Monday 22 December 2008

Hartford Snipe

A quick cycle ride around some of the local hotspots today - first stop was a rather bleak West Hartford. On the main pool were a mix of black-headed, common and herring gull, with three stonechat in the surrounding scrub. For one moment I thought that I heard water rail...

As wellies had been put on I decided to have a tramp into the flooded grass land to the south of the pool (the photo is from this area, looking north, the main pools are just south of the tall trees) - this was rewarded with 2 reed bunting, single meadow pipit, wren, moorhen and at least sixty (60!!) snipe zig zagging away and, more pleasingly, 1 jack snipe (this bird lifted twice). A flock of 15 goldfinch were quartering the fields and to the east of the industrial estate road at least sixty linnet were present.

The Horton Burn supported bullfinch, chaffinch, blue/great/coal and long-tailed tit and a single kingfisher.

6 comments:

Northumbrian Birding said...

A cycle round ? and do you have a trailer attached for the GEAR ??.
Some great photos as expected.
Brian

John Malloy said...

Ha! I only took the 100-400 today - so it wasn't to bad! I still haven't managed to catch up with your iceland gull at Blyth yet - hope it sticks as I'm off on travels soon...

Stewart said...

Gone 'wide' I see. Looking good...

John Malloy said...

Yes Stewart - I really like the wide format that you introduced to us recently - I think its a bit easier to read. Just have to make sure we've got stuff to write about now!

Crammy Birder said...

Is the blue fencing next to the road where the fire station is going to be and do you know what will happen to the site when it is built. I've heard nothing about it but it will be a shame if the area is effected.
I heard the Water rail again today very briefly.

John Malloy said...

It's my understanding that the new fire station will be in the area surrounded by the blue plastic fencing, due March 09. see www.northumberland.gov.uk/Councillor/Upload/CDocs/144_M108.doc

As for future development, who knows? The site was "prepared" for a prestigious manufacturing development (and was actually quite god for waders when the land had been levelled - loads of mud, ruff,ringed plover, a couple of hundered golden plover etc used to feed there).