Balearic potterings

Sunny Days

Great weather continues, and a smattering of birds to see too - yellow-browed warbler at the entrance to Druridge, shore lark still on the beach at East Chevington and just inland on newly created pools, a Slavonian grebe, a thousand or so pink footed geese and a single peregrine.

Spot the shore lark...

Two Yanks and a Little 'grin.

Worth getting up for!

It was an early start on Sunday to get onto St Mary's just as the tide receded - for another attempt at iphone-scoping the American Golden Plover... Still not quite getting the results I had hoped for, and I'll use the blustery conditions as a contributory excuse for now...

Best of a bad bunch...

Further north at Cresswell, another American, this time in the form of a Pectoral Sandpiper occasionally came within the iPhones range for record shots. Better still were flyover little egret and a soaring peregrine - both very belated 2013 ticks!

Pectoral Sandpiper and, to the left, Ruff

Northumberland Tour

Trip 3 of the planned 10 with John B, Rob and Mark was based in Northumberland - we started on late afternoon Friday 23rd (after work) and completed the journey by 12.00 on Sunday 25th. Accommodated in Allenheads and Bamburgh, we aimed to cover as much habitat as reasonably practicable over the time available. Early starts on Saturday and Sunday.

Allenheads Moor

 Friday afternoon took in West Hartford - Blyth - North Shields and Prestwick Carr. It was a mixed bag ~ jack snipe and short-eared owl at wh, dipper on the River Blyth,  no waxwing at ASDA, 1 juv iceland gull at the quay, more seo at pc and a squealing water rail.... but no great grey shrike!

The aging gang...

 In the Allenheads area we scored with singing ring ouzel, a splattering of red and black grouse and our biggest surprise of the trip - a clawback on great grey shrike!

Grindon Lough gave us a decent dose of geese, with out only barnacle of the trip, while the Kielder area let us down - forest drive closed. We salvaged the trip there with mandarin and goosander.

Hulne Park - forced inland by sea fret...

 Leaving Kielder we headed east towards the coast - and into a damning sea fret! A nasty twist to our plans saw a Druridge Bay visit scoured - though we still picked up some birds for the trip ~ pintail, stonechat etc... So back inland to Alnwicks' Hulne Park...

Confirmation from Bamburgh that the sea fret wasn't too bad saw us end the birding day at Stag Rocks/Budle bay where we managed only a few of the target species ~ but it was a return the next morning when we finally scored with the target birds, with 4 slavonian and 1 red-necked grebe. Budle Bay had produced a single greenshank but little else new for the list.

Early morning at Stag Rocks, fret lifting

 Sunday dawned warmer and the sea fret was visibly lighter - burning off as the sun rose. Red-throated diver was added with the grebes and after a hearty breakfast we headed to Holy Island. A cracking peregrine was picked up on the causeway - sat on the roadside in full sun - nice!

Brent geese were distant but still new for the list and a few grey plover noted too. No sign of any lapland or snow bunting...

Sunshine at Holy Island

Back down the coast the clock was ticking ... so it was good to squeeze in East Chevington. In complete contrast to Saturday the sun was shining and we could see the pools! The redhead" smew was easy to find and 3 scaup were the final list additions, as the return to Blyth again failed to produce waxwing. Maybe another trip will have some available.

We finished the days with a combined trip list of 115 species. The overall list for the three trips rose from 145 to 181 species.

Details of the 2 previous trips - Norfolk and Mull

Trip list: (hopefully correct!)

Mute Swan Cygnus olor AC

Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A

Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus A

Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A

Greylag Goose Anser anser AC

Canada Goose Branta canadensis AC

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis A

Brent Goose Branta bernicla A

Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna A

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata C

Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope A

Gadwall Anas strepera AC

Eurasian Teal Anas crecca A

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos AC

Northern Pintail Anas acuta A

Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata A

Common Pochard Aythya ferina A

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula A

Greater Scaup Aythya marila A

Common Eider Somateria mollissima A

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra A

Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula A

Smew Mergellus albellus A

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator A

Goosander Mergus merganser A

Willow Ptarmigan (Red Grouse) Lagopus lagopus A

Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix A

Grey Partridge Perdix perdix AC

Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus C

Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata A

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis A

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena A

Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus A

Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis A

Northern Gannet Morus bassanus A

Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo A

European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis A

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea A

Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus A

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo A

Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus A

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus A

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus A

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus A

Common Coot Fulica atra A

Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus A

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula A

European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria A

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola A

Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus A

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima A

Dunlin Calidris alpina A

Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus A

Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago A

Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola A

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica A

Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata A

Common Redshank Tringa totanus A

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia A

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres A

Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus A

Mew Gull Larus canus A

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus A

Herring Gull Larus argentatus A

Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides A

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus A

Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla A

Razorbill Alca torda A

Stock Pigeon Columba oenas A

Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus A

Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto A

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A

Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major A

Sky Lark Alauda arvensis A

Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis A

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus A

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A

White / Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba A

White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus A

Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes A

Hedge Accentor Prunella modularis A

European Robin Erithacus rubecula A

Stonechat Saxicola torquata A

Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus A

Common Blackbird Turdus merula A

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris A

Song Thrush Turdus philomelos A

Redwing Turdus iliacus A

Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus A

Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita A

Goldcrest Regulus regulus A

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus A

Coal Tit Parus ater A

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus A

Great Tit Parus major A

Wood Nuthatch Sitta europaea A

Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor A

Black-billed Magpie Pica pica A

Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula A

Rook Corvus frugilegus A

Carrion Crow Corvus corone A

Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris A

House Sparrow Passer domesticus A

Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus A

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs A

European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris A

European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis A

Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus A

Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina A

Twite Carduelis flavirostris A

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra A

Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella A

Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A

Garden first, dodgy geese and a lost bonxie...

I think the decorating at BSHQ is almost complete, and the removal of sticky duct tape from the floor edges earned me sufficient credit to have a quick trip north this afternoon.

The "action" began before I departed, with a peregrine soaring above the garden - a first

Time was limited, so I took the easy option - go and look at some white geese in a flock of pink-feet and grey lags. The four snow geese were relatively easy to find, feeding in stubble west of the north pool. Not entirely sure of their credentials, especially as three bar-headed were present too!

Some ruff flew in and joined the melee, while rather more bizarrely, AC and I were treated to a inland bound great skua  ~ flying steadily wnw until lost to view. Where was it going?!

Grin

I've been reviewing some images from across the pond this afternoon and stumbled upon these pictures - an obliging peregrine on Naples beach, Florida. Taken in either December 2006 or January 2007, I was alerted to this bird by a passer by - had I "seen the 'hawk' on the beach?"

I get a lot of useful tips from passers by when photographing birds, most are not very complimentary! I must admit that I hadn't taken much notice of the info until I proceeded my walk along the beach - and not 100m to the south of where I'd been photographing some white ibis was this stunner... feeding on what looks like an expired willet.

As can be seen, the peregrine was very wary... good job Mrs Birdingsometimes had her camera to get the record shot above... while I tried for a few myself with the 100-400mm.

An image of this bird featured in "Birding World" magazine (March 2007, Issue 243, 89) and provides detail of the taxonomic status of peregrine. This female bird is of the Greenland tundrius race which winters in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and northernmost South America.

It certainly was a privilage to get such good views of this raptor, not a sight I'd expect to repeat in the UK (especially if it's taken a willet out!).

Quite_Sunny_Quiet

Took the pretty much standard Saturday route up the coast with Mark this morning, calling in at Cresswell, Druridge and East Chevington prior to the main purpose of the trip north – pie, chips and curry sauce at Amble. The latter was probably the highlight today!


Mark had started the day earlier than I, picking up bewick’s swan and two green sandpiper at Whittle Dene.

Our joined effort was rewarded with a nice male stonechat, tree sparrow and peregrine at Cresswell, seven pale-bellied brent geese in fields between Cresswell and Druridge, fourteen grey heron at Druridge and not too much else. The route back included a stop at High Hauxley to check for any puffin activity on Coquet Island (none) and there was no apparent sign of the iceland gull at Blyth South Harbour.

This evening I spent a cold thirty minutes at West Hartford as dusk descended. Nothing really of note there today, with a minimum eleven oystercatcher and uncountable numbers of teal / mallard, hidden in the marsh area to the south of the main pool. One buzzard over and a couple of kestrel too.

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I’ve added a couple of more blog links to the "other voices" section – posts from Western Australia and Japan are sure to be interesting reading and viewing…

Dusk Visit

I spent a decent but cold half hour at West Hartford this evening.

The main pool held a pair of shelduck and the recently formed melt water pool (just west of the small brick building near the farm) contained a vocal drake mallard and four teal. As darkness encroached the relative action began, with a peregrine heading east (in the near dark at 18:17!), flying steadily over the fields just north of the A192, it skimmed over the top of the new fire station and continued in the diection of East Hartford.

A single short-eared owl  hunted along the fenceline (18:20) and two canada geese dropped into the main pool with the very lastlight (18:25). Along with sub-song from skylark, oystercatcher and pheasant calling and snipe flying about, it was a by West Hartford standards, a quality thirty minutes or so!

Asio 2 Falco 1

Friday afternoon was sunny and mild, in fact, too nice a day not to have another go at photographing the short-eared owls at West Hartford.

I arrived at 15.30 but had to wait just over an hour until the first SEO flew into the area to feed. The hour had passed quickly - at least nine oystercatcher were on the pool, teal numbers had increased to 30+ birds, pheasants were in display and an inquisitive stoat made several visits to the hedge next to where I was standing.

Eventually two birds were on view. Rarely interacting with each other, but often in the same view, photography was as always tricky. SEOs' are very well suited to overgrown fields, their plumage is very much matched. Their tendency to fly low over the ground does not help either, especially as my chosen watch point is somewhat "sunken" in the field.

A few photographs were taken, one of which is presented here. I'll sort the rest over the weekend and see if there are any keepers.

Not long before the sun was setting one of the SEOs' had a surprise attack - from a peregrine! Luckily there was no harm done... It's been a while since I've had peregrine at West Hartford, and in true form the sturdy raptor headed north to perch on the electricity pylons over the River Blyth. A good end to a pleasant afternoon!