A look at Newton this morning. On arriving at Low Newton beach I was looking through wagtails when I should have been looking at Rooks! Hence Janet’s sift through a few Rooks feeding on seaweed revealed a Hooded Crow in amongst them. Janet’s second Hooded Crow find of the year with the other being at Harper’s Heugh near Budle Bay. I was keen to contact Gary Woodburn quickly as I suspected it would be a patch tick for him. Had to haul myself up a high sand dune to get a mobile signal. He duly arrived hotfoot and was suitably ecstatic. Also on the beach here were three Yellow Wagtails and six White Wagtails. Elsewhere at Newton we managed our first Cuckoo of the year at the southern end of Newton Pool being hassled relentlessly. Also a migrant Tree Pipit in the dune bushes was a surprise. At least five Blackcaps in the area showed they were at last coming through and a few House Martins on the beach were our only ones this year apart from two at Kielder. TRD/JD
