New arrivals

On Tuesday evening Janet and I wander up to the Preceptory and back. No new arrivals but at least 200 Sand Martins over the Budge Fields with the usual waders, one Yellow and two White Wagtails and Wheatear were also on the fields from the little hide. 

A schoolboy error on Wednesday morning though. I got up early intending to my third territory mapping visit before work but when I arrived at Druridge the wind was strong, about 20mph from the North East and gusty - too windy for a survey so I abandoned and headed for the little hide where it would be sheltered.

The highlight was a male Ruff, coming into breeding plumage, strutting it's stuff in front of the hide. 

Ruff - getting it's ruff

This Ruff was one of three, otherwise there was nothing new to report from the Budge fields. The light was nice and both Gadwall and Shoveler came close into hides.

Drake Shelduck

Gadwall Pair

Chiffchaff in the morning sunshine

I finally got my survey done before work on Friday. The map looked a bit busier with at least 13 singing Willow Warblers and both Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat were new for the year. Blackcaps were noted at three locations. 

Also of note was Wheatear in the dunes and eight Twite including some in full song from the top of as tree. Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Reed Buntings were plentiful in the dunes and three Grasshopper Warblers were reeling there. 

Meadow Pipit in a dune bush

Shelducks are numerous on the Budge fields and in the dunes, giving some nice 'fly-bys'  - I estimated 24 in total.

Male Shelduck

Tufted Duck between the turbines

Nesting Canada Goose with a stick through it's bill - wonder if this is a fashion statement?

This morning Janet and I had wander around the hides. On the Budge fields, two Whimbrel, two male Yellow Wagtails, one White Wagtail, 14 Avocet, three Ruff and five Pintail were noteworthy. There wasn't much on the big pool but a Snipe was feeding just in front of the Oddie Hide. 

Common Snipe

A single Reed Warbler was singing in the reedbed which was new for the year and Sedge and Whitethroat were back in greater numbers. Janet went off horse-riding and I had a look on the sea, it was quiet though with no new terns, but plenty of Sandwich feeding just offshore. 13 Red-throated Divers were mostly in breeding plumage and a raft of 24 Guillemot were loafing on the sea. Twite are still around, 'commuting' along the dunes

I spent the rest of the morning trying to photograph hoverflies and bees on the path to the hides. They'll get their own post later when I've identified them. Meanwhile here's a 7-Spot Ladybird. 

7-Spot Ladybird

Lunchtime look

No updates from the patch over the weekend - I actually headed inland, which is a rare thing. Janet and I visited Kimmer Lough on Saturday - no photos from that day as I forgot to put a card in the camera and had to lug it all the way round our walk and take no photos. That'll teach me!

I din't make the same mistake on Sunday when we headed to Kielder via Harbottle Woods,  upper Coquetdale, the Otterburn Ranges and the forest Drive. We spent an hour or so at Harbottle, along the forest track, looking for hovers and other insects.

I popped down to the patch in my lunch-break yesterday for an hour, to have a look at 'The Post' and for hovers. I bumped into a local bee expert and we saw the flower bees coming and going and a very brief glimpse of one of the Megachille leafcutters carrying a large piece of leaf into the post. I got one chance of a photo just when the wind blew a stem of grass into the way.

Megachille sp obsured by grass

There were a few interesting hovers along the track

Eristalis tenax (f)

Eupeodes corrolae (m)

Syritta pipiens

I also found this Colletes bee - likely to be Davie's Collete (Colletes daviesanus) but not sure... and some other bits and bobs

Colletes bee - Colletes daviesanus?

Blue-tailed Damsels in 'mating wheel'

Arty shot of 7-spot ladybird

Potato Mirid again - Closterotomus norwegicus

Noon Fly - Mesembrina meridiana - my first of the year

A look offshore for an hour last night produced nine manx shearwaters north and a single arctic skua, on the beach roost there was single Mediterranean Gull, but it was early and the roost was only starting to build.  Tonight, a bit later, I counted at least 12 Med gulls! But nothing else of note.

Shrike...eventually

I finally got to see the red-backed shrike that has been Druridge at 8.15 tonight after it gave me the run-around this afternoon. It had been reported earlier in the day and been seen moving through the dunes, ranging from the turning circle to the just north of the plantation.

I wandered the dunes and bushes for a couple of hours or so with no joy, then hunger got the better of me and I went home for a very late lunch and to return to my chores. A lot of birders on a trip from RSPB Coventry turned up so it was also time to leave..

Visiting birders - route-marching up the road from their coach

Whilst I wandered I chanced upon a drinker moth caterpillar on a fence post, it was joined by a 7-spot ladybird and this happened (slowed down to 30% - make it full-screen for best effect)

After tea this evening I decided to have a look for either the shrike or listen for a rosefinch that has been heard recently. After a quick chat with Dave Dack I headed for the turning circle where I could see two birders on the cycle path looking intently towards the 'Druridge Bushes'... I headed their way and as I approached one of them ushered me towards them.

As I suspected they were watching the stunning male red-backed shrike - it was perched up in lovely evening light on the bushes nearest to the fence - distant but stunning.

First - distant views

closer but always obscured by twigs

digi-scoped effort

Tonight's red-backed shrike was my first on the patch since 2008 when a juvenile took up residence in the travelers encampment, and only my third ever. But this is my first spring record and it was a stunning male - as far as shrikes go, they don't get much better than that!

A passing barn owl

Some passing honkers