Trip reports

Local Walk - St Mary's Island 29th August 2009

photo - Carmel McGrath

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

I have been delighted by the numbers participating in the local walks, and again at St Mary's Island we had a good mix of keen members and non-members, all of whom seemed to survive what was at times a strong gusty wind. The sun did shine however and the bird list included nine species of wader and four species of tern, the latter species in large numbers and easily viewable as they loafed on the rocks.
The walk included a short introduction to the history of St Mary's Island and information on the various habitats. Everyone was reminded of the importance of the inter-tidal zone to waders and sea birds and also reminded of the concerns that exist with regard to the marine environment around the British Isles. Attention was drawn to the current Marine Bill slowly making progress through Parliament, and also the pressure that the RSPB is placing upon government to ensure interests of conservation are given priority. Our main focus was on the birdlife and those participants with less bird-watching experience were soon realising that the identification of waders, terns and gulls is not an easy business, especially when faced with varying degrees of summer and winter plumage and an age range of birds. The walk had been timed to try and catch the movement of Roseate Terns and this proved to be successful. Everyone was in a position to see four of these birds as they began their migratory movement to Western Africa. There were also good numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns and at least one Arctic Tern.
The wind meant that it was not a good day for sighting the butterfly species that frequent the semi-natural grassland in the conservation area and much of the flora was past its best, although plants such as Lady's Bedstraw Galium verum and Wild Mignonette Reseda lutea were still in evidence. We decided that the asters were not Sea Asters. We ended the walk as the storm clouds began to gather over Blyth, but not before having had more good sightings of waders and a Grey Seal.
My thanks go to everyone who supported the walk. Special thanks go to the lady who acts as a volunteer on Coquet Island and was available to offer information on the Roseate Terns, and to new group member David Jarema whose information on his local patch was valued. David, Mark and I were rewarded with sightings of seven Roseate Terns in a line on the rocks, a lone Arctic Tern and a Kittiwake as we made for home.
Brian Moorhead

Bird List

Fulmar
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Canada Goose
Eider Duck
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Sanderling
Turnstone
Dunlin
Redshank
Curlew
Black Headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black Backed Gull
Kittiwake
Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Roseate Tern
Wood Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
Swallow
House Martin
Pied Wagtail
Blackbird
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling House Sparrow Species = 34

Also...Grey Seal
Prior to the walk beginning the leader had also seen;
Kestrel
Sand Martin
Wheatear