Not quite as good as it could have been

When the rain and very strong SE winds that lashed the Northumberland Coast overnight suddenly abated at lunch time and the sun came out, an impromptu half-day flexi-leave was taken.

With hope in my heart that the weather would have dropped a rare or two into Druridge, I set about working through the bushes at 12.55. It was soon obvious that the weather had indeed dropped some birds in, four redstarts, three blackcaps and a graden warbler were in the plantation - canny start!

In the willows by the entrance there were more blackcaps, another redstart and some willowchiffs. On the fence along the dunes there were four whinchats and three wheatears. After checking the area by the Budge screen, I steadily worked the sunny, sheltered edge and found a handful of both spotted and flycatchers.

willow warbler

willow warbler

spotted flycatcher

spotted flycatcher

The mix of species was very similar to the haul that came from the weather that caused the Morpeth floods two years ago, we had wryneck, barred warbler and greenish warbler at Druridge during that week. See this post for a memory jogger from that time.

At the small reedbed on the big pool there were both reed and sedge warblers, as I walked away from the reeds, I heard the birds in it alarm calling, I caught sight of small falcon disappearing over the trees, not enough to nail it but it looked good for a hobby, albeit a late one!

Other than the un-nailed falcon there were no rares or even scarcities today, but it certainly had potential and I was pleased that I took the time off work. It's raining again as I type this and the wind is still in the SE. Guess I'll be going to Druridge before work tomorrow!

Totals of key migrants 12:55 - 18:55

redstart 6
dunnock 8
blackcap 10
garden warbler 5
wheatear 4
whinchat 7
chiffchaff 2
willow warbler 11
pied flycatcher 6
whitethroat 1
spotted flycatcher 5
sedge warbler 2
reed warbler 2

142 redstart
143 spotted flycatcher
144 pied flycatcher