Amble pier on a very calm September morning
Western gorse or possibly Ulex gallii x U europaeus hybrid...Amble
Sea Rocket...Little shore
Common Storksbill...Little shore, AmbleOn Saturday I caught up with my fourth lifer in six weeks or so with the Glossy Ibis. It was one of those birds I thought I might have to head south of the Tyne for as we are a bit too far north and east for one of them to overshoot this far; hence 20 years since the last one, ironically in the same area. Thank the Lord for the coal industry for leaving so many pitfalls in the landscape that fill up beautifully with water and have us flying from pond to pond to catch up with one rarity or another. Just go to the local blogs for a full narrative and some excellent pictures form Richard Dunn et al. I was with Stewart (Boulmer birder all morning) and being a solitary observer for the most part these days it was good to catch up with some friends that I only encounter on these sort of occasions. The Ibis just outshone the two Otters fishing on Druridge pools at first light.
Yesterday morning I had a couple of hours to spare before work and was exercising Bennyboy on the Little shore at Amble. A few flowers still out (above) but the surprise find was Western Gorse. A rarity up here with only the Wooler area where it is found in the county. It could possibly be a hybrid between Ulex gallii and U europaeus but a good find none the less. Another good sighting here was a Holly blue butterfly that took flight a few seconds after I saw it and I didn't have time to get my camera ready. It flew into the gardens of the houses overlooking the shore. This is my first sighting in the county for fifteen years!
1 comment:
I thought I had a Holly Blue on Saturday pm on the Long Walk too but it made off through the trees. I might have been one of the carpet moths though...
Post a Comment