Ringing again

I succumbed and went to Holy Island yesterday to see the Brown Shrike that's been there for three days, we enjoyed good but distant views of the bird which should be making it's way down the Pacific coast of Asia or somewhere now. The 'supporting cast' was canny too -  a Red-Flanked Bluetail and a Dusky Warbler in the village. I don't enjoy twitching but it was nice to see some people you don't get to see very often as well as some great birding. It was too busy for me though. There was a handful of Red-flanked Bluetails in the county this weekend - a skeleton I need to lay to rest at Druridge after screwing one up a few years ago.

After my 'away-day' I was back on the patch this morning with Janet to do some ringing. Conditions were good but we were disappointed to only catch 29 new birds. For an Autumn day, after easterly winds, not to catch ANY thrushes, Robins or Chaffinches is unheard of.

We did catch a species that we've never caught before on the patch. As I approached our 'bridge' net, a flash of iridescent blue shot along the channel that links the Budge fields to the Big Pool, I'd disturbed a Kingfisher which must've been fishing for minnows. The channel goes into a bramble thicket so I didn't expect it would get very far and I was right, it doubled-back and straight into our net. 

Female Kingfisher

Same bird showing the iridescent blue rump

Kingfishers aren't common on the patch, averaging one very three years, but I've seen them in four out of the past five years, so maybe they are becoming less-scarce?

The usual 'Autumn' birds made up the rest of the catch. A couple of Blackcaps, one of which was carrying a lot of fat, two Bullfinch and three Siskins were unusual.

First-winter male Blackcap

Female Bullfinch

Male Bullfinch

Male Siskin

Between net-rounds we saw a Lesser Whitethroat making its way along the Whitebeams, a Yellow-browed Warbler and most unusual a Green Woodpecker! It was picked up heading north by Welsh Joe - "What's that? It's flying like a woodpecker" because it was a woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker. It kept going north until it was out-of-sight. Only my second-ever on the patch after a fly through (also north ) on 7th October 2017. A Great-spotted Woodpecker was hanging around, calling all for most of the morning, but we didn't catch it. 

I also did the WeBS count today. Teal numbers have picked up to 121 and Wigeon to 60, waders were scarce - 97 Lapwing, 36 Curlew and a Redshank.

We packed-up just after 2pm. 

A bit of a damp squib

With the wind of the northeast and rain overnight, today could have been mega or as the winds were only originating from the near continent it could've been very disappointing. 

It wasn't a mega by any means, but it wasn't without some highlights. One bird could've made all the difference, I just couldn't find it despite spending the best part of eight hours on the patch. 

Janet joined me and we started at the Plantation and worked our way north, checking all suitable habitat. The male Blackcap that has been guarding his patch of elderberries by the entrance was joined by two or three more - we saw at least nine Blackcaps this morning so a small arrival.

Young male Blackcap guarding his Elderberries

Other than a few Goldcrests, Redwings and flyover Skylarks, things were quiet until we reached the patch to the hides and heard a Yellow-browed Warbler calling, it flitted about in the willows and Whitebeam, showing well for a Yellow-brow. It was nice for Welsh Joe to get some pics as he's been complaining he hasn't managed to photograph one well - they are so tricky. Whilst we watched this bird a second Yellow-browed called beyond it and then a real patch Mega showed briefly - Treecreeper! Not even a year tick after the one in the plantation earlier this month.

Yellow-browed Warbler with a caterpillar

Same Yellow-brow, side-on. They don't normally stay still long enough for photos like this

Look, I'm not an Eastern-crowned Warbler

By the bridge, it was sheltered and a couple of Speckled Wood butterflies were on the wing and this stunning Comma sunned itself.

Comma - a very uncommon butterfly on the patch, especially in October!

A common autumn butterfly nowadays - Speckled Wood

We wandered north. Up at the turning circle, in the Blackthorn thicket, we had at least three Chiffchaffs and another Yellow-browed Warbler. We also saw another Phylloscopus warbler briefly that remains unidentified. Five Pochards were on the big pool which are notable as they are increasingly scarce species at Druridge. 

Patch scarcities - five Pochard on the big pool

Hunting Kestrel

After lunch, I headed back to look for the mystery phylosc but with no luck. A flock of Long-tailed Tits came through, which we hadn't seen  in the morning, with a Yellow-brow in tow. In the dunes to the north, the finch/bunting flock was restless, when they did land, there was at least five Twite with them, my first of the Autumn as well as 30+ Lesser Redpolls and handful of Tree Sparrows, Goldcrests and other finches, otherwise they were mostly Linnets. Over 30 Reed Buntings fed independently of the flock.

One of over 30 Reed Buntings in the weedy dunes - ISO3200 so it's turned out bad!

At 4.30 I gave up and tried a seawatch. It started quietly and then it pissed-it-down. I stuck it out for an hour seeing very little. Two Goldeneye with a Slavonian Grebe on the sea were noteworthy. 

Cold and wet I headed home after over eight hours on the patch and 65 species. 

Full list here 

I'll be back tomorrow.