Yesterday at Widdrington Moor Lake, a body of water created when open cast mining finished here a few years ago, I witnessed a spectacle I have not seen before. Scanning across the lake, having seen around 120 Lapwings and a Greenshank, I saw a Peregrine, a juvenile bird exhibiting strange behaviour. It was circling very low over the bankside in a slow flight action then swooping down to break off Thistle heads and other plant tops in it’s talons, this action was performed perhaps a dozen times. It appeared to be honing it’s skills in grabbing prey, then pecking at the plant material before dropping it. A juvenile Marsh Harrier, probably from the local nesting site, had been quartering rough grassland nearby and came in very close to the Peregrine, which joined it, still at a very low height and they began slowly circling together. They then came together touching talons and repeated this several times seemingly playing together. A male Kestrel appeared and the Harrier flew off to resume hunting, only for the Peregrine to join the Kestrel in the air and begin circling with it, the two birds gliding and swooping together. An enjoyable sighting indeed of some unusual interaction between species!
Later birds seen at Druridge Pools included a Spotted Redshank, 4 Ruff and two Stonechats. Another juvenile Marsh Harrier was at East Chevington and a single Avocet and Greenshank at Cresswell Pond. Two Med. Gulls at Snab Point.
Little Stint still tonight at St Mary’s, Whitley Bay.(Sunday).
A.S Jack