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?

Bay Watch 21/01/10

Large number of Common Gull on the sea off Whitley Bay and a large movement of Black-headed Gull going south. At the north end of the beach there were another four Rays Bream washed up (see last post). At St Marys, waders included Curlew, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin and two Bar-Tailed Godwit.

Up for the Larks at Whitley

"I am just going outside and may be some time."

 

Now I'm not a morning person but just before dawn it was on with the hiking boots and a ruck sack loaded with bird scran and off to Whitley links to feed the larks. As a double whammy for the birds, the easterly wind has picked up. The first birds I saw were 2 Skylarks flying over the dome. Walking along the promenade the birds were conspicuous by their absence. The tide was high with plenty of Redshank, Turnstone, Sanderling and Gulls. Heading past the end of the promenade and along the golf course there was a single Redwing. As I approached St Mary's I was starting to wonder if there would be anything there to feed!

I walked around the wetland, or should that be iceland? There are a couple of small areas of open water where the Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon and Mallard have huddled together. There were numerous Snipe, some on the wetland, some in the adjacent fields and some along the road edge where there are a few puddles thanks to some moving water. A couple of Woodcook were flushed as I walked round. I put seed around the wetland in the sheltered spots. A couple of Skylarks were in the car park so rest of the seed went there.

St Marys Iceland

On the walk back, a couple of year ticks, indeed a patch tick! Firstly, a female Snow Bunting that landed briefly on a fence post before heading off over Whitley. Next came 54 Brent Geese flying low over the beach heading north.

Beautiful Whitley Vista