Thursday 21 March 2019

The Overlap Zone ... Spring meets Winter ... a Superb Glaucous Gull and Returning Avocets while Eiders display ...

Cresswell Pond had a distinctly springlike feel yesterday with Avocets back and vocal as ever ...


... two pairs looking territorial while nearby a few Dunlin fed and Lapwings still in winter mode ...



It is always a joy to visit my old stomping ground of Tyneside ... and particularly the Fish Quay at North Shields where white-winged gulls have been a special draw for me over four decades ... the relaxed and friendly locals at the Fish Quay make birding there easy ...

Eiders were swimming around in small groups with both males and females performing head-throwing displays along with their quirky vocalisations ...



Then the juvenile Glaucous Gull that had frequented the area for ten days or so flew in and perched on the quay ...




... a superb looking individual with that characteristic pink-based bill with solid black tip ...



... as it flew the fine markings on the tail and wing coverts contrasted with the pale primaries ...


... and as it circled overhead along with some Herring Gulls the light made the primaries look almost transparent ...

After some time flying around it joined some other birds on the roof of the Fish Quay ...



... but taking off again as the sun came through it looked very pale ...


... then, never particularly keen to join the other gulls, it alighted on another rooftop ...





... and finally more great views as the gull again perched on the edge of the quay ... looking truly imperious ...






Sunday 10 March 2019

More Ordinary Birding ... at Talkin and Tindale Tarns ... and in my garden ...

My recent WeBS count at Talkin Tarn predictably produced lower numbers as birds begin to move to breeding sites ... the remaining birds were looking pristine in the all too brief early morning sunshine ...


... always a nice looking bird this male Goosander swam into a sheltered bay ...


... and turning to give a crisp profile ...


... then some snorkelling activity ...



... and the few remaining Tufted Ducks were looking good too ...

Goldeneye were down to just three there whereas at Tindale Tarn there were still fourteen scattered across the flooded tarn ... the larger of the islands only just cleared the water surface giving standing room for a single Cormorant ...
... a pair of Common Gulls lingered purposefully at the east end and just managed to land on the wooden platform where the waves splashed around ...


This is a rare breeding species for England and for Cumbria ...


... it last bred in Northumberland in 2000 ...

Late winter has seen the small feeding flock of Bramblings in my garden increase to around fifteen birds in the last week ... always a feisty visitor to the feeders - this adult male is exerting his authority ...

... and Stock Doves are back after several months absence ...


... rather warily joining in the feeding fest ...




Saturday 2 March 2019

An Ordinary Day on the Solway ... some Twite , Greenshank and a closer look at some common species ...

It was resolutely grey yesterday but in the very calm conditions the glassy water with its crisp reflections made up for the overall monochrome effect ...

Glasson Point had a few Goldeneye displaying nicely but were extremely flighty ... the whirring of their wings carried in the still air ... Great Crested Grebes also performed their display ritual far across the bay ... as the tide dropped a pair of Greenshanks flew over to a sand bank ...



... and a Chaffinch sang heartily from bare twigs in the dull light ...


... the spring sounds were interrupted by Pinkfeet ... first crossing the Solway to the Scottish side before swinging back ... maybe the misty conditions disorientated them ...


The mudflats towards Port Carlisle were occupied by good numbers of Shelduck ...




Similar numbers of Oystercatchers were there ... all the adults now in summer plumage ...


... and the first-summer birds showing their white 'cut-throats' and dark-tipped bills ...


Even on the quietest of days Port Carlisle seems to hold birds ...

An adult Grey Heron looked striking with the bright white forehead that reveals its maturity ...


And one of the now commonplace Little Egrets foraged energetically and successfully not far away ...



Little flocks of Wigeon were scattered around and returned to the water repeatedly to give some nice visual effects ...



More Pinkfeet announced their arrival and flew right overhead ...


With the movement towards spring the numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls are now increasing ... this one looked almost intermedius in the murky light but then showed itself to be one of our local graellsii birds ...


On the Wampool channel as it wended its way across Moricambe Bay there were more flocks of mixed waders ... more Curlew and Oystercatchers here ...


And coming into Anthorn as I scrutinised some very variable Meadow Pipits a little group of Twite suddenly appeared and proceeded to feed in the horse field just in front of me ...



The sound of thousands of Barnacle Geese cut through the air as they fed across the Wampool on Newton Marsh ...

... distantly one of the regular leucistic birds was among the flock ...


On the mud banks by the bend in the Wampool it was a true birdfest ! ... mixed Pinkfeet and Barnace Geese



... all busily doing something ... even a hint of weak sunshine into the mix ...

Gulls occupied one strip of water ...


... mixed Black-headed and Common Gulls ...

... there often seems to be a darker mantled individual among the Common Gulls ... and there was ...


... nothing much to see in the open wing ...



... and other aspects of the bird gave little credence to any thoughts of heinei ... but maybe some eastern genes in the mix from the intergrade zone  ...

... it took a passing gyrocopter to stir the goose flock ... they looked and sounded even more impressive as they relocated further into the marsh ...