On a tightrope....

Have you ever watched a Woodpigeon trying to balance on a telephone wire?  If not you have missed something truly uplifting.  There it was, outside the bathroom window, precariously trying to balance at right angles to the wire like a tight-rope walker facing the wrong way.  Its tail was twitching up and down, it's wings were being used to steady it, it even turned round to see if that would help.  It didn't.  Eventually, after a very wobbly few minutes it did what it does best and flew off to join its buddy on a more substantial perch in a tree.

I really enjoy the woodpigeons that visit the back yard.  This one enjoyed cooling down in the birds drinking water, but that was quite some time ago when it was HOT.

Mora J Rolley, Alnwick

Brooding and building

Today I discovered a Blackbirds nest in my garden, tucked away in the top third of a large Privet hedge. The female bird was brooding the nest, sitting tight and low so obviously on eggs. In another part of my garden I watched a second female collecting nest material so it looks as though I will have two broods at least this year.

                                                       Blackbird nest building today

Possible White tailed Eagle...

Today at 11.20am our friends, Heather and Dave Steele saw what they believe to be a White tailed Eagle flying over Howick towards the quarry. They were alerted by the calls of Buzzards that were mobbing the bird overhead, and in size comparison they were dwarfed. The eagle circled the quarry a couple of times high up before disappearing off to the west.

Although Heather and Dave are not birders, they are reliable and have seen sea eagle before on the western isles. It may be worth keeping an eye skywards for the next day or two to see if it passes your area.

I came home at 12.00pm just in time to hear what I had missed!

This morning myself and JWR took a wander along the disused railway line near Overthwarts farm, Lemmington. It was very cold and wintry, but slowly and surely spring is filtering through. Many birds were in song including a pair of Crossbills, several Yellowhammers and Nuthatch. 4 male Lapwings were performing their tumbling display flight in the damp meadows.

Although no flowering plants were blooming, these two fungi were found on a fallen tree over the Edlingham burn -

Scarlet Elfcup

Southern Bracket I think?

Edlingham Burn

A little life and colour

                                                                  Coltsfoot
                                                       


A walk around Shilbottle today looking for signs of life in the hedgerows inspired by Wednesday nights talk at the Wildlife Group meeting. I found this welcome patch of Coltsfoot in a sheltered field corner. Further along towards Buston Common Scurvy-grass seemed to be fresh and thriving and showing some flower heads, growing through last years dead grass and withered thistle stems. Common plants, but for me interesting and not easy to identify.

                                                        Common Scurvy-grass

Cormorants & Sparrowhawks

Just been around Branton Ponds this a.m. and saw a Cormorant that has been around the area for a while. It has the indications of a "sinensis " sub species with very white head & neck markings & green tinging to the plummage, however my reference book indicates best way to confirm is the angle of the gular pouch ! I'm afraid my binos wheren't up to the task, so if any body gets a better view please let me know.
Meanwhile, following last nights meeting, and Stewarts incisive info on Sparrowhawk eye colour, I was inspired to read my Poyser book on Sparrowhawks. It seems they hatch with dark eyes but have pale yellow ones by fledging. As they become adults they all darken, but males tend to be the darkest sometimes becoming wine red as the photo showed.
Keith

Branton unsprung

Branton ponds were very cold on Sunday afternoon.  There was little sign of display amongst the ducks and geese and very little if not no song from the passerines.  Goat and grey willow were trying to open their catkins.  New growth on  shrubs such as hawthorn and elder were frosted and turning brown.  Black-headed gulls and oystercatchers were trying to get into the spring spirit but this was short lived. 

Other birds of interest included 1 kingfisher, 1 great crested grebe, 3 grey herons, 5 lesser black-backed gulls (wishing they were still in the Mediterranean) and good numbers of wigeon (80+) and goldeneye (12).  There were very few passerines with the exception of a good flock of yellowhammers (20+) and reed buntings (3) on the road between Branton and Branton Middlesteads.

Lesser Black Backed Gulls

A nice little flock of Gulls to day in flooded fields near Beadnell. Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull and my first Lesser Black Backed Gulls of the year.