Kittiwakes Doing Well

Thursday and an early morning walk across the Tyne Bridge to see how the Kittiwakes are getting on.  There are quite a few chicks around although there is quite a few Kittiwakes still sitting on eggs.   As you walk across the bridge some of them are sticking their heads out between the balustrades offering one some wonderful views.

The chicks just look absolutely stunning.

The eyes on the adult are just awesome.

Standing on the Bridge also enables you to see some great flight action

Also a few iconic shots of Newcastle which I never tire of seeing, first the Millenium Bridge,

then the Sage

and finally St Nicholas Cathedral

Too Much Work

Not done much this week, even most of my early morning sessions have been curtailed.  Did get a trip to Killingworth to see the Great Crested Grebes.  This chick is getting on quite well and in the 10mins we watched it must have had 5 fish to itself whilst the other 2 chicks just paddled around.

On the other side of the lake is another pair but they only have 1 chick which was born a lot later.  Johnny Kinsons Blog has some great pictures of them.

Back in the Garden the routine goes on, this Blackbird tends to pop onto the top of the Shed and takes a breather before taking the food he has collected to the chicks in the nest or possible the female as I havent heard any squealing yet from the direction of the nest.

Also a rare visitor to the garden is this Song Thrush which popped in one afternoon and stayed for 30 mins then left and has not been seen since.

Went out to West Hartford this morning for an hour and bumped into "The Master of Innuendo" and  Crammy Birder.  They told me of the Quail that had been there yesterday but no joy as The Jinx (Me) had arrived.  Also on the other side of the patch was Andy C and a couple of others.  After a while I had to go to Big Waters and was just wandering off when I heard Crammy shout and I turned around and there was a Red Squirrel sitting on a log not 2m behind me, up came the camera but it was away at a tremendous pace.  I did get what Crammy Birder generously called a record shot, I personally call it 3 inches of red blob but it did move at a fair lick with its head bobbing up and down as it sort of "vaulted" over small obstacles

Went up to Big Waters next to see how Alan and John were getting on with the ringing.  On the pond was yet another pair of Great Crested Grebes with 2 young (extremely small) both riding around on the parents back whilst the other parent kept feeding the with some fish that were nearly as big as the chicks.  They just couldn't get them down so the female eat them and Dad had to go and get some more suitable sized ones.  The highlight of the bird ringing was a close up view of a Garden Warbler.

Finally for the day one of my favourite little mammals, the Bank Vole, it was in and out all the time in the feeding station.

New Hat Day

Following on from the last blog we ended up on Inner Farne, hadn't intended to go really but it was such a nice day and Carole is such a crap sailor I felt we had to take advantage of the really sunny weather and flat seas (I'm typing this atm with the wind howling round the building, rain absolutely p*****g down and the heating is on - the British Summer, don't you just love it).   First task was to get the beloved to wear a hat, she didnt like any of the 5 I have in the car so had to buy a new one.  She was quite happy with it till she saw 3 other people on the boat wearing the same one LOL.  Going out there the oohhss and aahhss were soon heard as the she saw a seal.

The appreciation of the wildlife got even louder when she saw the Puffins and Guillemots racing across the wave tops.  Then when we landed she said to me I thought you were exagerating about the Terns as usual but now I know you were not.   The draw knot on the hat was pulled really tight as we walked up the path with her looking the least fashion conscious (I was really laughing myself silly at the hat) of the two of us for a change.  The Terns seemed to make a beeline for her (her words) and enabled me to get a couple of quick shots

It wasnt too bad when we got to the cliffs and she managed to appreciate the birds and we took some great pictures

There was one upsetting moment when a Black Backed Gull managed to grab a Puffin Chick from a burrow and then proceeded to try and down it in one only 5m from a crowd of us.  There were gasps from the people around and some ladies were shouting at it to put it down.  My arm was gripped tight by Carole who was nearly sobbing but I did manage to console her afterwards (This was the main topic on the return journey about how terrible the Gulls are).  The hour on the island seemed to whizz by and soon we were heading back to the boat where once again Carole was absolutely hammered by the Terns but at least no deposits were left as there were plenty that did receive the white bombardment treatment.

The next day she did complain about her head hurting but personally I think it was the bottle of wine that was demolished when we got home. 

Up To Nanny With A Nanny

Last Friday morning the beloved decided to join me for a trip to Newton and the Farnes.  We set off at 0630 and by 0730 she had me pulled over in High Newton deciding which plants to buy from the roadside stall when we had finished at Long Nanny.   The first thing we got a glimpse of when getting out of the car was a young Pigeon/Collared Dove (I say Pigeon/she says Collared Dove - John please settle the discussion).  It was a quick point and shoot so its all blurred but Carole insists she saw an Adult Collared Dove a few yards away.  

Carol then snapped this marvellous coloured Moth, well I think its a Moth and it never moved at all even though we were watching other things from the same spot and were there for over a couple of minutes.

She then also got this gorgeous pic of a Meadow Pipit

Moving onto Long Nanny the mist still hadn't shifted and at times you could only see a few feet in front of you and the dampness in the air was leaving films of moisture on the cameras (good excuse for crap pictures that one).  There was quite a lot of activity at the Nanny with Crows flying over and putting just about every bird in the place that wasn't sitting on an egg up.  It actually was quite spectacular to watch (when you could see it through the mist) and once again she got the best of a bad bunch of shots starting with this stunning pic an absolutely delightful subject

Next were the Terns, unfortunately only the Artics managed to get within camera range and at times it was hard to see the sticks that had been put out for the Terns to land on.

On our way back to the car a lovely looking Catepillar blocked our paths until i managed to get it to climb up a piece of greenery then deposit it the undergrowth

Arriving back at the Car Park this delightful young Song Thrush was sitting on the signpost calling for what I presume was food.  It was there for a good 10minutes and was still there when we departed.

We then set off and immediately in front of us when exiting the Car Park was a Stoat scurrying all over the place but eventually managed to get a snap of it

Then after stopping at the roadside plant stall and filling the boot up with plants off we went to Seahouses.

Knot A Bad Day

Thursday morning went for a trip up the coast starting first at Newbiggin where this delightful Sedge Warbler kept me listening for 10 delightful minutes before it put in an appearance in order for its publicity photos to be taken.

Moving on to Cresswell I found 2 Common Sandpiper on the Flash by the Travellers Camp but before I could get Mr Nikon out off they flew.  I then carried onto to the pond where there were 2 Dunlin right next to the Causeway and a new family of Shelduck chicks.

Also at the pond was this delightful Stonechat just casting his eye over his territory and not even bothering to move as I fired up the camera.

There was also quite a few Sand Martins flying around and managed to get a decent-ish flight shot

Outside the Farm Shop about half a mile from Druridge Bay is a puddle on the opposite side of the road to the entrance which on my last two passings has been filled with Swallows.  I stopped this time and sat and watched for 10mins.

Excuse #37 of the year for the crap pics is that my replacement lens is broken so using a cheapo (if you can call £179 cheap)one for the time being.  Then off to East Chev to have a look for you know what but only a quick viewing of one flying over the dunes was all I got.   As I was driving into Chev 2 of these little fellas were just wandering down the track. 

I stopped about 10m short of them and sat and waited for them to toddle off whilst Mam and Dad sort of semi dive-bombed the car.  Well one of them didn't bugger off and just wandered underneath the car.  2-3mins later I still couldn't see it so had to get out of the car and sure enough it was still under the rear of the car.  I managed to chase it off and it ran back down the way it came and the parents were by now going beee-seeerk.   It eventually wandered through the gate and I got a few (once again decent-ish) shots of the parents through the window.

After a quick look round I then headed for Hauxley (Ponteland Hide) where I came across the birds of the day.   4 Knots in summer plumage were wandering around just 15m from the hide and I stayed watching them and the other birds there including Redshank, Oystercatchers, Greylag and Canada Geese, a Common Sandpiper for quite a while.

I Get Tired Just Watching Their Workrate

Yellow Wagtail at Whittle Dene earlier this week which kept appearing at the same spot with a mouth full of insects then dissappeared into a hedge

Went to Lamesley early Wednesday before work and was captivated by a Blue Tit which came 14 times to a nesting box within a 15min period with a mouthful of morsels each time.   Each time he settled on this branch for about 10 secs then popped into the box.

It then went into the box for a maximum of 15 secs then a quick scan around.

Then away it went always in the same direction (obviously to the pantry) as it re-appeared within 30-40 secs with a new morsel for the family (some work rate - I just got tired watching it)

Also got some nice view of a Red Kite who was out for a morning stroll

Back home n the Garden a rather unkempt Coal Tit keeps appearing although cant find out where it goes to

and at least 5 Starling familes await my beloved feeding them.  At last the young Starlings are now beginning to feed themselves although occassionally they do just sit there and refuse to do anything until a parent comes over and feeds them just a morsel then off they go feeding themselves again.  Reminds me of my kids sitting round a table and one of them getting into a paddy until one of us took time out for them then they would sit back and just look around smugly with that air of  'supreme contempt for the others because they are getting the attention'.