Double seawatch...

Two seawatches at Newbiggin today...

The first was quite quiet over the three hours we were there. The highlight wasn't even a seabird!

9 Manx Shearwater
104 Wigeon
118 Teal
14 Common Scoter
5 Pintail
2 Great Skua
1 Shoveler
18 Brent Goose

3 Roseate Tern

1 Osprey - flew south. Not quite what we were expecting this morning, and (embarrassingly!) only my second in the county.
1 Merlin - 'in off'

Back again this evening from 14:50 to 19:15...

1 Great Shearwater - flew north at 18:50. Not nearly as close as last year's bird, but more prolonged views allowed us to appreciate the bird a bit more before it was all over. Great scope views in good light made it an awesome experience!
26 Sooty Shearwater
43 Manx Shearwater
6 Arctic Skua
2 Great Skua
9 Wigeon
5 Teal
2 Tufted Duck
3 Common Scoter
2 Grey Plover
1 Whimbrel
2 Brent Goose

Osprey record shot

Brent Geese

A Great seawatch!

We arrived at Newbiggin at 11:30, in the hopes of a good seawatch. It started off well with a steady passage of Manx Shearwaters. I was gradually scanning south and then out of nowhere a Great Shearwater flew into view. My Dad was soon onto the bird, which steadily moved north at really close range, closer than all the Manx Shearwaters!

We had fantastic views and it was surely one of my best birding moments! We put the news out soon and were pleased to hear that it was also seen from Snab Point, Beadnell and The Farne Islands as it made its way north.

Totals over the four and a half hours we were there:

1 Great Shearwater

2 Sooty Shearwater - one gave very nice views.

205 Manx Shearwater

2 Great Skua

5 Arctic Skua

7 Teal

9 Common Scoter

2 Red-throated Diver

1 Whimbrel

3 Golden Plover

A Wheatear was also on the cliffs and a Grey Seal and Harbour Porpoise was offshore.