Abbey Meadows

Abbey Meadows

Thursday 3 February 2011

Patch extension

I regularly go to Ulgham Grange but I'm starting to frequent further upstream along the River Lyne at Jackson.s Ford. One reason is this is where I started birdwatching. Much of the habitat then has been swallowed up by the Stobswood opencast but now that it is nearly restored the two new pools here are beginning to pull in birds and that is another reason for keeping an eye on the developments of the full restoration.
A flock of Geese have been hanging around the new pool near the B1337 but viewing them from here is difficult but by following a public footpath from the lane leading up to Ulgham park farm you can view them well from here but you need a scope. I didn't have mine today but there are about 600+ birds here chiefly Canadas, Grey lags and Pink footed however, typically without the scope there was a white one among them. From that distant it could have been a pale phase something, an albino or  perhaps even that Ross's Goose that was flying around Druridge bay a few weeks ago.
There was some real birds here and the numbers took me back a few years. There are three stubble fields on the Ulgham side of the former opencast and the footpath goes straight through them back to Jackson's Ford. A flock of 32 Linnets...what are they??? 65 Yellowhammers and smaller numbers of Reed Buntings, Chaffinches and Grey Partridge. I wonder if any Lapland Bunting passed through here in the Autumn! Perhaps they might come back through here when the Skylarks return. I wouldn't have seen Buzzard here all those years ago.


Theres a white one in there




Delightful Yellowhammers




Before this I had a look around the tip but there was only a flock of 20 Goldfinches and 5 Grey Partridges.

5 comments:

Stewart said...

Looking good Nige, before you know it you will turn up something good and half of bird forum will be stamping around... maybe you'll get another Banded Demoiselle?

martin griffiths said...

Nice to read your blog, I used to know the area well as I used to go to my nanas for my summer hols at widdrington station 45 years ago.

abbey meadows said...

Thanks.
Stew...I don't see any reason why Banded Demoiselle's are along this stretch as well it looks ideal.
Martin...I can't keep away from these parts there is a wealth of wildlife around here if you look in the right bits.

Alan Tilmouth said...

That white goose is a leucistic thingymajig been lurking with the Canadas since Christmas (which incidentally are part of the Bothal flock.

abbey meadows said...

Thanks Alan..I didn't have my scope and the flock were about half a mile away. I'm back at work so it will be another week before I get back to have a good look.