We returned to Northumberland late yesterday afternoon, after spending a few days in Rutland as part of the Birdwatching Northumberland team at the British Birdwatching Fair. Three solid days of promoting our beautiful county and,no sooner were we back home, then we were away up the coast to give a slideshow about…birdwatching in Northumberland.
Today has been a day at the computer, finishing the raptor species accounts for Birds in Northumbria 2008. When I first joined the team of authors several years ago, one very long-standing author assured me that spending a lot of time analysing all of the records for any given species would provide insights…
Back in 2006 I managed to photograph Hen Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier and Marsh Harrier in Northumberland and all three species looked like potentail breeders that year. When I was writing the species account for Marsh Harrier in BiN2007, I became convinced that they had bred in Northumberland that year. 2008 again produced interesting records of juvenile birds at East Chevington in early-mid August. Finally, after nearly 130 years,breeding has been confirmed in the county. I’ve had the privilege to watch the adult birds food-passing, and the juveniles exploring the area around East Chevington, with our clients this year. Magnificent birds, and it’s fantastic to have them back as a breeding bird. With Osprey and Mediterranean Gull breeding in the county this year as well, it will be a long time before we have so many modern/first-time breeders in one year. Med Gull is almost certainly a first-time breeder; they’ve tried on Coquet Island previously, and birds have been seen at inland Black-headed Gull colonies, but there hasn’t been a confirmed breeding record.
Predictions? Little Egret and Avocet…