Black-headed Gull 2JRO

 Whilst at Queen Elizabeth II Country Park today, Jayne and I spotted a darvic-ringed Black-headed Gull, 2JR0.

Black-headed Gull 2JR0

After a quick internet search, it appears that it was ringed by Clyde Ringing Group. Details were sent off, and I found out that this bird had been ringed, as an adult, at Linlithgow Loch, Falkirk, Scotland on 29th December 2022. Since ringing, it has been reported twice in Sweden (during the summer, so presumably a breeding bird there), and several times at Killingworth Lake, Tyne and Wear. My record was the first for the Country Park.

Northumberland - Days 4 and 5

 During our last few days in Northumberland, we managed to add a few more birds to the "Year List", with trips to Alnmouth and Queen Elizabeth II Country Park.

The first new addition, heard by our accommodation in Shilbottle, was Skylark (87). Whilst in Alnmouth, we added Little Egret (88) and Bar-tailed Godwit (89), on the estuary, along with 10 Ringed Plover, Curlew, Lapwing, Dunlin, Grey Heron, Shag and Herring and Black-headed Gulls.

Bar-tailed Godwit

On our final day, today, we drove down to Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, adding Tawny Owl (90-heard), Grey Partridge (6 seen in a field outside Warkworth; 91), Golden Plover (92) and Little Grebe (93). At the country Park, we had our final additions of the trip; Gadwall (94) and a single Whooper Swan (95).

Whooper (and Mute) Swan

Musselburgh Lagoons- 4th January 2024

 Whilst up in Northumberland, we had a day in Edinburgh. As always, we stopped off at Musselburgh Lagoons for an hour.

The first bird I heard was a Willow Tit (83). I then walked down to the seawall, where I spotted an adult Great Northern Diver (84), a couple of Slavonian Grebes (85), flyby Velvet Scoter (86), Eider Ducks, several Long-tailed Ducks, Shags and fly-by Black-headed and Common Gulls.

Slavonian Grebe

Walking to the lagoons, I spotted Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing, Redshank, Oystercatcher and a single male Long-tailed Duck.

Long-tailed Duck

Northumberland - Day 2

Today we started off at Beadnell, where we had a lovely vegan breakfast, before walking along the beach to the harbour. Along the way we saw several Jackdaws, a couple of Rock Pipits and, best of all, a juvenile (possibly male) Long-tailed Duck. We also had another 3 birds (all males?) in the harbour at Seahouses.

Long-tailed Duck (Beadnell Harbour)

Long-tailed Ducks (Seahouses)

In Seahouses, we also added Lapwing (69), Grey Heron (70), Great Black-backed Gull (71), Eider Duck (72), Long-tailed Duck (73) and Shag (74). 

Driving up to Stag Rocks (Bamburgh), we spotted several Shoveler (75) on Monk's House Pool, Teal (76) and Shelduck (77) at Budle Bay and 7 Purple Sandpipers (78), Yellowhammer (79), Linnet (80) and Reed Bunting (81). 

Our final stop was Budle Bay, where we added  A single Common Gull (82) was seen driving back to Shilbottle.

Northumberland - Day 1

 Jayne and I are up in Northumberland for a few days, so we've taken the opportunity to get a few new birds for this year's Year List.

Our first new birds were seen on the drive up: Red Kite (49), Kestrel (50) and Curlew (51). The next birds were seen at Newbiggin by-the-Sea: Oystercatcher (52), Redshank (53), Ringed Plover (54), Sanderling (55), Turnstone (56), Dunlin (57), Shorelark (2 on the golf course; 58), Twite (23 with the Shorelarks; 59), Rock Pipit (60) and Short-eared Owl (61).

Shorelark

The next few species were seen on the drive from Newbiggin to Shilbottle: Pink-footed Goose (62), Greylag Goose (63) and Mute Swan (64). We also stopped off at Widdrington Moor Lake, where we spotted 2 pairs of Red-breasted Merganser (65), Wigeon (66), 2 redhead Smew (67) and several male and female Goldeneye (68).

Hassop Waxwings

 After my walk around Linacre yesterday, Jayne and I drove cross to Hassop Station near Bakewell to see the 250+ Waxwings (42) that had been present for the last couple of weeks. They were "showing very well" in the trees around the café area, and we got fantastic views.

One of the photos was of a bird with a colour ring on. Details have been sent off, and I'll update the blog as soon as I hear back.

Waxwing

Other birds seen were: Redwing, Bullfinch (43), Rook (44), Magpie (45), Canada Goose (46), Pied Wagtail (47) and Sparrowhawk (48).

Linacre - 1st January 2024

 I was out at Linacre first thing yesterday to get my first count of 2024. The day started wet and windy, but it soon dried up, and the sun came out. By the end of the walk around all three reservoirs, I had counted  a total of 33 species to start this year's Year List.

Birds seen were: Robin (1), Mistle Thrush (2), Blackbird (3), Carrion Crow (4), Jackdaw 200+ coming out of the roost (5), Goosander (18; 12 males and 6 females on the middle reservoir, 6), Siskin (7), Great-crested Grebe (1 on the middle reservoir; 8), Mallard (124; 9), Moorhen (17; 10), Coot 10; 11), Mandarin Duck (44; 12), Tufted Duck (24; 13), Cormorant (3; 14), Kingfisher (1 on the bottom reservoir, 15), Black-headed Gull (2; 16), Buzzard (2 in the fields; 17),  Starling (10 in the fields; 18), Wren (19), Dunnock (20), Pheasant (21), Redwing (22), Goldfinch (23), Raven (1; 24), Woodpigeon (25), Long-tailed Tit (26), Blue Tit (27), Coal Tit (28), Great Tit (29), Treecreeper (30), Song Thrush (31), Chaffinch (32) and Nuthatch (33).

Driving home, I also added the following species: Feral Pigeon (34), Herring Gull (35), Lesser Black-backed Gull (36) and Fieldfare (37).

Back at home, I spotted: Greenfinch (38), Collared Dove (39), House Sparrow (40) and Magpie (41).