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

Baltic

It's been really cold this week, with snow and ice dominating and a brisk easterly through to southerly wind making feel even colder.

Continuing restrictions have meant limited trips to the patch and a lot of birding on foot from home for the 5km patch list which is coming along nicely. I have been popping into the patch, if I've been passing that way and a 'change' in rules has meant that surveys like WeBS can continue as long as you stay local and obey social distancing rules. I suppose there had to be a relaxation given that it was legal to stand in a field and shoot birds but not to count them.

The cold weather has brought an influx of birds not usually seen in big numbers at this time of year. Hundreds of winter thrushes, particularly redwings are now on the coast, there are Woodcock, Snipe and Jack Snipe (we saw one today) in decent numbers and I counted 67 Meadow Pipits on the Budge fields today and 18 Stock Dove near the farm yesterday.

Snipe flushed from the Coal Road yesterday

One of many Redwings

Some of the Canada Goose flock yesterday with Pink-footed Geese in the fields behind

The WeBS count was busy with big counts of Wigeon (352) and Mallard (106) but lower numbers of Teal (64) than usual. A Long-tailed Duck on the Big Pool was a bonus. 

All of the wildfowl are looking smart now and this drake Shoveler was particularly dapper

The Budge fields were almost frozen over and devoid of ducks,  a few Lapwing and Curlew needed counting though.

The Lapwing were finding any shelter they could from the cold southerly winds

Carrion Crow looking for food on frozen ground

Moorhen legging it through the snow

Belated WeBS count

I skidded my way to Druridge to do my WeBS count today, a couple of days late, but Sunday was pretty much a write-off (it was my birthday on Saturday) and the weather was too grim yesterday.

I didn't get down to the patch until 11ish, I was hoping the sun might have melted the ice on the roads, but they were still like a skating rink, so I mostly drove to Druridge sideways.

Black ice on the road at Druridge

The Budge fields were frozen solid, the only birds were two crows and eight snipe (which also might have been frozen as they didn't move).

On my way to the Oddie hide, I was treated to a fantastic ermine stoat scampering along the track, it was there again when I walked back later, this time with a vole in its mouth.

There wasn't much to count on the big pool, 109 wigeon were grazing in the adjacent filed with 174 lapwings. The teal were trickier to count, as they were hunkered into the vegetation round the edge of the pool.

The highlight was pair of displaying goldeneyes, the cold obviously not effecting them!

Displaying pair

These two shots show the head-shape nicely

The mute swans were keeping their heads warm

Tufted duck

As I left the hide, I glanced up, above the door, and spotted this field vole on the beam. It was alive, but didn't look like it had long for the world.

poorly-looking field vole

Before heading home, I had half an hour look on the sea. There was a lunatic surfing! OK, I know the sea temperature doesn't vary hugely, but he was out of the water on his board most of the time...mental!

On the sea I counted six red-throated divers, 4 red-breasted mergansers and there were three sanderling on the beach.

There were about 400 pink-footed geese in the field in front of the cottages, I scanned them all and could only see pinkies.

Waders

If I was a migrant wader, I would like the look of the Budge fields at the moment, the vegetation is a bit high, but they'll do.

They were certainly popular with lapwings this morning, there was at least 300 of them. There was also about eight dunlin, one common sandpiper, two ringed plover, one little ringed plover and at least 30 snipe.

On the big pool, there were snipe, three common sandpipers and three whimbrel in front of the hide. Also on the big pool, a pair of great-crested grebes have set up nest, it seems very late, maybe they have failed elsewhere. There were also four pochard, my first of the year.

whimbrel

common sandpipers

snipe

 I caught up with Paul Stewart on the big dune, we saw three little egrets on the Budge fields and very little offshore, an Arctic skua being all of note. Whilst we were chatting, I got a call to say that Bob Dack was watching a curlew sandpiper from the Budge screen. We headed down there and were soon watching a spanking curlew sandpiper, moulting out of summer plumage, still showing plenty of red on the underside.

weird fog this weekend at Druridge

I had a quick look offshore this evening but the light wasn't good as a light fog came and went. The sunset was nice though.

nice sunset over the Cheviot Hills

140 pochard

141 curlew sandpiper

PWC score 185

No more migrants

I was hoping to catch up with some more migrants today, but it wasn't to be.

Whilst chatting to ADMc, a great-spotted woodpecker flew north over the bushes. Great-spots are scarce in spring (although I did see one last February and in April 2012), so this will probably go down as bird of the day!

On the Budge fields, there are now ten black-tailed godwits, there has also been an invasion of snipe in the last few days, they were all over the Budge fields today. Duck numbers continue to decrease generally and there was no sign of any pintail today.

As I wandered through the bushes, I came across this on a decaying alder stump.It looked a bit like a blob of that expanding foam used for filling gaps.

slime mould?

I think it is a slime mould of some sort - anyone care to guess at it?

I thought I would check the dunes north of the burn for wheatears, but there were none yet. There was a big flock of mixed finches with about 20 reed bunting amongst them.

I stretched my photography skills by trying to snap a skylark as it ascended.

Happy skylark

93 great-spotted woodpecker

PWC score 115

First proper migrants

Today was WeBS count day, but I didn't manage a particularly early start on the patch.

There was plenty to count on the Budge fields despite wildfowl numbers starting to drop off (teal 106, wigeon 116). Of note were a drake pintail, 13 grey heron, 64 curlew, 23 shoveler and five black-tailed godwits, which have been around for a while now, could they prospect this year? 

This snipe was nearly missed, camo that beats that of your 'average wildlife photographer'

can you see me?

As I walked to the big pool, I picked up my first proper migrants of the year when two lesser black-backed gulls flew over together and chiffchaff flitted along the embankment on the path to the hides.

The strong westerly wind had whipped up some impressive waves on the big pool. Dodging them was splendid summer plumaged great-crested grebe and a red-breasted merganser.

From the little hide, two oystercatchers were displaying and a male pied wag pottered about. I should be seeing white wagtails any day now.

displaying oycs

pied wag

89 lesser black-backed gull

90 chiffchaff

91 little grebe

PWC Score 112

WeBS count

Today was count day and there was lots to count. The Budge fields were lifting with birds. Lapwing were by far and away the most numerous species (apart from starlings which don't count for WeBS), with 495 give or take a few each way. Interestingly, there were no redshanks or curlews today, the only other wader was snipe. This might be a record lapwing count, I will need to interrogate my database.

Teal numbered 157 and wigeon 126 (dropped int he last week or so). Bird of the morning went to a red-throated diver on the Budge fields of all places. This was a first for me, I've seen them on the big pool a few times but never on the fields. It flew off before I could photograph it, only to land on the big pool, until a passing police helicopter scared it away from there too.

Also of note; a pair of pintail on the Budge fields, the long-staying common scoter on the big pool and a pair of red-breasted merganser.

Off shore, there was a really close long-tailed duck of note.

Yesterday I had a quick look on the sea at high-tide. It was a big tide and the waves were lapping up to the base of the dune. I picked up a couple of turnstone flying south, they joined about 18 others on the beach - 20 turnstone is definitely a patch record count.

Offshore, there was drake velvet scoter.

83 snipe
84 turnstone

PWC score = 102

End of March

So, March is over.

It still feels more like January and spring migration hasn't really started. 

I had a quick wander about the patch this evening, now that the clocks have changed this will be a more regular occurrence. I started with a look on the sea, actually it was more of glance, the south-easterly wind was cold enough to freeze your eyelids shut, so I beat a hasty retreat to the shelter of the dunes. 

The Budge fields still hold plenty of wildfowl and smattering of lapwing, redshank and snipe. The fields look really good for when the garganeys arrive. Two stock doves pottered about the western edge. 

I wandered towards the edge of the big pool and clocked a stunning male marsh harrier, hunting along the northern edge of the pool. The local crows were giving it some stick and it moved off west and then south. A second marsh harrier (female?) was towards East Chevington.

The Haul Road Flash (as I have now christened it) held seven dunlin, redshank and a couple of shelducks.

So for the Patchwork Challenge, I finish March on a pretty disappointing 88 species and 101 points. I will again be miles behind my local rivals.

88 marsh harrier

WeBS Count

Today was WeBS count day and the WeBS count was about all I could manage. The wind from the south was biting and sleet threatened, it was grim!

The Budge fields were full of birds and they were flighty, so counting was tricky.

plenty of birds on the Budge fields

The top five were:

Wigeon 226
Lapwing 145
Curlew 118
Teal 114
Greylag 54

Highlights were the two long-staying long-tailed ducks and three pintail. Snipe was the only addition to the year list. It was sleeting hard when i finished the count, I was freezing, so I packed in and went to the Country Barn for some sustenance. 

I managed a brief check of Druridge on Friday evening after work, the evenings are getting lighter and there was still some visibility at half-past-five. Two barn owls were hunting around the dunes and song thrush was addition to the list. This takes the patch list to 64 and the Patchwork Challenge to 68 points.

One of the two barn owls hunting in the dunes

curlews silhouetted at dusk

62 song thrush
63 barn owl
64 snipe

More thrushes

I took today off work on the strength of the weather forecast, hoping for a good fall of birds. There was fall, but it was pretty-much limited to thrushes.

I arrived at Druridge just after eight, still slightly hung-over after having too many Abbott ales watching the derby game in the pub, and redwings were coming in off the sea overhead, in small flocks of about 50. Maybe four or five of these little flocks came in whilst I was around the entrance. Some of them heading straight for cover in the willows or plantation, the majority flying straight over.

In the bushes there were many blackbirds, more redwings and a few song thrushes. A handful of fieldfares were seen too, though this more powerful thrush seems to keep going, dropping in much further inland.

There was no obvious arrival of smaller birds with goldcrest numbers no more than Saturday. There were a few grey-looking robins that looked newly arrived. Bird of the morning was a short-eared owl which I disturbed from the bushes by the big pool, it flew off, into the trees in the western corner of the pool.

Other highlights were a few snipe coming in and five bar-tailed godwits on the flash.

I had a good thrash around the patch on Saturday morning too. Janet was out-of-action so no ringing this weekend. Still a few lesser redpolls lingering, two great-spotted woodpeckers, three coal tits, a chiffchaff and blackcap were new arrivals.

Skeins of pink-footed geese flew over most of the morning and this  common newt dodged death on the road (I rescued it from certain death)

Lizard Smooth or Common Newt

A slavonian grebe was the highlight on the sea where there were also 22 red-throated divers and a great-crested grebe.

Greenfnch isn't a common bird at all at Druridge so I was very surprised to count about 40 of them in a mixed flock with an equal number of goldfinches, roaming about the dunes.

Not a one trick pony

NWT have proved they are not a one trick pony when it comes to grazing the Budge fields. Previously cows and sheep have been utilised, now they are employing two Exmoor ponies. Exmoor ponies are great grazers and are used frequently for conservation grazing schemes.

One of the Exmoor ponies

As welcome as they are, it's great to see some grazing, I fear it will take more than two ponies to get the Budge fields into suitable condition for lapwings by April. Hopefully, this is just the advance party.

After an aborted ringing session at Ellington Pond (due to the strengthening cold NW) I headed to Druridge for an afternoon visit. The cold NW was still blowing and there were a few drops of rain.

Admiring our coppicing work from Friday (I am still in pain!), a flock of siskins passed through, even feeding on some of the cut material, among them were a few tits, chaffinches and a stonking male brambling - see, it's only been cut for two days and its already bringing the birds in!

The Budge fields are still holding decent numbers of wildfowl, shoveler and gadwall now number 6 and there were two snipe, the first since the snows in December.

Spring is here, the coltsfoot are in flower and I clocked the first summer visitors arriving back today, well flying through, four lesser black-backed gulls moving north offshore.

Coltsfoot

Coltsfoot is odd in the plant world in that it produces its flowers before it grows its leaves. It is also used for treating coughs, so if you're feeling a bit wheezy, you know where to find it!






On Druridge Lane, the little owl was still in its usual spot.

68 brambling
69 snipe
70 lesser black-backed gull

Sunday Evening

Sunday evening.....my first visit to Druridge this weekend, bad form!

Friday was too wet and I was too busy on Saturday so we had to go tonight. The incredible amount of rain that fell on Friday has filled all the pools up, even the bare earth in front of the little hide......and....it brought it waders.

A rapid transformation on the budge fields

When we arrived there were four greenshanks on the Budge fields, which were soon put up by something.

From the little hide there were 7 snipe and a greenshank. The resident lapwings had there chicks out on the fresh muddy edges.

The big pools was full too, the rocks and promontories under water, but there waders here too, three common sands and a greenshank.

common sandpiper from the Oddie hide

We then had a look on the sea, none of the bonxies reported over the weekend. Lots of tern activity though including at least five roseys and three little terns. An adult little gull flew south too.

Now I have an admission to make, this post http://ipinswildlifeblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/busy-busy-week.html showed pictures of what I thought were six spot burnet moths, I was wrong, they are actually five spot burnet moths. Six spots show two very obvious red blotches at the end of the wings whereas five spots have one big blotch, sometimes with an obvious vein through it. So the majority, if not all, on the dunes at the moment are five spot burnets.

five spot burnet moth on ragwort

Druridge tonight

Back from Dublin after seeing the mighty AC/DC, I'm in one piece but my wallet's not - jeees it's expensive over there, €6 for a bottle of lager in the venue and €6 a pint elsewhere!

AC/DC were worth every penny though

It was a nice bright night at Duridge tonight, a cold south-easterly reminding me it was still April though. Chatting to IF at the entrance, we saw at least four wheatears on the short grass, with another further along. Last weeks little egret was still on the Budge Fields, it's never easy to see, preferring to skulk in the rushes at the back, my first whimbrel of the year called as it flew south, two more were calling later. IF had seen a mallard accompanied by a gaggle of very small ducklings, but I didn't see them.

Stonechat on the fence enjoying a caterpillar

Offshore, more year-ticks were to be had, several puffins flew back and forth, 13 common scoter flew north (it's incredible that these are the first common scoter I have seen on the patch this year) and a pair of red-breasted mergansers were floating about on the sea. Sandwich tern numbers have really picked up this week and there are still at least 11 red-throated divers offshore.

snipe on the Budge fields

82 whimbrel

83 puffin

84 common scoter

85 red-breasted merganser

A strange day!

I've been at work all weekend, co-ordinating our beachwatch effort. Today I was at Alnmouth in the morning and Bamburgh (with the WI - scary lot!)in the afternoon.

At Alnmouth I get a call off've the Boulmer Birder with news of a British first a mile from my house - White-rumped Swift! which was last seen heading for Warkworth Lane, even closer to my house. But as a true professional, I was at work, so no thoughts of hot-footing it back to Dru even entered my mind! A pec had been reported at Newton (on my way) so thought I would call by (rude not too)..... flushed by a yarkin big black cow minutes earlier - bugger!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was there later but when I went past Newton it was pissing it down, but by the time I got to 'the Widd' it was clear and sunny and Dru was beckoning. Nowt on the sea apart from six loiterin red-throats. But I did get the QEII on the patch list as she was sailin into the Tyne - Get In!


Nothing on the main pool or budge fields either but got some canny shots of snipe and ruff.