Today was sunny and bright but blustery with a gusting s'westerly, strong enough to encourage most birds to seek cover. Janet and I had walk around the patch but didn't see a lot of birds until we got to the Budge fields. A pair of stonechat were with a single juvenile north of the of the bushes.
Stonechat amongst the mugwort
Even with the hides as shelter, viewing conditions were difficult as the SW wind was blowing straight in through the windows of the little hide. There were lots of waders including at least 56 black-tailed godwits and three ruff.
Some of the 56 black-tailed godwits
We tried viewing from the Budge screen but that was worse. I didn't have my scope with me but it was probably just as well. The three avocet chicks from the first brood are getting big now and should fledge, I couldn't see the two from the latest brood or the redshank chicks.
Despite the wind, it was warm in the sun which brought quite a few insects out. I didn't have the macro lens with me so just some iPhone shots to identify the species - a job for later in the week.
Yesterday started-off awful with thick fog followed by a mixture of mizzle and drizzle. By late afternoon, visibility had really improved so I headed down to the patch. I thought I might have a look offshore, just on the off chance of a passing albatross. After a few minutes scanning the sea, I realised that the strengthening SW wind had brought the terns closer inshore to feed, so despite the awful light, I had a go at photographing them. The sandwich terns were the only species that fed within range, the common and roseate terns were a bit further out and the Arctic terns stayed well out of reach as did the pair of adult great-crested grebes.
Here's a few of the shots
Action shot
Contortionist
Common scoters - there were about 550-600 in the bay
Having a shake
This one was colour-ringed with black letters on a yellow ring - I've tried blowing it up to read the number, but it's the wrong way around.
On my way back to my car through the dunes, the cuckoo that has been around the dunes the last few days flew by me and I grabbed a record shot.
Heavily-cropped cuckoo
This young carrion crow entertained itself picking among the detritus of a bonfire - they are so inquisitive, even at a young age.
This looks fun!
Despite the pubs being reopened, I had no fancy for going to one. The Drift Cafe were open 'til 7pm with an American Burger menu so we went there instead - my first beer away from the homestead since lockdown.
There was nice selection of waders on the Budge Fields this evening. At this time of year I can never work out whether these birds are late migrants, failed breeders returning or non breeders just making the journey.
Wood sandpipers and green sandpipers, two of each, were the highlights and nine black-tailed godwit, 15 redshank, 7 avocet (including chicks), two dunlin and two ringed plover made up the supporting cast.
No photos of anything from tonight as it was very foggy...again.
I had a quick look offshore last night for an hour at dusk. The scoter flock on the sea had swelled to something around 700! I was working my way through them, having picked up two drake velvet scoters when I came across two smaller ducks at the edge of the flock. They were about half to two-thirds of the size of the scoters with pale underparts, they were on their sides, both having a good preen. When they finally stopped preening, I got a better look at them, but only briefly as two very loud scrambler motorbikes arrived on the beach and sped towards the tideline, flushing the entire flock. They were small-billed with pale cheek patches and darker crown. From my limited view of them I can only think that they were two non-breeding 2nd year long-tailed ducks.
If you aren't interested in hoverflies, you can stop reading this now.
Here are some hoverfly photos from Sunday as promised:
This weekend has been dominated by fog. Saturday started wet but the fog never really lifted all day, Sunday was brighter, it was grey and wet at first but it brightened up at times. The wind was light from the North East.
Why don't we get weekends like this in September?
It took us until after 3pm to get down to Druridge on Saturday, the wet start delaying our departure. Janet joined me and we had a wander around the patch looking for migrants - we didn't see many migrant birds but we did see lots of migrant hoverflies. All of a sudden, the cow parsley and buttercups were lifting with hovers - a huge arrival. Spurn reported thousands and an observer on a North Sea oil rig had hundreds on his rig.
I'll do a separate hover blog later in the week when they've been identified.
It was a damp fog on Saturday and the light was awful so I left the SLR behind, which I regret as the there were so many hovers as well as this nice fresh ringlet butterfly which sat out well.
Ringlet
On the Budge fields, an little-ringed plover and a ringed-plover were on the mud and a whimbrel flew over with curlew - that was the highlights.
The avocet pair on the Budge fields still have their three chicks - a new breeding record for the reserves. It's been a funny year for breeding birds on the patch and I'm not sure why:
Avocet - new breeding record for the reserves
Bullfinch - female with a brood patch caught last week and a pair present today - my first records outside of the October-February period other than a single August record
Coal Tit - normally a autumn and winter species only. I watched a pair taking food into the plantation today - my first breeding record on the reserves
Lesser whitethroat - used to breed on the wider patch around High Chibburn but never in the bushes on the reserve - female caught with brood patch
and today a spotted flycatcher fly-catching by the entrance - either a very late migrant or maybe a breeding bird?
This morning I spent five and a half hours on the patch form 7am. I was birding first thing then looking at insects and bugs. I've already mentioned the spotted flycatcher, coal tits and bullfinches. One, maybe two barn owls were hunting and lots of warblers had fledged youths with them including family parties of blackcap, whitethroat (x2) and sedge warbler.
Offshore a flock of 400-500 common scoter was out in the bay, I grilled them for surf scoter without any joy but did turn up at least two drake velvet scoters. Roseate terns were feeding amongst them.
I took the macro lens for a walk along the track to the hides - I only got about half-way, there was so much to see.
Tree Bumble Bee - Bombus hypnorum
Odynerus spinipes - Shiny Mason Wasp
Not sure what this nest-like construction is
Early Bumble Bee - Bombus pratorum
Common Blue butterfly from above
and the underside
Blue-tailed damselfly - Ischnura elegans
This is Picromerus bidens Spiked Shieldbug (final instar nymph) with a caterpillar for consumption later. I think the caterpillar is that of Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa
Common Scorpion Fly - Panorpa communis
An unidentified spider dismantles an unidentified prey item
Not sure about this wasp yet.
Stay tuned for some hover action later in the week!
It's been a while since my last blog post. My excuse for this tardiness was a two-week trip to Finland and Norway and an ailing computer that now struggles with big RAW files.
I'll hopefully have some Finland and Norway photos processed soon and up on Flickr. But here is a video of me enjoying my 'summer holiday'.
Summer in Varanger
I've managed a few visits to the patch since I got back, but have been busy catching up with work, the garden and chores. A combination of the above and changeable weather has meant no ringing yet.
On 18th June There were 18 black-tailed godwit on the Budge fields - having been away, I was trying to work out whether these were late birds headed north, early returning birds or loafing non-breeders - I suspect the latter.
Barn owls from nearby farms are being seen regularly, hunting in the dunes and grass fields and attracting their share of photographers. A cuckoo in the dunes has also attracted attention.
Offshore, there have been some good rafts of scoter, but these have often been distant. A few manx shearwaters have been noted passing-by.
NWT have been busy getting their new Hauxley Discovery centre ready to open (well worth a visit just for the building) so I helped them out by strimming in front of the hides. It was a very warm evening and I sweated buckets! Hopefully the photographers will appreciate it, I know that the resident swallows will.
Strimming
On 20th June there were two avocets on the Budge fields - still an uncommon visitor to Druridge Pools despite their increasingly colonisation of South East Northumberland.
On 22nd whilst checking the heronry, a male marsh harrier passed through - my first on the patch this year. A pair of curlews had a chick or chicks in the silage field. I knew it was going to be cut, so alerted the farm who looked out for them.
This weekend, I saw my first patch roseate terns of the year, with at least two feeding offshore on Saturday, a few manx went through too.
An early morning visit on Sunday was nice, through cold and blustery - we've had our summer I think. I was kitted out in a jumper and fleece jacket (and was still cold). I wandered up onto the dunes for a look on the sea and there, strolling, nay marching, along the beach, was a bloke who was completely starkers. A braver man than me.
There were at least 200 swift feeding behind the bushes, taking advantage of the shelter they afforded from the strong wind.
On the Budge fields, it felt autumnal with little-ringed plover and wood sandpiper. Three spoonbills were also on the fields - doing what spoonbills do best, sleeping.
Sleeping Spoonbills
The warmer weather of last week had obviously brought a few butterflies out - there were lots of ringlets, red admirals, speckled woods, large skippers and meadow browns in the shelter of the bushes. There were also common blue and blue-tailed damselflies on the wing.
Speckled Wood
Ringlet
Large skipper
Red Admiral
Common blue damselfly
Blue-tailed damselfly
Two collared doves headed north were a year tick.
In the evening, the LRP and wood sand were still on the Budge along with 18 black-tailed godwits and there were now at least 300 swifts feeding in the lea of the bushes.
You may remember this post from April? It was about me not seeing a red-rumped swallow and red kite on the patch because I was at work.
Well, it happened again yesterday. Stuck at work in a meeting when news comes through of another red-rumped swallow at Druridge and then it gets worse... there were two! Worse still, straight after my meeting I have to go to an evening event in Bamburgh and don't get home until after dark. So no chance!
Meanwhile, lots of birders are enjoying crippling views of the birds over the path to the Oddie hide and getting some great photos to boot.
Oh well...
I have had some luck this week, I caught up with a few good birds on the patch. On 8th I managed to see jack snipe and a channel wagtail from the little hide at the same time. The jack snipe was just in front of the hide and I managed to get this nice video of it bobbing along.
The Channel wagtail was close enough for a photo too. This was my second 'Channel' wagtail at Druridge, the previous one was on 18th May 2010 which you can see here. There were also six yellow wags and five ruff.
'Channel' wagtail
On 9th, two little ringed plover were with a group of dunlin and ringed plover and there was a velvet scoter offshore.
On Friday, I was working at home when a message came through about a citrine wagtail just down the road at Lynemouth flash - I could be there in five minutes. So a midday lunch break was taken and I was soon enjoying close views of a stunning citrine wagtail. Only my second ever in Northumberland and the best I've seen away from the breeding areas in Poland.
Citrine wagtail off-patch at Lynemouth flash
We popped into Druridge on our way home where there were two avocet and a drake garganey on the Budge fields.
On Saturday the drake garganey was still present with a wood sandpiper. Reed warblers were back in the little reed bed and a long-eared owl flew across the Budge fields. Offshore, I saw my first puffins of 2017.
Sunday was WeBS day - the wood sandpiper was still there with two black-tailed godwit and a nice male ruff.
Drake gadwall
Coot
On Sunday evening it was obvious that Cresswell barn owl botherers had decamped to Druridge in hope of long-eared owl photos - there wasn't a sole at Cresswell. It was nice to bump into Cain and Heather.
'Toggers'
Tonight, there were plenty of swifts and hirundines but no red-rumped swallows. There is a lapwing on eggs on the budge fields, she got disturbed by the arrival of a heron and I managed to get this video of her returning to her nest.
The year list now stands at 132 - still missing collared dove though.
