Another quick visit today  so not much seen , so here goes
The resident Moorhen family are doing well with the parents and previous brood all feeding the chicks.

 

The pair of Mute Swan still on the wetland whilst plenty of Swallows and a few House Martins were off South. A Kestrel put in a 20min appearance  it just sat preening but was enjoyable to watch.

 

too quick for me to get decent flight shot.

Some Sandwich Terns still lingering offshore and last week I had a single Roseate Tern here. In previous years these birds used to be here in numbers but have dropped off quite a bit lately.

 

And and a few days ago I had the pleasure of a Common Darter landing on my hand + arm. It was fantastic seeing it so close and a fox ran past at the same time, what more can you ask for..

 

Hello again all,
It's been awhile since my last post so a quick update and some waffle...
My new budget scope Vivitar Terrain 18-36X 50mm  arrived this morning so I nipped down to patch to test it out, only had a 20 min test before it rained. So my first impressions are good with it having a bright field of view at 18X and  its even usable at 24X. Of course with it being only a 50mm objective lens the 36X is like looking through net curtains and there is very distinct chromatic aberration. I looked at a fishing boat offshore and it looked like it had it's shields up as it had yellow glow all around it. This is barely noticeable at the lower end zoom and for the price it's to be expected. I was able to see Bar tailed Godwits (18X)  at a distance which would be difficult with my 8X42mm bins, and the view was crisp and I was able to see plenty of detail. I mainly bought it for its size as I can't carry my camera and a scope at the same time as its far too heavy. It fits right into my camera bag spot on so overall a handy bit of kit and all for the bargain price of £19.99 online, complete with carry case and desktop tripod. A Budget Birder 10/10

Here it is in all its glory...

With TV remote for comparison

 

 

 

 

Carry Bag

Birds noted today were 3 Bar Tailed Godwit, Oystercatchers, Curlew, 100+ Lapwings, 3 House Martins,
GBB Gulls, Herring Gulls, Starlings, Wood Pigeon, Turnstones, 2 Mute Swan, Moorhen, Black Headed Gulls, 5 Cormorants, Eider,

Wetland

Payed a quick visit this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see some more work being done to the wetland by some of the local birders. A big thank you for taking the time to do something which should have been done by North Tyneside council years ago. Its looking much better already as the main island has been cut and cleared ( you cant really see the difference in photo). I wont name you but will thank you in person next time I bump into you all.

Ongoing Work

 A bit of seawatch this morning with a few Guillemots and young noted, Gannets, 6 Common Scoter, 2 Fulmar and a few Eider offshore, I gave up as visibility was terrible. Another of the local guys had had 3 Storm Petrel past and he's also had adt Mediterranean Gull and juv Roseate Tern here during the week.

Lighthouse Panorama

A quick visit to patch late morning and wow what a visit. I bumped into a good friend of mine and whilst doing more chin wagging than seawatching ,he spotted a large fin just next to the yellow buoy. He said it looked like a Basking Shark and as I've never seen one I was glued to my scope. I'm glad I was as a few minuets later I spotted it  YES!! my first ever Basking Shark and on patch. GET IN.. I picked it up a few times in the general area.Whilst watching for it I also picked up a small pod (3-4)  of Dolphin SP. I'm not sure what species as seen briefly breaking the surface a few times but they seemed quiet large.
Birds noted today 3 Red Throated Divers, 2 DP Arctic Skua, 14+ Teal, 20+ Common Scoter, Gannets, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and 8 Shearwater Sp probably Manxies but due to range cant rule out other species.
Also the Common Lizard back on the bottom rung of the wooden stye next to the main carpark. It looks like this is it's favorite spot.

I had a mini seawatch yesterday late morning which produced plenty of Gannets, Guillemots, 25+ Eider and a dark phase Arctic Skua9year tick). On the point a few waders had returned with 20+ Redshank, Turnstone, Golden Plovers and Lapwing noted. I picked up Arctic Tern for a patch year tick which is very late for me. I was also surprised to see the Common Lizard back in the same spot and if your interested in having a look, it's getting on the bottom rung of the 3 bar stye (near the concrete view point) which leads to the wooden viewing point. Great Shearwater reported on the east coast this morning. I wonder if it's spotted in Northumberland today??

Had a quick visit late morning and glad I did. I had my first ever UK reptile which was a Common Lizard and at patch pure magic!!! Ive seen a dead one here before but that doesn't count. Also had a Great Northern Diver fly south which was a year tick. Some butterfly's about this morning Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Skippers and some Blue Tailed Damselfly's about. The Common Lizard really brightened my day..

Common Lizard

 

Soldier Fly

 

Blue Tailed Damslefly's

 

Robber Fly????

 

Small Skipper

A brief visit this morning but not much about with a few singing Whitethroats, Reed Bunting and Skylarks. The wetland grass high again so all I saw were a Mute Swan and a drake Mallard. An eclipse drake Eider just offshore but no Terns noted..

Yesterday

Morning everyone..
Had a wander around the wetland yesterday and whilst I didn't add any new birds for the year. I did have my first breeding record of 2012 on the wetland, a pair of Mallard and 5 young. Not very exciting but nice to see things settling down on the new look wetland. Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler and Meadow Pipit etc all showing signs of breeding here too. The west field seemed to full of Skylark and Meadow Pipits and Starlings with young were everywhere. Overall about 22 Species seen..
 Do have some crap video but cant seem to get it to upload...

A few new migrants for me this week with  Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Swallow, House Martin added. I was informed there had been a Hooded Crow here last weekend. Bugger I still need one on my life list never mind patch list.... Nipped down this morning hoping for my own Bluethroat as a few have dropped on the North East coast..

I manged a quick visit this morning and managed a few migrants starting with 40+ Sandwich Terns, nice to see these back again. A Willow Warbler was in the top bushes and a female Wheatear was on the wetland. The local Fox put in a brief appearance as my phone went off and alerted it to my presence so it scattered. As I headed back to the car  a Sand Martin whiz low over my head.. A quick but pleasant visit..
Check out the dodgy video with my phone.. (it has no zoom)

Avocet

Having read online of an Avocet on the Beehive Flash, I decided to nip down and have a quick look. Bingo spotted it straight away on the opposite bank. I love these delicate waders and have only seen about 7-8 in total.

My first Swallow of the year here too and a Common Buzzard gave a fly past..

A nice day weather wise but quiet on the migrant front(for me anyway). Plenty of Skylark singing with a few Meadow Pipits joining.. Reed Buntings , 4 Moorhen, Rooks, Starlings, 15 Eider, 6 Bar Tailed Godwit, Turnstones and a single Gannet noted..
I wonder what the next few days have in store....

Not much about today but was told off another birder there is a cracking summer plumage littoralis Rock Pipit in the North Bay. I didn't get to see it but saw a photo of it , what a little cracker. Also in the bay were 9 Bar Tailed Godwits and 20+ Sanderling. A couple hundred Starlings were flying about putting a show on and a Sparrowhawk ended the visit.
Oh and been told a Short Eared Owl been seen this week.....

Tried some phone scoping video the other day.. Have a laugh at this feeble effort :)

A quick visit today and timed it as the tide was on its way in.. Produced
11 Bar Tailed Godwits. Loads of Sanderling, Turnstones, Redshanks and a few Curlew and Oystercatchers were feeding along the tide line. 14 Teal and a pair of Mallard on the wetland and 2 male Pied Wagtails in the carpark ended the visit.

Yesterday 19th
6 Purple Sandpipers. 20+ Knot, 100+ Redshank, 4 Bar Tailed Godwit, on the point and I was surprised to see 6 Dunlin feeding on the new mud on the wetland. Yeah there only Dunlin but it's been years since the wetland has had any waders using it for anything but a roosting site.. ( I tell a lie Snipe still used to use it) A Sparrowhawk scared the sh*t out of the wader roost and a Common Snipe made 2 more year ticks..

A quick visit this morning saw a few waders on the point with, 33+ Dunlin, 5 Knot, 100+ Redshanks, 20+ Oystercatchers, 20+ Curlew, Bar Tailed Godwit and a few Turnstones. The usual Gulls hanging around the carpark, 10+ Cormorants and about the same number of Eider offshore. The top willows were quiet but a few Skylarks were singing nearby.

11 February 2012

A Very welcome sight today was the sign of some work has been done on the wetland to remove the weed, which has engulfed the wetland for the past few years. Also it was great to see some muddy edges so I will be popping back down to see what waders turn up. A HUGE THANK YOU to whoever organized/did the work here. Ive tried for years to find out off various North Tyneside Council members and have never received a response.
So back to the birds....... 16 Yellowhammers flew into the caravan field and I swear I heard a lapland bunting in with them. 6 Mallard, 3 Moorhen and a few Teal on the Wetland also a single Redshank. The usual Gulls in the North Carpark and a few eider offshore....






Look at that water and lovely mud....