Pennington Flash - 12th January 2025

 Jayne had an appointment in Stockport on Sunday, so, after dropping her off, I drove across to Pennington Flash. The main lake was 95% frozen over, with 100s of birds close to the car park. With so much ice, I was able to find darvic-ringed Mute Swans, Coot, Black-headed and a Lesser Black-backed Gull, as well as 4 " Year Ticks".

The first ringed birds I saw, were all Black-headed Gulls. In total, I saw 9 different birds; 7 British-ringed birds (2T90, 2S94, 213A, 234B, 268C, 269C and 284C), and 2 Norwegian-ringed birds (J2714, ringed near Oslo, as an adult, in May 2024 and J3260, ringed, as a pullus, near Oslo, in June 2023). 

J2714

J3260

The British birds had all been ringed at Pennington, between 2019 and 2022. None had been sighted abroad, except 213A, which was seen in The Netherlands in April 2024 (a possible breeding site?).

The Lesser Black-backed Gull, A70:W, was also seen on the ice. A record have been sent off, and I'll update, when I get the ringing details back.

Lesser Black-backed Gull A70:W

The 9 Mute Swans were all out on the side of the lake, enjoying the food being given out. The ringed birds were: CPT2 (green/W48751, 40ST (blue)/XY46_ _ _, 4FAU (blue), BY6 (blue)/ZY6998, 4BYN (blue)/XY2448, XY5830 (no darvic), XY4465 (no darvic), 4HFI (blue, age 5)/W43982 and 4HDN (blue, age 5).

The final bird, a Coot, with darvic ring J7F, was also out, feeding on the side of the lake. This bird was ringed, as an adult, at Pennington, in December 2020. My sighting was just the 4th since ringing.

Coot

All the Black-headed Gulls and the Coot had been ringed by the Waterbird Colour Marking Group.

After recording all the ringed birds, I had a walk around the reserve. It was very cold, and all the water was frozen. Despite this, I managed to find the following year ticks: Great White Egret (108), Bullfinch (109), Willow Tit (110) and Coal Tit (111).

Great White (and Little) Egret

American Wigeon and Iceland Gull

Whilst in Northumberland, enjoying the White-billed Diver, we also took the opportunity to see some other beautiful birds.

Our first stop was the Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Big Waters Reserve on the outskirts of Newcastle. We visited last year too, but didn't manage to catch up with the species we were after. Luckily, this year, we had much more luck, and had fantastic views of both a male American Wigeon (102) and an adult Iceland Gull (106). 

American Wigeon

Iceland Gull (asleep!)

Other species seen were: Tree Sparrow (103), Yellowhammer (104), Great Tit (105), Pintail (1 male), Wigeon (100+), Teal (10s), Common Gull, Black-headed Gull and  Herring Gull.

Our last species of the day was a Long-tailed Duck (107), that was seen on the River Tyne, whilst looking (unsuccessfully!) for a Ross's Gull.

White-billed Diver!!!!

 A juvenile White-billed Diver (98),was found, at Cresswell Pond in Northumberland, earlier this week. It only stayed briefly, but then in turned up again, on Ladyburn Lake, at Druridge Bay CP, later that day. Today, Jayne and I had a drive up there, and managed amazing views, as it swam close in to the shore. Lifer number 1 of the year.

White-billed Diver

Whilst there, we also spotted a few other "Year Ticks": Pochard (97), Water Rail (99), Ring-necked Duck (100, a female, too distant for a photo, unfortunately), and Scaup (101 - an immature male, I think).

Year List Update

 Yesterday, I added a few more birds to the Year List. The first four were all at Rufford CP, yesterday, and included my first site record of Raven. The final addition, Greenfinch, was seen in the garden today.

The additions are: Canada Goose (92), Lesser Black-backed Gull (93), Raven (94), Goosander (95) and Greenfinch (96). 

Rufford - JN075 returns!!

 I had my first 2025 visit to Rufford yesterday afternoon, and managed to see 18 of "our" Black-headed Gulls, along with two old favourites: Lithuanian- ringed P519 and the Norwegian-ringed Common Gull, JN075.

P519 was, in fact, the first ringed gull I saw, and this sighting was only the second of this winter, and my first since 2nd November 2024.

P519

Common Gull JN075 didn't appear until later in the afternoon, but it did come and pose very nicely for photos. This bird, first ringed, as a juvenile, in August 2020, on the outskirts of Oslo, and first recorded at Rufford in January 2022, was last seen by me at Rufford in February 2023, so it was great to see it again!

JN075

Green-ringed gulls seen were: 259A, 273A, 295A, 272B, 280B, 202C, 207C, 245C, 258C, 264C, 269C (new one for me, ringed in December 2023, and the first re-sighting since!), 270C, 298C, 217F, 234F, 239F, 255F and 276F. 

Other birds seen were: Lesser Black-backed Gull (c.47), Herring Gull (5), Common Gull (c.80!!), Goosander (12; 9 males and 3 females), Mute Swan (5; Broken Beak, female and 3 juveniles), 4 Canada Geese, 4 Greylag Geese, and, best of all, an overflying Raven, a site first for me.

Linacre - 1st visit of 2025

With being away in Norfolk, yesterday (4th) was the first time I could get down to Linacre this year. I had a couple of hours in the morning, and, despite it still being very quiet, added a few more birds to the Year List.

I started off in the bottom car park, where my first Linacre record of 2025 was.... a Blackbird. This was followed quickly by overflying Redwing (83). Walking down to the bottom reservoir, it was pretty quiet, except for two men sitting, up to their necks in the freezing water, complete with bobble hats on!! Moorhen (84) was added to the Year List. The first of 4 Cormorants, was also noted and Siskin (85), were heard and seen. Carrying on around all three reservoirs, the following birds were counted: Mallard (75), Coot (2), Mandarin Duck (19 - 86), Nuthatch (87), Mistle Thrush ( 1 by the top reservoir - 88), Tufted Duck (4; 3 males and a female - 89), Treecreeper (90) and Little Grebe (1 on the middle reservoir - 91), Pied Wagtail (1 heard) and, best of all, 5 Teal ( 3 males and 2 females).

Year List Continues - 3rd January 2025

 It was Jayne and my last day in Norfolk today, so we made the most of it, and added another 18 species to the Year List.

The first new bird of the day was Egyptian Goose (65), when 2 birds were spotted in a field whilst driving to RSPB Titchwell. Another species, Cattle Egret (66) was also seen, in a field by the A149, as we drove along. I was very pleased to spot this one, as it was, I think, my first self-found, in Britain. It posed beautifully, with the Highland Cattle!

Cattle Egret

We arrived at Titchwell, and, after feeding the local Robins and Blackbirds with a few left over mince pies, and spotting our first Song Thrush (67) of the year, in the car park, we went onto the reserve. We walked straight down the main path and stopped off in Island Hide, where we spotted 50+ Brent Geese, Coot (68), Redshank, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail and a single adult Mediterranean Gull (69) with the Herring and Black-headed Gulls.

Mediterranean Gull (and friends)

Continuing down the path, we spotted 6 Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew and a single Spotted Redshank (70). 

Spotted Redshank

Great-crested Grebe (71), Goldeneye - 2 females (72), Grey Plover (73), Ringed Plover (74), Stonechat (75), Avocet (76), Reed Bunting (77) and Linnet (78) were also added at this point. A single Black-winged Stilt was seen, but, as it was wearing a plastic ring, and is an escaped bird, it can't be added to the Year List!

A quick seawatch was pretty tricky, in the freezing wind, and we only managed to spot 6 Sanderlings, 12 Oystercatchers and  3 Turnstones!!

The last species of the day were: Red-breasted Merganser (1 male on the reserve - 79), Rock Pipit (80), Dunnock (81 - 1 in the car park) and Red-legged Partridge (6 seen in a field on the drive back -82).