Holy, Hart and Hope Phal! 29th May 2019

I had hoped to book us on the Puffin Cruises boat that travels around Coquet Island today but with it being half term they were all booked up. Luckily we had managed to get on one of their trips for Friday, lucky because going out to see and photograph the Roseate Terns that breed there was supposed to be the main aim of our week in Northumberland! I had also tried to book a trip to one of the Farne Islands but again they were all booked up with the first available tomorrow. At least our last two days were sorted and, almost incredibly, the weather conditions were forecast to improve.

So, it was Holy Island again this morning and for once it wasn't raining! In fact the sun was almost but not quite escaping the clouds and it appeared as if we'd have a good day. We changed tack a bit too by parking up in the main car park on the edge of the village and striding purposefully out to the north shore, now we had finally established where exactly to go. As we crossed the dunes via the grassy track we were captivated by the multitude of Skylarks that seemed to be everywhere. They sang from high up above us, from fence posts and even from the ground. The song of the Skylark is definitely one of the sounds of the coast.

Skylark

There were a multitude of Meadow Pipits too, as well as Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Stonechats. I checked anywhere that looked as if it may hold a migrant such as a hoped for Bluethroat but naturally there was nothing doing. When we made our way through the dunes onto the wide sandy beach we were exactly at the place known as the North Shore. We stopped for a moment and surveyed the scene. There were two distinct groups of wading birds, one lot were feeding and resting on rocks to the east while a much bigger flock were feeding amongst washed up seaweed further along the sands to the west. I concentrated first on the birds on and around the rocks. There were the usual good numbers of Ringed Plovers and Sanderling but only a scattering of Dunlin. Of course I was hoping for that mythical Broad-billed Sandpiper but in reality had pretty much given up hope of ever finding that. I checked the sea just off the rocks and saw Eider Ducks and better still a couple of Common Scoter. Sandwich Terns passed overhead on their commute and a few Gannets fished far out in the sea. We walked towards the birds congregated further down the beach stopping often to scan through them. Again the birds were predominately Ringed Plover and Sanderling, a couple of hundred of each, with smaller numbers of Dunlin and just 3 Turnstone. No sign of anything rare.

Sanderling

Having exhausted our search of the wader flocks we headed back inland chatting to another couple of birders on the way, neither of whom had seen anything out of the ordinary. One of them did tell us that he'd heard and seen a Grasshopper Warbler in the dunes so we thought we'd go and check that out. We did indeed hear it but couldn't place it in the long scrubby grass. Returning back to the carpark we saw a Brown Hare keeping as low a profile as it could in a field next to the track.

Hare

A quick walk around the village where we had a very unsatisfactory coffee and lunch, what is it about tourist traps that the fare on offer is always sub-standard, and we were gone. Unless we visit this area during the autumn migration season when the village and surrounding area act as a magnet for many rare and scarce birds, we'll not be returning to Holy Island village any time soon, that's for sure! We drove out to a place called the Harthope Valley near Wooler and only around 10 miles from our cottage. There we hoped for some different birds to add to our year list since this was high moorland and dale country. Unfortunately no sooner had we arrived than the rain started once more!

Rainwear duly donned we set out from the car parking area and walked up the valley. It was indeed a beautiful area, a big change from the coast, with beautiful birch and willow woodland on both sides of the valleys, the sides of which are steep and the trees soon give way to heather and bracken moorland. There were lots of common birds all around, Blackbirds, Mistle and Song Thrushes, Robins and Wrens scolded us as we walked on. Passing the farm I noticed some small finches displaying at the top of some pine trees, the trilling calls identifying them as Lesser redpolls.

Lesser Redpoll

We crossed over a small stream where a female Grey wagtail was busy feeding her offspring. Other birds, a pair of Bullfinches amongst them, were using the stream for bathing and then flying up into the surrounding trees to preen and straighten the wet feathers. 

Bullfinch (female)

Then, at last, a year tick #223 when I spied a Spotted Flycatcher flitting amongst the trees. Spotted Flycatchers are all too scarce in our home area these days so it's always good to catch up with them in the north where they are much are more numerous.

Spotted Flycatcher

On an open field area, during a short respite in the rain we watched House Martins and Swallow hawking for flies above the penned Sheep. One Swallow rested on an overhead wire and looked truly radiant in the weak sunshine.

Swallow

We would have liked to have continued along the track to the end of the trees and out on to the open moors but it was too far and it was already getting late so we elected to return to the car. Maybe we'll make a full day of it on another visit. A Buzzard flying swiftly and powerfully  above the trees got me in all a flutter when my first thought was Goshawk until I'd studied it properly.

Common Buzzard

As we left the valley a Red-legged Partridge fed on the short grass giving excellent views. Most folk tend to overlook these beautiful birds since they are primarily bred for releasing into shooting estates, of which there is undoubtedly one here, but they really are worth a close look. 

Red-legged Partridge

Back at the holiday cottage we were watching the rain fall heavily again when a message came through of a Red-necked Phalarope on the scrape at Low Newton, naturally where we'd been just yesterday. It would be a year tick so after a bit of gentle persuasion I managed to coax Mrs Caley into the car and were heading off on the 25 minute drive to get there. Except it took an extra 10 fraught minutes since we got held up by a broken down truck, a tractor and a railway barrier that stayed down for 7 whole minutes! But we made it, the place was deserted and the rain was very, very wet! It then took me another 5 minutes to find the bird in the gloom right on the far side of the scrape, of course. We had #224 on the Old Caley year list! 

Red-necked Phalarope

We also noted that there were now 2 Little Stints together and a fine male Yellow Wagtail. A quick chat with a couple of local birders that had joined us, apparently Red-necked Phalaropes are very scarce birds in the county, and we hot-tailed it back to the car and in.

Little Stints

Yellow Wagtail (male)