Outer Hebrides and Highlands

Just come back from Scotland on Saturday, we went to the Uists, Lewis and Harris and visited Skye on the last day. Fantastic trip, saw 120 species in total, including 69 buzzards and 26 short-eared owls. Including 6 I had never seen: Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Corncrake, Corn Bunting and Red-Necked Phalarope. Here is a selection of photos:

Short-Eared Owl Corn Bunting

Redshank

White-Tailed Eagle on Skye Golden Plover Buzzard

Corncrake

Sanderling Whimbrel

Dunlin Hooded Crow Common Sandpiper

Warblers at St. Mary's

Went to St. Mary's yesterday after hearing grasshoppers warblers reeling a few days ago and they didn't disappoint. Fantastic views of a male reeling from the bush right next to me completely fine about me being there. I then went down to 'the gut' where there has been many whitethroats singing and they didn't disappoint either. After standing for a while, it popped up and sang for about 20 seconds and dipped down again. I also had a sedge warbler which is a new species for St. Mary's which takes the patch total to 95. A very successful evening.

Grasshopper Warbler

Whitethroat

Skylark

Harrier, Avocet and Grasshopper Warbler 15/4/11

I decided to go to Cresswell area yesterday, to see the avocets that I still hadn't caught up with. When we got to Cresswell, we were greeted by stonechats on the wall on the way to hide. A wren was in full voice just next to hide and 2 chiffchaffs were singing in the trees near the entrance to the hide. On the pond there was 2 avocets, lapwings, dunlin, redshank and pink-footed geese. A heron was walking around in front of the hide when we first got there and walked right up on the reeds in front of the hide before flying off towards the road. Druridge Pools held the highlight of the day for me, the unmistakable call of the grasshopper warbler greeted us at the bottom of the road past all the hides, we were actually looking for the black redstart that was reported but no sign of it. The grasshopper warbler was in full voice in the grass but coudln't be seen. After hanging around for about 10 minutes, he appeared, sitting in the tree right in front of us, not bothered at all about us being there. As if that wasn't enough, we headed for East Chevington to check out the marsh harrier that was reported. From the hides, we couldn't see it so we were about to give up when it flew straight over the top of us and started hunting over a nearby field. A very successful day of birding, and after hearing the report of the wood warbler and grasshopper warbler at St. Mary's, I might be up for another one!

Grasshopper Warbler

Skylark

Wren

Marsh Harrier

I think the phrase is 'showing well'

I am talking of course about the garganey at Gosforth Park. I was there on Saturday to see if they were still around and they were. They were about 30 feet away when we arrived but within about half a hour they were about 15 feet away providing fantastic views.

St. Mary's 22/3/11

Lovely light yesterday morning so before school I headed down there. The south bay was full of waders like bar-tailed godwit, dunlin, turnstone, redshank and sanderling. The north bay had oystercatchers and curlew but not a lot else. All my photos are from the south bay. After St. Mary's I went along to the cliffs at Whitley Bay to check out the fulmar colony; they are coming along well. At least 18 pairs there now! Fulmar This Turnstone found a crab on the beach and spend about 15 minutes eating it. Dunlin Bar-Tailed Godwit

Some surprises at Killingworth and Big Waters 21/2/11

Went to Big Waters and Killingworth Lake yesterday. Stuck for places to go at the moment with terrible light for photos. Big Waters was full of siskin, there was 30+ siskin around the feeders very close to the hide. There was over 20 more that I saw in the trees as well, I have never seen so many. There wasn't much else apart from as we were just leaving, a lesser redpoll dropped in to the feeders which was a lovely addition to the day. Onto Killingworth next to see what was around. At the end where the road is, there was 2 great-crested grebes displaying just past the island, shaking their heads and diving together. However, the car park end produced a lot more, there was a juvenile whooper swan in amongst the mutes which was very tame and was feeding on bread. There was also a male goosander that was swimming about 6 feet away from where I was standing, then it got out the water and walked across the path towards the grass. I have never seen a goosander so tame. Unfortunately, no sign of the nordic jackdaw, but hopefully I will see it sometime this week.

Goosander

Siskin Lesser RedpollWhooper Swan

Glaucous Gull at North Shields

We have just come back from North Shields Fish Quay to see the glaucous gull. We saw it straight away, it was much lighter than the other gulls. After getting some photos, we went to speak to Mike Hodgson who said it was an Iceland Gull not a glaucous, but birdguides have reported it and said that my photos look like a glaucous gull. I think the beak suggests Glaucous Gull, but the colour suggests Iceland. I think it it a Glaucous Gull but I'm not sure. Help would be appreciated!