Hard as it is to believe looking at today’s constant gloomy downpour,but a warm,sunny,lovely Northumberland morning found me on monday up in the Ingram Valley once again. I was early enough to be ahead of the lunchtime throng of picnic parties,so had the birdlife to myself. A slow drive into the valley and 4-5 Yellowhammers could be heard and seen singing . Reed Buntings, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs also sang as a group of Sand Martins hawked along the Breamish river,some entering bank-side nest holes. On shingle,Oystercatchers,Common Sandpipers and Redshanks had their nests,noisily taking flight at my approach. Heading upstream,Dipper and Grey Wagtail noted and the first of many Whinchats sang from the now growing bracken. A total of 17 of these migrants were seen,a few females,but mostly territorial males. As I watched and photographed a pair,I saw the female dive into a grassy tussock where with careful approach after she flew out,I found a nest with 6 azure blue eggs. Quickly retreating, I watched her return to settle on the nest. 4 Whitethroats sang nearby ,the heathland habitat very different from the local birds in and around my suburban area. 4-5 Common Buzzards could be seen above,hunting the fells and then a female Kestrel appeared “mobbing” a much paler raptor. To my great suprise, it was a Rough legged Buzzard! A rare winter and passage visitor ,not annually seen in the county,this bird , an immature, hovered frequently above of one of the hills,showing it’s main distintive features of white tail with a dark band, black belly,pale head and dark carpal patches. One of the Common Buzzards stooped towards the stranger and it headed off west, upsream. I have seen Rough legged in Spring once before in the county, a very nice suprise once more. Birds of this species have recently been spotted in North Yorkshire and in the Scottish Border country.
Moving on reluctantly, I headed west to Holystone ,stopping frequently along the way . At one stop, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers were found, House Martins and Swallows were collecting mud , and a Mistle Thrush fed it’s 2 fledged young. Several singing Skylarks and Meadow Pipits noted too. Yellowhammers and Whitethroats commonly seen and 3 male Redstarts noted. At Holystone woods, no Wood Warblers seen this visit ,but 8 singing male Redstarts was a good count. A Grey Wagtail fed 2 youngsters in,unusually a clear fell area of a conifer wood. Tree Pipit ,Treecreeper ,Nuthatch and Great spotted Woodpecker noted. A calling Cuckoo was immitated and flew towards me to investigate,landing in close view,uttering a chuckling call. Siskins and Redpolls were common here and at nearby Hepple, 5 calling Crossbills seen. Common Sandpiper,Sand Martins and 14 lapwings with young noted along the River Coquet,but sadly a road casualty here was a Lapwing and it’s youngster ,a great shame to see.
A.S.Jack