One of three Whinchats on Newbiggin GC this evening. With a supporting cast of 28 Wheatear’s, crazy!

Gary Storey

2^nd May 2016
Arcot Pond – brief Green Woodpecker and Lesser Whitethroat in NW corner. Two  Grasshopper Warblers also present.

29^th April 2016
Common Sandpiper & Common Tern on the Arcot Pond patch this morning, signs of spring at last present.

Steve Holliday

Newbiggin and Woodhorn this am. Groppers, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Sedgies.

Gary Storey

Arcot Pond – Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Willow Warblers, 2 Sedge Warblers, Grasshopper Warbler.

Beacon Hill – Tree Pipit, 4 Redstarts, pair Willow Tits, Redpoll. 20+ Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Swallow, Yellowhammer.

Simonside – Tree Pipit, Redpoll, Cuckoo, Whinchat, Wheatear pair. 19 Fieldfares. 4 Buzzards. Siskins. Red Grouse 10+. Skylark 20+

Hepple-  Common Sandpiper, several pairs.

Otterburn Ranges – Skylark ,very common 150+ singing , many more feeding on ground. Ditto Meadow Pipit. (3 hour, 33kms slow drive over area).

Lapwing 10 pairs in one area. Golden Plover flock of 44 northern race (Altifrons) feeding on one fell. Curlews and Snipe displaying. Common Sandpiper several pairs. Wheatear,several pairs. Reed Bunting 6. Stonechat.

A.S.Jack

Grasshopper Warbler & Whitethroat at Swallow Pond.   Sedge & Reed Warblers at Gosforth Park today.

M.P.Frankis

One of a flock of 200 Fieldfare still north of Longhorsley looks like it’s sporting a ring.

Peter Fletcher

With a window of warm weather in what is a very cold Spring this year, I headed off for a day in the upland river valleys of the Cheviot foothills, hoping for some newly arrived summer migrants. A call first at a favoured haunt for over 40 years now, Beacon Hill where despite the date, tree buds and leaves were struggling to make an appearance, making food finding harder for the recently arrived Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. In 2kms numbers singing were 18 of the former and 16 the latter. Three male Redstarts sang from bare tree tops and a pair of Blackcaps chased each other in thicker garden cover. A Redpoll called as it flew over, followed by a second. A pair of Willow Tits noted and other species included Nuthatch.

Heading on, more singing Willow Warblers heard with six near Todburn, where two pairs of Swallows back at a farm. Arriving in Ingram, a local site held displaying Little ringed Plover, with his mate watching on. Common Sandpipers back on breeding territory here, with three pairs watched. A number of Sand Martins inspected last year’s nest holes in the riverbank as Siskins called overhead. Ten Song Thrushes noted in the valley. Dipper, Grey and Pied Wagtails seen, then a nice male Stonechat sang from a bushtop (no Whinchats back yet here). The valley rang with the song of Willow Warblers, with 23 counted in total. Two males watched fighting on a grass verge was unusual! A solitary Raven called as it crossed the valley and a Kestrel hovered. At Hedgeley around 50 Sand Martins, with several Swallows hawked for insects above the pools. A single Fieldfare seen. 19-20 Lapwing pairs here, with birds sitting tight on nests.

Later arriving in Coquetdale the temperature reached a year’s high of 18 degrees and butterflies were in evidence, with 20+ the total of Tortoishells and Peacocks noted. Common Sandpipers back here too, with  pairs at five sites.

Seven Grey Wagtails and many Pieds seen along the river, with nine Reed Buntings, many Meadow Pipits and Chaffinches too. Ten Willow Warblers sang at Harbottle. A colony of 50+ Sand Martins in the valley, with the birds in a tight wheeling flock,calling as they continually swooped by the sandbank .Pleasing was the number of Wheatears seen, with an increase on recent years apparent. Eight males and two females seen in a few kms, the males singing from rocky hill slopes.

Overhead, three Ravens called as they circled and a pair of House Martins were back at Carshope, with more Swallows and Sand Martins. Many singing Skylarks on the Otterburn Ranges as I drove through, firing suspended for the lambing season. Finally at Cottonshope, my fifth Raven of the day and a party of noisy Crossbills in the conifers, as were Siskins, Coal Tits, Goldcrests and Redpolls.

A.S.Jack

13th April
Highlights at Newbiggin: Yellow Wagtail flying through golf course. Also 2 Whimbrel.

11th April
There was a wind blown Gannet on Newbiggin Beach this morning. The bird couldn’t fly and was taken into care.

Gary Storey

A quick visit today to Cresswell Pond resulted in close views of the Long-billed Dowitcher in the small pool N/E of causeway close to road. Finally managed some pics but light dreadful & drizzle not helping. It is now getting some colour as summer plumage starts to show.

Tim and Janet Dean

There was a male Blackcap singing in Jesmond Dene on the 4th April, which was the first of the spring.

Dipper in Jesmond Dene on the 10th April

M.P.Frankis 

Snow on the Cheviots this morning and Ring Ouzels on territory.  Several Wheatear also chasing around.

Steve Holliday 

Swallows back in Wark (North Tyne) today.

Paul Massey

A Long billed Dowitcher is still present at Cresswell Pond, Druridge Bay, Northumberland.  The bird is now coming into transitional plumage – hope it gets its full colours before it departs.

Mike Hodgson

On the 2nd April Redwing were migrating over Wark, North Tyne whilst on the 1st April a flock of 60+ Fieldfare were still up on Hadrian’s Wall.

At Bamburgh on the 26th March there was a Sandwich Tern & singing Chiffchaff.

At Grindon Lough on the 25th March three adult Greenland White-fronted Geese remained at Grindon Lough with a 1st winter Scaup.

Paul Massey

At Newbiggin….

Two Little Auks flew north past Beacon Point on the 19th March, whilst On the 26th March; 22 Whooper Swans flew North past church point, but a very fast Sandwich Tern was the star.

Between the 29th March-1st April there were up to three Wheatears, and on the 1st April a stunning male Stonechat could be seen sitting in Gorse.

Gary Storey

I went for a stroll along the Wansbeck to see if there were any early migrants or late winter visitors hanging around.  By the metal railway bridge there were 5-6 Sand Martins and a couple of Chiffchaffs sang.  Further downstream were a group of Red Breasted Mergansers.

CD Hampton

The 27th of March saw 3 Sand Martins passing through Holywell Pond,one lingered to feed in a cool 10 degrees. The 30th, and an early Swallow was a welcome sight hawking along the lee of hedgerows in the evening. It or another present the following day.

On the pond, 2 pairs of Shoveler, 2 pairs of Gadwall , 7 Little Grebes and a Great Crested Grebe. 4-5 Reed Buntings at feeders and in song, and 12 Tree Sparrows also at feeders.

In the dene on 31st, a warm sun encouraged much singing . 13 Chiffchaffs noted as numbers build, with birds calling and chasing each other. Treecreeper, Jay, 6 Nuthatches, 7 Tree Sparrows, Grey Wagtail, two pairs of Dippers, drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and numerous Great,Blue and Coal Tits were all seen. A noisy pair of Kestrels mating in a tree. 3 Song Thrushes noted too.

Along the nearby waggonway, 2 male Yellowhammers and 2 Reed Buntings and more Chiffchaffs. 2-3 Skylarks singing over the fields.

A.S.Jack

There was a Green sandpiper today at NZ 061 841; this was on the edge of a ditch flowing alongside the byway which crosses the River Wansbeck by a ford 50m north, near Middleton village. There is a footbridge nearby if you want to approach from the north and dont fancy the ford.

Ian Douglas

Out to Bothal Pond as the Great White Egret continues to give excellent views. At first we thought long distance viewing was going to be the order of the day as it fed happily in the N/E corner. After several people arrived & departed in quick order happy to tick on a five second view we felt that patience might give rewards. And so it proved as the Egret took flight & flew down into the S/E corner near the minor road. Here it performed admirably though unsure what it was actually feeding on. Looks like some sort of crustacean in the photo.

The second earliest county record having been seen at Backworth Pond on 13th & then relocating to Bothal Pond the following day. Also at Bothal Pond were a pair of Great Crested Grebes and at least 10 Pochard with 8 males.

Tim & Janet Dean

My first trip of the year to a favourite area of Northumberland, the fells and moors of Allendale in the south west. Winter here is quiet, with limited birdlife, many species vacating the uplands to spend the colder months at the coast or migrating south. March however, sees the return of birds arriving for the breeding season.

Most obvious are the many waders that breed here in these uplands, with this area holding the greatest populations of these birds in the county. A mild, calm day and Lapwings were everywhere with many males giving their superb tumbling display flights, with their fabulous calls ringing out over every field and moor. Birds were on the ground too, bowing and scraping at prospective nest sites, with the females watching on, males uttering a constant Corncrake-like buzzing call as they displayed their red undertails. Nearby, newly arrived birds remained in large flocks, yet to begin pairing off for the season, though pairs can remain in close contact throughout the winter. The other most obvious species here is the Curlew and they too were displaying in good numbers, slowly gliding while “singing” their bubbling calls. 30-40 males made for a great sight and sound.

Six or seven Snipe could be seen and heard in their display  flights,  calling and drumming with their outer tail feathers. Redshanks too were displaying in small numbers, many yet to arrive on their breeding grounds and the same with Golden Plover, four calling/displaying with many more to arrive.

Skylarks were well in evidence, with many singing on the wing or from posts but only a handful of Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails had returned so far. A speciality of the area is Black Grouse, sadly in decline and 3 males only were seen perched on dry-stone walls. Red Grouse were however commonly seen in pairs and a road casualty noted sadly.

A pair of Buzzards soared in the distance, calling. Heading north to Grindon next, the water levels here being the highest seen in many years, the lough appearing almost double the usual width. Many Teal were present, with lesser numbers of Wigeon, Goldeneye (26) and Mallard. Here too  Skylarks were singing in good numbers and a few Meadow Pipits seen.

Returning via Whittle Dene, where a singing Yellowhammer was the first heard this year. Skylarks here too and a pair of newly arrived Great Crested Grebes completed a fine day.

Alan S. Jack

There were about 60 Whooper Swans on the water at Derwent reservoir today.  At the same time about 100 more flew over going from SW to NE.

We also saw a pair of Great crested Grebes from the North shore (the Northumberland side) about half a mile west of the dam.

Jim Bowyer

A Smew and an adult Med Gull were at Swallow Pond this afternoon.

M.P.Frankis

Over the past month up to 19 Whooper Swans have been recorded at Druridge Pools and the nearby fields. They often can be found in the fields adjacent to the cottages, near the entrance to Druridge Pools. The road between Cresswell and Druridge Pools, currently is closed, however hopefully should be opening again in the next two weeks.

Whooper Swans at Druridge Pools by Chris Barlow

Grindon Lough was looking magnificent today.

The long staying Drake American Wigeon is still present. Other highlights this morning included a Tundra Bean Goose, two Pintail (6 were present yesterday) and Goosander.  Over the past couple of weeks there has also been records of White-fronted Goose, Red-necked Grebe and Scaup.

Paul Massey

Yesterday’s brief and distant Iceland Gull at Seahouses, Northumberland.

Steve Percival