An early run up the quiet A1 saw me looking for a reported large Yellowhammer flock near Mousen,Belford. Stubble fields had held over 100 birds last month, but with the stubble now cut low, only 25 or so remained as the birds dispersed. On to Budle, where low tide, with exposed mud held a great many feeding birds. Lapwings, Knot, Dunlin, Redshanks , Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Bar tailed Godwits and Curlew were all present in good numbers. Wildfowl were well represented with 27 Barnacle Geese among several hundred Pink Feet and Grey lags on the northern edge of the bay. At least 500 Brent Geese slightly apart from these. Wigeon and Teal in large groups and around 200+ Shelduck counted. A few Red breasted Mergansers fed in channels.
On up to Holy Island now, via Elwick where a large House Sparrow flock remained from my last visit in November. The hedgerows here held some Chaffinches,Linnets, a few Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, and a Song Thrush.
Holy Island causeway was extremely quiet, bar a small flock of Twite and a few Eiders and Curlews. The island itself quiet too, with remarkably these days, only 12 cars in the main car park! A scan from Chare Ends revealed a female Merlin perched , preening on a gate-post and a hunting Short eared Owl, a species present this winter in the county in good numbers. A pair of Stonechats perched on a nearby bush. The mud-flats here held the usual large Golden Plover flock in their favourite spot, with several hundred Bar tailed Godwits feeding along the edge of the incoming tide. Unusually, no Brent Geese here today.
Down the coast at Stag Rocks, 18 Purple Sandpipers was a low count for the site. However, a high tide roost at Seahouses held an estimated 160 birds,which when a photograph was later studied, revealed actually 189. With them were 37 Turnstones and 21 Oystercatchers. 4-5 Rock Pipits here and a very tame Song Thrush.20+ eiders in the harbour. Then at a roost at Beadnell which always holds Grey Plover, sure enough, 24 were present, with 22 Bar tailed godwits and 17 Purple Sandpipers.
A.S. Jack
