A bit of a mix

Around and about at the weekend commencing in some nice sunlight on Prestwick Carr and ending in the murk up the coast.

Early morning Yellowhammer





Young Great black backed Gull napping with a wary eye at Blyth.

Bar tailed Godwit at Boulmer

One of five Purple Sandpiper at Stag Rocks (Bamburgh).

Looking to roost

After a Snow Bunting less visit to Blyth this afternoon I stopped off at St Mary's Island and joined the merry throng crossing the causeway for no good reason (although I think the cafe may have been open for once). No Long tailed Duck mooching about in north bay and most waders on the shore far away as the tide was out (hence crossing the causeway). A trio of Rock Pipits played nearby one of whom was very confiding but refused to budge from a small area in total shade next to the landing area. So as I headed back to land I noticed the spuggies darting all over the roof of the keepers house looking for their roost spot for the night. As it turned out it appears all of them were male (they weren't) and had a tendency to look to the left.

Meanwhile at home Prestwick Carr has returned to being a lake and the roads have been breached in a number of places resulting in the melt water running out of the ditches and into the central area which is filling up nicely. Good count of 43 species this morning the notables being 120 Teal around the melting edge of ice in the horse paddocks, 15 Yellowhammer at the goats and 4 Goosander flying north.

Larking on ice

A dubious benefit of the freeze was that it brought otherwise distant birds close enough for crap photographers like me. Pity the evening light was so strong. These were taken in the car park at Amble on Wednesday where the birds were feeding on grain put down by some good souls.

Hopefully the thaw give the birds some welcome respite from cold feet.

Thief

The problem with feeding birds in your garden is that you can't always choose who gets the tasty morsels. I've had problems in the past with Rats, normally when the landfill was operating near Dinnington but recently things have been clear with only Mice present below the shed and the occasional visit from a Mole or Hedgehog. I noticed that Rabbits have been making merry in my front garden from the myriad of footprints in the snow but was a little more concerned when a rat sized hole appeared in the drift under the Niger feeder. Air Rifle was placed at the ready as the clear nights with a white background make despatching the hapless rodents easy and without fear of mis-identification. I remember a few years back being all ready to fire when the supposed rat curled up into a ball and was clearly a hedgehog. Now frankly I'd rather not kill anything however my neighbours are more civilised than myself and the need to deal with any infestation before it gets out of hand and they reep the benefits is paramount.

So this morning as I opened the door to put some more fat flavoured bread balls out I was disturbed to see what I thought was a rat, disapppear behind the coal bunker although it was unusual in that it sprinted over the top. I put said morels out and retired to the kitchen as birds descended to feed. After five minutes they all flew up into the tree and I assumed the prescence of the Woodpecker had disturbed them but then a familiar head appeared in the hole just like the daft mallet game you play in the fair. Up and down it went till eventually either bravery or hunger took hold and it, a Weasel, dashed out to nick some food returning to its burrow to eat it.

I watched for a number of minutes as it made sorties around the garden and it had clearly a well established 'rat run' below the snow. Now the question is ............is it vermin? I for one wouldn't harm a hair on it but I guess it could feasibly take one of the birds I'm spending time and money to keep alive. Anyway whilst I considered the merits of said creature it did its best to look the picture of innocence although I suspect it was eyeing up a Starling in the conifer tree!

Whilst writing this there is scuffling from above and being the sole inhabitant of this slum I suspect there are mice in the loft again. Oh the benefits of living on the urban fringe or is that just being on the edge?

Alaska?

No Newburn actually. The ice floes were moving upstream with the tide this lunch time. Plenty of Black headed Gulls attracted by people putting bread out for them and even two folks feeding a colony of Cats next to the river and leaving a lorry load of rubbish into the bargain. I couldn't find my target for the mission, a Kingfisher, although nearly got clobbered by one in Ponteland Park later on as it took a short cut across a bend in the river! Three Song Thrushes drank in the Newburn and the usual Moorhens strutted their stuff. A pair of Bullfinch were feeding fairly acrobatically for Bullfinch but shots taken through the windscreen of a car are not to be recommended.

A rare ice beaked Gull flew past as his mates took the more sedate route on the river.

Wey hey these islands are un-commonly slippy as the Crow took full advantage of the bounty from the Greggs seconds shop.

Further downstream at the business park the Teal took advantage of the last sunlight of the day to do some dabbling amounst the flotsam trapped by the staithes.

Nice birds Teal and this stretch of the River Tyne can be home to 300+ at this time of year. My Webs count isn't for two weeks so hopefully there will be a thaw in the weather before then and the area will be Teaming with Teal.

Round Robin

Out this morning after the first night in many without any snowfall. Prestwick Carr is frozen and covered in 18 inches of compacting snow but fortunately the ditches are only partly iced over giving birds a chance to feed and drink. The Rabbits also seem to take advantage of this and their tracks are very evident all over this ice which I suppose is easier to walk on then the deep snow. Other tracks evident are Pheasant, Coot and Moorhen along with a smaller version which I would imagine is Water Rail. Lots of doggy prints too unfortunately so can't identify any Fox movements unless we get another covering.

I think this is Moorhen dragging the front toe as usual. The most numerous birds were Blackbird and Fieldfare with Wren, Robin and Yellowhammer putting in a good show and a small flock of Lapwing also present. No geese for the goose count which is hardly suprising given the lack of any grazing.

A Deer was 'snuggled' down beside the fence as I passed the wood and looked pretty much at ease with my presence as were the Robins on the bridge near the golf course where I put some food out in payment for the photo opportunities.

As I returned a Mistle Thrush peered out from the hedgerow as it protected its bush from marauding Fieldfare and Redwing. I've decided Redwing are annoying as I got focused on at least six this morning only for them to fly at the very instant I took the shot! Even the Mistle Thrush managed to move its head.



Then, as I passed Mayfair Cottage a Barn Owl passed just feet in front of me, did once round the garden then back into the copse nearby and off over the fields. Hunting at 9.30am shows times are hard but Richard the goat man advises me the bird had been aroound most evenings and has taken mice from around the sheds so this bird has clearly learned to forage nearer habitation to get success. I wish it well and would feed live mice if I could.

Two more

No not these two who are currently regulars along with two other Robins, who seem to have temporarily ceased any hostilities, and Woodys missus who never seems to visit at the same time so perhaps there's an estrangement in the Pecker family. Not often I get them in the same frame though and the snap shot taken on totally the wrong setting had to be 'rescued' in Photoshop.

The two more are additions to the garden list for this week being Black headed Gull who, being slightly more agile than the Common Gull who looked on in frustration, managed to land on the kitchen roof and Willow Tit who has been around for a few weeks now. Redwing almost made a visit a flock of ten heading my way diverted to a nearby tree and after a brief pause flew on south but it's only a matter of time before on or other of the Scandinavian Thrushes are driven into the garden by this wretched waether. In fact I'd be quite delighted to help a Song Thrush with a bit of feed but they seem few and far between these days.