Pugneys CP

This trip was expected the moment from which it was released that there was a first winter female Ferruginous (Fudge) Duck on the nature reserve at Pugneys. Once again it was the lectures that took the hit, although I did go to my 9am waiting on news, before then making my way up to the site to be at the pond by 12.

I arrived and was quickly on the bird though it was distant and remained that way throughout the time I was watching except on one occasion. It swan round a corner with the Pochards and then remained there, out of sight, for about an hour before Darragh, a young patcher of Pugneys, suggested we go into the thicket and try to get it out. He went alone first but reported it still there, so when it failed to swim far enough out I ventured in with him and managed to get a much better view than I had before.

Sadly though the distance was not the only problem as the light became a major factor too and so I was unable to take any good photos, but I have a healthy selection of record shots which more than suffice.

-Ferruginous Duck

Besides the Fudge Duck there were a couple of other bits and pieces knocking around. A Sparrowhawk came through twice and there was an indeterminate number of Siskins flying overhead. A kingfisher flew across the lake, which was a nice yeartick and on the reserve islands near the duck there was a healthy number of Sinensis type cormorants.

-Sinensis Cormorants

It was an excellent way to spend an afternoon and Ferruginous Duck is my third lifer of 2016 and brings my yearlist up to 103. Not bad given I've only been birding the best part of 2 weeks.

Species List:

Pugneys CP: Tufted Duck, Pochard, Mallard, Wigeon, Shoveler, Ferruginous Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Great Black-Backed Gull, Long-Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Blackbird, Siskin, Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch, Great-Crested Grebe,

Northumberland: Birling and Cresswell Pond

Well, lectures started again today, so what better excuse to run off twitching for the day? Northumberland was the chosen destination on account of its potential two lifers and generally pleasant birding.

I got off the train at 8.00 in Alnmouth and then got the bus down to Birling for the Arctic Redpoll that had been there for a while now. Just about managed to catch the bus to save myself some time, followed by a short walk down to the very vague location of the bird. along the way I picked up my first yeartick of the day, Whooper Swan. There were a small number of individuals feeding with the Mute Swans in the fields along the side of the road.

-Whooper Swan

I had a rough idea of where to look for the Redpolls and it was not long before I was able to pick up a number of birds in flight moving along in the field but I was not able to get them down for about an hour. An entire hour spent chasing Redpolls before I finally got them in an open area. I had a scan along the fence with the scope and within seconds I had the Cous' Arctic Redpoll sitting on the fence. It was obvious it was unbelievable, I barely had to wait to see the white rump, although it did not take long for it to duly oblige. 

The flock kept moving and I had my best views in the car park about half an hour later, although then it was in the trees and the views were quite obscured at times. I was quite pleased with my shots though. It was quite a bird to look at. In addition to the Arctic I tried to mind a mealy redpoll among the ranks of birds, but alas I found none.

Arctic Redpoll is my first lifer this year, and a real super looking bird. It was quite an education looking at Redpolls for so long. This bird is quite something.

-Cous' Arctic Redpoll

Whilst there I got a host of other goodies too. Perhaps the highlight of these was during my five mins seawatching when a super Black-throated Diver flew south not too far out. An unexpected yeartick to say the least, and possibly the best view I have ever had of the species.

Also a bonus yeartick were the Grey Partridges that abounded in the game crop. The crop was tall but from it I could heard strange croaking noises. I had no idea what was going on and it took around half an hour before any of the culprits decided to fly out of it and reveal themselves, but once they had I found that there were Grey Partridges everywhere around the site.

-Grey Partridge

I had intended to get the bus down to Cresswell Pond for the LB Dowitcher there but as it happens there were a couple of local birders at the Redpoll and one of them offered to take me, saving me plenty of time and allowing me to arrive right at the pond rather than a substantial walk.

The Dowitcher was not on the near scrape, but Another birder in the hide picked it up on the very distant far side of the pond. Second lifer of 2016 in the bag. This does mean I labored to get any photos and the ones I did get were not helped by the fact that the bird spent most of its time with its head underwater.

It was nice to see it in context with the other waders though, so stumpy compared to the redshank it was feeding alongside. Whilst I did not manage to get a good photo of it I did manage a very poor quality video which is a bit better, although if that will be the same on here we will have to see.

-Long-Billed Dowitcher

-Long-Billed Dowitcher

A double lifer day, both birds playing ball, what more could I ask?

There were plenty of other birds at the pond too, yearticking Bar-Tailed Godwit and Dunlin among the other waders present. There were also masses of Pink-Footed Geese in the fields around the ponds. I knew there were a couple of Eurasian White-Fronted Geese in with them and so was painstakingly analysing all the flocks in the hope of picking them out.

Somehow the flock I found them in was the one directly opposite the pond which I had already scanned 3 times before I finally got them. I counted 4 White-fronts in total, a species I have not seen for many years and a really nice addition to the yearlist.

The geese were feeding in the fields along the side of the road, and so when I left Cresswell and headed up to Druridge Pools I got to walk right past them and get a few nice record shots...

-Pink-Footed Geese

-White-fronted Geese

Along the walk to Druridge I did not pick up much; a Stonechat and a few Yellowhammer the best of them. By the time I arrived at Druridge it was early evening and there was not much that there had not been at Cresswell. I added Pintail to the day list but the real highlight was a nice Short-eared Owl that was hunting around the area. A really nice way to finish off the day.

-Short-eared Owl

By the end of the day I was knackered but to have seen both my targets, plenty of other stuff and had a pretty sweet all-round day I could not ask for anything more. Thanks again to the local birders who gave me a lift and information about birds in the area and what best strategy to take. What an incredible days birding. 

Species List:

Birling Carrs: Rook, Tree Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Yellowhammer, Grey Partridge, Oystercatcher, Lesser Redpoll, Guillemot, Black-throated Diver, Grey Heron, Cous' Arctic Redpoll, Blackbird, Dunnock, Wren, Golden Plover, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Skylark, Pheasant, 

Cresswell Pond: Dunlin, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Long-billed Dowitcher, Lapwing, Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Shelduck, Pink-footed Goose, Moorhen, Common Snipe, Starling, Jackdaw, Rook, Great Tit, Red-breasted Merganser, Carrion Crow, White-fronted Goose, Oystercatcher, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant, Goldeneye, Magpie, Turnstone, Eider, Herring Gull, Goldfinch, Robin, Yellowhammer, Wren, Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Kestrel, Lesser Redpoll, Pied Wheatear, Sanderling,

Druridge Pools: Mallard, Shelduck, Pintail, Wigeon, Common Teal, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Shoveler, Grey Heron, Lapwing, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Short-eared Owl, Pink-footed Goose, Carrion Crow, Gadwall, Tree Sparrow, Siskin, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Little Grebe, Coot, Pheasant, Long-tailed Tit, Stonechat, Red-throated Diver, Feral Pigeon, 

Hartlepool and Saltholme RSPB

Finally I had a full day of freedom post exams and having weighed up my options during my revision breaks over the past month I knew where I really wanted to go. That was Hartlepool to see the goodies that were up round that way.

Upon arriving in Hartlepool I first made my way round to Jackson's Landing marina to see if the glaucous gull was there, but it was not. I did get a nice year-tick in the form of Red-breasted Mergansers which were feeding the harbor.

I then made my way round to the headland where I went looking for the Shore Larks. It was quite breezy so I first walked the sheltered area of the rough ground they had been favoring, but with no luck. It was at this point that I decided coming was a mistake and that it was going to be one of those days where nothing goes your way...

How wrong I was...

I decided to walk the rough ground systematically and on the far bank, most exposed, I flushed the three Shore Larks. I saw where they went down but they still took some work to locate. I managed to get a few birders onto them in the hour or more that I was watching them. I grabbed some digiscoped shots before trying my luck with my new camera. I'll let the photos do the talking, but I was buzzing.

-Shore Larks

I was intitially going to walk the headland looking for waders heading towards the fish quay for the Slavonian Grebe. I started by seawatching off where the larks were. There were a couple of other birders too but they had spread out looking for Snow Buntings. Whilst seawatching I had yearticks of Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Shag and Red-throated Diver. I was having a field day.

I heard a twittering near me and looked up from my scope to see a Snow Bunting fly past me and land with the Larks that were still feeding behind me. I could see the other birders so whistled them over.

-Snow Bunting

Whilst we were watching the bunting the news broke of a penduline tit at Saltholme. I told the other birds who offered me a lift there. I had turned down a couple of lifts earlier in the day but this news did mean that there was something else to consider for the day so I took them up on their offer.

First call was the fish quay where there were plenty of birds as well as a seal. The Slavonian Grebe took some finding but I eventually picked it up distantly fishing among the boats. There was also the earlier reported Great-northern Diver, another Red-throated Diver, a few Guillemots and Eiders. There were also a few Turnstone along the quay. It was quite a spot for an urban fish quay. 

-Slavonian Grebe

-Great-northern Diver

-Guillemot

-Turnstone

Having gained the full house at the Quay we headed down towards Saltholme. On the way we called of at a local spot for Mediterranean Gull, which duly obliged, chilling on the beach barely two meters away. We also called off at Seaton Snook Road to see if there were any shorties hunting the fields but there was not. However, there was a very obliging Stonechat.

-Mediterranean Gull

-Stonechat

At Saltholme we headed straight to the hide where the tits were meant to be, but it over an hour there I had no joy of a penduline tit nature. However, I had a great substitute when a Water Rail swam across the channel that was being watched. Its one of the best views I have ever had of this species, but it happened so quickly I got no photos. A Peregrine flew over too, and I got a yeartick of Stock Dove.

I got a tip off about the Long-eared Owl in Haverton Scrub so I headed that way and was kindly shown it by some local birders. It was quite the bird to see, sitting almost out in the open with its ears erect. What a view, the best I have ever had of this species, and that is saying something. What a beaut. I was able to grab plenty of photos.

-Long-eared Owl

After the owl I headed to Paddys Pond for the female Smew which has been at the reserve for a long time now. It showed only briefly, spending most of its time behind the island, but its still the first time I have ever seen a redhead Smew and another cracking species to add to my growing day list.

In addition to the Smew there was also a nice female Pintail and a few Barnacle Geese mingling with the canadas.

-Smew

I finished off at the main hide where I added Shoveler, Shelduck and Curlew to the yearlist. Sadly there was no sign of the green-winged teal that sometimes shows there but I was not particularly bothered given how awesome the day was.

So despite a slow start today turned into one of the best days birding I have ever had, ever, thats how good it was. What a day.

Species List:

Hartlepool: Shag, Shore Lark, Cormorant, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Tit, Oystercatcher, Red-throated Diver, Herring Gull, Snow Bunting, Sanderling, Great-northern Diver, Guillemot, Eider, Slavonian Grebe, Mediterranean Gull, Turnstone, Curlew, Pink-footed Goose, Wigeon, Stonechat, Skylark, Starling, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, 

Saltholme RSPB: Little Egret, Stock Dove, Greenfinch, Common Teal, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Mallard, Peregrine, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Moorhen, Water Rail, Tufted Duck, Herring Gull, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, Lapwing, Common Snipe, Blackbird, Graylag Goose, Pochard, Pintail, Smew, Curlew, Shelduck, Shoveler, Fieldfare, Bullfinch, Barnacle Goose, Jackdaw,