Thursday 13 December 2018

So Water Pipits Exist and Killy Birder Returns!

9th Dec.  We drove north on Sunday under a clear blue sky and with the occasional flock of Lapwing flying above the A1 and hovering Kestrel at the road edge.  It was good to be out and about on such a clear winters day.  Our first stop having driven by Spindlestone was at Budle Bay where we found the tide receded way out in the bay.  There were the expected Wigeon and Teal, Shelduck, Shoveler, Mallard, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit but nothing to keep us standing around in the biting cold for too long as we watched from the roadside car-park.  A Grey Plover with an injured leg did catch the eye and I felt unless the leg improved quickly the bird may not last for too long.

We’d set off early and so found Bamburgh still quiet as we passed through and made our way to Stag Rock.  It was slightly warmer in the sun here if you managed to avoid the northerly wind.  We were out to find the Water Pipit recently reported.  There were certainly many Rock Pipits which we checked out thoroughly before finding our target bird.  We failed to find the Water Pipits in Druridge earlier this year after several attempts and I think Sam was wondering if such a species really did exist.  It had been a bogey bird for him, but he now has a new lifer.  I have to confess I ‘ve seen few Water Pipits, the first encounter being with a summer plumaged bird in the Transylvanian Mountains of Romania some years ago.  Anyway, we checked our bird well against identification details so were confident of ID.  Once we looked at the sea through the scope we found it rougher than first appearances would have suggested.  I think I caught sight of one Long tailed Duck just a little way from a small flock of Eider Duck.  Guillemot and Gannet were also seen along with a cetacean species near Inner Farne.  Although we could not be definite about species it was an interesting find.  We ruled out several species and Sam plumped for a possible Bottle-nosed Dolphin.  Waders here included the expected Purple Sandpipers, Turnstone, Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Redshank.  A sizeable flock of Linnet flew nearby and may or may not have held other species.  A walk along the beach brought us a pair of Stonechat and a Pied Wagtail.  We left happy with our Water Pipit sighting.  Cloud and a thin mist began to encircle Bamburgh Castle and as we headed for Seahouses a passing shower of rain fell but the sky was soon clear again.  I was surprised to see so few people were out on such a wonderful day.

We decided to have an early lunch in Seahouses having checked out a quiet Monk’s Pool where we found little but Mallard and Shoveler.  We drove down the coastal route and decided to take a look at Buston Links, an area neither of us had visited before.  Well, we drove down a road that Sam described as Medieval.  It certainly makes the pot-holed road down to East Chevington, North Pool look like an autobahn!  We were rewarded with one Redshank and a Blue Tit, but admit we had little time to explore what seems to be a very nice area of habitat.  We’ll be back when we have more time.  We may walk!

Setting off for East Chevington we passed a sizable flock of Goldfinch flying over the fields.  We walked to the burn missing out the pools today, where after some minutes a small flock of thirteen Twite flew in and landed close by.  There were flocks of Ringed Plover and Sanderling on the shore line and when they took off and flew low over the advancing waves it looked almost like snow being blown along the tideline with the sea blue making for a very pleasant effect.  A flock of Pink Footed Geese flew overhead and Whooper Swans were heard but remained unseen.

It was very cold indeed when we stopped at Widdrington in the hope of seeing the female Smew.  We failed to sight it and I admit we didn’t stand around too long.  If it had ben a drake Smew we may have been more inclined to face the cold.  We’d seen Tufted Duck and Pochard.

Cresswell Pond was generally quiet.  Lapwing were there on the mud in number along with a few Golden Plover and Dunlins.  Two pairs of Red breasted Merganser were on the pond.  It was mid afternoon and already the sun was heading for the western horizon and the light beginning to fade.  Good numbers of Tree Sparrow fed along the pathway to the hide.  We made for home having really enjoyed the winter’s day, perhaps not that much of great note bird-wise but an excellent day anyway and very few folks about to get in the way.  I did note that the Drift Café was still doing a roaring trade as we passed.  I wonder how many of the customers had been out and about on their feet and how many were talking about the renewed consideration being given to Banks Mining!

In the main I had travelled light today hence no images from the day.  It’s good to be back.

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