Great Grey Shrike, Grindleton Fell - 27th February 2010

After a busy morning we eventually got the chance to head out to Grindleton Fell to try and see the Great Grey Shrike that had been reported there earlier in the week. I'd been e-mailed directions by Mike and had a follow up text this morning confirming it was still around.

Parking up we met up with Mike who gave us some new directions to a new area it had been seen. Joining Alan Holmes we walked down the track in the hope, after last years dip at Alston to see our first Great Grey Shrike. There were several birders set up with skopes and Alan was soon onto the bird as we walked down to join them. It moved off before we could get the scope and camera up but we were soon back on it.

Reece used the Lumix to get all the shots as it was very distant though very obliging. When we first arrived it was being chased from tree by a Greater Spotted Woodpecker and was joined later on by a male Chaffinch.

Another great sighting while watching the Shrike was a brief view of a Ring-tailed Hen Harrier hunting very low over the ground.

ABOVE AND BELOW GREAT GREY SHRIKE

ABOVE WITH A MALE CHAFFINCH BELOW IN FLIGHT

GREAT GREY SHRIKE BEING CHASED BY A GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER (BOTTOM LEFT)

Rampside & Sizergh Castle - 19th February 2010

It was the second annual birthday birding day out and this year we'd decided to head up to Rampside to catch the high tide and hopefully some photographs of the resident waders.
High tide wasn't until just after 14.00 so we called in at Sizergh Castle with the hope of ticking the Hawfinch that have been reported there on and of over the last few months.
We pulled up in the car park at about 9.30, poured a coffee and waited. A Song Thrush was singing and we spotted a female Bullfinch in the distant hedgerow. Blackbird, Robin, Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tit flew in small numbers as well as a single Jay and plenty of Jackdaw heading for an adjacent field. We did manage 2 Hawfinch on two occasions but only briefly and not long enough to get a photograph. The first time we spotted them was on the ground near to where we had parked and I'm sure they had been there a while before we picked them up as they took to the air and disappeared over the hedge. Having seen the Hawfinch we headed off making various stops between Bardsea and Rampside to see what we could find along the coast.

Gulls along this stretch included Common, Herring, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed. A single Wigeon, Shellduck and 50+ Eider were bobbing around on the distant sea, with Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Lapwing and Starling rounding the sightings off.

TOP CURLEW (L), ABOVE OYESTERCATCHER & LAPWING (L), BELOW EIDER DOING SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING (L)

Rampside was a great place and thanks goes out to Mike for letting us know about the place and giving us information about the area. Firstly we parked in the small car park and had a look around before driving up Roa Island Road turning around and parking up to watch the waders arrive as the tide came in. To the right Brent Geese were on view but soon departed before the tide got to high. Pipits were in evidence but didn't stay still for long but the Water Pipit we managed to snap was a good tick for Reece.

ABOVE WATER PIPIT (L) BELOW BRENT GEESE (P)

Waders included Golden and Grey Plover the later a tick for both of us, Turnstone, Dunlin, Curlew, Knot, Redshank, Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher.

ABOVE TURNSTONE & DUNLIN (P)  BELOW GOLDEN PLOVER (P)

ABOVE GREY PLOVER & DUNLIN (P) BELOW RINGED PLOVER (P)

ABOVE REDSHANK (P) AND BELOW DUNLIN (P) BOTTOM TURNSTONE (L)

Gulls included Herring and Black-headed and Eider, Shellduck and Wigeon showed in numbers. All in all a great day out and one we'll deffinitely repeat once the Tern are back to breed during the summer.

Martin Mere & Marshside - 14th February 2010

With Reece's rugby match having being cancelled we headed out to Martin Mere and then up to Marshside to hopefully get some photo's of the Short-eared Owls.

ABOVE DRAKE TEAL BELOW WIGEON

First stop as usual was the Ron Barker hide with c150 Wigeon, c100 Teal, c50 Shellduck, Whooper Swan, Greylag and Pinkfooted Geese. Curlew and Lapwing were the only waders, 3 Buzzard the only raptors and Grey Heron, Black-Headed Gull and 10 Woodpigeon almost rounding up the sightings.

ABOVE AND BELOW 1st WINTER BLACK-HEADED GULL

I say almost because as we watched 2 Greater Black-backed Gulls took several 'bombing runs' over the feeding Teal and Wigeon in hope of an easy meal.

ABOVE GREYLAG BELOW WIGEON TAKING FLIGHT

From the Rains hide we added Pochard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Cormorant and Ruff.
On the walk between hides the usual woodland birds were showing and the Water Rail was reported from the Harrier hide though we didn't see it on our brief stop.
At Marshside we headed for the Sandgrounder hide before taking a walk down Marine Drive.

We picked out 4 Snipe one of Reeces favourite birds and also had good views of a female Merlin though it was to far out to get any photographs.

ABOVE AND BELOW SNIPE

Teal, Shellduck, 7 Grey Heron, Lapwing, Canada Geese, 3 Kestrel (currently on the amber list of dinimishing species), and 5 Little Egret could be seen from the hide and across the saltmarsh. Gulls included Black-headed, Greater Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed and Herring. Short-eared Owls eventualy started to show with a total count of 3 but just a little out of range for either of the cameras, the 2 shown were taken with the Lumix. We also spent five minutes watching a Stoat hunting in the grass by the pavement.

ABOVE AND BELOW SHORT-EARED OWL

Seahouses Harbour 10th February 2010

I spent 2 days working at Seahouses Harbour and although work kept busy I did manage half an hour or so on the first day for a quick look around and get a few shots off.

ABOVE AND BELOW DRAKE EIDER

There's a resident flock of Eider feeding in the harbour and I spotted a pair of Goldeneye whilst I was there.

ABOVE FEMALE EIDER BELOW FEMALE GOLDENEYE

Gulls as expected are there in good numbers and include Greater Black Backed, Lesser Black Backed, Herring and Black Headed.

ABOVE GREATER BLACK BACKED GULL BELOW 2nd WINTER GREATER BLACK BACKED GULL

All the labels on my photos are what I've identified them as, so if they are incorrect please let me know I'm only just getting into trying to identify juvenile gulls and well..........
Waders included Oystercatcher and Curlew and a few smaller species that I couldn't identify with only having my binoculars with me. Both Shag and Cormorant were also feeding and roosting around the harbour entrance.

ABOVE 1st WINTER HERRING GULL BELOW 1st WINTER GREATER BLACK BACKED GULL

On the way from my hotel on the second morning I spotted Fulmar around the cliffs of Bamburgh Castle. After chatting with Phil the Harbour Master I'm hoping we can get back up for a few days during the breeding season and have a trip out to the Farne Islands.  

Cuerden Valley Park & Hesketh Out Marsh

Things have been a little quiet over the last few weeks so apologies to all who check on the blog to see what has been seen around the area.

A morning walk around Stags Lodge on the 6th had good views of two calling male Bullfinches and a single female, the first time in a long while I seen them locally.
Also plenty of Great and Blue Tits calling and a single Robin around the pond. The afternoon I spent up at Cuerden Valley Park and though there was nothing new to report there were a vast number of calling Tits and Finches around the cinder path wooded area of the park. 3 Greater Spotted Woodpecker were in different parts of the park, one seen two heard. On the lake the lone Canada Goose has been joined by several others and I managed to see one of the 2 reported Great Crested Grebes in full summer plumage, the first time I’d seen them in a month or so.


On the 7th I managed a few hours up at Hesketh Out Marsh hoping to see the Grey Plover that have been reported seen on the reserves facebook page, I haven’t seen them before so would be a nice tick. The only raptors on show were 2 Buzzard over the old wall. Waders included 3 Curlew 20+ Redshank and 2 Black-Tailed Godwit amongst a flock of Shellduck which were in good numbers across the reserve. Other wildfowl included Mallard, Wigeon and Teal, no sign of any Swans or Geese though with the mist you couldn’t see to far.


Today I drove my favourite stretch of motorway (M40) as I headed back from the south counting 28 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard and 1 Kestrel. I’m working up at Seahouses over the next 2 days so hope to report back something if I get chance to look around.

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