Small v Large Heath

Greenleighton Moor and Fontburn

The plan was to hunt for basking Adders on Sunday morning but by the time I drove to Fontburn the sun had almost gone. However its a nice place to be so I set off to walk along the North shore. Sparrowhawk and Fieldfare were the first birds to note. There were around 20 Canada geese in the adjacent field. While skirting the head of the reservoir, Newbiggin Farm provided a view worth a sketching attempt.

 Three Buzzard and one Raven flew over calling strongly. As I approached a feeder stream another pair of Buzzard flew overhead.

As soon as I reached the stream I caught sight of a Dipper. Then I realised there was another close by.
One of them adopted a pose of pointing its bill vertically skyward whenever the other approached. Don't know what that was all about. Perhaps a mating routine. They stayed close together for the time I watched.

A later walk through Greenleighton Moor Quarry provided a nice surprise with a Peregrine on the hunt

St. Wilfrid's Church, Kirkharle

Just a short wander around Kirkharle this morning. Bright sunshine but still a few hailstone surviving in the shadows.
Did a pencil sketch of St. Wilfrid's Church, but it was a bit too chilly to add some watercolour on the spot,  I did so at home.

It was very quiet on the bird front with only Buzzard, Kestrel and the usual hedgerow occupants.
Good to see that there are still some country crafts being practised

and there were some nice views to take in

Show Off

Went to Primrose LNR to see this little cracker.
Could not see it at first, then it swam out in front of me and crikey, any duck to place itself between us was given the heave ho, as it paraded to and fro.

Whatever its history its a remarkable creature.

Up the Coast, again.

Crikey, its along time since I was last here, Blogger I mean.
This morning took me to East Chevington to view the Twite flock of around fourty birds. They were feeding at the edge of the dunes along with Shorelark, Turnstones, Sanderling and Pied Wagtail. Myself and John @sedgywarbler parked ourselves at the dune edge and the birds came to within five or six paces. A delight to see.

A quick visit to Druridge Bay CP for a look at the Pacific Diver which was showing close up in the North east corner.

Earlier Tom @TomCadwallender was telling me about a decent size flock of Purple Sandpiper on Coquet Island, so thought I'd get as near as I could without paddling and sure enough there were a couple on rock ends off Hauxley.

Ten Grey Plover were nice to see. Bit of bother behind.

The North Sea was like glass. Magic moments.

Fontburn

Today I had a wander up to the head of Fontburn reservoir. I specifically was hoping to spot a Sundew in one of a number of locations where I knew another flycatcher, Butterwort existed.
Quite a few Butterwort were seen

but no Sundews were spotted.
There were however good numbers of flowering Grass of Parnassus

a couple of Painted Lady

and a few Peacock.

Overlooking the head of the reservoir

I was fortunate to be able to watch a Kingfisher hovering over the water before striking. With the water levels really low there were no perches above the water to act as a perch.

Jay and Mistle Thrush were about further up the Fallowlees Burn valley

Druridge Bay

After yesterdays sports 'sitathon' in front of the tele I needed a walk this morning.
So I parked up at Druridge Pools after watching a dozen Little Egrets at Cresswell, and headed toward Hauxley. Nowt out of the ordinary, so it was nice to see three Wheatear at the Hauxley outflow.

This bird spread itself in the sun

A Common Sandpiper was at the edge of the Hauxley tidal pool.

By the time I got back to Druridge Pools I had enjoyed the walk.

Bits and Pieces

A walk up Prestwick Carr bridlepath after lunch today produced some nice colours

and then a visit to Gosforth Park NR for a Purple Hairstreak spotting event by Natural History Society of Northumbria brought at least 10 into view

Honest there is one in here

Its host oak tree was adjacent to this

What a surprise

With this mornings cool NE breeze the last thing we expected to see were butterflies. The Druridge Pools track was amazing with eight species present.
Painted Lady x 4, Small Copper, Peacock, Large White, Wall, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Small Heath. A further 7 Painted Lady were seen later at East Chevington.

Dont know what this one below is

Believe this one below is Garden Tiger Moth

Wansbeck

After yesterdays feast of Broad billed Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper and Ruff it seemed only proper to see if I could find the Wansbeck Bonapartes Gull.
This mornings reported sighting was under the A189 bridge so I headed there via Cambois. The were half a dozen Black headed over on the North bank with one possible amongst. So crossed over and despite decent views I could not quite convince myself that I had found it, so returned to the pub for beer and burger.
Then down to Castle Island and a lot of gulls to search.
Then a possible, black bill, and smaller than a BH and similar head marks to recently published. Following a kind confirmation by Andy @leicester_llama , I had myself a Bonapartes Gull.

there were also three Avocets

and three Little Egret, one of which was ringed, but I could not ident rings

Portpatrick and Mull of Galloway

Earlier this week I was able to have a few days ambling around Portpatrick, Mull of Galloway and surrounding area .
A few hours along the Portpatrick clifftops brought some sightings of Ravens, Hooded Crow as well as an abundance of wildflowers. Gannets were struggling to head North against a stiff breeze.
A brief visit to Ballantrae beach provided an unexpected sight of brilliant, summer plumaged Knot and Sanderling. At least that's what I believe them to be, but no doubt someone will correct me otherwise. The summer colouring completely threw me. This beach normally hosts Little and Arctic Terns nesting but none had yet arrived. Gannets were feeding close inshore.
Corsewell Point provided good but distant views of Manx and Sooty Shearwaters heading North. A Short eared Owl was harried by corvids
At the end of the Mull there were good numbers of Guillimot and Razorbill with a few Black Guillimot as well. A Peregrine patrolled the cliff faces.
A few hours spent inland gave me the chance to watch Spotted Flycatchers, Tree Pipits, Sedge Warblers and large numbers of Chiffy, Willow Warbler and Whitethroat. I failed to find a Pied Flycatcher anywhere.Woodland Bluebells were magnificent
I was treated to see Roe deer, Stoat, Adder, Hares and amazingly Painted Lady butterfly.
On the return journey through Galloway Forest a couple of Cuckoo were heard.