An unseasonally warm Autumn day,with temperatures reaching a balmy 17 degrees in the sunshine and a morning southerly wind falling light, made for a superb days birding in the North of the county. Starting at Budle bay on the falling tide where the mudflats were alive with birds. A very large Lapwing flock took to the air as a Peregrine alighted on a rock out on the flats. The birds broke off into six smaller flocks, some gaining quite a height ,others landing near the road ,an estimated 1,500 in total made for a great spectacle. With them were around 40 Knot and 30 Dunlin,also evading the falcon. Grey Plovers and Redshanks, Oystercatchers and Curlews settled once more as the Peregrine sat preening unconcerned. 52 Pink Feet headed south high overhead,with an unidentified larger goose among them. A telescope count of feeding Shelduck revealed 533 birds here. Wigeon were too numerous to attempt a count I felt. Two Goldeneye swam in one of the channels. A Buzzard perched on a post and Yellowhammer and Fieldfare noted. 20 Yellowhammers were along a nearby hedgerow.
Onward to Elwick, where 29 Collared Doves on wires was a good count. 100+House Sparrows at a farm which always holds good numbers. A farmer had spilt some grain here and it attracted a good many birds of several species. Tree Sparrows,Yellowhammers,Chaffinches and several Robins taking advantage of the food,then 25-30 Skylarks took flight, brief song from one bird was nice to hear. Pink Feet were calling from the next field and with them were 190 or so Barnacle Geese. Several Roe Deer nearby and another Buzzard on a bush-top.
Next stop, Holy Island and two Little Egrets fed in the pools at the causeway. A stop at Chare Ends and a walk along the shore here and a call revealed 30 Twite feeding among weeds at the field edge. My first of the Autumn. 15 later seen at Snook House,drinking at a puddle. The mud flats here held a huge flock of Golden Plover, in their favourite spot,easily 3,000 birds creating quite a noise of calls. Many Knot,Bar tailed Godwits and Dunlin fed here, until a Merlin sped in and landed on a fence post. Brent Geese were numerous out in the pools here and good numbers of Skylarks over the adjacent fields. Into the village next, and a Black Redstart was found feeding in the trees near the coach car park,then affording very close views on walls here. Quite a few Redwings remained on the Island from the midweek arrival, with around 100 noted along the Lonnens with lesser numbers of Blackbirds. 5-6 Chiffchaffs seen and a few Goldcrests.A Willow Warbler was a late find near the harbour (per.AM),with two Blackcaps. Short eared Owls have been hunting the Harbour Pools area for a few weeks and one again showed very well here today.Two others seen on the Snook . A single Black tailed Godwit fed in the field next to the road here. At St Cuthbert’s Island, a Slavonian Grebe noted and a few Mergansers too. More Brents here out on the flats,with many loudly calling.
As high tide approached a final halt down at Fenham and 50-60 Tree Sparrows fed behind the hide with a few Yellowhammers and Linnets. Several Redwings in the bushes. Towards the north, on the water, was a great spectacle to round off a very good day, of thousands of Wigeon,with Brent Geese and Shelduck all but covering the water’s surface.
A.S.Jack