Brilliant day at Stag Rocks

The Grey Phalarope which had been around Stag Rocks for the past month or so was the target for our days birding. A couple of hours at Stag Rocks early morning was good with the highlights being: a Black-throated Diver, very close Red-necked Grebe, Little Gull as well as at least 5 Slavonian Grebes and more than double that of Long-tailed Ducks.

We decided next to have a look around some of the other sites in the area and return at high tide. At Budle Bay there was good numbers of both subspecies of Brent Goose and Barnacle Geese as well as a few Grey Plovers. The hide at Fenham-le-moor produced more Grey Plovers and Brent Geese.

Back at Stag Rocks the Grey Phalarope had returned and we saw it before we'd even got out the car. I spent the next hour photographing it at really close range and filling my boots with freezing cold sea water, though it was certainly worth it! 2 Little Gulls also gave amazing views, but by this point the light was fading, so my photos of them probably could have been better (perhaps more like these!).

Grey Phalarope

Little Gull

Turnstones

Herring Gulls