The 28th, and the Whitley Bay cemetery Wryneck obliged for it’s 3rd day, showing very well to the assembled crowd at close range as it sought ants between the gravestones. Another was found later down at St. Mary’s Wetland, at first seen in bushes among the reedbed. A Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat and 5 singing Whitethroats, 17 Reed Buntings and 2 Sedge Warblers made for a good session. A few Sanderling remained on the beach.
29th- peering through very thick morning fog for a reported Pied Flycatcher at Tynemouth drew a blank,however I heard a calling Redstart and managed to locate it west of Collingwood’s Monument. A splendid gaudy male,watched before it fled before 3 dogs.
Later in now warm sunshine , saw me up at Beacon Hill ,a long-time favourite spot in Spring and Summer . I recently dug out some ‘photos of me there with binoculars,with my parents in 1964! 3 singing Redstarts, a Tree Pipit and Cuckoo were excellent. 10 Redpolls ( in pairs), were singing/displaying, as were 20+ Willow Warblers. Other notable species included 2 pairs of Bullfinch, 12 Chiffchaffs, Nuthatch, Skylark,Treecreeper,Swallow,G.S.Woodpecker,Yellowhammer, Linnet,WillowTit and Jay.
Onward,and another Redstart at Blackpool Farm. Willow Warblers singing at every stop and many heard from the car. At Wingates, no less than 8 displaying Tree Pipits seen in an area of young trees,fantastic! Whitethroats too were very common in this area. Then 3 Buzzards took to the air from an older wood,calling. A second Cuckoo of the day also called,but was not seen. 2 more Redstarts spotted and suprisingly a pair of Lapwings had taken up residence on the ground flattened to accommodate wind turbines here- much display from the male,but sadly no rivals to impress from this much declined species in this area. A Green Woodpecker was glimpsed,then a “year tick” in the form of a singing Garden Warbler.More Redpolls here too.
A.S.Jack