Opportunity

Out this morning on the basis of the St Mary’s Grasshopper Warbler but no reeling on the Carr, just Chaffinch having a fling!

Did find a singing Willow Tit which presents a good punt for those yet to add one to their year list. It was moving along bush tops alongside bumpy road between NZ187736 to NZ195736 and back, therefore giving a clear view rather than the normal skulking bush bird seen when you hear their alarm chur.

This bird seems to prefer five notes tsiu tsiu tsiu tsiu tsiu and then moves songpost . Only one bird so not sure if it’s mate finding or territory establishment but the last time I heard song regularly (that bird only did three notes) a nest was established within the area which was eventually successful.

Golden Plover flock still present numbering 374 last night but surely can’t be long till they head for the hills. I wonder if they go on mass or if this gathering is some kind of opportunity to meet a mate?

They're back

yes five singing Willow Warblers this morning prompts me to return myself after an absence due to severe apathy (to work, not birdwatching) but the descending cadence of these great little birds brings a renewed energy to the Carr. Not that it’s been quiet. Skylark, Curlew, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit and Chaffinch have all been in full voice. Only a couple of drumming Snipe is a disappointment but this morning saw the start of Goldfinch and Linnet song and of course the Willow Warblers.

So what’s been going on? Late January saw a male Hen Harrier move through followed by the return of the Curlew with flocks peaking around 40. Three Crossbill was an interesting find near the golf course and flocks of Meadow Pipit(100+), Pied Wagtail (80+) and Golden Plover (300+) have regular in the fields south of Mayfair Cottage. Even today a large flock of the latter was present many almost in full breeding plumage.

Oystercatcher returned to Banks pond and had a nest on the island until they were ousted by a pair of Canada Geese as has occurred in the preceding two years. Little Grebe, Coot and Moorhen are all making preparations.

Willow Tit, Siskin and male Reed Buntings all regular visitors to my garden over the last few weeks with House Sparrows and Jackdaw all nesting. Two failed laying attempts already by the Collared Doves, presumably due the choosing a site too close to the Jackdaws.

Generally most of the flash water has now drained away and the fields are looking a bit dead. Horton Grange flash has been drained so another good little habitat has been lost although hardly surprising as it formed in an area which was previously dry arable land after the completion of the Open Cast (oops sorry……Surface Mine) It was interesting to see the Northumberland Wildlife Trust express an interest in managing the area but they follow in the footsteps of many who have tried and failed. They also shot themselves spectacularly in the foot with a press release to the Journal claiming the area was dry as a sponge when at the time it was flooded! The locals were not best pleased.

The old mine workings have opened up again west of Carr Grange presumably due to the flooding though not as spectacular as the last time in 2000 when all the flood drained as if down a plughole. I don’t think they ever did find out where the water went!

A handful of Fieldfare remain near the range, first Sand Martin last weekend and Swallow on Tuesday 7th thanks to GB but I dipped out on the Red Kite he’d had earlier. Not on my Carr list yet which this year to date is

58 Hen Harrier
59 Grey Wagtail
60 Herring Gull
61 Barn Owl
62 Crossbill
63 Coal Tit
64 Little Owl
65 Oystercatcher
66 Siskin
67 Little Grebe
68 Tufted Duck
69 Canada Goose
70 Peregrine
71 Stock Dove
72 Linnet
73 Rock Dove
74 Chiff Chaff
75 Sand Martin
76 Swallow
77 Willow Warbler

Midweek already

The weekend Saturday count was carried out in bitter cold conditions but struggled up to 41 species and added

49 Mallard
50 Great black backed gull
51 Lapwing

A late entry there for the normally common Lapwing and I was just going to comment on the lack of ducks when suddenly Sunday morning and a temperature swing of 15 degrees see all the water un-frozen and ducks aplenty on the Horton Grange flash

52 Teal
53 Wigeon
54 Coot
55 Moorhen


Signs of pairing beginning with Great Tit, Coal Tit and Greenfinch all singing and some House Sparrow chases around my house. Nice to see a pair of Tree Sparrows back in the garden after a brief unexplained absence and Skylark overhead.

56 Tree Sparrow
57 Skylark

Friday evening

After a torrid week gave up work at lunchtime and up to Whittle Dene for a quick look then ended at the raptor viewpoint on the Carr. Sun setting in a clear sky to the west with almost full moon to the east. A male Stonechat flitted across the lane and perched on a fence before heading off to roost. A bird feeding in the reeds was making small calls as it moved but wasn’t going to show….just then a commotion in the middle of the field as two Roe Deer had a head to head the loser coming towards me until at 25 metres he realise my presence and bounded off whilst the victor looked on with disdain. Whose idea was it to give deer a white backside?

Aha! The reed bird is disturbed and the groan, or is it a wail, means the suspect is a Water Rail. A welcome return to my list in 2008 after an absence of a few years.
A small flock of 48 Meadow Pipits squeaks overhead to their roost site in the rank grass……strangely, or is it just nature? next to the favoured roost of their arch enemy…the Hen Harrier. None present just now but watch this space.
Back to the motor car as a Grey Partridge calls to the west and a Snipe flushes from the field edge, both species being far fewer in number than I remember although the August flood last year brought in excellent numbers of the latter.

45. Stonechat
46. Water Rail
47. Grey Partridge
48. Snipe

Will it be the half ton tomorrow?

Week 1

The route is from my place NZ734203 to Mayfair Cottage NZ185736 to NZ184746 on the range bridleway, back to Mayfair Cottage then to NZ175735 near the golf course then home (but only counting new species on the return)


03.01.2009.........08.40 -11.00
Weather cold and dull, brightening to sunny later

1. Magpie
2. Woodpigeon
3. Jackdaw
4. House Sparrow
5. Robin
6. Black headed Gull
7. Collared Dove
8. Goldfinch
9. Blue Tit
10. Starling
11. Rook
12. Wren
13. Long tailed Tit
14. Song Thrush
15. Great Tit
16. Carrion Crow
17. Great spotted Woodpecker
18. Mistle Thrush
19. Greylag Goose
20. Meadow Pipit
21. Kestrel
22. Pheasant
23. Chaffinch
24. Dunnock
25. Blackbird
26. Reed Bunting
27. Mute Swan
28. Lesser Redpoll
29. Greenfinch
30. Buzzard
31. Fieldfare
32. Redwing
33. Pied Wagtail
34. Grey Heron
35. Sparrowhawk
36. Willow Tit
37. Bullfinch
38. Curlew
39. Yellowhammer
40. Goldcrest
41. Jay
42. Treecreeper


and from 01.01.2009

43. Golden Plover
44. Common Gull

Nice to pick up Willow Tit and Treecreeper early in the year and unusual for an early Curlew. Prestwick Carr is possibly one of the best places to find the former and come late February the place should be jumping with the latter!

The Patch

http://www.multimap.com/s/gwe5h4lg

My Prestwick Carr patch consists of the area inside a polygon with corners at Dinnington, Horton Grange, Berwick Hill and Prestwick Village. The centre is the low lying Carr which is a lake drained in the 1800’s and still subject to regular flooding the most recent being August 2008 from which the land has still not recovered. The Carr is surrounded by general farmland some of which is part of an M.o.D firing range and along with a few smallholdings there are a number of ponds, areas of flash water and small plantations of mixed conifer / birch woodland. The site is bisected east – west and north – south by single track roads which date back to the time of drainage and possibly before as the area has history from before Roman times.

I have counted the central area almost weekly for the last ten years with my patch list standing at 148 including Bittern, Common Crane, Red-backed Shrike, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard, Garganey plus thanks to the August floods…Pectoral Sandpiper and Little Stint! A general count lasting two hours will generally identify around 40 species with late April and September breaking 50. My record is 63 set on May 5th 2008 again when the Carr was flooded.

As mentioned yesterdays count was subdued at 32 but included small flocks of Greylag Geese, Bullfinch and Lesser Redpoll with a single Treecreeper. Will try again over the weekend.

Down to Prestwick Carr this morning to start the new list. 112 last year but it was an exceptional year and I would imagine in 365 days I’ll be looking around the 100 mark if I’m lucky.

The morning was cold, dank and dull which seems to have suppressed the bird life but as I approached Mayfair Cottage the mournful sound of a small flock of Golden Plovers overhead got me in the mood and reminded me why I am so drawn to the place.

The dog walkers and cyclist had, like myself, made a slightly later than normal start and the stillness was calming as I watched a Buzzard looking for an easy meal, hopping from round bale to round bale which, due to the recent flooding, are still stranded in a sodden field.

Did I say silence? No and for good reason as part of the charm of the place is you can stand there gazing at natures wonder, almost in a world of your own whilst the gentle hum on traffic on the A1 to the east is occasionally reinforced by a train travelling the main line. Jets warm their engines at the airport to the south and eventually the tumult grows as they roll down the runway and up to sunnier climes. And finally the sirens of emergency services heading to yet another incident on the A696 to the east…………strange place this Carr.