February 2012

A quieter month birdwise but a cold spell early in the month did bring in some expected winter visitors.

Smew appeared with the colder weather with a pair at Longtown on the 6th and then another drake at Talkin Tarn on the 8/2 which was still present on the 26/2 though with regular visits up to Tindale Tarn when disturbed.


Both of the Glaucous Gull remained all month the Sandsfield bird could be elusive, the one at Allonby was much more confiding.


The Bewicks Swan remained at Longtown with 75 Whooper Swans and Longtown became the place to see Eurasian Whitefronted Geese with up to 120 being seen. Two Bean Geese were also reported on several occasions in the second half of the month.

The Long Tailed Duck remained on the pools at longtown all month and 2 imm drake Scaup were found there on the 13/2/12.

The only other birds of note were a Spotted Redshank on the 24/2 at Port Carlisle and 2 Slavonian Grebe off bowness on Solway on the 12/2.

My bird of the month was once again this beautiful Red breasted Goose photographed here at Southerness in Dumfries and Galloway

Back again Jan 2012

Well its been over a year since my last post my only excuse not enough time in the day and my free time needs to be kept for birding. That said birding in Cumbria seems to have become even more enjoyable recently and I've been inspired to get back to rounding up what I've seen and whats been around.

The main highlight of this month in North Cumbria has been the Geese, lots of them and lots of variety. This winter has been the best winter ever in Cumbria for Bean Geese and White fronted Geese. It started in December when Craig Shaw found a massive flock of 76 Bean Geese at Blackdyke near Silloth and a few Eurasian Whitefronts nearby at Abbeytown and since then regular groups have been found in several places in our area. After that Bean Goose flock dispersed I managed to find a decent sized group of 24 on January 2nd and a huge flock of 280 Eurasian Whitefronts at Old Sandsfield on the 20/1/12. Other big groups of Eurasian Whitefronts included a big one of 140 in the Longtown area on the 29/1/12 and up to 46 at Linstock on the River Eden, while in the Solway area 130 were on Wedholme flow on the 8/1/12 and up to 40 at Raby Coates on the 30/1/12. Bean Geese seem to have become scarcer since the turn of the year with only small groups being reported, the biggest flock being 29 on Wedholme flow on the 8/1/12.



Some Greenland White fronted Geese have been seen in the Solway hinterland as well, with 10 together with 40 Eurasian Whitefronts at Abbeytown on the 2/1/12 and a good count of 22 on Skinburness Marsh on the 30/1/12.

There have been rarer Geese as well one of the Bean Geese at Blackdyke on the 2/1/12 seemed to show the characteristic long neck, and extensive orange on the beak, as well as a beak that turned up in a concave fashion near the end, of the Taiga race. It was also a large bird compared to the other Bean Geese but given the overlap between these 2 races we may never know.

The other three rare Geese this month were a bit easier to call. The Ross' goose that has been wintering again with the thousands of Barnacle Geese was seen again distantly on Rockliffe Marsh on the 2/1/12 but then disappeared again. It was refound on the 28/1/12 by Keith Hamilton on Skinburness Marsh and was still present the following day when it gave much closer views than it had on Rockliffe.

To complement the Ross' Goose Craig found a nice Blue Morph Snow Goose at Abbeytown with a large flock of Pinkfeet, these Geese often have their origins questioned but this one look spot on and improved its credentially by promptly disappearing after a couple of days. It is presumably still about locally with the large number of Pinkfeet that are around. not as easy to photograph this one but it can be made out against a sleeping swan in the background.



Leaving the best to last though, the 22/1/12 will be a day I long remember as I scanned the Barnacle Goose flock on Drumbrugh only to be stunned by the sight of a beautiful Red Breasted Goose. Unfortunately the flock promptly took off and flew west out of sight. I made a few phonecalls and a few local birders assembled to try to relocate it. Craig had it fly past him at Campfield Marsh and then myself, Craig and Darren had the pleasure of relocating it with a large flock of Barnacle geese at Cardurnock where it showed well in beautiful sunshine for the rest of the day. It could not be relocated the following day and was then found at Caerlaverock so it seems this beauty only graced Cumbria for a day though it could easily have been hidden on Rockliffe amongst thousands of distant Barnies for months. A bird I will long remember and probably for me even eclipses the finding of Kentish plover last May.


Away from Geese there have been other good birds around still. The Great White Egret first found on 1/11/11 and not seen since 24/12/11 reappeared on the 14/1/12 . For the rest of the month it could usually be found on the saltmarsh around Campfield roadside scrape or on the pool itself but for such a large bird could hide easily.


After an excellent December for Bewick Swans (up to 11 reported in several areas around Abbeytown/Wedholme) the only report in January was of 6 at Abbeytown flood on the 3/1/12 until one popped up with the herd of 65 Whooper Swans at longtown on the 28/1/12.

White winged Gulls are always nice finds and Craig has been lucky enough to find 2 juvenile Glaucous Gulls this month the fist at Old Sandsfield on the 13/1/12 and the second on the last day of the month at Crosscannonby in the big gull roost there with 2 Med Gulls. Iceland Gulls have also been reported from the coast with one at Maryport on the 13/1/12 later also seen at Crosscannonby and at least two other further down the coast at Workington and Whitehaven the following day.

Other slightly more expected wintering birds included a Long Tailed Duck at Longtown on the main roadside pool for the whole month, but the relatively mild winter so far has seen a complete lack of Smew, Waxwings and very few Brambling, Fieldfares or Redwing.

Two Green Winged teal were also reported this month, one at Campfield on the 4/1/12 and another at Siddick Pond on the 14/1/12. Siddick has also held the usual wintering Bitterns with estimates varying between 3 and 5 birds present

For interests sake simply because there have been so many whitefronted Geese around in North Cumbria i have attempted to list all the records for Jan 2012 which make an impressive showing.

EURASIAN WHITEFRONTED GEESE – JAN 2012

31/01/12 Longtown, Brisco Hill - c100

31/01/12 Abbeytown - 15

30/01/12 Easton - 8 with Pinkfeet

30/01/12 Raby Cote - 11 with c2,000 Pinkfeet

30/01/12 Raby Coates – c40

30/01/12 Skinburness Marsh - 12

29/01/12 Longtown 140 in riverside field by the lorry park with 200 Pinkfeet

28/01/12 Longtown 26 in riverside field by the lorry park with Pinkfeet and Greylag

23/01/12 Raby Coates c.25 nearby with c2,000 Pinkfeet

23/01/12 Abbeytown - 5 +

23/01/12 Cardurnock - 1 juvenile

22/01/12 Abbeytown – 14

21/01/12 Old Sandsfield - c35

20/01/12 Old Sandsfield - 280 in fields behind Old Sandsfield

17/01/12 Old Sandsfield c60 in flight

16/01/12 Raby coates – 1 with c300 Pinkfeet

15/01/12 Old Sandsfield - 18 in flight

13/01/12 Burgh Marsh – 6 +

11/01/12 Longtown - 55 in private area

11/01/12 Brampton - 32 flew over the fish farm

10/01/12 Linstock - 42 early afternoon

09/01/12 Raby Coates - 90 +

09/01/12 Linstock - 14

08/01/12 Wedholme Flow - 130

08/01/12 Linstock - 45 early afternoon

06/01/12 Abbeytown - 11

05/01/12 Abbeytown - 40

02/01/12 Abbeytown - 50

02/01/12 Abbeytown 46

GREENLAND WHITEFRONTED GEESE JAN 2012

31/01/12 Abbeytown – 1

31/01/12 Longtown, Brisco Hill - 1

30/01/12 Skinburness Marsh – 22

30/01/12 Raby caotes - 2

08/01/12 Linstock – 1

05/01/12 Abbeytown - 1

02/01/12 Abbeytown - 10

Properly Cold - December 2010

December 2010 will long be remembered for two periods of properly cold weather, -12 C in Carlisle and -14 C in the villages outside the city.

Lots of Waxwings were still present throughout December but the cold seemed to split up the really big flocks, with 200+ in Denton Holme and 250 on Tarraby Lane, Carlisle and 130 in Dalston the only flocks over the hundred. Many of the Waxwings have now switched to eating apples which allowed from some nice close photos in Dalston, also sharing the tree where a pair of wintering Blackcaps.


Brambling were still present in good numbers with 240 in Brampton on the 3/12 and c400 on the 1/12 at Talkin tarn, a late record for November of c2000 at Talkin tarn must have been spectacular.

Suprisingly few other birds were reported this month, 2 Red head Smew frequented the river Eden in the Grinsdale area from the 5/12 to the 13/12 then on the 15/12 they were relocated at Tindale tarn.


Other highlights included a Firecrest in Cockermouth Cemetery on the 19/12. Bitterns on ice on Siddick Pond on the 3rd and 12/12. and up to c600 Twite on Border Marsh

A lovely walk around Grune Point on the 3/12 produced a cracking female Hen Harrier, c200 Twite, c3000 Skylark and c6000 Barnacle geese, 1 drake Scaup and a Merlin. A Buzzard on a roadside post near Allonby posed for a nice photo.

The truly amazing thing this month has been the prolonged and severe cold with many river including the Eden freezing over, at Grinsdale in the photo below, this is something I've never known before and at Old Sandsfield the Eden looked almost artic.



Further inland the River Gelt provided a spectacular display of Icicles.

Waxwing November

November 2010 in north Cumbria will be remembered for a huge influx of Waxwings into the county and for unseasonally cold temperatures at the months end.

The Waxwings were to numerous to list but were present in virtually every village at one time or another with some of the biggest flocks being; Wetheral 400+ on the 20/11, Dalston 450+ on the 29/11/10, Carlisle 250+ on West walls on the 11/11/10, Penrith 323 on the 13/11/10 and 200 in Warwick Bridge on the 22/11. Interestingly if you add up all the reports from the 13/11 they total just over 1000 birds over the whole County. On a sadder note I picked up 11 dead, with 2 dead male Bullfinches on the 20/11 in Wetheral, all the result of window strikes on the same window. Another was reported dead from a window strike near Workington on the 29/11. Interestingly many of these birds particularly early in the month were seen to be fly catching
rather than berry feeding, but as the cold weather hit normal service resumed.



Other than Waxwings there were some decent birds around. I was pleased to find a juvenile Dotterel with c15oo golden plover near Gretna, just south of the border, it was first seen distantly on the 8/11 when I thought it could have been a Lesser Golden Plover but closer views on the 11/11 showed it to be a Dotterel at a very unusually late date.

Another reward for scanning roadside flocks came in the form of 2 Eurasian Whitefronted Geese in a flock of c800 Pinkfeet opposite Scotby by the A689 on the 1/11/10.


Snow Buntings were around in small numbers with 1 at Mawbray on the 13/11, 2 at Bowness Railings on the 21 and 22/11and a very unusual group of 30+ reported from Anthorn on the 22/11.



A Great Grey Shrike was found on a tetrad visit at Butterburn on the 13/11/10.

A huge count 500+ Twite was recorded at Newton Marsh on the 15/11/10, with 200+ on Skinburness Marsh on the 2/11.

An unusual bird in the north of the County a Slavonian Grebe was present on Tindale tarn from 8-26/11/10 until the cold weather caused the tarn to virtually freeze over sending the grebe on its way.

The cold weather did have a postive side thought with over 400 Brambling feeding confidingly at Talkin Tarn on the 29/11/10 and a Rough Legged Buzzard reported from nearby Tindale Fell on the 30/11. Another Rough Legged Buzzard was reported earlier in the month on the 12/11from Campfield Marsh. Also at Campfield Marsh 2 Hen Harriers, Merlin and large numbers of Tree Sparrows (100), Reed Buntings (120) and Yellowhammers (40) were seen on the 25/11.



Nearby at Port Carlisle the wintering Spotted redshank was seen intermittently all month.

On the river Esk at longtown a juv Long Tailed Duck was seen on several dates while the Ross' Goose continued to be seen on Rockliffe Marsh.

October

The month started with a lovely Ross' goose on the 5th October on Rockliffe Marsh with c12,000 Barnacle geese, it remained intermittently all month.

There was nothing else out of the ordinary until the 16/10 when a Yellow Browed warbler was found in a garden at Anthorn where it showed for most of the day, suprisingly this lovely little warbler is becoming almost annual in north Cumbria.

Whooper swans began to reappear from the middle of the month but no large numbers have yet built up with a max 68 recorded at Campfield on the 19/10. On the same day 2 Spoonbill flew over Campfield but failed to land. Up to 4 Hen harriers have been recorded here in the late afternoons.

Another Black Tern was found at Longtown ponds though only stayed briefly on the 5/10, a White Winged Black Tern was also reported at campfield on the 7/10 but it has been suggested this was a Common Tern and the only photographs produced do indeed show a Common Tern.

A female long Tailed Duck was on the Esk at Longtown on the 26/10 and was reported again a week later.

The real treat of the month was the Waxwing Invasion that began to reach Cumbria on the 24/10 with 7 in Carlisle, by the end of the month numerous flock had been reported the largest of which was 300+ on Kingstown, Carlisle on the 30/10. Keswick had held up to 40 birds, Carlisle several flocks from 20 to 300, Dalston up to 30, Wetheral up to 30 and 14 at Gilsland with numbers continuing to build. Interestingly these birds seemed to be feeding by flycatching rather than berry feeding.





Other winter visitors arrived with 35 Brambling at Talkin Tarn on the 31/10 and up to 200 Twite moving between Grune Point on the 24/10 and Anthorn on the 30/10. A Greenshank was also present at Grune on the 24/10.

A massive count of 1500 Pintail were on the falling tide on the 27/10.

September

September proved to be a good month for me finding a lovely Red Necked Phalarope on my patch at Carr Beds at dusk on the 14/9 in gales force winds and rain with 3 exhausted Guillimots on the river Eden nearby for company. I couldnt take any photos in the poor conditions so i was disappointed when there was no sign of it the following morning, however while at work i got a text to say it was present in the afternoon and afterwork i managed to get some great photos in the sunshine. It was again absent the following morning but present in the afternoon and was thought to have been taken by a sparrowhawk late afternoon, a sad end to a lovely bird.






The rest of the month was also interesting starting with a flurry of waders on the 3/9 a good count of 7 Curlew Sandpipers, all juveniles were at Port Carlisle with a spotted redshank also in the harbour. This increased to 11 juveniles the following day with the Spotted Redshank still present. Also on the 4/9 Anthorn held 15 greenshank, 6 ruff and a Black Tailed Godwit, while nearby at Whitrigg there were 2 second summer Med Gulls and 4 Little Egrets. The following day there were 17 Greenshank, 4 Ruff and 2 Little Egrets at Anthorn. On the 6/9 there were still 9 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at Port Carlisle and away from the Solway on Thakka Flash near Penrith there were 2 Ruff. On the 12/9 there were still 7 Curlew Sandpiper at Port Carlisle with the Spotted Redshank still present as well.

A break from waders gave a female Marsh Harrier over Tindale Fell/Tarn on the 6/9, while 2 Common Terns there on the 10/9 were unusual.

The 7/9 brought 2 Black Terns to Longtown pools with 1 still present the following day which stayed until the 10/9.



Longtown also had an Osprey over the river Esk on the 8/9.

The strong winds previously mentioned on the 14/9 were productive with Black Tern on the River Eden of Rockliffe village as well as 13 Greenshank and a late Swift. There was also a Black Tern on the river Esk at longtown and 2 Ruddy Shelduck were in the river Eden channel at Rockliffe Marsh.

The wind also brought one of the very few Petrels of this year past Workington Pier, a Leach's.

I went on holiday to Cornwall on the 18/9 hoping not to miss much locally. There were Black Terns at Talkin Tarn on the 18/9 and one at Port Carlisle harbour the following day. Another Leachs Petrel went past workington on the 19/9 and one on the 20/9, while a count of 7 Med gull there was a high one.

There was a little Stint at Anthorn on the 20/9 with 2 guillimot there still suffering the effects of the storm all of which were still present the following day.

Also there were up to 5 Little Egrets in the vicinity of Campfield Marsh one of which was a colour ringed bird ringed in the Isle of Man.

2 Little Gulls were on Longtown Ponds on the 21/9 while a Brambling was ringed at Bass Lake on the 27/9 and a Waxwing was reported on the 25/9 from Dalston.

Another good migrant reported was a Yellow Browed warbler in a jockey Shield, Castle Carrock garden.

AUGUST

August is always a busy month with plenty of waders moving through.

Last months Semi Palmated Sandpiper hung on until the 3/8 giving time to study it further as opinions seemed to concure that it was a Semi P.

Away from the coast up to 2 Marsh Harriers frequented Tindale tarn on the 9-10/8, a hobby flew over on the 12/8 while a single Osprey on the 24th was joined by a second bird on the 25th. Two Ospreys were also seen over the river Esk at Longtown on the 17/8 and two were over the Caldew river near Cummersdale on the 26/8. An adult Hobby was also present over Brampton fish farm on the 25/8.

An adult Spotted Redshank at Port Carlisle Harbour from the 21/8 to the end of the month was joined on the 28/8 by a juvenile.

Curlew Sandpipers began to pass through as well with one at Port Carlisle on the 23/8 and 2 on the 29/8 then one at Anthorn on the 30/8 and Little Stint one at Grune point on the 24/8 and another again at Port Carlisle on the same day where 3 Little Egrets were also seen. Up to 6 Ruff were also present for the last week of the month at Anthorn with 1 or 2 birds on the Campfield Marsh waders scrape as well.

At Carr Beds Greenshank began to build up towards the end of the month with an impressive 21 on the 23rd and 24th of August, Green Sandpiper were present every day with a peak of 5 mid month and 3 Ruff were also present on the 23/8. Snipe started to reappear as well with up to 10 present. A Wood Sandpiper was also reported on the River Eden near Rockliffe on the 15/8.

Also at Carr Beds on the 3rd and 4/8 was a single Little Ringed plover while at Thakka Flash near Penrith a Little Ringed plover called in on the 22/8/10.

A late Swift flew over Anthorn on the 27/8

The month finished with an excellent record of 1 then 2 Lapland Buntings, always a scarce bird in Cumbria, at Tindale Tarn.

No decent bird photos from North cumbria this month so a Lizard from Finlandrigg instead.