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| Short-eared Owls |
At Chevington there was a Scaup, Pintail, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and the Black-necked Grebe still.
Afterwards these two Barn Owls were at Cresswell in the near darkness...
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| Barn Owls |
Saturday, 28 February 2015
Owls...
Two Short-eared Owls at Warkworth Dunes this afternoon...
At Chevington there was a Scaup, Pintail, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and the Black-necked Grebe still.
Afterwards these two Barn Owls were at Cresswell in the near darkness...
At Chevington there was a Scaup, Pintail, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and the Black-necked Grebe still.
Afterwards these two Barn Owls were at Cresswell in the near darkness...
Sunday, 22 February 2015
Twitching...
I spent the weekend staying with relatives in Yorkshire. Friday evening saw us at the gull roost at Lingham Lake where the highlight was a third-winter Iceland Gull which arrived late on. Two Little Owls in nearby trees were also great to see.
On Saturday we decided to try and see the Laughing Gull at New Brighton. It was an easy twitch with the first-winter Laughing Gull on view almost all the time, showing well on the ground and briefly in flight.
On the way back home we took a detour to Rufforth and spent the afternoon there. There was a lot of gulls but they kept flying back to the tip which made finding birds quite hard. In the end we saw a first-winter Caspian Gull as well as adult and second-winter Iceland Gulls and a Peregrine. 3 Red Kites were seen from the car.
On Saturday we decided to try and see the Laughing Gull at New Brighton. It was an easy twitch with the first-winter Laughing Gull on view almost all the time, showing well on the ground and briefly in flight.
On the way back home we took a detour to Rufforth and spent the afternoon there. There was a lot of gulls but they kept flying back to the tip which made finding birds quite hard. In the end we saw a first-winter Caspian Gull as well as adult and second-winter Iceland Gulls and a Peregrine. 3 Red Kites were seen from the car.
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| Laughing Gull |
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| Little Owls |
Iceland Gull at Nosterfield
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| The Moon |
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
Teesside
Yesterday we decided to spend the day in Teesside and hopefully catch up with a few of the birds which had been seen there...
First we went to Hartlepool and thanks to a very helpful birder we eventually saw the first-winter Black Guillemot at the back of the Fish Quay. My first in England. Next we got some great views of the Shore Lark on it's usual waste ground.
At Seaton Common there was a couple of hundred gulls visible from the North Gare road and in amongst them was a first-winter Glaucous Gull. We ended the day at Saltholme and after a short wait the Green-winged Teal showed distantly from the Saltholme Pools Hide along with 2 Red-breasted Merganser. On the way back to the visitor centre a Fox walked right up to us, providing me with easily my best views of a Fox. About 4 Little Egrets were also around the reserve.
First we went to Hartlepool and thanks to a very helpful birder we eventually saw the first-winter Black Guillemot at the back of the Fish Quay. My first in England. Next we got some great views of the Shore Lark on it's usual waste ground.
At Seaton Common there was a couple of hundred gulls visible from the North Gare road and in amongst them was a first-winter Glaucous Gull. We ended the day at Saltholme and after a short wait the Green-winged Teal showed distantly from the Saltholme Pools Hide along with 2 Red-breasted Merganser. On the way back to the visitor centre a Fox walked right up to us, providing me with easily my best views of a Fox. About 4 Little Egrets were also around the reserve.
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| Shore Lark |
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| Glaucous Gull |
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| Fox |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Greenfinch |
Sunday, 15 February 2015
Ruff & Waxwings...
This Ruff at Cresswell this afternoon was my first in winter. It was also the highlight of a quiet morning in Druridge Bay.
Elsewhere the only bird of note was the long-staying Black-necked Grebe Chevington. A Stoat was also there. In Morpeth we saw the two Waxwings in Coopies Lane Industrial Estate.
PWC 15
Species: 93
Points: 114
Elsewhere the only bird of note was the long-staying Black-necked Grebe Chevington. A Stoat was also there. In Morpeth we saw the two Waxwings in Coopies Lane Industrial Estate.
PWC 15
Species: 93
Points: 114
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| Ruff |
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| Waxwing |
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Little Auks!
Over the weekend I was hoping to do a bit of seawatching and today was my chance...
We started at Newbiggin and put in neraly three hours there (09:05-11:46). The highlight was undoubtedly the Little Auks. Here's the counts not including the more regular birds...
110 Little Auk
2 Shelduck
31 Goldeneye
3 Common Scoter
2 Shag
2 Mediterranean Gull (plus four in the car park area)
5 Gannet
4 Kittiwake
8 Red-throated Diver
1 Velvet Scoter
Next we moved to my Patchwork Challenge patch and put in a couple of hours there (12:25-14:25)...
87 Little Auk
2 Shelduck
1 Teal
1 Mediterranean Gull
1 Velvet Scoter
4 Pale-bellied Brent Goose
5 Red-throated Diver
PWC 15
Species: 88
Points: 109
We started at Newbiggin and put in neraly three hours there (09:05-11:46). The highlight was undoubtedly the Little Auks. Here's the counts not including the more regular birds...
110 Little Auk
2 Shelduck
31 Goldeneye
3 Common Scoter
2 Shag
2 Mediterranean Gull (plus four in the car park area)
5 Gannet
4 Kittiwake
8 Red-throated Diver
1 Velvet Scoter
Next we moved to my Patchwork Challenge patch and put in a couple of hours there (12:25-14:25)...
87 Little Auk
2 Shelduck
1 Teal
1 Mediterranean Gull
1 Velvet Scoter
4 Pale-bellied Brent Goose
5 Red-throated Diver
PWC 15
Species: 88
Points: 109
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| Little Auks |
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| Goldeneye |
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