Small bite

A convenient concert in Manchester permitted an unanticipated lifer today, with a reclusive male Little Bittern at Elton Reservior. Smaller than a mallard...

The LB was in the willow scrub just right of the oak tree...

Foraging in the South West

A venture South West today in glorious conditions... Allen Banks / Morralee Wood provided all target species - Pied Flycatcher (2 males), Redstart and Wood Warbler.

Further south, a family party of Ring Ouzel at Sipton Burn - both adults and two juvs.

Pedalled

After the relative excitement of Yank waders yesterday, Sunday was a more relaxed affair, with pedal power utilised rather than petrol. West Hartford - Arcot - West Hartford via a few urban stops produced a couple of year ticks - both at Arcot.

First up, Garden Warbler - a surprise omission in 2013 for me, so good to get this out of the way while still singing.

Second up, and initially looking like a dip was Cuckoo. GM had the bird in the SE field but it was lost to view as it made its way along the hedges. Some damp feet later (lots of water in them there fields today) and a venture back to the main pond revealed the Cuckoo perched on the perimeter fence, bingo.

Lots of other migrants apparent today - lesser and common whitethroat, willow warbler, chiff chaff, blackcap, swallow, house and sand Martin, swift and common tern. Hopefully still a surprise or two left in this spring passage...

Legs and Co

Headed north mid morning after the heavy rain took a break, with Beadnell Bay being the first port of call. 

The Lesser Yellowlegs, albeit distant, was  readily available on the flash north of the Long Nanny burn, with Little and Arctic Tern flying over the dunes too.

Further north at the flooded fields near Hoppen Kiln the Pectoral Sandpiper was added to the day list, along with a Wood Sandpiper and four Garganey (1 drake). On the roadside a Tree Sparrow was nesting.

West Hartford was enroute home, and a flyover Yellow Wagtail was a bonus. On the flash were two Shelduck and a single Moorhen, while the reeds continue to hold many Reed Bunting. Swift were in their tens over the River Blyth.

Time for a quick chat

Delighted to finally add Woodchat Shrike to my County list this afternoon - a species I've seen three times in neighbouring Durham and others elsewhere. Albeit very distant, and a record shot only through the scope at x70 with an iPhone on full digital zoom too...

Cracking bird!

Close by even worse pictures were taken of the great white egret at Druridge (most certainly a different bird to the one I found at Arcot last month), I'll spare readers of those atrocities, it was bad enough last time...

Some nice views of both yellow wagtail and whimbrel too.

Crane takes the strain

A morning outing to Newbiggin failed to connect me with a county tick - the western bonellis warbler had stopped singing and showing some 15 minutes before my arrival - just over 2 hours vigil was rewarded with a common crane flying low south over the ash lagoon. 

Maybe more later?

Wryneck, Whitley Bay

Enjoyed superb views of the Wryneck at the Whitley Bay Crematorium this afternoon...

"L"easter Sunday

With the moderate success of Saturday I headed out round the doors early again today. Noticeably cooler early on, and stops at both West Hartford and Arcot were devoid of any interest.

Up the coast, Druridge was apparently garganey-less though there were plenty of shoveler...

East Chevington eventually yielded the summer plumage black-necked grebe, one of three species available, with little and perhaps six great-crested too. An immature male marsh harrier drifted through, but hoped for sandwich tern etc were elsewhere.

Cresswell pitstop on the way home enabled two avocet to be added to the Northumberland year-list.

Reports of 2 common crane flying north got me back out at 1230, and an optimistic attempt to pick them up over West Hartford was soon kicked out of me, though the temperature had increased a bit.

Late afternoon provided another opportunity to confirm that there wasn't a great deal to see or hear at both West Hartford and Arcot, with highlights being 10+ sand martin, ever increasing numbers of willow warbler and the prospect of booze back at home this evening...

Wits and Wood

Earlish morning saunter to West Hartford to pick up the two early morning black-tailed godwit (looking very Icelandic) backed up with a pair of gadwall, Canada geese, mixed group of h and lbb gulls.

At Arcot two grasshopper warbler, willows and chiff, blackcap, sand Martin, swallow gave a summery feel, while both great spotted (2) and male green woodpecker vocal and visual. 

Big (r)egrets

Some numpties in the fields of West Hartford curtailed an evening visit, so Arcot seemed a good bet for sand Martin - and indeed it was, with perhaps 20 hawking the pond.

A few pochard (no ferruginous!) and tufted duck were joined by 2 Canada geese, which, to their merit, managed to flush a hidden GREAT WHITE EGRET from the south west corner. The egret flew up and landed in the dead trees frequented by the early 2000s osprey and proceeded to survey the surrounds for a mere 10 - 12 minutes, sufficient time for STH & GM to arrive before it flew off north west.

No camera, just the phone, and a flat battery - incredibly frustrating as I'd just manged to line the iPhone camera to the fence-mounted binoculars with the egret in frame as the battery died! The picture above was just the phone shakely held!

My 3rd time finding this grand egret species in Cramlington...

Ferruginous Luck

After Sundays belated news of a possible drake Ferruginous Duck at Gosforth Park, it was a pleasant surprise to hear that it was still there today.

A nice bright sunny afternoon and a little wait before reasonable views on the main pool. A tricky county bird, only my second, the last being way back in the 1980s!

Pictures with the digital "bridge" camera...

SW, N, then E. Grindon Lough

An early start on a fresh March morning saw Mark and I head to the south west of the county... a good start with a Red Kite just east of Corbridge on the A69, followed by 11 Black Grouse just below the snow line, red grouse too... No Ring Ouzel nor Wheatear.

Further north, the two Greenland White-fronted Geese remain at Grindon (along with large groups of Fieldfare), and at Whittle Dene, two Sand Martin were nice too see.

Grindon Lough

Beard, Neck, Throat etc.

Spent an hour or two up at East Chevington on a blustery "spring" morning with Mark. Some decent birding was had, with the long staying Red-necked Grebe, three Long-tailed Duck, a quick visit from the Black-throated Diver and, more surprisingly a fly-by Bearded Tit.

On the beach, a couple of Snow Bunting provided entertainment, with a lonesome Whooper Swan on the sea..

iPhoned male Snow Bunting...

And some iphoned video...