Friday 16th November

This is the slightly delayed report on the visit to Low Hauxley WWT reserve on Monday.

Driving by a rather more direct route than planned following my argument with Sally Satnav, we were treated

Tree Sparrows

to a good view of a kestrel hovering on the approach to Hauxley Village.  We duly assembled in the cafe observation area.  Conditions were slightly tricky looking directly into the sun but secerla ducks including little grebe, wigeon and tufted duck were soon spotted.

I sidled off to watch the feeders, which were soon being plundered by a number of tree sparrows, two of whom performed an 'eyes left' routine for the camera.

There was also the first sighting of a red-breasted merganser.  It popped up again later when we were half way round the reserve but, annoyingly for me, it managed to sneak behind an island both times before I could catch it in the binoculars properly.

Female Shoveler

After that we split to visit two hides.  I chose the one facing seawards where there were a few female eider near the shoreline.  Several woodland birds visited the feeders there as well as a moorhen on the ground and a large volley of long-tailed tits passed through, one perching in the twigs right in front of the hide window.

From the other hide there were also reports of a bar-tailed godwit.

Further round past Ponteland Hide, we encountered some gadwall, a shelduck, teal and a pair of female shovelers that seemed to have particularly large beaks - even for them.

Hebridean Sheep

As there had been no substantial frost, there were still numerous plants and trees in flowers.  The ones I noticed most were sea buckthorn, red campion and viper's bugloss.

On the way to the last hide on the western side of the lagoon, there was a group of hebridean sheep, one of which managed to look strangely like a baboon.

Perhaps due to the incoming tide, this was arguably the most productive location and produced amongst others excellent sail past views of a teal and a male goldeneye, while numerous curlew, greylag geese and wigeon could be spotted on the grass upland opposite.

Teal

Goldeneye

All in all a good visit to a well-maintained reserve that had me wondering what rarities might turn up there over time.

Thanks to Ruth of the Prudhoe U3A Naturewatch group for the photos in the absence of my snapper.

Monday 12th November

There have been brief sightings of a nuthatch and a long-tailed tit in the garden plus the odd coal tit.  Otherwise the garden has been totally dominated by marauding jackdaws who get virtually all the feed I'm putting out. They were decimating the peanuts in the feeder and when I replaced them with fat balls to deter them, it didn't work. I'm now seriously considering not feeding the birds at all until there's a decent frost.  Even then I may need to change tactics.

Otherwise I've been on a couple of bike rides in the Consett and Stanley area, where parts of cycle track 7 look very attractive.  Last week I was pushing on to make time and only managed to see a red kite and a hovering kestrel past Beamish.

Sloe bush

On Saturday I determined to take it slowly as I set out towards Consett from Rowland's Gill.  Grey squirrels were clearly very active and I counted a total of eight on the way to Ebchester.

Cycle track 7 didn't produce any notable bird life but a roe deer did cross right in front of me.  There were also a lot of bushes with dark berries. I think were sloes rather than bilberries, which would have been of interest as a possible green hairstreak location. I'll bet the same area is good for butterflies in summer though as it faces south on a slope. And it was notable that the small pond near Annfield Plain, deserted last week, was clearly being fished for carp by at least half a dozen anglers.

Heading towards Tantobie and Lintz on a poor quality track, there were three separate bullfinches and a huge looking red kite skimming the trees by a farm.  On arriving home, I caught sight of another red kite, a male,  hovering low right over the estate.

Today there was a Naturewatch trip to the Low Hauxley Reserve near Amble, which was more eventful.  Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera with me - again - so I'm waiting for some shots from another member of the group who has a better camera anyway.  Full report to follow.