

Above - Early Moth. A garden first, on the wall next to our outside light last night.

Cooler than yesterday, and duller. But fair and quite pleasant.

I walked over most of the patch today on several outings. The first sortie was with Bunty down to the pond where I had two new species for the OFFH list.

Teal 3 male and 1 female, calling from the typha beds. They have been here most of the year, but this is the first time I have actually caught sight of them.
Little Grebe 2
Kingfisher 1 showed really well fishing from a twig on the far side of the pool. It was still there on my afternoon walk.
Jay 3 were calling raucously, but only one was seen as it flew over and into the pond willows.

Above - Jay. I'm not sure if I've used this one before? but it was for the 2008 NTBC annual report.

Siskin 17 flew N
Nuthatch 1
Great spotted Woodpecker 2
Green Woodpecker 1 heard yaffling again.

Two Roe Deer were in the Village Wood. The buck's antlers were half free of 'velvet'. The top half was bloodied and looked sore.

In the afternoon I had a visit from Gary 'Newton Stringer' Woodburn who had been visiting some local farmers as part of his RSPB duties, so I gave him a whistle stop tour of the area. We walked up the Heugh and back by the woods and down to the pond again. Of interest were 2 Buzzards, Crossbills heard calling and 2 Goldcrests displaying, the male with his crown fully spread giving a great show.

OFFH List 105

Yaffle.

On holiday today. Didn't do much other than potter around, really. I was returning home from the shops and as I left the car a Green Woodpecker called, clear and ringing, from the copse next to our garden. I spent the next ten minutes looking into the leafless trees but there was no sign. I had just about given up, when it called again, this time much further away over the back field. I soon picked it up, very distantly, sat right at the top of one of the hedgerow trees, gazing around. After a while it flew towards the Heugh where I just managed to see it doing a 'wallcreeper' up the rock face before moving out of sight.

To all of you who live south of Yorkshire, Green Woodies must be quite mundane, but in Northumberland they are relatively scarce, so casual sightings like this one are always appreciated.

About 60 Kittiwakes have returned to the cliffs along the coast path this weekend and they can be heard calling even from the garden.

A wander to the pond with Bunty was very springlike, with small birds in song all over. Two pairs of Bullfinches looked immaculate as they nipped the buds from some willows, a Marsh Tit flew along the ditches and the Heronry is at full volume. 53 Curlews stopped off in the back field for a while yesterday.

OFFH List 103

Garden Moth Survey results now in...

Trap on from 18.00 until 05.00. Min Temp 4 degrees, breezy and semi overcast.

Total trapped -  0

Garden Moth Survey

Tonight is the first night of the 2010 Garden Moth survey. Temp is about 4 - 5 degrees but th wind is a choppy NW4 too blowing straight into the garden. Still the trap is out and it will be until dawn. Lets hope the forecast rain doesnt come until after 7am. I'm not holding out much hope of catching anything but the season must start somewhere...

The survey is every Friday until Bonfire night. I wonder if we will get a suitable night between now and then, it certainly doesnt feel like it....

One or two things...

But dont get excited.

Our local Goldfinch roost has had a dramatic intake this week. Its gone from 8 birds to 46 overnight.

Yesterday I was home early enough to walk bunty in daylight and was lucky enough to meet half an Ermine on the road. Its a pity the other half of it was a Stoat. Fortunately after I got a reaosnable view by squaeking it down to a few yards before both halves dashed off into some Rabbit haunted gorse bushes for tea....

This morning some swans flying north out from our kitchen window proved to be 12 Whoopers. Spring has sprung...

Grim.

Although the weather was not too bad today, I havent done much to write about. A short seawatch first thing was poor with only 35 Gannets, 7 Razorbills, 1 Guillemot and a hundred plus mixed Guilliebills too far off to sort out. Not a sign of a Puffin yet.

After that I did an atlas tetrad, my last winter one, where the best was, yep you guessed it, 2 Woodcock.

5 Pale brindled Beauty were on the Spar wall...

Ho hum...

Breakfast Marauder.

This morning was icy again down to -3 but clear and sunny. Up at the coast field yesterdays Fieldfare flock appeared very agitated and approached much closer than last time. A scan of the field showed the cause of their concern.

The Peregrine had already reduced their number by one and was getting stuck in to breakfast. After about 20 minutes he flew over head towards the Old Rectory and settled in the trees in their garden where it could be heard calling. Crows piled in to further annoy the marauder causing it to fly, this time circling to gain hieght. One crow pushed his luck too far. When it mobbed the Peregrine out of sight behind the trees I thought that was it gone, but seconds later both crow and peregrine came racing back out the otherside, but roles were reversed. The Peregrine made some great playing stoops at corbie, calling all the while before relaxing and drifting away.

I bet the crow will think twice about who he picks on in future.

After the excitement, the whole village remained in a hushed silence for a while, as if the birds were thinking 'thank god that wasn't me'....

Seen nothing like this...

Alan Gilbertson sent me this photo today of a strange lemon and white bird taken in a garden in Widdrington.

His frist guess was an albino Chaffinch but then changed his mind to Canary. A reasonable enough assumption. I mean a Chaffy with lemon and white colouration? Never.

Look closer though.

Bill - Long and pointed. Canary has short and conical, regadless of type.
Head - Square naped witha hint of crest. There is a demarcation line between the lemon back and the paler nape shadowing that of the normal bird above.
Wing structure - Primary length actual and in relation to tertial length fits. Canaries generally have a shorter wing.
Rump -  Flight shots show the pale bird to have a yellow rump in the same position a normal Chaffinch would be bright green.

And what the photo doesnt show is that this bird has been around now for two winters, I havent known an escaped canary last more than a week! ( I used to breed them when I was younger).

Alans first impressions were right, this is a leucisitc Chaffinch.

A hunt on Google images for leucisitic chaffich showed a few examples but none as extreme as this one....

Here are few more images...

Still freezing...

On holiday today and tomorrow. For no reason really, I'm just using up leftovers before the new hols start in April...

The day dawned very cold, -4, but clear and sunny. By mid day the sun was quite warm, but it was back to freezing by late afternoon. I timed Bunty's first walk well, because the first bird I saw this morning was a nice adult Peregrine, a male I think, with a heavy crop, flying low overhead towards the Village Wood.

No doubt he had been taking advantage of this lot, below. The coast field had a large flock of Fieldfares, Redwing and Starlings with a few Golden Plovers thrown in, numbering a couple of hundred birds. 

Mid morning I did an atlas square not far away, at Stamford, near Rennington. Only 25 species were seen but that included the now obligatory Woodcock flushed from a stream closely to be followed by a single Snipe.

WeBs Count...

Friday and Saturday gave us a fresh two inches of snow overnignt. This morning it had frozen into concrete with an air temperature of -5. I cant bring myself to post any more 'scenic' christmassy snow scenes, certainly not until December! However the day was crystal clear and sunny early on so I headed off on foot to walk the coast counting the birds as far as the Fishing Boat Inn, Boulmer.

Not only was I doing the survey, I was hoping to add some ommissions to my On Foot From Home list too...

Although there was nothing as good as last months Shorelarks, there was plenty to see all the same.

The list included -

Goldeneye 6

Red breasted Merganser 7

Wigeon 17

Eider 31

Shelduck 6

Red throated Diver 5
Curlew 333
Grey Plover 9
Golden Plover 46 inc one in breeding plumage.
Lapwing 115
Knot 8

Dunlin 99

Bar tailed Godwit 8

Sanderling 10

Ringed Plover 4

In addition to the count species there were-

Rock Pipit 6

Meadow Pipit 5 inc 2 moving north

Linnet 41 and 15

Skylark 22 at cattle feed and 60+ at sheep feed plus two in full song overhead.

Brown Hare 3 'boxing'

Grey Seal 2.

Not a bad walk then with 6 new species of bird and one mammal for the list.

OFFH List
Birds 102
Mammals 5

Waxing Lyrical...

On my way to work this morning I bumped into a bicycled ADMc near Linton scanning the local Whooper flock. After exchanging pleasantries, and exact Waxwing locations, I was on my way. Later on I was passing the churchyard in Ashington frequented by the tufty munchers and turned in. I was lucky to see the birds straight away, loafing in a tall tree between meals. This flock of 33 is part of a minor movement along the east coast, very late in the season, after a massive influx into Scandinavia a couple of weeks ago. Its great to hear their tinkling calls after a poor show this year.

Today I didnt even have my binoculars let alone a camera so this is a shot from last winters proper invasion....   See John Malloy's photo's for proper quality.

A strange message was on the pager this afternoon. A report of  a Sabine's Gull at East Chev raised an eyebrow. Now, recent September's have made these birds quite regular in the county but one in February! I'd love to see the photo's....

Call me a cynic....

Lovely Day...

I had an impromptu days holiday today to wait in for the heating engineer. When he'd done his stuff I pottered around here taking Bunty for a walk or two. The weather has been lovely and clear, sunny with blue skies though a tad cool. The sea was flat calm too but there wasn't much to see...

Above -  A phone snap of the view from the coast field at lunchtime today. 

29 Curlew in the coast fields included one in full moorland song, a great sound.

At lunchtime on our walk I was suprised to hear a Raven calling. As I turned, one flew south behind the village followed by its mate. Its a full month since my last sighting, so they definately aren't staying around here. Maybe they are at Newton ;)...

At dusk we had a wander to the pond. 9 Moorhens and a dozen Mallard were to be expected but suprise of the day came when an immature drake Shoveler flew out at my feet to land on the far side. Rare indeed here as we have no open marshy ponds for them in the Boulmer / Howick/ Longhoughton area. A full Howick patch tick and one I cant see me repeating this year...

The herons were very vocal in the nesting trees and 3 Stock Doves flew over. Along the lane, 6 Lesser Redpolls were in the alders and two Woodcock flushed underfoot...

All in all a pleasant day off...

OFFH List  - 96

Public Moths.

Today I called in to the Spar and had 2 Pale brindled Beauty and an Early Moth. Elsewhere, John was cruising the phoneboxes locally and had two Early Moths ( above).

He comments - 'check out the lovely lacey hind wing on this "flattened with the Evening Chronicle" shot'



Meanwhile, last night at the ranch, the Robinson drew another blank...

Sea and Snowdrops...

Today started clear and frosty with a very light NW2. I headed for the coast for a half hour seawatch to see if I could add to my OFFH list. In the 30 minutes I had -

Gannet 45 N
Auks ( no Puffins but some Guillemots and a couple of Razorbills close enough to identify ) 80+
Red throated Diver 2 S
Curlew 62 N
Common Scoter 6 N
Shag 1 N
Fulmar 20+
Eider 6 on the sea
Herring Gull a steady light passage N include an adult...
Lesser black backed Gull, my first of the year. They are very scarce in Northumberland in winter with only maybe single figures to be found, so I'm always pleased with my first spring migrant.
Meadow Pipit 1 S
Grey Geese sp 25 S unable to id and silent as they flew high over. Probably pinks.

Above - Dunnock in song.

After this I headed to Alnwick to do an atlas square. Although only 25 species were seen in the hour many were in full song and the sun was shining. Nothing unusual, just typical farmland birds though what was strange was the absence of  Magpie, Pheasant and Coal Tit. 

Back Home for lunchtime so we took a walk up to the hall to see the snowdrops in better light.

Above -  Snowdrops and Winter Aconites lighting up a dreary wood.

While up here, 2 Crossbills flew over head 'chipping', 1 Marsh Tit was in Village Wood and a party of Long tailed Tits contained the obligatory Treecreeper.

Our neighbour Julie told me this morning that she had seen a female Blackcap in our garden midweek. I'll be looking closer next time...

I quite like the new blogger posting thing that allows bigger photos...


OFFH List - 95

After the rain eased early on this morning the sun came out and, despite the cool breeze, made it a pleasant day. We walked along to the pond field this morning as I havent checked it out since it was frozen. Although there wasnt much happening I added two new additions to my On Foot From Home List. They were 4 Stock Doves, in pairs, in the arboretum and a single Little Grebe on the pond. A few Buzzards were about and very vocal, but I didnt see much else.

The woods here are starting to brighten up with drifts of snowdrops. Always a pleasure to see, another week should see them at their best. They even featured on local BBC news last week here. Howick Hall has so many naturalised galanthus that new forms are being discovered by those in the know...

Tomorrow I might try an early look at the sea before doing an atlas tetrad. There are a couple sea birds to add to my list that aren't too difficult...

No moth trap tonight again. We could do with just one 24 hour period where the temp stays above 5 or 6 degrees. Not long now...

OFFH List 90

Moths...

This morning I checked the Spar wall on my way to work. Only two visitors - 1 each of Early Moth and Chestnut. Better than nowt I suppose...

These posts are struggling, mainly because I haven't been seeing much, but still, the blog is starting to look like Twitter!

Must do better....

Formerly known as...

...Boulmer Birder.

Rather than scrap the whole blog and reinvent, I've just changed the name. This is to be none specific. I only visit Boulmer occasionally now, and many of my posts are from a variety of places so here it is....

Welcome .... 'From the Notebook...'

It does what it says on tin. Everything on here is in the notebook first....

'cock pictures exclusive!

At last, some pretty poor images of the molehill Woodcocks taken by holding my 'million candle power' torch and terrier with one hand and my camera in the other. In the dark with a northerly wind freezing my face off is it any wonder the shots are so dire. Still you get the drift.

And if anyone has arrived here due to the heading above, shame on you...

Sorry, but these birds are just crying out for innuendo. They set them up and I'll put them away...

Not much to post but out with Bunty tonight, 2 Woodcocks were in molehill mode in the usual spot. Both were in the same spot light! I left them to it without flushing...One has been there now since 16th January. I wonder how long they'll stay...Its quite mysterious how many of these birds are out there, quietly going about their business unseen.

Early Moths...

The weather has been quite reasonable this weekend. Its all relative really. Its been dull overcast with some drizzle and brighter spells, but compared to last weekend it felt like spring.

On Saturday morning a flock of 10 Fulmars headed off inland over the Village Wood to prospect around the local quarries. It always looks strange, such a pelagic bird flying over land.

I popped over the Longhoughton Spar to see if anything had been attracted and was pleased to find 1 Pale brindled Beauty, 1 Chestnut and, a new one for me, an Early Moth, below.



On the garden feeders today 2 male and 1 female Siskin were new arrivals with the usual 8 Goldfinch, 6+ Tree Sparrows, 30+ Chaffinches and 30+ House Sparrows. 2 male Great spotted Woodpeckers were fighting in a dead tree next to the garden.



Above - The niger feeder is busy...


A walk along the road with Bunty was quiet for birds but a Red Squirrel ran over the road and 4 Roe Deer were in the wood.

After this mornings moth success, I stuck the trap on from 6pm until 11.30pm. Only 1 Pale brindled Beauty for my trouble. It seems that the Spar is better than the trap!

Sunday.

Off to do two atlas tetrads but first I called in to the Spar. The same Pale brindled Beauty was present, Chestnut moths have gone up to 3 and another new one for me, a Dotted Border below.



The atlas tetrads were at Boulmer, Seaton Point and Field House Farm. Highlights were - waders, loads, 144 Curlew, 47 Redshank, 82 Oystercatcher, 44 Turnstone, 51 Grey Plover, 5 Purple Sandpiper, 83 Dunlin, 82 Sanderling, 9 Bar tailed Godwit, 5 Knot and 5 Ringed Plover.

22 Grey Partridges, 10 Stock Doves and 17 Tree Sparrows were good on the farmland too.

This Grey Seal youngster was in bad shape. At first I thought it was just sleeping but as I went closer I could hear it struggling to breathe. Many pups die in their first year. Poor things...

Jan stats...

I've just been looking at the other blogs and see one or two monthly stats from Dean and Warren and others.

Now its all relative depending on your patch location and size and all that. Tonight I've just been checking the Howick tetrad on the Bird atlas and find that it has 91 winter species during the last couple of years, with almost all records coming from 2 observers ( Julie mostly, with me now). So with that as a base line, January OFFH list has been quite good. I know it extends a mile or so either side of Howick but 88 is a good percentage of the total possible.

I dont know if I'll do this each month, but I might try again in May. Last May I had 92 species locally. That might take some beating...But thats way ahead of myself, what might February bring?