Durham
Spain
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
November 14 2010
First thing this morning it was a slippery, frosty drive to Morpeth. Nearly coming a cropper twice on the way, and I drive slowly these days. As I passed a spot where someone had obviously been into the hedge, I very nearly went in there as well.
At Morpeth there was no sign of the Squacco Heron, but it wasn’t quiet; Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher and 22 Waxwings were seen before the heron put in an appearance, coming in from the West, high over the town centre, being mobbed by gulls. It landed in a sunny spot and stayed there for some time, showing well to all, I took no pictures of it today other than this one with the point and shoot. Leaving here a Willow Tit was obliging, right next to the bridge.
I head North, to stand on another bridge, this one over the Aln, over shadowed by the Castle. Where as the visit to Morpeth was a success, the visit to Alnwick was a loss; no sign of the Great White Egret. It had been seen earlier, but gone by the time I arrived, dogs and their out of control owners getting the blame…
So onwards, even further North, to Wooler. The first flock of Pink-footed Geese was just that, a flock of 500 plus Pink-feet, but the second flock was 600 plus Pink-feet and a single Ross’s Goose. It’s the first one I have gone to look for or at, so I suppose you could say that it was a lifer.
Heading back South, stopping again at Alnwick, was another negative on the egret sighting, although I had a canny chat with John and John. I continued on to Chevington pools, where the only highlight was a Peregrine with a very full crop, low overhead. By now it was dusk so I dashed to Cresswell, just in time to see 62 Whooper Swans come in to roost.
At Morpeth there was no sign of the Squacco Heron, but it wasn’t quiet; Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher and 22 Waxwings were seen before the heron put in an appearance, coming in from the West, high over the town centre, being mobbed by gulls. It landed in a sunny spot and stayed there for some time, showing well to all, I took no pictures of it today other than this one with the point and shoot. Leaving here a Willow Tit was obliging, right next to the bridge.
I head North, to stand on another bridge, this one over the Aln, over shadowed by the Castle. Where as the visit to Morpeth was a success, the visit to Alnwick was a loss; no sign of the Great White Egret. It had been seen earlier, but gone by the time I arrived, dogs and their out of control owners getting the blame…
So onwards, even further North, to Wooler. The first flock of Pink-footed Geese was just that, a flock of 500 plus Pink-feet, but the second flock was 600 plus Pink-feet and a single Ross’s Goose. It’s the first one I have gone to look for or at, so I suppose you could say that it was a lifer.
Heading back South, stopping again at Alnwick, was another negative on the egret sighting, although I had a canny chat with John and John. I continued on to Chevington pools, where the only highlight was a Peregrine with a very full crop, low overhead. By now it was dusk so I dashed to Cresswell, just in time to see 62 Whooper Swans come in to roost.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
November 10 2010
An early visit to Chevington produced very little, and definitely no singing Cetti’s Warbler. I left here on a mission to get petrol for the car so I would kill two birds with one stone and go to Morpeth to refuel and while there have a look for the Squacco Heron. Initially there was no sign of the heron but as I looked over the flood defence wall the Squacco erupted out of a small patch of vegetation on the nearside bank and flew to the opposite side where it showed very nicely indeed.
Sunday, November 07, 2010
November 7 2010
Having done nothing for two days of my four day long weekend due to having a dose of man flu, a chance to get out today was taken. Alan and I headed for Commondale in North Yorkshire in the hope of a Rough-legged Buzzard or four. Once on site loads of birders were around but no buzzards had been seen, so we drove up Kildale Moor and set off on a walk towards Sledale. Plenty of Red Grouse, some of which are very approachable, but still no buzzards.
As we were walking along the track a pipit flushed from the side of the path, flew about twenty yards and landed out of sight, but the brief view set alarm bells ringing, something was different about the bird. We now approach where it landed with a bit of caution, only for it to flush again, this time it called “shreep”, a large pipit that called like a House Sparrow; Richard’s Pipit. We alert a couple of birders just ahead of us and we track it down again and this time I get a brief snatch of call on the recorder, its by no means brilliant, but have a listen. You hear a Meadow pipit call and then what sounds like a sparrow, that’s the bird…
...further up the valley it shows well on the ground before flying off over the valley and out of sight. While here a buzzard is found, which turns out to be a Common.
We head back to road where all of the birders are parked, to hear that we have missed a Rough-legged Buzzard by ten minutes as it flew over the valley. About 30 minutes later the shout goes up “here they are two of them” , well, no, not even one! Bird one was a Common Buzzard and bird two wasn’t even a buzzard, its a ringtail Hen Harrier. Enough was the cry, time to leave, I’ve had enough…
And then in the car on the way back, we receive news of a county tick; Cetti’s Warbler at Chevington, no chance of getting there before dark, it’ll have to wait till Wednesday for it to see me!
As we were walking along the track a pipit flushed from the side of the path, flew about twenty yards and landed out of sight, but the brief view set alarm bells ringing, something was different about the bird. We now approach where it landed with a bit of caution, only for it to flush again, this time it called “shreep”, a large pipit that called like a House Sparrow; Richard’s Pipit. We alert a couple of birders just ahead of us and we track it down again and this time I get a brief snatch of call on the recorder, its by no means brilliant, but have a listen. You hear a Meadow pipit call and then what sounds like a sparrow, that’s the bird…
...further up the valley it shows well on the ground before flying off over the valley and out of sight. While here a buzzard is found, which turns out to be a Common.
We head back to road where all of the birders are parked, to hear that we have missed a Rough-legged Buzzard by ten minutes as it flew over the valley. About 30 minutes later the shout goes up “here they are two of them” , well, no, not even one! Bird one was a Common Buzzard and bird two wasn’t even a buzzard, its a ringtail Hen Harrier. Enough was the cry, time to leave, I’ve had enough…
And then in the car on the way back, we receive news of a county tick; Cetti’s Warbler at Chevington, no chance of getting there before dark, it’ll have to wait till Wednesday for it to see me!
Thursday, November 04, 2010
November 4 2010
That's me, off for a long weekend, the price I have to pay for the pleasure of it; ten days at work!
The weather this week looked promising for my days off until yesterday, when the forecast said rain...
and on my first day off in ten, it rained pretty hard, the light was poor and no pictures are taken, again
but I have my new toy so I did this instead
and if ever the Waxwings move away from that damned noisy road junction at Ashington I might get (a) some pictures and (b) a recording that's worth keeping!
and now for something completely different, an evening of ROCK, off to see my sons band play a very loud set
LATE EDIT; They go all the way up to eleven!!!
The weather this week looked promising for my days off until yesterday, when the forecast said rain...
and on my first day off in ten, it rained pretty hard, the light was poor and no pictures are taken, again
but I have my new toy so I did this instead
and if ever the Waxwings move away from that damned noisy road junction at Ashington I might get (a) some pictures and (b) a recording that's worth keeping!
and now for something completely different, an evening of ROCK, off to see my sons band play a very loud set
LATE EDIT; They go all the way up to eleven!!!
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