Ruff count

O.k. ignore the last post. When I checked the flooded hay fields at 5.30 there were four heads bobbing up and down so dashed back to the car for the scope and lo I was barking. Ruff, Ruff, Ruff, Ruff. I tried to get a better view further up the road but hedges, bushes and flooded ditches prevented a photographic opportunity so I returned to the gate at Mayfair Cottage and was joined by Bill.

A Greenshank called from above but couldn't be seen then the distinctive sound of Snipe being flushed and a flock of 16 flew off north.

Returned to the Ruff area and counted 1,2,3,4,5 & 6. Well evcn better and as we chatted we remembered the last good flood when Pec Sand, Wood Sand, Greenshank, Little Stint, Ruff and Grey Plover all put in an appearance. As we dreamed four Ruff took off and after some wheeling landed in the far corner of the field. I checked for the other two but there were still six so the final scores on the doors........ten. Early start tomorrow in the hope of more me thinks.

Come on down..

..all you passing waders. Prestwick Carr is flooding and just raring to do its stint so keep your wits about you I thought and get out on shank's pony to find them. I did and what was my reward for two days wading? Hundreds of Gulls, Pigeons and 11 Mallard although the 100 plus Goldfinch feeding on Thistles around this bush was nice to see

I think I offended the Lesser black backed Gull on the header as it followed me, circling overhead calling for a good twenty minutes as I walked from the golf course up to the sentry box on the range. I was waiting for an attack on my balding pate but fortunately it never came.

So with the ditches full, the trusts 8m bridge within 8 inches of getting wet and the horse paddocks pooled nicely I await some additions to my currently stagnant list. Not that I may see them as the grass is long and there is little bare earth so if I could have the longer legged variety it would help thanks.

Memories of sun

Here I sit looking at the rain drops running down the window and thinking of all the household chores I should be getting on with when only yesterday it was glorious sunshine and you couldn't have kept me indoors if you tried.

A trip to Newburn produced little in the bird line other than a couple of calling Little Owl young and further along the Tyne at Clara Vale there was possibly another one calling but more obvious were the Dragonflies and Butterflies. This nice female Southern Hawker was particularly obliging.

My first Comma of the year was nice although the wing shape was further indented by some damage.

Three Speckled Woods fluttered around the woodland edge but were not so keen on posing. A similar problem occured with a number of Wall Browns both here and at Prestwick Carr where there were plenty of Butterflies but nothing quite so exotic as in the deep south.

Pied flycatching

Jesus, these stones are hard to shift!



No, just some young Pied Wagtails taking advantage of a fly bonanza

Black and whites the colour.

Bartons a tosser

Away day part 2

I took the high road home and headed over the Simonside Hills parking at Lordenshaws for a look at the view. There were a good few walkers about so I headed slightly off track to a cup and ring marked stone overlooking Rothbury. Above looking over the stone to Dove Crag and Simonside summit.

Haymaking in full progress in the Coquet valley below makes a patchwork in the warm sunshine which unfortunately reduces the excellent view due to haze. You have to be up here first thing for the view to benefit from the clear air.

Looking north to the Cheviot which appears still to be in cloud. I often wonder what the prehistoric people who carved the patterns on these and many other stones in Northumberland were thinking. Was it sacred worship, commemoration, fertilty rights or some sort of mapping.

This is a survey of the markings on the rock photographed above from Stan Beckensalls excellent book ' Northumberlands Prehistoric Rock Carvings ' which is an explanation and gazetteer of the numerous sites in Northumberland.

Given that the majority of sites have views and surround the major hilltop features of the county I wonder if they were trying to capture the only thing they couldn't touch. Prehistoric man had no concept of nothing (not needed till number arrived) so would he have been puzzled that the sky touched and sometimes enveloped the mountain but after climbing to the top he still couldn't touch it or is it just a circle (womb) and rod (phallus) thing?

Away day

Smarting having just paid a tax bill and despite not having the funds to do so I decided head to the wilds of Northumberland to wind down ( I hate the expression 'chill out' ). Having dropped some paperwork off with the TRD I grabbed some supplies in the form of excellent Mince Pies from Rothbury Bakery and headed for Caistron. Thinking it would be busy I parked on the back road near Hepple and walked in to the sound of calling Buzzards overhead.

Caistron is an area of gravel workings east of Rothbury on the River Coquet which has been gradually been reclaimed as a Nature Reserve. The main lake now well established is that in the view above although the gravel workings that continue to the east are equally interesting. Click on the panorama to enlarge.

As I walked through the reserve the only sound was the resident Canada and Greylag Geese and this gent cutting hay in the fields to the south. I checked out some of the hides and on the lake itself where Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe and Mute Swan all still with young whilst Swallows and Martins constantly hawked the surface of the water.
Moving through the reserve to the gravel workings I passed a gap in the earth berm and a sharp call saw a small wader fly up, the dark colouring and white rump instantly recognisable as a Green Sandpiper. It flew round once and landed next to a chum.

Crappy picture was taken and I moved on to where the Coquet exits the workings. Common Sandpiper was flushed and Mallard headed off downstream followed by this family party of Goosanders.

In the view below the Green Sandpiper are bottom left, Common Sandpiper middle right Oystercatcher and calling Redshank in the middle along with a few Great black backed and Black headed Gulls plus a still active Sand Martin colony.

I re-traced my steps searching for the birds I did expect being Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher but none were to be had and the unused Osprey platform was a lonely sight. Looking away from the water Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Wheatear, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Blackbird, Robin, Blue & Coal Tit, Song Thrush and an overflying Crossbill along with the usual corvids all put in an appearance. The tally was 56.

In comparison the human count was three blokes in boats on the water......bliss for me and them although evidence of human goings on was in three of the eight hides!

Back to Hepple over a beautiful if over large hay meadow. Northumberland at its finest and still only just after midday.

Keeping a sharp eye out

Perhaps I should as I was chatting to Bill on Monday and he told me about seeing a Hobby at Blagdon last Thursday which would have been visible from Bellasis where I was that day and a Red Kite on my patch on Friday following a tractor cutting hay which I remember hearing as I took some more shots at Banks Pond so I missed two major ticks. This Kestrel flew over and mocked me.

Last night it was Newbiggin with the Petrel Heads. The northerly passage was amazing and thanks to the running commentary on the location of birds as they flew past, mostly well out to sea, meant I even got a glimpse of a Stormie through my crappy bins (thanks Richard) although the other twenty or so were a view too far.