Fog'n'Mist

For the last two days our village has looked a bit like this. These pics were taken on Tuesday when it didnt lift at all. Still, a few interesting things were to be seen.

In those bushes below the tall pines, were 2 Chiffchaffs. One called a bit like a Sibe Chiff, with the hoarse piping tone, but the other was just standard Chiffchaff call. The thing is both looked very similar and I couldnt tell which was making what noise. The fog made the colours very tricky to confirm but one was definitely paler than the other.

This morning an ad Mediterranean Gull was with 300 Black-headeds in the top field, a new one for the year, a Brambling flew S and 2 Redwings were in-off.

Yesterday 35 Siskins were new arrivals along the lane, and I found a new fungi again below the tall pines. Its called the Grey Knight Tricholoma terreum  -

146. Mediterranean Gull

I know you're in there...

This morning dawned foggy and very autumnal. It was cool and quiet. After I took Bunty for her walk I put her back in the house and took a wander over to the back hedge to see if there were any migrants about. There weren't.

As I strolled back trying to take photos of fog and dew, it dawned on me that there was some frantic calling going on, coming from the sycamores behind our shed. 'Tiissswissp!' was the cry, again and again for maybe a minute. Yellow-browed Warbler! I tried to get some bearings on it, but as I approached my usual watching spot it went quiet. So, I moved back into the garden where some thin sunshine was warming to garden edge of the trees. Surely this would get the siberian active?

I waited for maybe an hour, checking not only the garden but neighbours gardens too, but no joy. The Russian had slipped the net, leaving only a female Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests in the wood. Overhead 2 Redpolls and a Grey Wagtail with 10+ Skylarks flew south....

It might be still around here somewhere....

The calls came from those trees on the far left....

Roaming in the gloaming...

What a change since last weekend. Gone are the clear blue skies and sunny days. Instead of basking in summer temps with sun like more southern counties, Northumberland and east Scotland are about the only areas of the UK to have proper March weather.  At the minute, day time temps are not exceeding 8 degrees, and down to 5 at night. It could be July before we see a 20.

As we have an easterly breeze causing the fog and cool temps, I thought there might be the chance of a migrant or two, but the coast is very quiet.

Over the last couple of days I have walked the Howick to Craster stretch, Low Newton and Newton Point, the Long Nanny and Boulmer with little to show really.

While listening to the congregation singing in the Tin Church at Low Newton (above) 2 Willow Tits called nearby.

Migrants came in the form of several Chiffchaffs on the coast, a lone Wheatear at Newton Point, a Black Redstart at Boulmer ( courtesy of Dave Dack), 2 Redwings sub singing at Low Newton Pools and some littoralis Rock Pipits at all sites.  A Fieldfare dropped into the copse beside our garden this morning.

This Powdered Quaker was a new addition to the garden moth year list on Friday night.