North East Coast

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

RE: North East Coast

Mike Passant · Status: Offline

Hi Simon,
-Delighted that some more guys from the "home county" got to Trow Quarry as well!

But for digital cameras/computer technology, the ECW could well have been overlooked as the mega rarity it was. The quarries (esp. Trow and Marsden;- this latter the site of the county's prev. Bluetail) get checked over daily at this time of the year by competent birders who are used to finding quality birds (Pallas's, RBF's, etc) but most times there is nothing there of note of course, and it is so tempting to move on quickly to check other good potential hotspots.
The previous week, some two miles south (at the "mound" by the Souter lighthouse) the Bluetail was never seen in the field, it just turned up in a mist net, otherwise it's presence would have been missed.
The Rubythroat of several years ago was a few miles further south again, skulking largely unappreciated in a Sunderland garden.
We bemoan the absence/paucity of mainland Lanceolated W. records, but they surely arrive in numbers from time to time and just normally don't get found (except perhaps by accident when birders are searching to relocate something else (as at Filey for instance).
As I live 35 miles inland, a trip to the nearest coast is a treat for me, so I don't go that often, as I'm not really keen on chasing "other people's" birds if I've seen them in the county before. The best birds I've found up here have been on my immediate patch, but it's no substitute for that magic coast!
I hope the ECW stays for Riggers!
Cheers,
Mike P

Simon Johnson · Status: Offline

Brilliant day out with Simon Warford. We had planned a trip up to Holy Island, until a cracking little MEGA turned up, so we just had to have a little detoir on the way!

Early morning start and arrived at Trow Quarry, Whitburn about 8.15 nice enough to beat the crowds - plenty of elbow room and cracking views of the Eastern Crowned Warbler - it was sharing this little patch with a Yellow-browed Warbler, at least 3 Blackcap, Chiffchaff , Robins and Blackbirds. Belting bird!

On then to Druridge Pools where the Glossy Ibis was almost within touching distance from the hide. Few ducks on the pools included Gadwall, Wigeon and Goldeneye.

Then on to Holy Island - first time I have been here it really is a beautiful place.

Had very close views of a lovely Pallas's warbler feeding in trees a few feet from us and there must have been a small fall of migrants here including Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Firecrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 7 Stonechat, 50+ Blackbird, 30+ Robin, 10+ Song Thrush, 50+ Redwing and small numbers of Fieldfare - we even had a flock of 30 Feildfare moving south over the sea hugging the waves!

Coming off the Island before the tide came in had very close views of the common waders - Barwit, Grey Plover etc and hundreds of Brent, Barnacle and Pink-footed Geese!

Top day out

-- Edited by Simon Johnson on Friday 23rd of October 2009 10:19:53 PM