Back in business...

After restrictions were loosened earlier in the week I was keen to get back out to Druridge. I visited both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, with the latter being especially enjoyable with a nice selection of migrants around...

My first stop on Tuesday was at the north end of Cresswell Pond. A couple of smart male Wheatears were immediately on view, and a group of 6 Barnacle Geese were among the Pink-feet in the field north-west of the causeway. A scan of the rest of the pond from the north end provided a nice surprise in the form a pair of Garganey snoozing in the south-west corner, although, despite eventually going for a swim, remained out of view from the hide. 

Heading north to Druridge Pools, a look from the south-facing hide provided some nice views of the Water Pipit seen earlier in the day. A smart individual, starting to show some pink and blue tones to its plumage. Some of the 23 Black-tailed Godwits present were also starting to show some summer plumage, and my first Little Ringed Plover of the year was nice to see. 

Continuing to East Chevington, the number of Sand Martins feeding over the North Pool was impressive, perhaps numbering as many as 200, and I eventually managed to pick out a Swallow. A female Scaup was on the pool, while a lone Whooper Swan dropped into roost. I noticed that the sea was extremely calm so decided to have a scan from the dunes. This proved to be a good decision as a Black-throated Diver was offshore, and as many as 54 Red-throated Divers and 16 Red-breasted Mergansers were visible on the glassy water. Three more Wheatears were a nice way to round Tuesday off. 

On Wednesday a sea fret had arrived, giving a much more wintery feel to the weather. The highlight was a group of 44 Whooper Swans on Cresswell Pond, as well as a couple of Sandwich Terns flying over.

Water Pipit

Whooper Swan coming into land at East Chevington

Sand Martins

Swallow

Whooper Swans on Cresswell Pond

A few phonescoped photos...

Wheatear

Scaup

Distant Garganey!

Baillon's Crake at Monks House!

By 5pm yesterday I had been up since 9am doing revision, and I was bored. Very bored.

That all changed at 17:55 when news came through of a Baillon's or Little Crake at Monks House Pool. I love crakes with their speckled blue and orange-brown plumage along with their skulking and hard to see nature, so the twitch was a no-brainer really. 

Dinner was hastily eaten, and I promised to continue my revision in the car. We arrived 40 minutes later to find a crowd of about 20 local birders waiting on site. A drake Garganey was showing nicely and calling but nobody really thought we'd see the crake. 

However, my dad suddenly picked it up lurking in the rushes. Panic ensued, though I was able to get onto it pretty quickly, and it wasn't long before everyone had it in their scopes. It was a superb BAILLON'S CRAKE without a doubt and started to preen right in the open. Everyone was stunned to be seeing this at all, let alone in Northumberland.

Over the next half an hour or so, the Crake continued to show on and off as it worked its way around the thick vegetation at the north end of the pool, and came out into the open again to preen on at least two occasions. It was awesome seeing one of my most wanted birds for the UK so well and a lot better than my photos below suggest!

With exams the next day we had to leave, but it still hasn't been seen again since we last glimpsed it running between two rushes...

We've actually had a decent couple of weeks in the NE and more on that when I get time...

Baillon's Crake - video should be viewed in HD at 1080p

Garganey

Last night I finally found my first Garganey of the year with a drake at Druridge Pools. The Cattle Egret was still present along with 25 Black-tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel. At Hemscott Hill, two Yellow Wagtails and 5 Wheatear were in the field to the north.

I also managed to get a short sound recording of the Garganey calling...

Patch Greenish!

We were just getting ready to head out this morning when news came on of a Greenish Warbler at Chevington. We quickened the pace, although when we arrived the dreaded no sign message came on.

We continued around to the bushes behind the L-shaped hide and it was obvious how difficult it would be to see the bird given the thick vegetation. An hour later we had seen nothing more than a couple of Willow Warblers, but thankfully a slight movement at the back of the bushes proved to be the Greenish Warbler. While not a long view, I was lucky to get a look at the bird as it sat side on in the open. A very welcome patch tick!

A short while later a flock of Long-tailed Tits moved through the same bushes, and a vocal Willow Tit was with them. At the north pool a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper had arrived, along with 3 Pintail, and the 2 Garganey were still around. Another Garganey was at a Bothal Pond on the way home.

For a photo of the Greenish, check out finder Dave Elliot's blog here.

Hobby saves the day... again!

We were back on the patch again this morning for a few hours birding, and Druridge Pools definitely felt quieter than our other visits recently. There were still some common wader species on the coal road pools, but other than a Garganey and 16 Black-tailed Godwits, there wasn't much going on.

Thankfully, just as we were leaving my dad spotted a Hobby flying very low and quickly over the entrance, and it looped around once before heading south.  

Moving on, Chevington and Cresswell were also quiet with a Greenshank flying over Chevington being the best we could manage. 

Hobby

Getting quieter...

Yesterday morning we once again found ourselves on Holy Island, but the exciting birding of the last few days seemed to have come to an end. We spent the morning covering all of the main parts of the island, managing just a few Chiffchaffs and a Spotted Flycatcher, but the visit was saved when we got to the Snook car park and a first-summer Hobby flew past, giving us some fantastic views.

On the way back we called in at Druridge, where the Pectoral Sandpiper was still on the coal road flashes as well an adult summer Little Gull, a drake Garganey and the two Whooper Swans.

Little Gull

Pectoral Sandpiper (phonescoped)

Whooper Swans

Druridge on form...

We've had a couple of visits to Druridge recently with the new pools by the coal road providing some good birds, especially the summer plumage waders. Peak counts on the flash have been...

3 Curlew Sandpiper
2 Little Stint
1 Wood Sandpiper
1 Avocet
110 Ringed Plover
25 Dunlin
2 Sanderling
7 Turnstone

While other things there have included the long-staying Glossy Ibis, 4 Garganey, 2 Little Gull, 4 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Whooper Swans.

Little Stint

Curlew Sandpipers (phonescoped at Cresswell before they moved to Druridge)

Garganey

Rosy Starling...

Yesterday morning on our way to Druridge we called in to Falston Crescent in Ashington to have a look at the adult Rose-coloured Starling. It was showing really well, although the light wasn't great. It was nice to hear it singing well too; a subtly different song to Common Starling, slightly slower and lower-pitched. 

We decided to have another look at it in the evening, hoping for better light, and sure enough it was still in the garden, providing some better photo opportunities...

Rose-coloured Starling

The garden also held a few other species...

Dunnock

Juvenile Blackbird

Druridge still held a good selection on the the coal road pools including a very brief adult summer Little Gull, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis, Garganey, Whooper Swan and a flyover Arctic Tern.

Another confiding scarcity!

After still being on a bit of a high from the Little Bittern, it was great to get some more amazing views of an unusual waterbird, with the Glossy Ibis showing superbly by the old coal road at Druridge this morning until it was flushed by the farmer on his quadbike... 

Other birds around Druridge Pools included a Wood Sandpiper, drake Garganey, 4 Black-tailed Godwits and a Roseate Tern and Puffin offshore...

East Chevington produced a Black-necked Grebe, while the Channel Wagtail still at Bell's Farm rounded off another good day.

Glossy Ibis

More patch birding...

Back to the patch again this morning, and there were a few more new summer migrants for us...

The first was Swift with 8 over Chevington, while a Wheatear at Hemscott Hill was a patch year tick. The male Channel Wagtail was also showing well here with a single Yellow.

At Druridge Pools, the 2CY Spoonbill was behaving typically lazily, though did have a bit of a fly around as we were leaving. A pair of Garganey also remained here as well as 3 Ruff, 13 Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Lesser Whitethroats by the track.

At Cresswell, 7 Wheatears were north of the causeway, with a couple of them showing really well. Another Yellow Wagtail was also here and 2 White Wagtails. 2 more Wheatears were at Snab Point too.

Channel Wagtail

Wheatears - very smart birds!

Second calendar-year Spoonbill (with attached weeds)