Northumberland

Went up to Bamburgh on Sunday for the Black Scoter, lovely sunny day really bringing out the best of the superb Northumberland coast, the Black Scoter was with a large raft of Common Scoter and always remained distant (a lot closer than the Llanfairfechan bird though) even so it was quite easy to pick it out although there were one or two really bright Common Scoters for the unwary, there were also good numbers of Eider as to be expected plus two or three Long Tailed Ducks and an immature male Velvet Scoter and lots of Hirundines feeding over the nearby Golf Course plus two Buzzards over.

The beach looking to Stag Rocks

the distant Black

immature Velvet

got a bit closer to the Eiders

Bamburgh Castle

We drove back along the coastal route calling in at a couple of places although nothing of note was seen and arrived back at Teesside mid afternoon, we had a look from the new hide at Bottom Tank at Saltholme but a Little Egret was the only bird of note and that was right at the back then moved to Dormans Pool hoping for pics of Cetti's and Grasshopper Warblers, both species plus Reed Warbler and Whitethroat revealed their prescence but the only birds that posed were a pair of Stonechats.

looking from Amble Harbour

ready for take off

Local Patch News

Nothing much to report this week, a much cooler week bringing Spring to a halt for now although there were certainly a few more Blackcaps in but the Sand Martins obviously not tied to the breeding areas yet had moved to better feeding elsewhere. Grey Wagtails have been showing quite well lately often seen feeding along the Ings Dyke and the Blue Beck and the Heronry over the river is doing well again this year. Although there was nothing much in the way of fresh migrants the area is certainly looking greener and a good few more flowers are appearing now and with all these reports of Cranes flying around its good to see one has taken residence at Clifton Ings.

just the wrong type of Crane

Clifton Park looking greener, mostly

Grand old Pear tree

Greater Stitchwort, I think

Cowslip

some kind of Forget-me-not

Cuckoo flower

every Spring a little patch od Wood Anemones appears in the middle of the Ings
must be a remnant of a past woodland

Butter-bur

Ground Ivy

A day at Tophill Low

Trip to Tophill on Sunday as an adult Purple Heron had been found there on Saturday, it was rather misty when we arrived and when the mist finally cleared there was no sign of the bird on North Lagoon where it had been the previous evening, we decided to have a wander round the reserve seeing the usual selection of Passerines and Wildfowl to be expected at this time of year although single Pink Footed and White Fronted Geese and a Whooper Swan on South Marsh East were late stayers, Spring migrants included our first Sedge Warbler of the year, Grass Snakes have been showing well lately and we staked out a grassy mound by the O Reservoir for a while eventually seeing a small male although it didn’t hang around long enough for a photo, a couple of Bee Flies were more obliging though, as we got round the O Reservoir we had become split up and Mark was already on his way back to the car when I decided to have a look at South Lagoon, as I got sat down I soon noticed something going on in the North Lagoon hide and a phone call from Mark who had gone in when he noticed people rushing there confirmed the Heron had been flushed from along the river by walkers and had flown into the trees at the far end of the Lagoon, realising I might be able to see it from where I was I started scanning the trees but the walkers who had carried along the bank flushed it again and I just saw it as it flew out of the tree and away over the river, Andy unfortunately missed it. Me and Mark left Andy staking out North Lagoon, had some lunch, found the drake Scaup on D Reservoir and then carried on to North Marsh on the off chance the Heron might be there, it wasn’t although a Water Rail showed well, a Roe Deer ran along the bank and a Sparrowhawk flew across and perched briefly. A bit later we met up with Andy back at the car as he wanted his lunch and up to six Buzzards entertained as they soared above the car park, we then went back to the North Lagoon hide in the hope that like yesterday the Heron would eventually return there, as we waited we were serenaded by some very loud Marsh Frogs then just before 3pm it flew in landing directly opposite the hide although it soon moved to the far corner but then showed very well as it fed there, we watched it for an hour or more then headed back home calling in at the new University Campus Lake at Heslington as a Water Pipit had been reported from there this afternoon, plenty of Yellow, White and Pied Wagtails but the only Pipits we saw were Meadow.

Arty shot as the mist was lifting

first Red Admiral of the year

Bee Fly

the Roe Deer heading for cover

swimming Water Rail

Buzzards over the car park

Marsh Frog

the star bird, and a Yorkshire tick

rubbish shots of a couple of the Wagtails at Heslington