Saturday 21 November 2015

Seawatching...

The strong northerly winds lured us to the coast at Newbiggin for a few hours this morning (08:35-11:35). Despite it being freezing cold and wind the occasional blizzard there was a great variety of birds including good numbers of Little Auks, a late Sandwich Tern and my best ever seawatching count of 23 Long-tailed Ducks...

206 Little Auks
23 Long-tailed Ducks
68 Wigeon
28 Goldeneye
18 Mallard
3 Velvet Scoter
6 Mediterranean Gull
14 Red-throated Diver
202 Pink-footed Goose
1 Kingfisher
14 Common Scoter
6 Gannet
2 Kittiwake
15 Eider
18 Guillemot
5 Red-breasted Merganser
1 Goosander
4 Teal
13 Pale-bellied Brent Goose
1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose
1 Sandwich Tern
2 Shelduck

Sunday 8 November 2015

Patchday...

Today was the PWC patchday, and we had a very enjoyable morning trying to see as many species as we could before the weather closed in. In the end we managed a total of 84 species, perhaps slightly more than we expected!

First stop was Hadston Carrs where one of the first birds we saw was a smart adult Little Gull feeding just offshore with the Black-headed Gulls. It was joined by a drake Goosander which landed on the sea alongside 2 Red-breasted Mergansers. Other highlights at Hadston included a Great Northern Diver which flew south before appearing to land in the bay, and a Purple Sandpiper and Grey Plover on the rocks.

A Bittern was the pick of the birds at Chevington which gave two great flight views before flying towards the reeds on the south pool. Other flyovers here included Little Egret and Marsh Harrier.

The Budge Fields at Druridge Pools were once again very quiet apart from the Marsh Harrier which flew south. A look from the dunes added Shag, Kittiwake, Mediterranean Gull and a flyby Arctic Skua to the day list.

The last of the day's main highlights was a few Twite in with the Goldfinches opposite Bell's Farm.

PWC 15
Species: 172
Points: 234 

Bittern record shot
Red-throated Diver