Baltic

A trip to Maud Terrace in West Allotment, to photograph Waxwings, was a chilling experience. I arrived to find 25 birds in a ringer's mist net. After assisting in extracting and bagging them, I stood with a couple of photographers waiting for the birds to return to feed on the Rowan berries. It was a fruitless wait, and only prolonged by a kind resident who popped out with a much needed cup of coffee.

The birds kept promising to land but a Mistle Thrush was on guard, and after two hours I was  hypothermic.

As a consolation I snapped a few garden visitors before beelining for a hot lamb casserole.

Signs of Spring in the Garden

Blackbird nest building in the Ivy

Neighbours Cherry in blossom

Frog spawn appeared on the 23rd March this year - 2 days earlier than last year!

Swift box has Starlings nesting in the downstairs 'flat'

Bay Watch 14/03

Waggonway Today

Thought it might be an idea to make the most of the calm sunny weather especially with easterly winds and low cloud and rain forecast for the rest of the week. So I unhackled myself from my laptop, put on the walking boots and set forth up the waggonway as far as Brierdene Farm, across the fields to Whitley Cemetery and along the beach to Whitley Bay and home.

Along the waggonway it was very busy with bikes, dog walkers, runners and the pupils from the local school 'doing PE' which involved some running, most walking, talking and throwing mud at each other.

Birds seen included Wren, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Skylark, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Crow, Robin, Magpie, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit. No Wheatears yet but they won't be long now. Further south migrants are arriving in numbers with Chiffchaffs, Sand Martins and Wheatears the expected early arrivers. More exotic birds have been seen too with an early Hoopoe at Portland Bill a couple of days ago. The easterly winds forecast could  bring a few surprises if people are prepared to suffer the cold to check their patch. I'll lend you my hat on John :)

Frogs in the pond in Whitley Cemetery in the 'throws of spring'

Blackbird in Whitley Cemetery

 

Sanderling on Whitley Beach

At the beach a solitary Grey Seal moved along the surf line followed by a flock of Common Gull looking for the remains of any fish suppers. A Red-throated Diver was further out along with a small number of Eider Duck.

 

Whitley Beach - just needs a deck chair or two?

Waggonway Creche

The waggonway was alive with fledglings today; Robins, Blackbirds, Blackcaps, Willow warblers, Jackdaws, Magpies, Whitethroats..................

Blackcap fledgling begging for food

Willow Warbler with a beak full of insects

Blackbird with a fledgling nearby

Nest Building at the Heart of Charming City

A Blackbird was nest building in Leazes Park in Newcastle city centre yesterday. It may not be getting any warmer but the extra daylight seems to be getting things started.

A charm of around 30 Goldfinches provided the background music.


There were up to 5 Goosander on the lake including a handsome drake.

A Sound Day

Sunday was perfect for trying out my new toy, an Edirol R-09HR Wave/MP3 Recorder. Perfect because there was no wind and the birds were singing. The results are further down this blog - best with head phones. The heavy breathing and slobbering is Dill my Golden Retreiver, not me.

I started my walk of the patch from the start of the waggonway in Monkseaton and headed north as far as the Brierdene where the fields to the north had 200 geese, mostly Greylag and 30 or so Pink-Foot.

The waggonway was alive with birds, Great Tit, Robin, Magpie, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Robin, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbird.

I took a turn east at the start of the Brierdene and headed across to St Mary's Wetland.

 

The Brierdene

 Greylag & Pink-Foot Geese

 

St Mary's Wetland

Here's a few recordings I took along the way.


Blackbird in my neighbours garden.


A flock of Long-tailed Tit pass along the waggonway.


A Magpie is nearby as a Greenfinch sings.


A Blue Tit sings.


A Robin in full song.


Great Tit sings as the Brierdene flows by.


The sound of St Mary's Wetland. See how many species you can pick out.

Apples save lives

If you speak to your local school you should find that, as part of a healthy eating initiative, children are given fresh fruit daily. Only they don't eat it resulting in tons of apples, bananas and oranges going to waste. I've arranged to collect left over apples from a local school to feed the local thrushes. They love them, and it's just what they need at the moment.



And now the fieldfares have arrived. A new garden tick!