Craigs UK Bird Photos

26th-30th October Crappy Cumbria

Had the week off due to not being able to get into my bnb this week due to it being half term. So managed to get out and do some local birding every day. Numbers have been high but species just common....typical Cumbria.

Firstly (Monday) there was a report of a Long billed Dowitcher from the Scotish side of the Solway at Brownhouses. Counts are as follows but no Long Billed Dowitcher..

9000 Geese on Marsh Pink feet and Barnacles

3,500 Golden plover in 2 flocks.

800 Dunlin. Too far and light very bad to check properly (strong sunlight).

6 Bar-tailed Godwit and 6 Black-tailed Godwit

1 Knot, Female Sparrowhawk

8 Merganser, 10 Goosander.

15 Whooper Swan

Turnstone, 1 Brambling and a few Redpoll.

Tuesday was spent on the English side and Grune point,  300 Golden plover, 200 Dunlin, again all to distant to check, 8 Goosander and 3 Merganser, but very little else.

I then checked Linskeldfield Tarn for a reported Blk Redstart but no sign, there were 120+ Common Snipe.

Wednesday was spent in my village of Dearham where Redwing and Fieldfare were very much in evidence.

Thursday got a little better but still not fantastic....

Port Carlisle on rising tide

1 Spotted Redshank

1 Merlin

1 Female Pintail

2 Pochard

2 Shoveler

30 Snipe

Anthorn, viewing from the masts

170 Twite

1 Greenshank (heard)

12 Knot

400 Barnacle Geese

1900 Pinkfooted Geese

2200 Golden Plover (to far to check properly).

Friday was a trip to Linksfeild tarn again but nothing of note and still no sign of Blk Red, then onto Sizergh Castle where i saw 5 Hawfinch, best birds of the week.

So although there seems a lot of birds in Cumbria at the moment there all just to far away to check thourally, Very disapointing week, i was hoping to find at least one good bird, TYPICAL CUMBRIA!

23-24th October Eastern Crowned Warbler 1st For Britain.

On the Thursday 23rd i manged to get to Holy Island after work for the last hour, went straight to the Snook for Pallas Warbler, i didn't stay long as the tide would soon be in. Then onto the Excavation where there was a Sib Chiffchaff, then i got a report of a Raddes Warbler behind the Toilet block in the car park and jammed in on that, although not best of views, tried for the Barred Warbler which i couldn't locate and really ran out of time, only just got off the island. I then headed for home. Camera never left the bag.

On the 24th I did a few chores before checking my computer, what a mistake that could have been. At 10am i noticed EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER, south shields, oh shit!!!! A 1st For Britain..........Ive got to go over there again!!!!. By 1030 i was on the road and by 1230 i was watching the bird, local birders Daren, Roy and Tristan were already there, not sure what i said but they were soon off too. So got brilliant views of the Warbler, even managed to get it in the scope.  It moved around alot and spent most of the time hidden. After i had my fill off watching the bird i then managed some records shots which i was pleased with considering the fast movement of the bird...I met Chris baines and headed home giving him a lift. What a BRILLIANT few weeks ive had....

16th-18th October, Norfolk Trip.

Finished work on Thursday and madly decided id take a trip to Norfolk,Rach couldn't get the time off. So i Left Northumberland for the five and a half hour drive, by the time i got there it was dark and started to think, was this worth it. Luckily on the Friday it was. 

Friday started off quiet, i dipped the Short-toed Lark and Richards pipit in the same field, and the Pied Wheatear had bugged off, so when i heard there was a 1st winter Red-flanked bluetail at Minsmere i decided i just had to see a rare bird today. After an hour and a half i was there and watching albeit always brief views of the Red-flanked Bluetail, impossible to photograph, it was hard enough to even see in the thick cover. A wander round the reserve produced very little, 2 Red Deer, Marsh Tit, Kingfisher, Marsh Harrier and a Great White Egret.

I then got news that the short toed lark back in Norfolk had been seen again, so after a quick sandwich in the tea room it was time to head back. On arriving back at West Runton, nobody had seen the Short-toed lark and it was a big field....Eventually 4 guys turned up and after sweeping the field a few times eventually i saw the bird in flight, waited for the other guys to join me and flushed it 2 more times all getting flight views, that had to be enough, there was no way we would see it on the deck. No Richards Pipit though....I got the one i came for though, lifer!!!!

Saturday all was still a bit quiet so had a look for the pipit and lark, again proving elusive, a half hour sea watch produced 20 Little Gulls, few Brent Geese and a couple of Bonxies. I moved onto Titchwell stopping at a few spots on the way, a Snow Goose with Canada geese was the only thing of note at Salthouse.

On arriving at Titchwell a Jack snipe was just about visible in the reeds, if someone hadn't pointed it out you could have easily missed it. The Grey Phal was missing so i headed for the beach, 40 + Snowbuntings in 2 groups were nice, but very mobile. On the way back i checked the saltmarsh and noticed 2 shore lark, this was nice a nice surprise and when i got back to the Fresh marsh the grey phal eventually showed itself, albeit at the far back.... a yellow wagtail was on show, but it didn't look like a yellow but a blue headed, but there's still some debate, some saying eastern Type, watch this space.

A little stint was a nice surprise....

I Finished the day at Cley with friends Dave n Sue, whilst watching from the car park i noted an Adult Yellow Legged Gull and a Jack snipe flew straight over our heads.

Sunday i had a nice early morning stroll around the Campsite, i was awoken by lots of Brambling in the trees, Thrushs going over and a Woodlark in full song. I then managed to find a flock of 30 Bramblings feeding of the burnt area of heath, along with 200 Chaffinch and 40-50 Lesser Redpoll. The Woodlark was still singing until the kids and dog walkers appeard. a Few Crossbill flew over, Green and Greater Spotted Woodpecker were on show and later I saw the Woodlark when sue and Dave arrived.

On the drive back to Northumberland and the bnb I'm stopping in, i saw Little Egret and Bar-tailed Godwits showing well, only real opportunity for photography.

All in all a brief but very successful trip.

14th October Red-breasted flycatcher.

At work lots of Redwing have started to move through. Then i got a report of a RB Fly on Holy Island so after work i made the hours drive to the Island. On getting to the Captains Garden  there was no sign of any Birders, oh shit! But after only a minute i could here it calling and pinpointed the tree. It continued to show well until i left at dark by now 6pm. I did manage these very poor shots but by the time it sat about the light had almost gone . Also nice was the several Brambling that were in the same trees and hundreds of Redwing and Fieldfare over.

11th October North East

Had a really good day in the North East. Rach and I headed straight to Kibblesworth in Durham for a Common Crane, as soon as we got to the field it stuck out a mile. It gave good scopes views as it was feeding but a bit distant for decent photography.

Next stop was St Marys Island where 3 Yellow Browed Warbler and a Firecrest had been reported. On arriving i managed to hear 2 of the Yellow Browed Warblers and eventually found 1 giving good views. Trying to get people on it was still a bit difficult. a Few moments later someone found the Firecrest again good views were obtained. We then went for dinner hoping the Raddes Warbler at Druidge would be found again but unfortunately it wasn't. I did give the Druidge area a good scan after lunch but unfortunately the big DSLR boys had got there first. A Greenshank and the Glossy Ibis were once again showing well from the Bill Oddie hide.

Glossy Ibis

9th October Green-winged Teal

Managed to finish work at dinner time in Northumberland and managed to get back to Cumbria by mid afternoon. I picked the dog up and went straight to Siddick ponds. On arriving i counted 5 adult Med gulls on the small pond. On the big pond i managed to see a Drake Green-winged Teal asleep on the island. After a while it started feeding and gave good scope views. I then noticed loads of small gulls dropping onto the small pond, i then counted 17 Med gulls, 15 Adults and 2 Second winters, There were probably some still in the ploughed field where the birds were coming from.....This is my second highest count in Cumbria, 1st being 21 at Soddy.

W/E 08th October Glossy ibis.

Another trip to see the Glossy ibis at Druidge and wow what views, unfortunately in the pouring rain. The bird was withing 15 feet of the Oddie hide. Typically too close for digiscoping so head shots were all i could get until it moved further away, too far away typical....

Then onto Cresswell pond and the beach, only things of real note were a few an Arctic Tern,  Sandling and Dunlin on the beach, Greenshank and 3 Scaup on Cresswell pond.

The weather was awful and my scope lens kept steaming up as you can see from all my pics.

On the way home i nipped into Amble and found a red ringed Adult Med gull. (All steamed up)..This bird had been rung in SERBIA!!!!!!! and returns to Hungry and Amble yearly... 

At Work still many Crossbills commuting, a Great spotted Woodpecker and a brilliant adult male winter snow Bunting.

Local 4th October.

Decided to try Workington again, hoping something had been blown in over night. typically its was very quiet. Main highlights were 92 Great-black backed Gull, 7 Red throated divers North and 1 south, 7 Common Scoter, 1 Gannet 1 Kestrel and  4 Med Gull 3 2nd winter and an Adult still...

At Soddy gap 28 Teal,  89 Mallard, 12 Tufite, 100+ Greylag, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Pochard, 1 Cormorant, 1 Kestrel and a cracking 1st winter Scaup, only about 3rd record for Soddy.

Workington Leach's Petrel 3rd October.

The wind was very strong coming from the west so decided to give Workington a go. This time wasn't to be too disappointed after about half an hour Norman and i had a very nice showy Leach's Petrel, we thought this could be 1 of many but it wasn't to be. Other good things were a very nice close Arctic Skua (pale phase), 7 Common Scoter, loads of Guillemot's and Razorbill's all very close again, the movement was the most Ive seen here, 2 Red-throated Diver, 1 second Winter Med Gull and plenty of kittiwakes and Gannets.

Simonside Northumberland. w/e 2nd October

Working in the East is much better bird wise than the west. So far this week ive had Glossy Ibis as below. On the work site 4 Snow buntings, loads of Crossbills commuting to and from various woodlands Pinkfeet, Barnacle geese (280) and a showy female Merlin. Just down the road at Rye hill NR my first Whooper Swan's(2) of the season.