Diminishing Berries

Home Birds

Back in 1987 I rushed up to Cresswell Pond with my Dad to twitch our first Little Egret. Quite an uncommon bird then. 

Now? They winter in our housing estate...

3 this morning...

Prior to this I was watching unco-operative Bohemian Waxwing at Blyth - Nine birds this morning feeding at the back of a fenced off paddock of sorts.

Yesterday evening was spent at West Hartford, watching the day disappear into night. Two Cormorant and 50 Lapwing were about to be the highlight until a Barn Owl appeared, hunting the fields. Delightful.

The weekend so far.

Friday afternoon / evening was spent out and about the vicinity with some things seen and some things not.

Saturday was bright and breezy, so a saunter to Morpeth to see this winters nationally scarce Waxwings. Two birds present, with a knack of feeding on the "wrong-side" of the hedge.

Closer to home, Little Egrets still frequenting the Burn...

Myrtle Warbler...

Winter Mega!

Woke up to the unexpected news that the County Durham Myrtle Warbler had been confirmed as still present and available to all... so after picking up Phil and Mark it was High Shincliffe bound.

Arrived at 1045, a half hour since the last sighting - we had a frustrating 2 hour wait before the bird was pieced up again - having enjoyed three waxwing, a brambling and redpoll and hods of goldfinch.

Given the circumstances we had decent binocular views as it fed on some feeders concealed in the roadside hedge - not great for the camera (and I only took the 400mm), but some record shots were managed.

Sneaky peak of the yellow rump...

Feeder concealed in dense hedge on roadside

Feeder across road near lamppost - not a bad sized crowd too...

1 to 2

Despite a lack of blog updates since January, local birding has continued into the first week of February, with essentially local ventures to atypical places.

Waxwing made an appearance on the estate on 22nd - a single on the Horton Burn. Very scarce so far this winter, so  a good patch year tick

February has started with signs of Spring - skylark back at West Hartford, Linnets too. The marsh has at least one jack snipe and water rail, along with another winter 13/14 scarcity a day or two ago - short-eard owl. Reports of a bittern are interesting but so far no connection.

Today saw a loop round Seghill for the european white-fronted goose that Gordon found this morning - associating with a large flock of grey-lags, some of which were wearing neck collars, of which I took no note of any details. At the links south of Blyth I again scanned the large pink-footed goose flock, and today, like Sunday, it was bean-less...

European White-fronted Goose - pink toned bill, large white band on tail tip

Marched off

Last visit to West Hartford for March 13, with another dusk visit. Great minds think alike, as Liver B arrived too. Not a great deal to report - the pool held 1 lapwing... While my struggle continues on the tree sparrow front - a visit earlier in the day may fare better. As roost became an urge 9 meadow pipit dropped in and 14 waxwing (presumably the same birds as a couple of nights ago) landed briefly on the roadside trees before being moved on by a couple of magpie.

Last 2 evenings before summer-time

With the onset of longer evenings, I've spent the last two patrolling West Hartford. Not a significant amount to report - 11 waxwing flew over on night 1, while this evenings search for tree sparrow failed - I still managed my own (belated) WH first - calling water rail. In addition, two curlew and two grey partridge were new for the year, and a distant short-eared owl hunted the fields towards Plessy. Buzzard have been more obvious than of late, with circling birds both at WH and from home.


No chiffchaff yet...

Distant Fox - 1200mm on the point and click!

From the landing

I recently purchased a new "bridge" camera for concert photography - a Canon Powershot SX50 HS. Perhaps with some coincidence the latest issue of Birdwatch arrived today, containing a review of the said camera.

While I never bought the camera with bird photography in mind, the impressive range of camera functions and flexibility of a 24mm wide angle to a whopping 50x optical zoom (1200mm in 35mm terms) make a portable camera quite convenient for record shots. The camera also boasts full HD filming too...

So when a group of waxwing arrived this afternoon (albeit after 16:00, overcast and arctic conditions), a quick couple of snaps were called for (from the inside the house, I'm not stupid!)...

24mm - spot the waxwing in the top of the tree behind the house:

 1200mm - handheld, naturally and uncropped:

Images taken in .jpg, all in auto mode so no fiddling with exposure for better imaging (RAW possible in manual mode), original width 4000 pixels, reduced to 800 pixels for the blog. Not bad for a record ...

Locycling

As March falls into it's latter stages, the warmth of Spring is not even hinted. Its absolutely freezing, with a cutting easterly blow.

Sundays birding was from the relative discomfort of the push-bike, with a lap of Northumberland's most delightful village. The route took me to West Hartford where STH had reported a drake shoveler earlier in the morning. Sure enough the dapper drake was still present, along with 40 teal, five gadwall and a couple of mallard. Good going for the patch. Ten oystercatcher huddled on the shore.

Bassington NR was a void of nothingness, my hopes for a Cramlington green woodpecker are decreasing as the first quarter ends, it'll be up to a calling bird at Arcot for a few weeks last hope.

Northumberlandia was the next port of call - despite the weather a few families were out for midday walks, and the site was very quiet bird wise. The land to the east of the opencast looks promising for the next few years, with newly planted trees looking favourable for owls and the like, maybe a wintering great grey shrike too... From the top of the Northumberlandia "face"I could get a great view of the surrounds - snow to the land not far west, and raging seas along the east coast. Ah, I do love Spring.

Beacon Lane remains little owl-less and I even managed not to find any yellowhammer today. Arcot Pond was better - still good numbers of wildfowl on the water - three goldeneye were my first in Cramlington for 2013, while support came from pochard, teal, mallard, wigeon, tufted duck and plenty of coot. Could not see the little grebe, probably in the reeds...

The detour via Valley Park did not provide the hoped for Jay, but approximately 25 waxwing at the start of Greenlaw Drive were a nice bonus.

Waxdipping

With a week of nightshift beckoning, a grey day reflected my mood - until the familiar trill of waxwing got my attention...

Initially 50 birds were present around the house this morning, while a venture out on the bike later on in the afternoon resulted in 21 lingering towards the park. The light was dreadful today, more of a "murk" in fact. The flock were not particularly doing much, and despite close views, were not in classic waxwing photography position - from the underside on  dull day like today they can look merely like grey starlings.

Still, always good to see. So what next? A potter further down the Horton Burn provided a much better highlight (for me at least), with the dipper back. I managed to grab a couple of pictures before a loose dog wandered to close, pushing the dipper downstream from the road bridge. I dare say a dipper anywhere else would not be so appealing, but when its on the patch, in-between the houses no less, then its "mint-tastic". Rather enjoyed watching the dipper feeding - amazing ability to swim in the fast flowing rapids that have been swollen with snow melt.

The old fire station end of the burn failed to produce anything, so I opted for a slow meander to West Hartford, which was in turn, rather quiet. A single buzzard was mobbed by carrion crow over the back and 1 siskin flew over. It seems January will remain short-eared owl-less, unless my luck changes this week...

Dull saunter

A saunter up the coast late morning was hindered by wet and dull weather. It was a tick a run exercise I'm afraid, with target species of Mediterranean gull, white-fronted goose, long-tailed duck etc "ticked off" Bonus-wise an obliging merlin at Hemscott Hill would have been a photographic treat had I taken a camera, though twite did not show there (just a big flock of goldfinch).

No slavonian grebe, smew or bittern at East Chevington (a vist combined with the heaviest rain), but compensatory were three waxwing opposite Blyth's Asda store (same corner as 2012) while getting nightshift supplies.

Back on the bike-saddle on the just as wet and dull patch, jack snipe was secured, but stonechat and short-eared owl still elude. Plenty days left to try and catch up with those...

Round the doors

12 waxwing over the house justified the energy spent washing the car this morning.

Afternoon was spent on the bike - West Hartford providing 1 stonechat, 1 short-eared owl and a brute of a female sparrowhawk - first bringing 8 waxwing to my attention, then later lifting a snipe and mobbing the SEO! Raptor numbers were increased with 2+ kestrel and a distant buzzard.

At the Horton Burn 1grey wagtail and a single kingfisher ended the avian and cycling activities.

Sticky yellowish mouldable substance-wing

The trusty camera almost needed a dust-down prior to today's little foray out to Blyth. The four waxwing were my first of 2012, in what was a truly strange week.

Pah...

Weak week

First week of work complete, but hindered with a rotten cold! Waxwing noted on two days - 17 on wednesday, 15 on Friday, BSHQ maintains a good waxwing record... This morning breakfast proceedings started well (even with a congested headache) as a garden "second" was observed. Don't get too excited though, the subject was a chaffinch!

Waxwings...

Nice bonus after a good day out on 17th... what is it about greater yellowlegs? Everytime I see one there are waxwings outside my house.... :)

Cross, east, greater then waxy!

A quick textual update, as another busy day continues to thwart any efforts to edit photographs taken. Started the day well, with flyover crossbill while replenishing the garden bird feeders - a belated Cramlington tick for me! News that the "eastern" black redstart was stills present on Holy island had me heading north on a lovely mild winter day. A chance bump into AC on the road in to the village provided opportunity to return the loan memory card from the recent firecrest fiasco, and prompted a quick about turn to walk in the correct direction to the ebred. What a stunner it was too, looking forward to uploading some images here... The journey back was interrupted by the news that the AWOL greater yellowlegs had been relocated on Druridge Bay CP - twenty minutes later I was there... But views were distant. Some field craft ensued and I eventually got within photographable distance, tho light was fading (14:15!!!). Bizarrely the better images taken were of it on the grassy footpath that encircles the artificial lake! Arriving home the familiar trill of waxwing welcomed me as I unpacked the car - 28 today perched in trees adjacent BSHQ... Pics soon...

Dawn Raid

Got to Hauxley prior to 8 this morning - a good move as first three birds (in order) were redshank, greater yellowlegs and grey phalarope! Phew!

Too dark for any pics, but extremely close views from wader hide (unable to focus 500mm lens)

Took some mobile phone video, it may appear here later.

Hope they stick till later in week, as it's a busy day today....

Got home and there were 20 waxwing in the tree outside the house!

Frosty start. Snowy end.

Mark and I headed to the "hawfinch hedge" just west of Morpeth this morning... and it was a cold one at that, saved by a beautiful blue, cloudless sky. A two hour vigil was suitably hawfinch-less, though marsh tit was appreciated.

We failed to locate any of the white-fronted geese at Woodhorn, though chips at Newbiggin were consumed while watching a couple of Mediterranean gull scavenge around the car park.

Blyth was the next port of call (pah!), and it was thanks to Brian that we connected with a distant red-necked grebe at the river mouth. Our journey back to the car was interrupted by six snow bunting, that photographically saved the day...

The final stop of the outing was the Burton House pub in Cramlington, where an apple-less apple tree failed to retain any of the waxwing that had been enjoyed a few days ago. No sign of the blackcap either!

A later report on the pager mentioned that there were 16 waxwing at the Shaw garden centre in Cramlington ~ while approx 40 were noted by Birdingsometimes Senior in Alexandra Park yesterday... probably the flock on the move...

One for the road...

Another waxwing image from Monday 24th, the last image taken late afternoon. Thought I might have got back there again today, but after a tiring nightshift I didn't get of bed till after 3!

Off to the pub...

I spent some time photographing an obliging flock of waxwing this afternoon. Feeding on an apple tree in the Burton House pubs' car park, the car was utilised as a hide. The only available parking space was virtually under the tree, so the angle for shooting was restricted to one branch that was a bit too close for the hand-held 500mm - however, there was a nice conifer providing a green background.

As the sun went in and out, the lighting became interesting...

Number-wise the flock was tricky to count, there were certainly 37, maybe 47 ~ my count was never the same as the birds flew in and out! A single male blackcap was also feeding on the apples.