Holy Island 21st september

Holy Island 21st september

Having been on Holy Island 3 times in the last week and being gluttons for punishment we decided to go back again today. The numbers were well down on our last visit, no Red Backed Shrike, Yellow-browed Warblers or Greenish Warbler this time, but we were still treated to an elusive Firecrest in Alders beside the Lough along with a much more obvious Siberian Stonechat on a fence nearby.
The willows at the end of the Straight Lonnen held a Common Redstart and a Lesser Whitethroat, an Arctic Skua menaced Gannet's off Emmanuel Head and in the Vicars garden Spotted Flycatchers were joined by a gorgeous Wood Warbler.
Our day was made complete with a first for our garden in the form of yet another Lesser Whitethroat.

The bunting is out.....

Sighting from the last few days include a Barn owl flying over the road at Alnwick Moor on the 15th September.  At least two Redwings flew over Alnwick yesterday evening (16th September).

Today there were 2 Ravens flew towards the Cheviots calling loudly, 2 Kestrels, 5 Skylarks and parties of Meadow pipits on Weetwood Moor. There were also 42 Reed buntings (mostly in one flock).  The majority of these birds were feeding on the seeds of Purple-moor grass and Heath rush.  A Dor beetle was found on one of the grassy tracks along with several Red Admirals and a White-tailed bumblebee.

Wryneck

If you are interested, there is a particularly showy Wryneck at Hadston at the minute. Found yesterday by Dave Elliott, it is in the small rubbish tip on the south edge of the boat compound. This is situated near the T junction from the minor road east, just south of Amble.

Its well worth a visit...

Fenham Flats again

The year moves on and WeBS for September was today, the sky was clear and there was a warmth to the air. As happened last month the first birds picked out were a small group of 3 Little Egrets and as I moved out to the point more birds made their presence known, including a single Greenshank as it "chew,chew,chew'd" overhead. More unusual for the site was a single Green Sandpiper in the dunes, when I reached the point I was greeted with the sight of a huge flock of 770 Oystercatchers on the sand, on the island just offshore were gathered a mixed flock of 354 Bar-tailed Godwits and 222 Redshank along with smaller numbers of Knot,Eiders and yet more Oystercatchers. A noisy interlude was provided by 21 Arctic Terns and a small group of 5 Little Terns. As I headed back I could hear an unmistakable sound which heralds the  autumn as a flock of 340 Pale-bellied Brent Geese landed on the flats, this autumnal feel was reinforced by the sight of 940 Wigeon on the water near Elwick hide, what other time of year could you get Arctic Terns and Brent Geese on the same walk.   

An evening stroll

The Dodds clan went for a stroll around Branton Ponds on Monday evening.  There was a beautiful sunset which accompanied one or two birds of interest.  These include a little egret that flew upstream, a kingfisher, two green sandpipers flew high overhead and a late sedge warbler calling from the reed bed at the western end of the West Pool.  Reasonable numbers of both willow warbler and chiffchaff were calling from the scrub along with several goldcrests.

There was a reasonable selection of waterfowl including several wigeon, great crested and little grebes. Ian and Keith were also in view for a short period.