Horns and Vire-no's

It's been a while since I last saw Shorelark in Northumberland, and today it prove to be compensatory for a lack of Red-eyed Vireo at Newton.

Very dapper.

Newton, along with a nice meal at The Ship, provided another Yellow-browed Warbler.

Newtons Second Law

....Newton's second law of motion pertains to the behaviour of objects for which all existing forces are not balanced. 

A week off work and glorious sunny late November day - too good to start any decorating, my "forces" were clearly not balanced today, so a wander (ah, motion) up the coast back to the Newton area for a walk, a bit of birding and a delicious crab cake or two at The Ship. All hardships...

No "proper" camera today, just the trusty iPhone for scenary  and for the lingering Lesser Grey Shrike, a scope too.

Lesser Grey Shrike - iPhone and Swarovski 'scope, just after 15:00...

Beadnell Bay - Looking north from Newton Links

Battling with the crowds

Newton Haven, post The Ship refreshments

Late shrike

A busy weekend prevented a trip to the Newton area until today - thankfully the lesser grey shrike remains, albeit helped with mealworms. Temperatures are forecast to drop over the next few days, so it will be interesting see if the shrike moves on.

Always on view near the car park, but with a habit of sitting on the "wrong" side of the hedge between feeding forays, I had a bit of luck as the sun came out and foe once the shrike wasn't obscured by branches...

A little later, the shrike headed to a cattle feeder, so an atmospheric image to end:

Collared Flycatcher, Low Newton

It was an early evening dash up the coast for the splendid 1s male collared flycatcher at Low Newton... news had broke just as evening meal preparations had begun, so it was a somewhat long hour and a three quarters before the twitch commenced - departing at 18:50.

Easy to see on arrival, the flycatcher was favouring the hedge opposite the tin church, resplendent in early evening sunlight. Great viewing but tricky for the camera, a tad distant. The fence line of the horse field was great in respect that it enforced an orderly watch-point, enabling the migrant to feed without any hassle.

As the sun set the flycatcher made a very quick foray to the near fence line enabling some ok record shots to be taken, albeit at ISO1250... The first two images here were amongst the last to be taken (20:10hrs).

Earlier on while the sun was out, the flycatcher remained a bit further up the hedge - strong contrasting light again making photography a mild challenge. However, fantastic viewing ensued, and it was good to catch up with some fellow Northumbrian birders - a county tick for all and a lifer for some.

Late Decision / Good Decision

A late evening decision on a week of early shift - worth it though!

Stilt Sand, Newton

An enexpected addition to my Northumberland list.

Couple of images from early morning, 500mm & 1.4 & 2.0 stacked ... ISO 3200!

Well done Gary / thanks to Gordon for the early morning notification too!

Wet Hirundo

I headed to a rainy Newton Pool with Mark this morning. After Fridays' heavy rain we had thoughts of many dumped waders on the ponds muddy shore... two common sandpiper (and no mud) were our wader lot. Three moorhen, a scattering of mallard, little grebe, teal and three grey heron were on the pool, with several barn swallow hawking. On the dunes a couple of reed bunting were half heartily singing, while off shore a party of gannet were diving just past the breakers.

Back in the village a damp barn swallow (above) sat looking very miserable in a gutter.

Fortunately the chippie at Amble was en-route home, so chips and curry sauce made up for the lack of water rail, little gull etc that NS has had the pleasure of viewing this past week.

Newbiggin held two mediterranean gull on the beach, and with that, we called it a day.

Got home and the sun came out. Briefly.