A photo of the Green Sandpiper which was at Swallow Pond today.
M.P.Frankis
2 Tundra Bean Geese still Budle Bay..no suprise its bitter !!
Chris Knox
A Black Tern was at East Chevington this evening with Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns, as well as 5 White Wagtails and 200+ Sand Martins.
Jonathan Farooqi
This morning I spent some time at St Mary’s in the hope of catching up with some summer visitors. I didn’t manage to record any year ticks, however noted a Swallow, a few Sand Martin and some Fulmars.
A single Stonechat was enjoying the sunshine with small groups of Linnet and Goldfinch and a single Reed Bunting. Along the coastline, very few waders were around. A single Grey Heron relaxed on the rocks below.
Paul Buskin
About 500 Golden Plover were at the western end of Grindon Lough today. Most were in full breeding plumage. Wow!!
Mike Smith
Male Wheatear, 8 Sand Martin, drake Pintail & 185+ Fieldfare at Grindon Lough this evening.
Paul Massey
A Rock Pipit (Littoralis) at East Chevington on the 6th April.
Hector Galley
Inland Grey Plover at Grindon Lough this afternoon.
Paul Massey
At Gosforth Park this morning, there were 3 Little Egret on the flash pool, 1 CR, with (l) red ring with white J, (r) yellow with black HG.
M.P.Frankis
Ferruginous Duck at Arcot Pond, found by GM at 17:40.
Steve Holliday
Green Woodpecker yaffling east of Killy Arms Pub; Killingworth Village.
Chris Knox
A male and female Bullfinch was in my garden this morning. They appeared to be a pair and stayed for about 10 minutes happily feeding on the buds of my plum tree. I have seen them do this at this time of year in the past but not for a few years.
Gordon Whitfield, Allendale.
After spending some time at Gosforth Park; and then Killingworth Lake, the Ferruginous Duck then moved on to a small area of freshwater at the Silverlink. The next day however, it returned to WWT Washington, where it has been entertaining visitors for over a year.
Photos below by M.P.Frankis of the Ferruginous Duck whilst it was at the Silverlink
The Great White Egret was still at Druridge Pools today at 09:25, whilst at 11:45 there 2 Water Pipits showing well from Budge hide.
Steve Holliday
At East Chevington this morning there were 3 Shorelark, 32 Twite, a Slavonian Grebe and 9 Scaup.
Rob Stonehouse
One of four Wheatear from Cresswell Pond today.
Tom Lowe
There was a nice juv Glaucous Gull at St.Mary’s Island on the rocks by the bend before the second car park at 07:15 this morning.
Whilst at the Blyth Estuary there was a 2cy drake Velvet Scoter showing well at the mouth of the estuary at 09:05.
Tom Lowe
A great weekend of warm sunshine and Spring-like conditions saw me once again in what is the best area in the county for nesting wading birds, Allendale. A good variety and good numbers of the various species which make these uplands their summer home, were very much in evidence, with Lapwing being the most numerous.
Many were paired off and having arrived recently from their winter coastal haunts or warmer climes were beginning courtship and nesting. The late cold snap and snow of the previous week had quickly disappeared. Many males were performing their tumbling display flights, “singing” their evocative song, impressing females and seeing off rivals, with at least 120 pairs noted over several kilometres of heath and moorland. Some flocks too which had yet to disperse.
A few females were already sitting tight on nests and males were calling and “up-ending” on prospective nest sites, displaying their red undertails. Curlews too displayed and called in good numbers all over the area. Redshanks and Snipe sang and drummed over many fields.
A flock of 200+ Golden Plover fed in one field and a few called and displayed at great heights. Oystercatchers fed in fields not yet settled on their river nest sites. Also returned to breed were Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails, though not yet in great numbers and several Skylarks sang above.
Up on the moors, Red Grouse were common and a pair of Stonechats were flycatching, the male singing at times. Siskin, Redpoll, Grey Wagtail and Dipper seen. At one spot, a pair of Black Grouse quietly fed.
A total of 5 Common Buzzards were noted and Hares were common in the area, which was good to see. A search for Ring Ousels and Wheatears drew a blank however.
Alan Jack
A Ring-necked Duck was found at Hauxley Nature Reserve last week and was popular with birders on the 25th-26th March. The site is currently closed for major development work, however was open last weekend to show members/visitors how the project is developing etc..
The bird was present initially at Hauxley on the Saturday, but later flew to East Chevington. The Ring-necked Duck was back again at Hauxley on the Sunday however and was showing very well from the ‘Wader Hide’.
Hauxley remains closed again from Monday 27th March. Please visit the Northumberland Wildlife Trust website to view any further open days.
It is always worth checking East Chevington just in case, it decides to go for a wander again to explore the magnificent nature reserves of Druridge Bay.
The photos below are by Alan Curry and feature the Ring-necked Duck, whilst it was at Hauxley this weekend.
A few photos from Druridge Pools this evening…
A Water Pipit and a Great White Egret.
Jonathan Farooqi
A Ferruginous Duck was at Killingworth Lake on Friday 24th March. It is likely to be the same bird that has been at Gosforth Park recently; which is considered to the same bird that has been enjoying the facilities at WWT Washington for over a year.
Some photos below by Alan Curry of the Ferruginous Duck, whilst it was on Killingworth Lake.
The photo below is by Paul Buskin, and is of the Ferruginous Duck that was present at WWT Washington for over a year (Spot the difference, if any).
Ferruginous Duck and a male Pochard seen near the Great crested Grebes at 1.30 pm.
Neil Cairns
Some photos of the recent Black-throated Thrush from Prestwick Carr on the 20th March 2017.
Alan Curry
11 Brambling still feeding in the garden this morning, Cramlington – getting late now…
Drake Scaup (a hybrid aythya type!) on Arcot Pond 09:55.
Steve Holliday
A shot of the Great Grey Shrike at Prestwick Carr, taken yesterday evening…
Jonathan Farooqi
Great day out on the Northumberland/ Durham border. Lots of Red Grouse displaying and both Golden Plovers and Peewits all very very close to the roadside areas. Curlews remained distant though. Black headed Gull colony nearby now a hype of activity. A Kestrel and a three Buzzards seen driving back.
Neil Cairns