Catch up...

On Wednesday we spent the morning on Holy Island hoping that the easterlies and drizzle might have brought some migrants to the island. Sure enough it had, with impressive numbers of thrushes and Bramblings, but unfortunately the day just lacked something rare...

1645 Redwing
504 Fieldfare
648 Blackbird
8 Song Thrush
1 Ring Ouzel
120 Brambling
5 Woodcock
9 Goldcrest
2 Black Redstart - around the Lindisfarne Hotel.
15 Long-tailed Tit
2 Blackcap
1 Short-eared Owl

Later in the day another Black Redstart was mobile around the compound on Newton Point, while the day before a Jack Snipe had been sleeping in front of the south hide on the north pool at Chevington.

Down in North Yorkshire on Thursday the gull roost at Lingham Lake held 2 Caspian Gulls (distinctive first and third-winters), an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a leucistic Black-headed Gull among the thousands of other gulls.

This morning we managed good views of a male Bearded Tit in front of the north hide on the north pool at Chevington (only my second on patch and a much better view than the first) along with 2 Otters there and a Short-eared Owl at Druridge Pools.

PWC 15
Species: 169
Points: 229 

All my photos recently have been pretty poor and my excuse is that the weather hasn't been great!

Bearded Tit

Caspian Gulls - at maximum ISO and one second shutter speeds!

Sleeping Jack Snipe

Harrier sp. near Blyth

A quick rush out of the house provided some brief views of this ringtail harrier over some fields east of the A192 just south of Laverock. The bird flew north, appeared to land in a field but them disappeared. We only saw the bird through binoculars but still it didn't 'feel' like a Hen Harrier with it appearing quite small and slim, and quite warm underneath. I managed a few record shots which might help with the ID. I have not edited the colours at all. Any comments very welcome...

Longspur...

Only my second decent view of a Lapland Bunting today, this one at St. Mary's Island with my first being on Holy Island just over five years ago. It was showing brilliantly, and when I lay on it's favourite path, the bird would walk right up to me.

At Druridge Pools earlier in the day, a Brambling flew west and 15+ Goldcrests were in the pine plantation, and at Chevington 3 Black-tailed Godwits flew over and an Otter was on the north pool.

PWC 15
Species: 166
Points: 224

Lapland Bunting

More YBWs

Two more Yellow-browed Warblers on the patch this afternoon. The first in the plantation at Druridge Pools with a group of Goldcrests. We watched the bird for about half an hour before it disappeared and when we returned later there was no sign. The second YBW was a self-found bird along the track to the southern most hide on the north pool at Chevington. While we were there a Marsh Harrier flew over and 3 Pintail were on the pool.

PWC 15
Species: 165
Points: 223 

Yellow-browed Warbler at Druridge Pools.

Eclipse & Garganey

Yesterday morning we were back on patch where there were a few migrants about. Perhaps the most obvious were the Pink-footed Geese with a flock of 500+ on the north pool at Chevington, which they shared with a Garganey, Black-tailed Godwit and Pintail.

3 Redwings flew over and a Great Spotted Woodpecker appeared to fly 'in off'. Along with a Treecreeper these were additions to the PWC year list.

A very early start this morning resulted in an impressive show from the lunar eclipse, with completely clear skies.

PWC 15
Species: 165
Points: 220

163. Great Spotted Woodpecker
164. Treecreeper
165. Redwing 

Composite image of the lunar eclipse

Garganey record shot

Patch birding...

The highlight of this morning's search around the patch was a very brief view of a Yellow-browed Warbler first found by my Dad in the plantation by the entrance of Druridge Pools. It seemed to be hanging around with a group of Goldcrests and disappeared almost as soon as we got onto it. A Greenshank also at Druridge Pools, with another at Chevington along with a Pintail and 6 Bar-headed Geese.

At Cresswell there was a Mediterranean Gull, Greenshank, Little Egret and Kingfisher, and the first Pink-footed Geese of the autumn were flying over.

PWC 15
Species: 162
Points: 217

162. Yellow-browed Warbler

Cresswell

A quick trip to Cresswell this afternoon where there was a nice selection of birds behind the hide including a Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Pied Flycatchers and Chiffchaffs.

Firecrest

Yellow-browed Warbler

Young Stoat at Hadston yesterday