Walk down the Wooler Water on the 22nd october produced a kingfisher, 2 goosander, grey heron and several flocks of redwings. There were also tracks of both otter and American mink.
On the 23rd there were large flocks of redwings passing overhead at Wallington and small numbers of brambling feeding on beech mast. Common knapweed, ragwort and yarrow were all still in flower.
A barn owl was seen in the Beanley Plantation area in the evening on the 23rd.
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Monday, 22 October 2012
October 20th & 21st
What a beautiful weekend. Northumberland looked at it very best with the autumn colour. A number of people have said to me that the autumn colours appear to be later than usual. I would be interested in anyones views.
A trip to Cocklaburn, south of Berwick-upon-Tweed produced 12 red throated and 1 black throated divers, 7 common scoter, small numbers of guillemot and razorbill as well as a small selection of waders; knot, oystercatcher, turnstone, curlew and redshank. There was also a small amount visiable migration (viz mig) which included lapwing (120 south), skylark (12) and meadow pipit (4).
A report of little owl in a Glanton village garden was an excellent find on Sunday. Tree and house sparrows were much in evidence on Sunday afternoon on my allotment.
George
A trip to Cocklaburn, south of Berwick-upon-Tweed produced 12 red throated and 1 black throated divers, 7 common scoter, small numbers of guillemot and razorbill as well as a small selection of waders; knot, oystercatcher, turnstone, curlew and redshank. There was also a small amount visiable migration (viz mig) which included lapwing (120 south), skylark (12) and meadow pipit (4).
A report of little owl in a Glanton village garden was an excellent find on Sunday. Tree and house sparrows were much in evidence on Sunday afternoon on my allotment.
George
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Heath Groundsel
A walk along our farm road and along part of Titlington Lane yesterday (20th) revealed 21 species of plant still in some form of flower. I'll not bore people with the full list, but one particularly good spot was in a gateway churned up this summer by logging lorries. There was a prolific patch of a less-usual Groundsel species. Most people will be fully familiar with our standard Common Groundsel, but Titlington Pike has both Sticky Groundsel and Heath Groundsel (Senecio sylvaticus).
Usually Heath Groundsel has finished flowering by September, but this patch was in very vigorous flower.
A walk along our farm road and along part of Titlington Lane yesterday (20th) revealed 21 species of plant still in some form of flower. I'll not bore people with the full list, but one particularly good spot was in a gateway churned up this summer by logging lorries. There was a prolific patch of a less-usual Groundsel species. Most people will be fully familiar with our standard Common Groundsel, but Titlington Pike has both Sticky Groundsel and Heath Groundsel (Senecio sylvaticus).
Usually Heath Groundsel has finished flowering by September, but this patch was in very vigorous flower.
Thursday, 18 October 2012
18th October
The rain has kept me inside for most of this week. The only highlight were two swallows flying south, over Glanton, on Monday evening.
A break in the rain clouds meant that we were able to get some field work carried out in the Cheswick area. Highlights included a party of 42 snipe, 1 jack snipe and 24 skylarks flushed from a wet part of an arable field that had not been cut. There were also a small number of 'continental' blackbirds, 8 yellowhammers and 3 reed buntings.
At least six species of waxcap fungi were found in areas of 'fixed' sand dune but unfortunately there was also a patch of pirri-pirri bur. A flat calm sea produced only 2 shags. At 4pm, a large flock of 3,000+ starlings had started to gather to the north of Goswick Golf Club.
George
A break in the rain clouds meant that we were able to get some field work carried out in the Cheswick area. Highlights included a party of 42 snipe, 1 jack snipe and 24 skylarks flushed from a wet part of an arable field that had not been cut. There were also a small number of 'continental' blackbirds, 8 yellowhammers and 3 reed buntings.
At least six species of waxcap fungi were found in areas of 'fixed' sand dune but unfortunately there was also a patch of pirri-pirri bur. A flat calm sea produced only 2 shags. At 4pm, a large flock of 3,000+ starlings had started to gather to the north of Goswick Golf Club.
George
Monday, 15 October 2012
More late flowers.
Today Jane and I walked a different part of our patch and I can add some more plants that we found still with some flowering heads.
Creeping Buttercup and Autmn Hawkbit (Schorzoneroides autumnalis) were in the rough grazing fields. Toad Rush was in the wetter parts. A few Harebells were among the dead bracken stems.
In the Titlington Burn Thread-leaved Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus trichophyllus) had a few flowers as did Small Sweet-grass (Glyceria declinata) in a burn-side pool.
In that same pool was quite a quantity of Autumnal Water-starwort (Callitriche hermaphroditica). It probably wasn't in flower, although it would be hard to tell because the Water-starwort flowers are tiny things in the leaf axils. I mention it because it is a fairly uncommon species in North Northumberland and worth recording and also because it gives me the excuse to add another horribly long Latin name to frighten Stewart.
Today Jane and I walked a different part of our patch and I can add some more plants that we found still with some flowering heads.
Creeping Buttercup and Autmn Hawkbit (Schorzoneroides autumnalis) were in the rough grazing fields. Toad Rush was in the wetter parts. A few Harebells were among the dead bracken stems.
In the Titlington Burn Thread-leaved Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus trichophyllus) had a few flowers as did Small Sweet-grass (Glyceria declinata) in a burn-side pool.
In that same pool was quite a quantity of Autumnal Water-starwort (Callitriche hermaphroditica). It probably wasn't in flower, although it would be hard to tell because the Water-starwort flowers are tiny things in the leaf axils. I mention it because it is a fairly uncommon species in North Northumberland and worth recording and also because it gives me the excuse to add another horribly long Latin name to frighten Stewart.
Saturday, 13 October 2012
12th & 13th October
Belated news from Branton Pools where there were 4 Common scoter (2 male, 2 female) which are a first for the site. They were floating around with a group of tufted duck. Other species of interest included a common darter dragonfly, 3 pochard, 5 little grebes and at least 3 chiffchaffs.
Today the two Georges had a trip to the coast. There were 2 snow geese with 750 pink footed geese in stubble fields at Fenham le Moor. Three peregrines of different ages gave a good display with talon grappling and an immature catching a teal. Other birds of interest on the Flats included 4 scaup, 1 little egret, 1000 barnacle geese, slavonian and great crested grebe, a good selection of waders including a black-tailed godwit and a very high count of eider (520). There were also some migrants in the bushes including a flock of 30 twite, 1 male blackcap. 2 chiffchaffs and at least one brambling. There were also two small tortoiseshell butterflies moving south.
A late lunch at Stag Rocks, Bamburgh produced 1 arctic skua, 2 arctic tern, 1 sandwich tern, 19, common scoter and a heavy passage of auks and gannets out at sea.
Today the two Georges had a trip to the coast. There were 2 snow geese with 750 pink footed geese in stubble fields at Fenham le Moor. Three peregrines of different ages gave a good display with talon grappling and an immature catching a teal. Other birds of interest on the Flats included 4 scaup, 1 little egret, 1000 barnacle geese, slavonian and great crested grebe, a good selection of waders including a black-tailed godwit and a very high count of eider (520). There were also some migrants in the bushes including a flock of 30 twite, 1 male blackcap. 2 chiffchaffs and at least one brambling. There were also two small tortoiseshell butterflies moving south.
A late lunch at Stag Rocks, Bamburgh produced 1 arctic skua, 2 arctic tern, 1 sandwich tern, 19, common scoter and a heavy passage of auks and gannets out at sea.
Still in Flower
A walk this morning (13th) on our home patch at Titlington Mount revealed quite a number of species still in flower - that's proper flower, not just old seed heads.
Out on the moor were all three heather species, Ling, Bell Heather and Cross-leaved Heath. Tormentil was still showing and best of all were the dense flowering patches of Climbing Corydalis.
Closer to the house were Chickweed, Red Deadnettle, Groundsel, Procumbent Pearlwort, Creeping Thistle and Annual Meadow Grass.
I'm always in two minds about whether to add the Latin names of common species. Rigour says I should. Instinct says most people will think it unnecessary. Perhaps I should use just the Latin names and force people to check their books to see what the plants actually are!
There were a number of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks on the moor and we put up two Snipe.
The bird tables at the moment have up to six Tree Sparrows at a time, but the Siskins which had started to return to the tables in mid-September have disappeared again.
Richard
A walk this morning (13th) on our home patch at Titlington Mount revealed quite a number of species still in flower - that's proper flower, not just old seed heads.
Out on the moor were all three heather species, Ling, Bell Heather and Cross-leaved Heath. Tormentil was still showing and best of all were the dense flowering patches of Climbing Corydalis.
Closer to the house were Chickweed, Red Deadnettle, Groundsel, Procumbent Pearlwort, Creeping Thistle and Annual Meadow Grass.
I'm always in two minds about whether to add the Latin names of common species. Rigour says I should. Instinct says most people will think it unnecessary. Perhaps I should use just the Latin names and force people to check their books to see what the plants actually are!
There were a number of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks on the moor and we put up two Snipe.
The bird tables at the moment have up to six Tree Sparrows at a time, but the Siskins which had started to return to the tables in mid-September have disappeared again.
Richard
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)