Norfolk - Days 1 & 2

Last week we had a family break in Norfolk and managed to fit in some decent trips birding!

On day one we had our first look at the Cley gull roost. An adult Caspian Gull was present and a stunning first-summer appeared later on. The number of Yellow-legged Gulls was impressive (compared to what we get in the north-east!), with at least 12 present.

A good forecast for the next day persuaded us to go to Kelling Water Meadows to look for the Red-veined Darters which had been seen there recently. Sure enough they were present along with a host of other dragonflies some of which we don't often get to see in Northumberland...

7+ Red-veined Darter

10+ Emperor

10+ Black-tailed Skimmer

1 Banded Demoiselle

1 Migrant Hawker

2 Southern Hawker

Common Darter
Common Blue Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly

1 Holly Blue
5+ Gatekeeper
10+ Common Blue

A Red Kite flew over Holkham Pines in the afternoon, before we had another luck at the Cley gull roost. Today there was 3 Caspian Gulls (yesterday's first-summer and 2 adults, looking at my photos I think they were both different to yesterday's bird). Slightly fewer Yellow-legged Gulls this evening with 7+, and a single adult Mediterranean Gull.

Back at our cabin in the forest I saw my first Perseid meteor of the year.

First-summer Caspian Gull on the first evening.

One of day two's adult Caspians.

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

Red-veined Darters - the last photo's pretty poor but it shows the 'classic' Red-veined Darter pose quite well.

Migrant Hawker

Southern Hawker

Emperor

Picking up...

 Last weekend we saw the adult Caspian Gull 'PKCS' again in Amble Harbour. It didn't show nearly as well as last year.

We weren't expecting much when we set off this morning. The water levels were looking good at Hauxley with the Ponteland Hide producing a Greenshank, Kingfisher & 3 Common Sandpipers. After having missed Hobby on a number of occasions in the county I was very pleased to pick one up over the north pool at Chevington. It gradually flew closer and passed overhead heading south-west. A long awaited addition to the county list! 2 Ruff and a Little Gull were also at Chevington.

When we eventually tore ourselves away from the cricket on the radio at Druridge Pools, the number of butterflies on the wing was impressive. The 12 species on view were:

Painted Lady

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

Large White

Small White

Small Copper

Dark Green Fritillary

Small Tortoiseshell

Small Heath

Red Admiral

Common Blue

Meadow Brown

10 Ruff and 2 Little Egret were on the Budge Fields. 2 Peregrine flew over. A further 8 Little Egrets were at Cresswell (including colour-ringed bird 'T' 'F') along with a couple of Black-tailed Godwits.

Our last stop was Bothal Pond. We were stood at the south end when my Dad picked a wader up on the north side. I thought it looked like an adult Pectoral Sandpiper but because of the distance and heat haze neither of us were completely sure. We rushed up to the north end, and at first we couldn't see it anywhere. Then it landed on one of the concrete blocks in the middle of the pond, providing great scope views and putting the ID beyond doubt. We were only able to watch the Pec Sand for a few minutes before it flew off north-west.

The bird had a severe limp due to an injury to it's right leg, so if it turns up again it'll be easy to know it's the same bird. A Green Sandpiper was also at the north end and an adult Ruff was from the south end.

PWC15

Species: 156

Points: 205

156. Hobby

Pectoral Sandpiper

Hobby

Greenshank

Caspian Gull

5 of 8 Little Egrets at Cresswell Pond!

July...

It's been quite quiet on the birding front in Northumberland this summer, so I've decided to do one post to sum the month up.

On the 5th a female Whinchat was at Chevington along with 17 Mediterranean Gulls at Chevington.

Over the weekend of the 18th-19th we headed down to Gloucestershire for the Royal International Air Tattoo. Red Kites were seen from the car in the usual place near York and one headed over RAF Farirford on Sunday, managing to avoid the displays, however another bird forced one of the French Mirage 2000s to stop it's display! If your interested in seeing any of my photos from the airshow click here.

The next day we had a family trip into Tewkesbury and we managed to find some White-legged Damselflies along the River Severn as well as plenty of Banded Demoiselles.

The day we got back we joined the NHSN boat trip around Coquet Island, which resulted in great views of Roseate Terns, and singles of Artic Skua and Manx Shearwater.

Closer to home, Castle Island proved to be the pick of the sites, attracting good numbers of waders over the last couple of weeks including: 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Common Sandpipers and a Ruff on the 23rd, 3 Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank and 8+ Dunlin from the 26th-28th.

A seawatch on the 28th was quiet bird-wise. In 3.5 hours...

40+ Manx Shearwater
8 Shelduck
99 Common Scoter
1 Little Gull
1 Great Skua
1 Whimbrel
5 Little Tern
Plenty of Arctic Terns moving north.

A pod of c.15 Bottlenose Dolphins passed Church Point very close inshore, provding great views, including a few small youngsters and a distinctively scarred adult. 18 Black-tailed Godwits were at Cresswell Pond.

A Roseate Tern flew north passed Hadston on the 29th, only my second addition to PWC15 this month.

PWC 15
Species: 154
Points:203

Bottlenose Dolphins

Roseate Terns

White-legged Damselflies

Banded Demoiselle

Patching

Cuckoo was our target species this morning, and on our first stop of the morning at Druridge Pools 2 Cuckoos were seen, one giving super views from the south-facing hide. 7 Black-tailed Godwits were also present here, and a Yellow Wagtail dropped in.

We decided to have a seawatch off Druridge Pools which resulted in 5 Manx Shearwaters and a Little Gull passing north.

Chevington was quiet with a couple of Spoonbills again on the North Pool along with a pair of Little Gulls. At least 20 Lesser Butterfly Orchids were also on the reserve with plenty of Northern Marsh Orchids as well.

PWC 15
Species: 152
Points: 200

Cuckoo

Meadow Pipit

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Coral Root Orchid in Newcastle

Recent sightings...

A few days in York last week meant we weren't around when the Black-winged Pratincole turned up on my old patch of Bothal Pond. Thankfully it stuck around and gave good views, especially in flight over the pond. A Common Sandpiper was also there along with 3 Yellow Wagtails.

I finally managed to photograph a Holly Blue butterfly in York.

3 Little Gulls were at Cresswell this morning, with another 2 at Chevington, where 2 Spoonbills were present on the North Pool. 2 drake Mandarin were at Druridge Pools where there was also 17 Black-tailed Godwits and a Cuckoo calling, which despite a search we couldn't see.

PWC 15
Species: 150
Points: 197

 The Black-winged Pratincole only took to flight to feed late in the evening hence the poor photos.

Holly Blue

Frustrating...

The day started quite well, as on my third attempt I finally connected with the juvenile/first-summer Iceland Gull at QEii Country Park.

At Cresswell Pond the immature Spoonbill was present on the west shore and visible from the southern tip of my patch. A colour-ringed Little Egret was also there, which had been seen in April at Scorton in North Yorkshire.

Druridge Pools provided a drake Garganey and a Black-tailed Godwit along with my first patch Collared Doves of 2015.

We spent most of the afternoon at Fenham-le-Moor failing to find the reported Kentish Plover. While we were there we also missed a Hoopoe within five miles of my house. A summer-plumage Ruff was on the estuary at Fenham-le-Moor.

PWC 2015
Species: 144
Points: 187

Iceland Gull

Little Egret

Spoonbill asleep

Druridge Pools

I've had two trips to Druridge Pools recently, both times there was a good selection of birds...

On Sunday the drake Garganey remained on the Budge Fields and two Wood Sandpipers showed really well in front of the screen, as did 4 Little Egrets. My first ever summer plumage Little Stint dropped in with 2 Dunlin after having showed well at Cresswell Pond earlier in the day. Another drake Garganey was found by my Dad on the South Pool at Chevington.

After school on Tuesday evening 4 Temminck's Stints were found at Druridge Pools. When we arrived an impressive electrical storm was right overhead so we stayed in the car until it passed. Once we eventually made it to the south facing hide, the 4 Temminck's Stints dropped onto the closest patch of mud to the hide and allowed some brilliant views, my best ever of the species. Just as I got my camera onto them they flew off and appeared to land further back but were never seen again.

The drake Garganey had been joined by a Little Ringed Plover, 22 Black-tailed Godwits and a fly-over Little Egret.

PWC 15
Species: 141
Points: 183

139. Little Stint

140. Temminck's Stint

141. Little Ringed Plover

Poor photo of one of the Temminck's Stint. It does however show the white outer-tail and pale legs.

Little Egret

Little Stint

Swallow

Another Storm passing by offshore