Breydon Water II

A different route along the N shore in wintry weather: rain and wind imported down from the place I dread to name. As I rave on hailstones are trying to put the window through.

I specifically searched for Geese and finally found a joint large flock  of Greylag and Pink-footed in one field. They hung around for a while before moving off a short distance and settling ironically nearer to where shotguns were being exercised in the marshes.
A beastie was galloping to and fro in the first field among the Geese and putting up groups of Greylag - the Pink-footed weren't bothered. I thought it was an immature wild boar but the bins revealed it to be a Muntjac Deer - a mammalian tick.

All of the species seen here yesterday were present minus the Marsh Harrier. Wigeon numbers were in thousands while newbies were a pr Gadwall and c15 Pintail. Curlew hit the 200 mark while Dunlin & Redshank probably exceeded this.
Others: 2 each Grey Heron & Kestrel, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied  Wagtail, Gulls galore.

Away Week Yarmouth

En route 2 Buzzard, 1 each Kestrel & Cormorant, 5 LTT, Cattle Egret (my first for the UK ) Grey Heron, c200 Mute Swan, Lapwings, c100 PFG? (distance) Herring Gulls etc.

Breydon Water Day One. Calm Sunny and Cold. When I got there the tide was up so I took a long walk along the S shore returning the same route and then nearly halfway back again to retrieve my dropped binocular case doh!

There was a spectacular flight display of c600 Lapwing and similar no. of Golden Plover lasting 2/3 minutes to start with. Then I picked up several Shelduck and Curlew along with a couple of Stonechat. Scanning the fields and marshes got me a Marsh Harrier followed shortly after by Little Egret and a nearby exploding Cettis Warbler.

The tide dropped and the wader action began with numerous Redshank, several Black-tailed Godwit and hundreds of Dunlin. Strange that I should only  get 2 Oystercatcher methinks. Shoveler & Teal came relatively close while further out on the mudflats were hundreds of Wigeon.

After some grub I went down to the beach to look for the specialty here and I was onto the beauties immediately. c28 Mediterranean Gull were loafing around with one particular bird quite amenable for photography (pics later) A handful of these birds were sporting leg rings and I know from my last visit they are local breeders.

A Wish List for Queensbury

These 3 photos were taken by DW. I'm hoping to see them locally, probably after my first flying pig.

Raggalds to Mixenden

Raggalds Flood devoid of life a few small gulls nearby.
Soil Hill produced just a Crow and an overwhelming misery.
3 LBBG flew W over Ogden Res which was graced by a f Goosander, the usual trash otherwise.
In 2017 I waited until December for my first Treecreeper. Today I was lucky to get good views of one, pity I was slow with the camera.

The walk to Mixenden coughed up 1 each Meadow Pipit, Green Woodpecker & loudly calling Little Owl. 4 Sheep appear to have succumbed to the rigours of the prolonged cold snap.
The reservoir was quiet: 1 Cormorant & the 3 Goldeneye plus usual Gulls. Managed a Sparrowhawk on leaving for home.

I'm honoured in being asked to sit on a panel that surveys Strigiformes. I'll have to think about it as it means moving to BarnOwlsdwick.

Swillington Ings

1130-1340 hrs. Mild sunny at times clouding over later.

Off to a great start with the Great White Egret showing well although a bit distant.

It tailed off and was steady after that but there were some good birds to be had. 3 Sinensis Cormorants were present, looking like punk rockers compared to the Phalacacorax Carbon Dioxide types.

The wind was tame by Queensbury standards but was sufficient to keep Passerines down eg there was nothing at Marsh/Willow Tit corner. Several Blackbird, 1 each Stonechat & Reed Bunting, pr Yellowhammer.

Hundreds Lapwing, Teal, Tufted Duck, Coot, few Moorhen. Numerous Wigeon, 5 Pintail, 10 Goldeneye ditto Curlew, 5 GCG, 2 Pochard, 8 Goosander, several Gadwall, Shelduck, Shoveler. 1 each Meadow Pipit & Pied Wagtail, 2 Skylark, Kestrel being the only raptor seen.

A good away day and I enjoyed the wade through 6 inches of flood water over Swillington causeway, saves on washing ones socks eh.

Raggalds to Mixenden

Raggalds Flood iced over just a few small gulls. Soil Hell was passage only to Ogden Res which was abysmal. Just the usual scuzzers on the water and lots of sludge on the footpath. A GSW calling. The Lodge House feeders are back on the menu and lively with Blue, Great & Coal Tits. Also here was a m Bullfinch, 3 Chaffinch & a Blackbird.

A few more Blackbird were seen en route to Mixenden along with a couple of Goldfinch. The reservoir held 4 Cormorant, a pr Dullards, 11 Canada & the long staying 3 Goldeneye. 8 LTT were working the Alders with a Pheasant nearby. I couldn't pick out anything large among the numerous small gulls.

PS Went into the kitchen turned on the light and turned on a Tawny Owl in the  trees at the back. HOOTS MON!

Horton Bank CP to Shelf Moor

Turned out to be for exercise value only. Horton Bank CP has lost the Tufted and Goosanders. 6 Mute Swan, few Coots, Moorhens, Dullards. Several BHG and one large imm. gull which I couldn't be bothered to sort. Blackbird, Blue & Gt Tits.
Other than that it was down to see the drug pushers and their detritus for entertainment.
Walk to Shelf Moor produced nothing but few caawvids.

Low Moor Dams

1100 hrs Harold Park Lake on the quiet side. 10 Tufted Duck, pr Mute Swan, 1 f Goosander, plenty BHG plus the Coots & Moorhens.

Park Dam was busier with 2 pr Goosander and some good gull activity. I have to admit I had difficulty sorting out c9 1/2CY birds, especially one rather 'over brown' Herring type. I managed to get it down to 3 Adult Herring for certain and probably 3 younger. There wasn't a single adult LBBG but appeared to be 5/6 younger.

This brown individual caused me problems throughout in the light conditions

Also present: 4 Cormorant, 2 GCG, 1 Little Grebe, numerous BHG, few Common Gull. pr Mute Swan, Coots, Moorhens, c54 Canada, 4 Blackbird, several House Sparrow, 1 each Jay & Mistle Thrush.

A modicum of Lapwing in the High Cross Lane fields on the way home.

Everyday Birds

I never fail to be amazed at how birds crop up in the aspects of daily life whether it be social or cultural. Just the other day I was in the Bakers when I observed a short crust pastry product with black and white feathers protruding from the top - a Pied Wagtail.
A nearby shelf was laden with raspberry and strawberry confections Redstarts.
I asked the baker where she kept her ingredients for cakes etc, the reply was in the Buntins.

The music industry is well known for its avian celebrities. The 60s produced Petula Lark, The Dave Lark Five, Jethro Gull, (actually has a few songs incorporating birds in their title) with Alice Whooper appearing in the 70s. A Chicago Blues musician held dear in the hearts of such fans was a lover of Strigiformes - Owling Wolf. A nigh contemporary was another fan of both corvidae and fringilladae - Screaming Jay Hawfinch.
You may ask why have I not mentioned those musical Hirundines The House Martins? It's simply that I find them hard to Swallow.

The Building industry too has avian connections there's a Crane in the back field. To further cement this claim I've just seen a plasterer with a Skimmer. His mate said it's too cold I'll just do a Little Stint, in the Jay CB. The site foreman said I'm locking the gate, when you return use the security bell and Buzzard.

Raggalds to Mixenden.

Not much doing bird wise but at least I got an hill to walk over.
Raggalds Flood: c100 Lapwing.
Soil Hill: didn't bother. Ogden has been swamped with post Xmas trees and the path is just a mud bath. Usual Dullards & small Dulls, 1 LBBG, couple LTT.
A few Redwing and  Sparrowhawk nr Mixenden Res which I didn't have time to check out.

More From Hartlepool Area

These photos all taken by DW.

Hartlepool and Redcar

I took advantage of a kind offer from DW to go birding in the Cleveland area on Thursday staying overnight and returning home Friday pm.

A list of birds seen follows without any specific counts; needless to say some were in hundreds, some in scores some less than ten.

Herring & GBB Gulls, Mediterranean Gull, small Gull sp. Cormorant (including 1
Sinenses), Eider, Shelduck, Shoveler, Mallard, Red-breasted Merganser, Gadwall, Pintail, Pochard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Whooper Swan, Barnacle, Greylag & Canada Goose. Auk sp., Scoter sp. (probably Common).

Grey Heron, Little Egret, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Golden Plover, Greenshank, Redshank, Lapwing, Knot, Oystercatcher, Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone, Sanderling,
Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe. Water Rail.

Rock Pipit, Linnet, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Twite.
Blackbird, Fieldfare, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Kestrel, Buzzard, Coal Tit, Blue & Gt Tit, Wren, Dunnock.
Pheasant, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Starling, House & Tree Sparrow.

We may have got the Lapland Bunting but sightings were brief in misty conditions so it won't be claimed.

Queensbury to Shibden Head

Littlemoor Park approx 1235 hours was very noisy with Blue & Great Tits plus 4 Blackbird, 1 Dunnock & a GSW. A pr of Gt Tits were investigating the large Owl Box which could probably house 25 nests.
Thence it was Yawnsville all the way right through High Cross Lane to the bottom of Green Lane - nowt, nada, nichts, zilch.

Shibden Head started off like a mortuary on a Sunday afternoon. It improved slightly toward  the last leg, notably mine. Kestrel, pr Jay, Blackbird, Gt Tits, 1 small Gull in the air.
I've seen more birds on the cover of Cat Lovers R Us by Claud Balls a book that should not be flicked through but read from scratch.

Ogden to Mixenden Res

Ogden Res approx 1105 hrs. Usual garbage plus drake Tufted Duck on the partly frozen drink.
Ringed BHG X2T6 was on the ice. Passerines down to 2 each Coal Tit & Robin, Blackbird & Goldfinch.

Nothing at all Stod Fold.
Mixenden Res: 4 Cormorant, 3 Goldeneye a pr & separate female. Plenty small gulls & 1 Lazy Black Back on the buoy.

Away Day Birds

I went to the coast, there was a high tide and strong winds; it was Ruff. Another birder asked me had I seen the large flock of Waders. I replied No I did Knot.
A novice birder said he wondered if it was possible to get scarce Larks here. I told him Shore in the affirmative.

My lady friend, both a Ships Carpenter and birder was smoothing down a Rail using Sandpiper. Being Green on this subject I asked her Is it Wood? The previous nights beer took it's toll and I belched, she shouted Oh You are Common!

The local butcher was preparing lots of kebabs on a Great Skua. Now and then he would lob a piece of fat on a hooked line into the nearby shellfish beds; he was an Oystercatcher. His wife was moving a rock off the beach, she was a Turnstone. I felt useless so I asked her if I could have a Tern. She replied It's OK but your Gull friend can help. I responded which the Black Headed? She retorted No! the Little.

Horton Bank To Queensbury Sth

Horton Bank Country Park turned out to be fairly busy:
2 pr Goosander, m Tufted Duck, 3 Canada, 6 Mute Swan, 1 Grey Heron, 2 LBBG, 1 Herring Gull, several small gull sp. few Coot & Moorhen.

Shelf Moor had 2 Mistle Thrush, ditto Redwing & 6 Fieldfare together in a field at Soaper Lane.
The Cross Lane area had 2 Snipe, 17 Lapwing, several small gull sp. 3 Mistle Thrush were at Corporal Lane and a Kestrel came out to hover at top of Jackson Hill Lane.

Halifax Thrushes

A lady I know took me to an Earthenware and Pottery Centre so birds were the last thing on my mind. Therefore I was amazed to see her pick up a Stone Curlew. After we'd seen more exhibits and had a great conversation I thanked her for the Stonechat.

DW was in Halifax around lunchtime and saw 12 Redwing in Queensgate.

Ogden To Mixenden Res

A Fulmar flew around Queensbury early this morning looking for a Petrel Station.

Eleanor did no favours; Ogden was putrid, just the usual contamination of Dullards and a few BHGs. The only Passerines were 1 Blackbird & 2 Robins.

A pr of Stonechat were showing fairly well at Stod Fold with a Goldfinch nearby.
Mixenden Res had a pr Goldeneye, small gulls, 2 Blue Tit and somewhat unexpectedly 5 Goldcrest flitting through the Alders.

A new Barbers shop has opened in our High Street run by Razorbill a Bearded Tit called in.

Queensbury South

Seeing as a year has passed since my last birding walk I thought it prudent to get out and do a bit.
Littlemoor Park turned up a GSW, Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail besides Blue/Gt Tits, Blackbirds & Chaffinches. Someone has erected a rather large Owl Box, let's hope it gets put to use.

The Cross Lane bog coughed up a Snipe with c60 Lapwings flying over. Also seen: c14 Common Gulls, several BHGS ditto Jackdaws.