Trip reports

Fieldtrip - Allenheads

Saturday, 18 April 2009

This was a day of contrasting weather and habitat - a morning spent (for most of us) on the moorland of Allendale Common, under grey and cool (but calm and quiet) conditions, and an afternoon spent in warm spring sunshine along the banks of the river Allen. A number of the group had chosen to stay nearer the village, but most of the party set out on what Graham had described as a fairly short walk. It was fairly short, but the underfoot conditions were frequently poor and progress was slow, so having ambled pleasantly for most of the day we found ourselves striding out in the afternoon to arrive back at the coach at the appointed time.
The morning on the moors yielded some good sightings, although not all were enjoyed by everybody in the group. A Merlin was seen by one member, flying swiftly to ground in a nearby field, but this sighting eluded the rest of the group who spent several minutes scanning the field with binoculars. A single Black Grouse was spotted by a single member, but it popped over a stone wall and was not to be seen again.
Less exotic sightings were enjoyed by everybody - Teal on the small reservoir at the edge of the village, the first Wheatear (we were to see more in the afternoon), plenty of Song Thrushes, mostly heard but also seen. A couple of Grey Partridge were disturbed and quickly flew off, and a single Snipe was seen flying but it disappeared under cover.
We were aided (and impressed) by Jillian's ability to identify birdsong - in particular the Yellowhammer which she heard and identified long before anybody else had heard it, never mind seen it.
Along the riverbank in the afternoon we spotted several more Wheatear, and lots of Willow Warblers. While we were enjoying these most of us missed the Dipper flying down the river, but we all got good sightings of a pair of Grey Wagtail in the river bed.
As we strode briskly back to the coach, we saw a flock of Golden Plover in a field alongside the road, already displaying their summer plumage, and then a bird-feeder in a garden close to the edge of the village supplied Goldfinch, Greenfinch, and a pleasing number of both male and female Siskin.
Possibly the day's best sighting - a clear view of a group of Black Grouse - was enjoyed by the small group which had spent the day nearer to the village, climbed the hill above the Heritage Centre, and had a good view of the Grouse on the other side of the valley.
Another superb fieldtrip enjoyed by 28 members.
Clive Morphet

Bird List

Canada Geese
Greylag Geese
Grey Heron
Mallard
Teal
Tufted Duck
Red Kite
Sparrowhawk
Common Buzzard
Kestrel
Merlin
Red Grouse
Black Grouse
Pheasant
Grey Partridge
Moorhen
Oystercatcher
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Redshank
Curlew
Snipe
Black Headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Wood Pigeon
Stock Dove
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Meadow Pipit
Sand Martin
House Martin
Swallow
Pied Wagtail
Gray Wagtail
Wren
Dipper
Dunnock
Robin
Wheatear
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Fieldfare
Blackbird
Willow Warbler
Goldcrest
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue tit
Nuthatch
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Siskin
Yellowhammer 63 Species

Water Vole

Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris
Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria
Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa
Violet species
Wild Pansy Viola tricolor