Amazing views of a Bittern at Chevington

We headed to Druridge Bay this morning to have a go with my new 100-400mm lens. We started at Druridge Bay Country Park, but the feeders had been taken down, so there wasn't much to practice on there. 3 Long-tailed Ducks were present in the middle of the lake. Next we went to Chevington and after a few scans I found an adult Black-throated Diver at the opposite end of the pool. Remarkably this was my first in Northumberland! We decided to get a bit closer, so we headed down to a different hide. Shortly after we sat down, my Dad picked up a Bittern flying straight towards us and I rushed to get my camera out in time. Thankfully I managed, and I got some photos which I'm quite pleased with! The Black-throated Diver then flew out to sea and what was likely the same bird was also seen by a different birder off Druridge Links.

Bittern

Black-throated Diver flying out to sea

2 of 3 Long-tailed Ducks at the country park

Favourite photos from 2013

Here's a selection of my best photos taken in 2013...

North Yorks Gulling

I spent about an hour this evening at Lingham Lake, Nosterfield in North Yorkshire checking the huge Gull roost as a Caspian Gull had been seen there recently. First up was an adult and first-winter Mediterranean Gull followed by an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Little Egret, which looked very out of place in the middle of a group of Herring Gulls. Just as we were about to give up the first-winter Caspian Gull showed up in the near darkness.



Caspian Gull photographed by my uncle

More Ivory Gull photos

Here's a few more photos of the brilliant IVORY GULL at Seahouses yesterday...

IVORY GULL at Seahouses!

We were meant to be visiting relatives in Cleveland this afternoon, when I checked birdguides and found that an IVORY GULL was on the golf course at Seahouses. We were soon heading there instead and as soon as we arrived it showed brilliantly, even coming as close as about 15 metres away at one point. We unfortunately left just 10 minutes before the second bird turned up.

IVORY GULL

LESSER GREY SHRIKE and BONAPARTE'S GULL

A twitch to the Long Nanny this morning was highly successful with the first-winter Lesser Grey Shrike giving brilliant views from the car park. As well as that I also finally managed to catch up with the adult Bonaparte's Gull at Stag Rocks. Also at Stag Rocks were 3 Velvet Scoters, a Slavonian Grebe and 8 Long-tailed Ducks.

Lesser Grey Shrike

Bonaparte's Gull

Velvet Scoter and Slavonian Grebe