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!

Patch catch-up...

In between increasing amounts of schoolwork and editing photos from Fuerteventura, we have managed a few visits to the patch. Back at the beginning of March it was extremely quiet, except for a drake Green-winged Teal at Druridge Pools.

Last weekend things were slowly starting to pick up with a first-winter Glaucous Gull north through Druridge Pools being the highlight. An Egyptian Goose was also near Linton Pond.

Today, we headed out hoping to get some hirundines in the deteriorating weather conditions and East Chevington we were a bit surprised not to find any. However, at Druridge Bay Country Park there were at least 60 Sand Martin.

Another 10 Sand Martin were at Druridge Pools and we walked along the coal road to find the adult Bewick's Swan still among 62 Whoopers. As we watched the swan, we picked up a Great White Egret flying towards us from the west and it appeared to land on the shore of the main pool. We rushed back to the hide and at first there was no sign, but my dad picked it up in the SW corner. Unfortunately the views were pretty poor but it was nice to finally find one for ourselves!

A Velvet Scoter and Sandwich Tern were offshore.

Bewick's Swan

Great White Egret

Green-winged Teal

Snipe

Decent start to April!

Headed out to the patch on Saturday, hoping to catch up with a few migrants and ended up having one of our best days of the year so far...

Up first was the north pool at Chevington, where it was quiet except for a single female Scaup and a few Sand Martin. However, a Bittern suddenly appeared flying into the SW corner where it sat for a few minutes, giving great scope views as it was dive-bombed by Black-headed Gulls. At the burn mouth 3 Velvet Scoters were still on the sea while 2 White Wagtails and a 30 Twite fed on the beach, a a male Marsh Harrier hunted the reeds.

Druridge Pools also provided a great selection of birds with the Great White Egret and Eurasian White-fronted Goose still around and a single Water Pipit showing well in front of the screen. New in was a smart drake Garganey, a singing Willow Warbler and a White Wagtail. A northwards passage of hirundines included our first two Swallows of the year and a dozen Sand Martins.

PWC 2017
Species: 118
Points: 155

Bittern - video best viewed in HD at 720p/1080p

Water Pipit - video best viewed in HD at 720p/1080p

Great White Egret - video best viewed in HD at 720p/1080p

A slightly scary looking Reed Bunting!

Spring underway...

Despite the cold, drizzly and dark weather yesterday morning, there were a few signs that spring is finally getting underway...

On arrival at Chevington the rain had forced 8 Sand Martins low over the pool. The Slavonian Grebe was still present on the pool along with 8 Scaup, but it seemed the Pacific Diver had finally moved off. A female Goosander had joined the 7 Red-breasted Mergansers and was my first of the year on the patch.

Whooper Swans were around in good numbers with 128 in the south pool and another 70 in a field just to the south-west. A walk down to the burn mouth produced 4 Shore Larks and a flyover Twite and Snow Bunting, while 3 Velvet Scoters were showing pretty well quite close offshore.

Other birds seen recently include 5 Avocets at Cresswell, several Chiffchaffs, 3 Scaup at Bothal Pond and a Short-eared Owl and 61 Whooper Swans at Longhirst Flash last weekend. My dad had a male Wheatear here this afternoon.

Shore Lark

Goosander with 3 Red-breasted Mergansers

Goosander

Velvet Scoter record shot!

A great day on Holy Island...

Saturday proved to be one of those classic days on Holy Island with loads of common birds and a few more interesting species. We arrived before the sun had risen so waited in the car for a while before looking around the village. As soon as it got light the large numbers of Goldcrests and Robins on the island were impressive, and we soon heard our first Yellow-browed Warbler and Brambling of the day. On reaching the Vicar's Garden another Yellow-browed Warbler was showing and a late Sand Martin flew over.

After this we walked down the Straight Lonnen, seeing an extremely smart Great Grey Shrike and 2 Black-tailed Godwits just to the east. My dad also found a mobile Red-breasted Flycatcher in one of the elders beside the path. We kept on walking and another Red-breasted Flycatcher was in the willows at the north end of the Straight Lonnen, with this bird being much more obliging, showing down to just a couple of metres and calling a lot. A Short-eared Owl also flew over.

We had a thorough search of the dunes around the Quarry and Excavations but were unable to find yesterday's Little Bunting. However another Yellow-browed Warbler was feeding in some tiny hawthorns, 2 Redstarts were around Chare Ends and a Goldcrest landed on my tripod leg! We then heard news of a Pallas's Warbler in the Vicar's Garden so headed there next.

On arrival the garden was a hive of activity with numerous Goldcrests, several Blackcaps and a Garden Warbler. It took a while, but eventually the Pallas's Warbler was relocated and we got some brief but good views of this stunning bird. We waited another hour to see if the bird reappeared with little success but two Yellow-browed Warblers appeared alongside each other. We headed back to the car but decided to stop at the Snook on our way out.

This proved to be a great decision as on reaching the Snook House Plantation my dad got a brief view of a wing-barred phyllosc which he assumed was a Yellow-browed. However, I soon got onto the bird and noticed a very distinct central crown stripe. I told my dad that I thought it was another Pallas's Warbler, who quickly realised I wasn't joking when it flitted upwards revealing a striking bright yellow rump! A great bird to add to our self found lists!! Another Yellow-browed Warbler joined the Pallas's, with a further 2 YBWs on other parts of the Snook, along with a Redstart, Short-eared Owl and Merlin. Here's our final migrant totals...

2 Pallas's Warbler - hadn't had a decent view of one before today so nice to see two well in a day, and even find one!
2 Red-breasted Flycatcher
1 Great Grey Shrike
7 Yellow-browed Warbler
165+ Goldcrest
125+ Redwing
45+ Blackbird
50+ Song Thrush
2 Fieldfare
70+ Robin
1 Barn Owl
2 Short-eared Owl
15+ Chiffchaff
6 Blackcap
4 Brambling
1 Sand Martin
2 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Black-tailed Godwit
3 Redstart
1 Garden Warbler
1 Merlin
c.1000 Brent Goose
50+ Barnacle Goose
2 Little Egret

Self found Pallas's Warbler at Snook House

Pallas's Warbler in the Vicar's Garden

Red-breasted Flycatcher in willows at north end of Straight Lonnen

Great Grey Shrike

Yellow-browed Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat

First migrants...

While it certainly felt more like winter this morning, the first migrants were on my patch; at least 25 Sand Martins on the north pool at Chevington. Lesser Black-backed Gull and Little Egret were also new for the patch year list.

Also seen today was the Iceland Gull at QEII and the two European White-fronted Geese with the Greylag flock at Bothal Pond.

PWC 2016
Species: 115
Points: 143

Iceland Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull at QEII

Patching...

An early start this morning resulted in a great morning on my patch despite again not seeing the Bearded Tits. First up was a Red-legged Partridge on the approach road at Chevington. My first time I've ever seen a Red-legged on my patch. A female Pintail accompanied two drakes on the north pool, and 3 Sand Martin were there along with 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Water Rail.

Briefly two Avocets dropped on to the North Pool calling, but stayed less than thirty seconds before flying off north. Back at the parking spaces the male Marsh Harrier was performing brilliantly, as were two Barn Owls. A single Pink-footed Goose remained on the South Pool.

Finally at the beach 4 Snow Buntings were present at the burn mouth and a Shag and a Kittiwake was offshore.

PWC 15
Species: 110
Points: 137

104. Snow Bunting
105. Red-legged Partridge
106. Barn Owl
107. Marsh Harrier
108. Avocet
109. Shag
110. Kittiwake 

Marsh Harrier

On the move...

We've finally some signs of spring over the past few weeks. Last week at Low Newton there was a couple of White Wagtails and a few Scandinavian Rock Pipits.

Another trip out yesterday produced a few more birds. A Wheatear at Newbiggin was the first proper migrant, and was followed by a smart Little Ringed Plover at Cresswell. Also at Cresswell was a Water Rail, Red-breasted Merganser and a funny goose which resembled a Lesser White-fronted Goose, but the white on the forehead didn't extend far enough back and it was perhaps a little too big.

There was further quality at Chevington with the long-staying Red-necked Grebe and Black-throated Diver still on the North Pool. The Grebe was already acquiring summer plumage, and if it stays another few weeks it will certainly look pretty smart. 3 Long-tailed Ducks were also still there, with another Red-breasted Mergansers and 2 Avocets flew over.

Finally 2 Sand Martins were at Bothal Pond on the way back.

White Wagtail

Scandinavian Rock Pipit (?)

Herring Gulls

Great Black-backed Gull

Eiders

Escaped Goose