This week gets better...

Out at 8am this morning. There had been another light covering of snow and the wind had swung to a W3.

As the weather was a little bit different to the norm I decided against doing an atlas tetrad in favour of a morning at Boulmer...



The walk north towards the Low Steads seemed very quiet, as if all of the birds had cleared off but I persevered. At the tip of the headland I was pleased to flush a Woodcock from under my feet, my only one this year. It circled around showing well against the snow then flew off high to the south. A pair of Stonechats fed from the track side, while 6 Skylarks flew south and another 13 circled the stubble field.




As I checked the cattle feed area for buntings etc a party of 14 Greylags came in off the sea and left to the west. Looking around, another two geese lifted from the field and began circling. I very nearly didn't give them binocular time, Pinkfeet, thinks I. As they did another lap, I put the bins on them as they were going away and saw massive black bars on the belly. Now that makes things alltogether different. There has never been a record of White fronted Goose on the patch and I was getting a rush! Sure enough they banked around showing the white blaze and I scrabbled for the camera to get this shot for posterity.

Eurasian White fronted Geese, a full patch tick.

Back at the car in the village, a Merlin flew south over the haven and 9 Long tailed Tits came through the gardens. There was no sign of yesterday's Glauc though.


At lunchtime we took Bunty for a walk through the Howick grounds down past the small lake. Again, no sound of small birds until that very distinctive trill met my ears...



... looking up, 18 Waxwings were singing and flycatching from the top of a tall ash tree. Nice to see they all haven't moved on. Later they were feeding on the berries of some ornamental rowan trees. On the way back a party of Snow Buntings were calling strongly over head and moving north but, unfortunately, I couldn't get on to them.

Another good day. I think next year I'll save some holidays for November, its better than October.

145. Woodcock.
146. White fronted Goose.

Boulmer Full Patch List - WFG 210.
My Boulmer List- WFG 191.

Winter...

These wintry scenes greeted us on the patch at Boulmer this morning. Drammatic cloudy skys and huge waves crashing into the haven caused by a bitter cold northerly wind.

As I pulled up in the car the first bird I noticed was a big juvenile Glaucous Gull arrive into the haven from the south. It stayed just long enough to feed and I could snatch a few pics before carrying on north.

On the beach 11 Bar tailed Godwits were roosting and in the turmoil of waves Eiders carried on displaying as if spring was around the corner.

Maybe there'll be some more to see tomorrow when time allows...

144. Glaucous Gull.

They're here!

I've just seen the new post on Kingsdowner blog ( left) about the massive decline in our spuggies. Well here's the thing, I've got them. I fill that feeder above once a day and drop a handful of seed on the ground and hey presto, 120 spuggies! Go on count them ( if you do let me know how many you get. Try and include the blurred ones in flight too...)

Patch Tick!

I took a holiday today to dog-sit. After Bunty's walk, the weather looked quite good so I thought this would be a chance to try again on the Seaton Point atlas square that was rained off last week.

This is the view from Seaton Point to Boulmer village...

Only two tetrads are exactly within my Boulmer patch, this being the most southern.

As the tide was almost high I walked from Foxton beach, north around the point to count the waders first. A good number were feeding and roosting along the shore.




Alongside the usual Turnstones and Redshanks there was a good count of 46 Grey Plovers and 2 Purple Sandpipers.



From here I moved into the fields behind the point. There were no Snow or Lapland Buntings today but the large group of small birds were back on the set-a-side land - 87 Linnets, 25 Reed Buntings, 15 Greenfinches and 8 Tree Sparrows posed for a count when they lifted up into the boundary hedge.




The fields had a few Grey Partridges and 3 Skylarks but 58 Lapwings on the plough was a reasonable number here. 4 Red breasted Mergansers were in the haven but I could only find 3 Eiders, the rest must be north of the village.


On the return journey along the road I took in both caravan sites. It was here I came across the bird of the day. As I skirted the gorse 2 Yellowhammers were to be expected but then a Long eared Owl flushed at point blank range, flipping over the scrub and out of sight. My first here, though I have heard of other records. The Owl's departure caused a flurrie of action from mobbing passerines in the bushes, 2 Goldcrests were buzzing then, almost as unexpected as the owl, a Treecreeper came by at ground level feeding on the low gorse trunks.


A good two hour count then, with 47 species in the square. Notable misses - Collared Dove, Great Tit, Sanderling...



My Boulmer List - 190. Long eared Owl.
2008 Boulmer Year List - 143. Long eared Owl.

Its a mystery...

Above - Sunrise over Boulmer haven, 07.43am.



Above - Kestrel.



Above - Robin.

Today was much cooler than yesterday. I was out at first light to meet JWR at Boulmer. After a quick check of the haven where a juv Mute Swan on the sea was the highlight, I drove to the golfcourse laybye to scan for owls or raptors.

No sooner had John arrived than a 'tinkling' of 9 Snow Buntings flew west over head, closely followed by a Merlin fresh out of its roost landing on the plough in front of us.

From here we walked around Seaton Point where we checked the area for yesterdays Lapland Buntings. Our walk around the point had Snow Buntings a plenty with 7 S, 1 N and 3 W bringing the total to 20 birds.

A check of the stubble had loads of Grey Partridges with 9, 8, 4 and 11 in coveys totalling 32 birds. Over head 177 Pink footed Geese flew south. There was no sign of the large flock of small birds, maybe they had been driven off by the Kestel, Buzzard and the Merlin from earlier loafing around the margins.

At 10am we did an atlas tetrad just west of Seaton Point where only 23 species were recorded. The Merlin was seen again this time chasing a Snipe we had flushed. This Snipe was in full escape mode leaving the Merlin standing...

It was on the return journey we came across the survey highlight...

Near Field House Farm we both saw a pale grey passerine flit across the lane ahead of us. This stopped us dead because neither of us had a clue as to what it was. I only saw its rear end as it disappeared into the hedge and it looked Willow Tit coloured. I suggested to John that this could be interesting and we should consider our options. Could it be a Booted or a Desert Warbler perhaps????!!! JWR suggested it was a ghost. ( Some people are just to keen to shoot you down aren't they...)

After a couple of glimpses later its true identity was confirmed, and I suppose we had known all along...






... a leucistic BLACKCAP! And it was a female too, eating some elderberries while we watched. I've never seen anything like it...Many years ago I had a white Linnet at Druridge, a half white Corn Bunting at Woodhorn and even a white Carrion Crow at Boulmer but I've never had a white warbler...

Laps!

Today was a nice day. Generally bright with a light S2. It was made even nicer when I took Bunty out for her walk. The outward route was pretty much usual Boulmer fayre with 20 Grey Partridges, 48 Pink footed Geese S and a Sparrowhawk, but as we turned to come back something flushed the passerines in the stubble.

The Sparrowhawk maybe.

As the Tree Sparrows and Reed Buntings spread out and away two Skylarks flew over head west. They were closely followed by two Snow Buntings, quite low overhead, showing the white in the wings, but behind them and flying away were another 5 birds without any white. Their jizz was just like the Snow Bunts showing very long pointed wings and steady flappy flight. I had my suspicions...

Lucky for me they reached the far side of the field then circled and came right back to me and showed over head. The calls were quiet but unmistakable. 5 Lapland Buntings! Calling a soft 'tuk' like a Brambling, then the 'prrrt' 'teu' at least one was a male with black along the breast band. Fantastic.

Although I have had Lap Bunting on the patch before, I have never had 5 together, a good count by any standards in the county today. They danced around in circles before landing again on the far side of the field where I left them alone.

I must apologise to the county lads for not putting the info out, but I didn't want people yomping over the farmland. There are no public paths over it but the farmer turns a blind eye to my tresspasses. What he would say if birders turned up through the day I don't know.

I will check them out tomorrow morning. If they are still around and can be viewed from a public area I'll put it out ( today I was on a public track when I saw them but unless they fly around you'd have no chance).

One of my patch highlights this year.

(Picture above stolen from web without any permission whatsoever...)

142. Lapland Bunting.

Part of another attempt...The Desert Wheatear on the boulder and scrap and ash waste beach north of Newbiggin...

At work today I felt obliged to call and see if the Waxwings were still at Woodhorn Motors. 25 of them were, but all of the rowan berries have been scoffed. The birds were flying over the road behind the new flats to feed.

I chatted to a nice couple from Liverpool who were up visiting friends. These Waxwings were their first, and they seemed very pleased with them ( who wouldn't be, I still enjoy everyone like it was my first, thats the appeal of these tufty russians).

Dave Dack rang me to say that he'd found a Pallas's Warbler on the mound to keep the Hume's and Yellow browed Warblers company, but I don't think either of those were seen today. The Desert Wheatear was still on the boulder beach at Alcan despite going awol for a couple of hours and the Bluetail still on Holy Island.

Work, it just gets in the way of real life...

Atlassing.

This is what its about. Back to basics birding, none of that flitting from here to there after the latest rarity. After all migration has finished now. This morning dawned nice and bright with a moderate breeze, a SW5, so I did my duty and surveyed an atlas tetrad around my village.

In an hour from 8 - 9am I counted 33 species including -

Merlin 1 male hunting. First bird of the day. Nice.
Starling 129
House Sparrow 134
Bullfinch 1 male
Great spotted Woodpecker 1 male
Goldcrest 5
Kestrel 1
Tree Sparrow 9
Buzzard 1 eating worms in the field behind our house.

After breakfast I thought I would pop down to Boulmer and do the Seaton Point tetrad too, I was in my stride.

After half an hour counting a horrendous storm came in from the south west increasing the wind to force 8 with heavy hail and rain stinging the face. This was never going to get a good count so rain stopped play. I retired from the survey.

Now, I had just got back to the shelter of the car when a message came through saying there was a Desert Wheatear near Alcan Power Station just north of Newbiggin. Although I have seen 3 in Northumberland already I figured I deserevd a treat after dipping out yesterday and getting soaked today so off I went.

Although the bird was out of view on my arrival, we soon all got good views of the male Desert Wheatear on the ash and boulder beach in the shadow of the power station. An what a cracking bird too. This one seemed pinker in tone than my only other male dessie and with contrasty black face and wings it looked the part as it flew and hopped around the moonscape beach.




As my picture above shows I didn't do well with the camera so a sketch from memory as soon as I got home helps ( didn't do well here either I missed the black wing joining the face. Write a hundred times - Notes MUST be taken on the spot).

Then Ian Fisher (top) and Alan Gilbertson ( bottom) sent me the photos below.



Thats better...

So much for the autumn ending. Northumberland did well today not only did we have the Wheatear above, but the Bluetail was relocated on Holy Island ( bloody thing), Hume's Warblers were at St Mary's and Newbiggin along with Yellow browed Warblers at both sites too! Throw in a few White billed Divers and a Waxwing invasion November has eclipsed October again...

Speaking of which this is Ian Fisher's photo of the White billed Diver that flew over his head last week at Hauxley. Not often you see a photo of a seawatch rarity...

Bloody Bluetails....

I knew it. Yesterday afternoon the weather changed. Not only did the cloud clear but the wind changed direction and became stronger. Things didn't feel good...

This morning I was on Holy Island for 7.30am. And off again before the tide at 8.40am.

The vicars garden was a bleak ( I nearly said god forsaken, oops...)cold place catching the blustery wind full on. Very few birds were around, a couple of Robins and an abietinus Chiffchaff was about all. The Bluetail had high tailed it to new horizons. It only took five minutes to realise that no self respecting vagrant would stay put in the face of a November Northumberland 'breeze'.

Not to worry, I saw the last RFB on the island in 1995 and that was a blue adult male.

Back at home for breakfast I looked out of the kitchen window just in time to see two of the 'Bloody Waxwings' I've been on about, drop into a birch tree behind our house. They only stayed afew minutes and flew off as I was going for the camera so I didn't see which direction. I knew my ears hadn't decieved me!

I think my Druridge colleague is right though, this weather change really does signify the end of autumn migration.

Influx...

Thanks to Dave Dack I caught up with the Ashington Waxwings this morning on my way to work. 43 of them were plundering two tiny rowans behind Woodhorn Motors. I parked the car next to the small trees and waited for them to drop down to feed. Their behaviour was quite interesting. They would sit for ten or fifteen minutes up the tall tree, calling constantly then glide down to the rowans. The call would change to include some 'seet seet' notes and each bird would only eat a few berries before flying up in a panic to digest for another ten or fifteen minutes.





We are lucky in Northumberland in that Waxwings appear in varying numbers most winters. This seems to be a good year for them so far, but it wont be long before these birds move on south to find more berries...








I like this one, it shows the large crest that gives these birds such distinction. Its a pity it was very dull and rainy when I took these pictures. I had the iso set very high to get anything at all...

While watching them a Peregrine flew over west. This didn't worry the Waxwings who just went quiet for a minute as the raptor disappeared.

At lunchtime a Red flanked Bluetail and a Pallas's Warbler were found together in the vicars garden on Holy Island. I might try for them tomorrow. Its 13 years since I saw the last Holy Island Bluetail...

On the way home from work a Barn Owl flew over the car at Hipsburn.

Bloody Waxwings...

Yesterday morning I was standing on our lawn feeding the birds when I heard a Waxwing giving it six nowt across the road. Trilling at the top of its tufty voice only being drowned out by a passing lorry. I looked all the while it called but saw nothing. Thats twice in about a week thats happened...its getting irritating now.

Nothing calling this morning though...

Two new links added today -

John Malloy's Blog 'Birding Sometimes' will show some of his excellent pics. Downside, I've removed his website because it didn't work anymore!

Ian Fisher's website is on the Local Sites list. It too shows some of his great photo's from home and abroad...


I'm agog. The list below are today's hits! I wish I had been to as many countries as my blog, what a list I would have!

184 - - - -
140 London England United Kingdom
32 Newcastle Upon Tyne England United Kingdom
18 Swansea Wales United Kingdom
9 Calgary Alberta Canada
8 Manchester England United Kingdom
7 Paris Ile-de-france France
6 Reading England United Kingdom
5 Epsom England United Kingdom
5 Dublin Dublin Ireland
5 Hobart Tasmania Australia
5 Leicester England United Kingdom
4 Canterbury England United Kingdom
4 Sheffield England United Kingdom
4 Stockport England United Kingdom
4 Luton England United Kingdom
4 Toronto Ontario Canada
3 Leeds England United Kingdom
2 Blackburn England United Kingdom
2 Alicante Comunidad Valenciana Spain
2 Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
1 Norwich England United Kingdom
1 Wolverhampton England United Kingdom
1 Newcastle Wales United Kingdom
1 Mountain View California United States
1 Baden Aargau Switzerland
1 Amsterdam Noord-holland Netherlands
1 Cardiff Wales United Kingdom
1 Joinville Santa Catarina Brazil
1 Birmingham England United Kingdom
1 Rome Lazio Italy
1 Kiel Schleswig-holstein Germany
1 Peterborough England United Kingdom
1 Houston Texas United States
1 Las Palmas De Gran Canaria Canarias Spain
1 Lowestoft England United Kingdom
1 Sunderland England United Kingdom
1 Szolnok Jasz-nagykun-szolnok Hungary
1 Bristol England United Kingdom
1 Williamsburg Ohio United States
1 Berlin Berlin Germany

Reply...

Just a note to Ms Robinson. I have replied to your comment. I'm not sure how long ago you left it?

Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club

I've added a link to the 'Local Sites' list on the left for the new NTBC Website. It has some handy stuff for Northumberland birders and visitors to the county such as species lists, reporting forms etc.

An early start today found me at Boulmer at first light. Only half an hour watching the sea on a falling tide had -

Long tailed Duck 1 female
Goldeneye 1 female
Common Scoter 2,6,50
Velvet Scoter 1 male, 3 (2 male, 1 fem)
(A flock of 50 Common and 3 Velvet Scoter plus 1 Teal flew N together)

a Red throated Diver was on the sea.

The rest of the morning was spent at Craster, where I walked the ridge north ( the heugh) to Dunstanburgh Castle and back.



Craster and Dunstanburgh are about 5 miles north of Boulmer so I thought I would check it out for a change. The west side of the Heugh is a sheltered glen with plenty of migrant attracting scrub to search. Craster village itself has another wooded ravine, the Arnold Reserve, where I had the Icterine Warbler in September.



Behind the castle are two boggy pools not shown on OS Maps.




Migrants were few and far between, best being 2 Brambling, 2 Crossbills, 4+ Fieldfare, 5+ Redwing. 1 male Long tailed Duck flew north and a Red throated Diver flew south. The pools had a few Teal, Wigeon and Mallard.

Also seen on my walk, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Bullfinch, 6+ Long tailed Tit, 10+ Blackbirds and 25+ Yellowhammers. 300 Grey geese sp flew S. Too far away to id.


Later on we went shopping at Morrisons at Alnwick when I noticed a new arrival on show from the car park - below....



What the silverback signifies I have no idea. He is on the roof of a furniture warehouse!

On the way back home from Heighley Gate, up the A1 today a large raptor was flying purposely over Causey Park Bridge ( The Oak Inn). I swung into the car park, scrabbled desperately for my bins, but by the time I found them, the 'buzzard' had gone west. I wonder....

Nothumberland Tales...

Heres one I forgot....

Turn the lights down and contemplate this....

Have you heard of the fabled ghostly bird of Northumberland? Each year it is reported. When the wind blows cold during the dark nights of winter a pale apparition appears over the heads of those who are unprepared for it. It can happen anywhere, in the most unlikely of surroundings. Often fleeting, occasionally causing mass hallucination amongst the vulnerable.

Don't let it pull you in to its spell. Look away for it will surely turn you to st...

The season for the vision is upon us, and no doubt some will be lured by it, just as the ancient mariners were lured onto the rocks by the voice of the mermaid...

My blood chilled today when I heard it had appeared for the first time this winter. No, surely not, but yes, another victim was claimed.

The Northumberland Rough leg has turned its chosen quarry to...string.

November.

Above - The north end of Boulmer looking towards Longhoughton Steel. As you can see, not much cover for Pallas's up here, but, its along here that Richard Dunn found one in weeds ( out of shot) a couple of years back. My only Boulmer record.



All I could manage was this confiding female Stonechat flycatching from the wall...



and 5 Robins were around the small car parking area. A mini arrival perhaps.

Later 160+ Pink footed Geese flew over our house south.

I see a few smaller migrants have turned up today. I might try some better areas of cover in the morning...

Hallowe'en 2.

Despite the weather, or should I say because of the weather, a few visits were made to Boulmer today. The wind was a strong NNE7 with some awful hail and rain squalls. This morning I wandered the two stubble fields on the sea front, 1pm -3.45pm was spent seawatching and not seeing White billed Divers that were seen both sides of me!



Above - This Pale bellied Brent was grazing in with the sheep opposite the pub.


The walk around the two fields had Buzzard, Merlin, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, 21 Grey Partridges and quite a few seed eaters on the weedy edges - 7+ Yellowhammer, 12 Reed Bunting, 11 Tree Sparrow, 15+ Greenfinch and 30+ Linnet.

Seawatching totals -

Pale bellied Brent Geese 1 in the field, 7, 5 and 2
Velvet Scoter 3, 1 and 1 ( female landed on sea very close in)
Wigeon 214
Shelduck 1
Teal 10
Common Scoter 51
Scaup 1
Long tailed Duck 5
Red breasted Merganser 3
Eider 151
Red throated Diver 2
Pomarine Skua 1 juv flew N close in.

All birds moving N.


I reckon I missed a WBD when I had to go and 'assist' ( rescue is a better word, but we have to be humble...) a chap with two small children that had been cut off by the rising tide.

They had been wandering the rocky skeers with absolutely no regard to the tides or weather conditions. I watched them for a while assuming that 'dad' was in control. They moved out of sight under the cliff so I thought they had seen sense and gone on to the beach. I nearly had a panic attack when I saw them all walking back over the rocks out to sea even though only a narrow channel for escape was left. 'Dad' was about to paddle the kids to a watery grave into the deep flooding channel until I stopped him! By the time I shouted directions to the safest route this too was flooded, they were on an island. 'Dad' managed to carry the children over, getting himself soaked up to the thighs in the process. A close shave there...

No doubt tomorrow their holiday excursion will see them in the tower hut on Holy Island causeway while the car drifts off...

139. Scaup.
140. Pomarine Skua.

Hallowe'en...

"North Northumberland's turbulent and bloody history has produced decades of haunting activity.

Each Hallowe'en a tragic phantom woman that gazes forlornly out into the crashing grey North Sea is said to leap from the edge to her peril near Cliff House at Amble. Her ghostly figure disappears before entering the water ( Maybe she has been seawatching at Boulmer?).


Another mournful Grey Lady walks through the front door and up the stairs into the drawing room at Craster Tower. Other spectres clash swords outside the building and the crunch of the wheels of an invisible ghostly carriage are said to roll up the driveway.

Warkworth Castle and the Hermitage are haunted by a knight, believed to be visitations from Sir Bertram, who killed his future wife in a tragic accident while Sir Guy the Seeker wanders Dunstanburgh.

The Deugar – or Brown Man – is said to inhabit the Simonside Hills protecting the local wildlife and nature ( he needs to do more work with Harriers...) while a black cat prowls under Rothbury bridge and a monk with no hands or face haunts the moors near Alwinton.

The gibbet up on the hills above Elsdon is haunted by the eerie presence of the murderer William Winter and spectral monks and a white dog are reckoned to be present on Holy Island.

In the 1960s a car's engine died without warning near the Otterburn battle site and the passengers found themselves surrounded by phantom soldiers that faded as they came towards the motor..."