Harry's Birding Blog

Friday, 14 February 2014

Yellow-rumped Warbler still present...

With a mega rarity so close I thought it would be rude not to pay another visit so I got the bus to High Shincliffe for 07:30 this morning and the Yellow-rumped Warbler was on show straight away. I was on site from 07:30 till 13:00 and the bird would show briefly on the feeders every 20 minutes even calling at times. Photos are far from good, hopefully ill be able to get back up their next week if the sun decides to make an appearance.

YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER!

On the 9th February I saw the Yellow-rumped Warbler in High Shincliffe thanks to the family who found it on their Big Garden Birdwatch in late January and to the birders who worked hard to get the news out for all to see it. New feeders have been put up on the side of the road and have successfully moved the bird away from the estate which means viewing is far easier. Unfortunately I got no photos on this visit but I am hoping it wont be my only visit to High Shincliffe as this is a first for Durham and only the 3rd for mainland Britain.

Later that day was spent in Sandsend, North Yorkshire with family and a very obliging Iceland Gull...

(Iceland Gull - Harry Murphy)

Just a few more...

(Iceland Gull - Harry Murphy)

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Weekend Up North...

On the 1st February James Shergold woke me up at 01:30 and we maid our way to Northern Scotland along with Anthony Bentley, Kieran Lawrence, and Andrew. Our first stop was Perth to meet up with some strange folk from Western England. The first bird stop was Tulloch Moor where we failed to see Black Grouse. The next stop was Boat of Garten where we failed to see Crested Tit, and the stop after that was Loch Flemington for the American Coot and we actually saw it! Although it wasn't the most exciting bird iv ever seen it was quite interesting, the dark band on the bill, dark red spot on the top of the frontal shield, grey body and obvious white sides to the undertail-coverts made it clearly different from the surrounding Coots. Unfortunately I completely failed at getting a good photo, the distance and bad light are my only excuse.

(American Coot - Harry Murphy)

Next stop was Nairn and was quite productive with Black-throated Diver, Long-tailed Ducks, Scaup, Brent Geese and Velvet Scoter. Further east was even better with Black Guillemot, Great Northern Diver, Slavonion Grebe and the best Long-tailed Ducks iv ever seen. The small Harbour at Burghead held at least 7 Long-tailed Ducks of all ages, some showing down to 4 meters!

(Long-tailed Duck - Harry Murphy)

The Great Northen Diver was rather good as-well.

(Great Northern Diver - Harry Murphy)

The last successful stop that day was a visit to Udale bay RSPB where we located the drake American Wigeon. Sunday Morning was totally dreadful, despite looking for birds at several sights nothing was found and it wasn't until the afternoon when we had about 6 Capercaillie as a group and we came across a party of 6 calling Crossbills and all 9 of us agreed that they were Scottish Crossbills! The last highlight of the trip for me was at last light when 3 of us decided to leave "the wood" and and drive to Loch Garten at speed to look for Crested Tit, I was pretty sure I was going to leave Speyside once again without seeing one and had little hope. I ran to the feeders at Loch Garten and much to my surprise their was still a Coal Tit that had not bothered to go to roost and 5 seconds later a Crested Tit joined it! Obviously because the camera was in the car it hopped around in a 5 ft tall, bare tree for about 20 seconds until it flew of into the higher trees. Sprinting to the feeders was a very good decision because Anthony Bentley and Matthew Bruce arrived 10 seconds later and unfortunately missed it. A great trip and one to remember.

Sunday, 19 January 2014

A slow start...

Happy New Year everyone! Unfortunately it has been quite dreadful for birding. Since the 1st I have twitched a Ivory Gull, started a year list, looked for white winged gulls, and tried to get a lift to the highlands and so far I have failed miserably at everything. Today was a bit more eventful, I saw the Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat in Tynemouth thanks to the owners of the garden and on the way back I got the 2 Glossy Ibis at Boldon.

(Glossy Ibis - Harry Murphy)

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

41st British Tick of the year..

Brunnich's Guillemot, a bird I did not expect to see any time soon especially on the south coast of England. We arrived at Portland around 1 o'clock and it gave great views for the time we were their, unfortunately I got rubbish photos because of the rain but I am not complaining a great end to the year.

(Brunnich's Guillemot - Harry Murphy)

Sunday, 22 December 2013

ANOTHER IVORY GULL!

When I was offered a seat to go and see the Patrington Ivory Gull I could not resist. The next day we set of and got their after 8 and the the Ivory was on show waddling around the rocks but a bit distant. We had to wait another 4 hours until it finally got hungry and fed on the dead fish left by visiting birders. For the next 5 minutes it gave brilliant views as it picked at the salmon and mackerel before flying back out to the Humber, winter birding at its best!

(Ivory Gull - Harry Murphy)

Monday, 16 December 2013

2013...

Because it is the end of a fantastic year I have decided to do a write up on everything that has happened.

The top 5!

5. The Kilnsea Great Snipe

Found on Saturday 14th September when I was looking for Bonaparte's Gull at Whitburn. The next day myself Michael and Andrew headed down and got there for first light and the Great Snipe put on a unbelievable show for the time we were there. For the remainder of its stay it showed stupidly well in the ditch opposite the caravan park often walking over peoples shoes, unfortunately it was killed days later by a predator, a sad end to a unbelievable bird.

(Great Snipe - Harry Murphy)

4. Pacific Swift

The news broke of this absolute mega just as myself and Andrew Kinghorn crossed the Dartford bridge to twitch a Black Kite in Kent, for some unknown reason we spent the next 4 hours in Faversham looking for a Black Kite that had obviously gone while the first twitchable Pacific Swift since 1993 was hawking insects over Trimley marshes just 2 hours away, yes I know very stupid. But fortunately after a nervous car drive and a long, long, long walk we finally connected with this stunning bird.

(Pacific Swift - Josh Jones)

3. Hermit Thrush

Set of at 22:30 on Tuesday 29th October and arrived at Porthgwarra 6 am the following morning. By 9 am it was looking like a big dip until someone located it in the small wood next to the car park and what a bird it was, absolutely stunning. One I will remember for a very long time.

(Hermit Thrush - Lisle Gwynn)

2. Bridled Tern

This bird was difficult to connect with for me at first, On the 6th of July I searched some of the Northumberland coast but it was inconveniently relocated at Saltholme the place I visit every week and we missed it by a short period of time because of a accident on the A19. On the 17th I finally got this magnificent tern back on the Inner Farne where it gave brilliant views with the surrounding Arctic, Sandwich, Roseate and Common Terns.

(Bridled Tern - Harry Murphy)

1. Ivory Gulls!

On the 7th December three of us set of from Hartlepool to Seahouses to see this dream bird and as soon as we got to the golf course the Ivory Gull stood out like a sore thumb and gave mega views and not long after another Ivory joined the original!!! Both birds then headed to the beach at Beadnell. absolutely brilliant, so unexpected and a great end to the year!

(Ivory Gull no.1 - Harry Murphy)

The rest of the year...
* = British Tick

Bean Goose

Cleveland Cowpen Marsh, A. f. rossicus, 15th February (A. Kinghorn)

Green-winged Teal

Cleveland Saltholme RSPB, male, 2nd January.

Blue-winged Teal*

Lincolnshire Boultham Mere, three, adult female,Juvenile, 21st September (A. Kinghorn, K. Lawrence, T. Middleton, M. Murphy)

Ferruginous Duck*

Oxfordshire Otmoor RSPB, adult male, 29th March (A. Kinghorn, T. Middleton, M. Murphy)

Lesser Scaup

Cleveland Saltholme RSPB, adult male, 3rd April.

Surf Scoter

Yorkshire Filey, adult male, 29th June (A.Kinghorn)

Lady Amherst's Pheasant*

Bedfordshire 29th March (A. Kinghorn, T. Middleton, M. Murphy)

Night Heron*

Yorkshire Old Moor RSPB, first summer, 17th August (A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy, J. Robson)

Great White Egret

Somerset Ham Wall RSPB, three adults, 4th April (A.Kinghorn, T. Middleton, K. Lawrence, M. Murphy)

Cleveland Cowpen Marsh, adult, 27th May also seen Saltholme RSPB, 30th May. Dormans Pool, immature/non breeding, 30th May.

Purple Heron*

Northumberland East Chevington NR, adult, 4th May (A. Kinghorn)

Glossy Ibis

Cleveland Hartlepool, first-winter, 27th October.

Spoonbill

Cleveland Saltholme RSPB, 2nd summer, 19th & 20th July.

Pied-billed Grebe*

Somerset Ham Wall RSPB, male in song, 4th April (A.Kinghorn, T. Middleton, K. Lawrence, M. Murphy)

Spotted Crake*

Northumberland East Chevington, Juvinile, 24th August (A. Kinghorn, K. Lawrence)

Crane

Norfolk Stubs Mill, twenty five, 16th November (A. Kinghorn, J. Bucknall, K. Lawrence, M. Murphy)

Semipalmated Plover*

Hampshire Hayling Island, Juvinile, 19th October (A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy)

Stilt Sandpiper*

Cheshire Neumann's Flash, adult, 1st September (A. Kinghorn)

Pectoral Sandpiper

Cleveland Saltholme RSPB, adult, 18th May. Saltholme RSPB, adult, 25th, 26th & 27th July

Red-necked Phalarope*

Cleveland Scaling Dam, adult male, 31st May (J. Regan)

Great Snipe*

Yorkshire Kilnsea, 15th September (A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy)

Brunnich's Guillemot*
Dorset Portland Harbour, 28th December (H. Mitchell et al)

Bridled Tern*

Northumberland Inner Farne, adult, 17th July (M. Sidwell)

Ivory Gull*

Northumberland Seahouses, two juveniles, 7th December (C. Bell, R. Stephenson)
Yorkshire Patrington Haven, juvenile, 21st December (A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy)

Caspian Gull

Cleveland Cowpen Bewley tip, second-winter, 5th January (A. Kinghorn, M.Murphy) Cowpen Bewley tip, second-winter, 12th January (D. Foster, A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy) Seaton Common, third-winter, 9th March (D. Foster, A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy)

Iceland Gull

Cleveland Hartlepool Headland, first-winter, 8th December.

Glaucous Gull

Cleveland Seaton Common, first-winter 15th & 22nd February, 9th & 23rd March (A. Kinghorn) Seaton Common, first-winter, 9th March (D. Foster, A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy)

Pallid Swift*

Cleveland Hartlepool Headland, 19th & 20th October (A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy)

Pacific Swift*

Suffolk Trimley Marshes, 17th June (A. Kinghorn)

Wryneck

Cleveland South Gare, 15th May. Hartlepool Headland, 7th September (C. Bell et al)

Isabelline Shrike*

Yorkshire Flamborough Head, first-winter, 17th October.

Red-backed Shrike

Cleveland Seaton Common, female, 12th May. South Gare, male, 21st May. Heargreaves Quarry, male, 1st June (A. Kinghorn) Cowpen Bewley WP, male, 1st June (A. Kinghorn et al) Seaton Common, juvenile, 7th September (C. Bell et al)

Durham Whitburn CP, juvenile, 26th August (A. Kinghorn, T. Middleton)

Lesser Grey Shrike*

Northumberland Long Nanny, first-winter, 24th November (G. Bagnell et al)

Greenish Warbler
Durham Marsden Quarry, 26th August (A. Kinghorn, T. Middleton) Whitburn CP, 28th August.

Arctic Warbler
Durham Whitburn CP, 26th August (A. Kinghorn, T. Middleton)

Yellow-browed Warbler
Borders St Abb's Head, two, 28th September (K. Hall, M. Murphy, G. Randall)
Cleveland South Gare, three, 25th September. Old Cemetery, Hartlepool, 29th September (M. Sidwell) Hartlepool Headland, 29th September & 5th October.
Durham Whitburn CP, 28th September, trapped (C. Bell et al)

Dusky Warbler*
Cleveland Old Cemetery Rd, Hartlepool. 26th & 28th October.

Western Bonellis Warbler*
Cleveland Hartlepool Headland.15th & 20th October.

Iberian Chiffchaff*
Durham Boldon Flats NR, male in song, 24th April (J. Regan)
Yorkshire Flamborough Head, 27th April (G. Randall)

Barred Warbler*
Cleveland Hartlepool Headland, 28th September (C. Bell)

Subalpine Warbler*
Northumberland Druridge Pools, first-winter male, S. c. albistriata, 4th October (A. Kinghorn)

Sardinian Warbler*
Borders St Abb's Head, male, 28th September (K. Hall, M. Murphy, G. Randall)

Booted Warbler*
Northumberland Hadston Carrs, 24th August (A. Kinghorn, K. Lawrence)

Rose-coloured Starling*
Cornwall Marazion, first-winter, 30th October (G. Joynt, S. Keightley et al)
Norfolk Caister-on-Sea, first-winter, 17th November (J. Bucknall, A. Kinghorn, K. Lawrence, M. Murphy)

Hermit Thrush*
Cornwall Porthgwarra, 30th October (G. Joynt, S. Keightley et al)

Thrush Nightingale*
Cleveland Hartlepool Headland, 19th May.

Bluethroat
Cleveland South Gare, adult male, L. s. svecica, 15th May (J. Regan et al)

Siberian Stonechat*
Yorkshire Scalby Mills, first-winter, 17th October.

Pied Wheatear*
Nottinghamshire Collingham Gravel Pits, female, 10th November (A. Kinghorn)

Richards Pipit*
Cleveland Spion Kop Cemetery, 4th November (C. Bell)
Durham Whitburn, three, 28th September (K. Hall, G. Randall, M. Murphy et al)

Serin*
Yorkshire Flamborough, male, 16th November (J. Bucknall, A. Kinghorn, K. Lawrence, M. Murphy)

Two-barred Crossbill*
Yorkshire Broomhead Reservoir, two, adult female and juvenile, 17th August (A. Kinghorn, M. Murphy, J. Robson)

Parrot Crossbill*
Norfolk Holt, three, one male and two females. 17th November (J. Bucknall, A. Kinghorn, K. Lawrence, M. Murphy)

Little Bunting*
Durham Elba Park, male in song, 11th April.