Today was my first real bash at the patch, so armed with scope I headed off the have a 'stand and stare' from the high point at the Howick Haven. I arrived to meet a lovely calm sunrise over a mirror flat sea, with a mild very light SW1 blowing. Just the job for listening out for birds flying over.
 |
| Dawn at the Haven |
As the dawn light increased, new patch species came thick and fast -
3 Purple Sandpipers, 11 Goldeneye, a pair of Red breasted Merganser, Common Scoter and a faint 'peep' alerted me to a nice female
Kingfisher sitting on the rocks. Over head, 22
Pink feet flew south while 9
Red throated Divers loafed in the bay.
 |
| The view south, this is the south end of my patch. |
 |
| And the view North towards the Bathing House and Dunstanburgh castle. |
Further down to the burn mouth, a male
Shelduck was a good find for the time of year being more easily seen in the spring. Another glance seaward added a
Guillemot to the total.
Fired up with this boost, I headed around to the Pond Field to see if there were any ducks at all, as there were none on my last visit. As I was the first visitor here this morning at least
Mallard, Teal and Little Grebe made a show, with
Stock Dove, Greenfinch and a bonus female
Blackcap in the woods for good measure.
Back home for a late breakfast, no new species were added, but on the feeders a
Siskin was at the niger seed with
Goldfinches, 4+
Long tailed Tits fed like animated lollipops on the nuts and at least 10
Tree Sparrows were on the seed feeders.
 |
| Goldfinch male. Note the extent of red on the face. |
 |
| Long tailed Tit. |
My first Moth trapping session of the year yielded only a single moth but it was notable, being my earliest Hebrew Character by a full month.
 |
| Hebrew Character, first moth caught of 2013. |
If this nice weather holds maybe a few common omissions from the bird list will show themselves...
The running total after today - 71 species ( 77 points). Maybe another 10 to get before the end of January...All on foot and all self found.
