With a window of warm weather in what is a very cold Spring this year, I headed off for a day in the upland river valleys of the Cheviot foothills, hoping for some newly arrived summer migrants. A call first at a favoured haunt for over 40 years now, Beacon Hill where despite the date, tree buds and leaves were struggling to make an appearance, making food finding harder for the recently arrived Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. In 2kms numbers singing were 18 of the former and 16 the latter. Three male Redstarts sang from bare tree tops and a pair of Blackcaps chased each other in thicker garden cover. A Redpoll called as it flew over, followed by a second. A pair of Willow Tits noted and other species included Nuthatch.
Heading on, more singing Willow Warblers heard with six near Todburn, where two pairs of Swallows back at a farm. Arriving in Ingram, a local site held displaying Little ringed Plover, with his mate watching on. Common Sandpipers back on breeding territory here, with three pairs watched. A number of Sand Martins inspected last year’s nest holes in the riverbank as Siskins called overhead. Ten Song Thrushes noted in the valley. Dipper, Grey and Pied Wagtails seen, then a nice male Stonechat sang from a bushtop (no Whinchats back yet here). The valley rang with the song of Willow Warblers, with 23 counted in total. Two males watched fighting on a grass verge was unusual! A solitary Raven called as it crossed the valley and a Kestrel hovered. At Hedgeley around 50 Sand Martins, with several Swallows hawked for insects above the pools. A single Fieldfare seen. 19-20 Lapwing pairs here, with birds sitting tight on nests.
Later arriving in Coquetdale the temperature reached a year’s high of 18 degrees and butterflies were in evidence, with 20+ the total of Tortoishells and Peacocks noted. Common Sandpipers back here too, with pairs at five sites.
Seven Grey Wagtails and many Pieds seen along the river, with nine Reed Buntings, many Meadow Pipits and Chaffinches too. Ten Willow Warblers sang at Harbottle. A colony of 50+ Sand Martins in the valley, with the birds in a tight wheeling flock,calling as they continually swooped by the sandbank .Pleasing was the number of Wheatears seen, with an increase on recent years apparent. Eight males and two females seen in a few kms, the males singing from rocky hill slopes.
Overhead, three Ravens called as they circled and a pair of House Martins were back at Carshope, with more Swallows and Sand Martins. Many singing Skylarks on the Otterburn Ranges as I drove through, firing suspended for the lambing season. Finally at Cottonshope, my fifth Raven of the day and a party of noisy Crossbills in the conifers, as were Siskins, Coal Tits, Goldcrests and Redpolls.
A.S.Jack