Back in Black

5 scoter year it is then.

Record shots from Holy Island - my 7D doesn't seem to like the 2.0 extender... Spoonbill at Druridge was a nice bonus.

- 1 + 1

Black Scoter seems unfavourable given the recent images showing an overly yellow billed common, and given the tricky viewing conditions it'll be better to remain sceptical until better views/images can be obtained.

On a brighter note, the journey to Killingworth was spruced up with news of a second Smew present on the larger lake - so one on each of the sides of the road now.

Only the smaller pool favourable for pics, albeit in windy conditions and dull light (and poor cameraman skills for that matter...)

However, a blog pic at least.

Off the rocks

Another venture North - again up to Stag for a look out over the extremely choppy sea. Patience is a virtue - and what seemed an age looking at the same group of Scoter, the Black eventually gave itself up.

3rd in County for me, but perhaps the same bird each time.

45 Whooper Swan just north of the "Arctic Redpoll field" at Birling Carrs on the route home...

Owls, Mega Scoter and the like.

Given it's still "only" February, the birding pace is still rather decent. Despite work commitments and the like.

Friday evening was spent stood in a damp field as the sunset - the quarry, Barn Owl, finally achieved in much darkness over the fields at West Hartford.

Saturday saw another delayed-duck mission - with a trip to Cheswick for the drake Black Scoter. I'm guessing this is the bird that was off Stag Rocks a few years back - a mega in it's own rights and a class county catch up for Mark. The bird was distant, so the footage below, taken through the scope on 70x magnification and the iphone on full digital zoom is amusing, if anything.

Heres the link to the 2011 bird... http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/black-scoter-stag-rocks-record-shots.html

Image from 2011 - off Stag Rocks

In addition, loads of Long-tailed Duck present at perhaps 4 Great Northern Diver.

Further south at Stag Rocks, more Common Scoter, approximately 11 Slavonian Grebe, Red-throated Divers and more Long-tailed Duck.

An attempt at Ross's Goose was unsuccessful, but plenty of Pink-feet at Stobswood.

Dip, Dip, Hop.

After a frustrating Friday - not connecting with either black-crowned night heron nor black scoter, Saturday morning has been spent trying to get to grips with grasshopper warbler at Arcot. It's a blustery but sunny day here - so while light is good, conditions are tricky as the warblers' are buffeted about in the bramble.

Eight common tern on the pond was a good count and lesser whitethroat are vocal, while at West Hartford, all was quiet...

Down the coast

With a bright morning ahead I opted to try for another go at the drake black scoter, this time armed with a digital compact and scope ~ as can be seen below, I've lost any ability to digiscope - couldn't see the bird on the camera screen and the pictures were awful!...

Lots' of swallow moving north and two long-tailed duck lingered.

Further south I popped in to have a look at marsh harrier - 1 male noted, along with sedge warbler, grasshopper warbler, and further south again, 2 avocet on Cresswell.

West Hartford was quiet on Sunday - my first swallow and house martin were appreciated...

Black Scoter ~ display posture

No apologies for the poor quality image, the scoter flock was a considerable distance and it was approaching 20:00... however, several others have commented on the display posture and apparent calling from the drake black scoter - here's an image of the former from it's first night off Stag Rocks... Thick neck is illustrated rather well here.

Black Scoter, Stag Rocks: Record Shots...

Struggled to get anything decent on the drake black scoter - a combination of dull evening light and a not so close subject. Great thru' the scope, but tricky even with the 2.0 extender on the 500mm...

Still, my first UK tick of 2011 and a new county bird!

The journey up with Phil was just about to become tedious as we left the speedy A1 dual carraigeway and progressed north on the single lane north of Morpeth... but the casual westward drift over of the presumed just-left-east-chevington immature white-tailed eagle gave us a conversation point for the rest of the drive! The eagle was getting a lot of gip from some jackdaw, but our "right place, right time" gave us a fly over no more that 20 meters infront of the car and a height of only thirty feet!!

The thin line of the scoter flock can just be made out on the image below...

Black Scoter, Stag Rocks...

Just back from a late afternoon to dusk visit to Stag Rocks for the drake Black Scoter... Record shots online Friday...