RSPB Frampton Marsh pt1

Last Friday saw me head down to my parents for the weekend. Along the way I planned to stop off at a few places to try and pick up some new birds for the year. Waders were what I was really after. My favourite birds, and it is just getting to that time when they are heading back after breeding. 

A nice early arrival and I could see many birds on the water just from the car park. I followed the path and made frequent stops to look over the reeds. I could see lots of Black-tailed Godwits, Spoonbills, and 100+ Little Egrets. The most I'd seen ever of this species in one place.

Only one hide was open, with all windows and doors open and hand sanitiser which was good to see. Only me in there though for half an hour and lots of birds to look at. A few Common Terns were fishing close in with Dunlins, Ruff and a few Spotted Redshank and Little Stint for company. Greenshanks, Green and Common Sandpipers helped to swell the wader numbers.

Black-tailed Godwit

A Godwit here still in most of it's breeding plumage with an Avocet in the background.

Dunlin

Common Tern

Lockdown easing.

Thanks to a change in government guidelines, I was able to travel to my parents last week and stay overnight. It was so good to see them again after 3 long months.

I did my birding nice and early in the morning so as to avoid others, and headed to places I knew would be very quiet at 5am in the morning (yes, most places are, but I wasn't taking any risks).

I headed to Salthouse, a beach I know that is very quiet, unless you are a bird. I enjoyed watching the Sandwich Terns tracking the shoreline up and down while squawking as they did. 

The weather was good, with warm sunshine from very early. Always a help when stood still for some time and the light helps the pictures.

One of the many Sandwich Terns seen over the week.

With a what looks like a sand eel.

There were only a few Common Tern around.

There were very good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls along the coast. 

Similar in size to a Black-headed Gull, but with a distinctive black hood and orangey bill and legs.

Pennington Flash

These pictures are from a few weeks back when I took a visit to Pennington Flash, which is one of the premier birding sites in the North West. Such a varied array of habitats, it attracts so many different species.
It was a bright morning (always a bonus) and there was lots to see. There were Reed and Sedge Warblers in the reed beds. A Kingfisher zipped past while I was watching some of the many Grey Herons, and the main water held hundreds of Swifts, Swallows and Sand Martins. It was a fantastic Spring morning.

A male Blackcap was letting everyone know he was around.

Common Terns taking a rest in front of Horrock's hide.

Great crested Grebe.

A juvenile Grey Heron, and some Lapwings behind.

Little ringed plover.

Stock Dove

Something I try every year. Catching a Swift in flight. It's not very easy.

Coquet Island

A trip out to Coquet Island with Puffin Cruises puffincruises to see Roseate Terns was the last item on my weekends agenda. (I can highly recommend the boat trip if you are in Amble, or indeed Northumberland.) A Tern that I had never seen before, and was desperate to add to my life list. Coquet holds 90% of the UK's nesting Roseate Tern population, so it was nailed on that I would get to see them. But before I share my pictures of them, I'll show you what I saw on my journey out to the island.

There were lots of other Terns, Guillemots and Puffins once again, all around. Eider ducks were here too. The sea was a bit choppy, but thankfully I had my sea legs on and stood for most of the trip.

A rare, lesser spotted me on the boat.

Coquet Island and it's lighthouse. The island is closed off to the public and is maintained by the RSPB. A boat cruise is the only way to get up close to it. All good news for the important populations of breeding birds here.

Grey Seals were a common sight from the boat and around the island. They have always been an exciting animal to see. These guys were really inquisitive and at times it felt like we shouldn't be there. Dozens of them popping up to see who we were and what we were doing. They put a smile on my face that's for sure.

Guillemot

One of the many Puffins over the boat.

Common Tern (I think) making off with a fish.

Terns on inner Farne

Inner Farne is the largest of the Farne Islands and home to thousands of Terns. The majority of these are the Arctic variety, but there are also, Common and Sandwich.
You can here the cacophony of noise when you are approaching on the boat, and it increases the minute you step off on to the island. The Arctic Terns are very protective of their young and their nests. A lot of them choose to nest on or next to the path that winds around the island. As soon as they see someone step across their imaginary boundary they leave the nest and attack. Screeching and dive bombing. A canvas hat is essential.

The Arctic Tern

To me it looks as if their feet don't grow after birth. They seem very small for the size of the bird. I'm sure there is a reason for it. Nature is good like that.

Sat on one of the many fence posts around the island. The blue rope is to stop members of the public stepping off and unwittingly onto a nest. They make nice perches.

I thought this bird was actually quite restrained, until it drew blood from my finger, while attacking my phone. If I look scared, it's because I was.

A much more civilised selfie.

The Common Tern with it's longer legs and black tip to the bill.

The Sandwich Tern. Quite different in size (larger) and has the black bill with a yellow tip and black legs.

Common Tern

I had an amazingly close encounter with a couple of Terns at Pennington Marsh in Hampshire. This pair were sat on the edge of a verge that led down into the Solent. One was very vocal at some points, as you will see below.
I'd like to point out that I wasn't as close as these pictures make out, and at no time did I disturb these guys. I have cropped quite a lot to  bring them closer. Anyway, here are the Common Terns.

Can I help you?