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

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

Catch up...

On Wednesday we spent the morning on Holy Island hoping that the easterlies and drizzle might have brought some migrants to the island. Sure enough it had, with impressive numbers of thrushes and Bramblings, but unfortunately the day just lacked something rare...

1645 Redwing
504 Fieldfare
648 Blackbird
8 Song Thrush
1 Ring Ouzel
120 Brambling
5 Woodcock
9 Goldcrest
2 Black Redstart - around the Lindisfarne Hotel.
15 Long-tailed Tit
2 Blackcap
1 Short-eared Owl

Later in the day another Black Redstart was mobile around the compound on Newton Point, while the day before a Jack Snipe had been sleeping in front of the south hide on the north pool at Chevington.

Down in North Yorkshire on Thursday the gull roost at Lingham Lake held 2 Caspian Gulls (distinctive first and third-winters), an adult Yellow-legged Gull and a leucistic Black-headed Gull among the thousands of other gulls.

This morning we managed good views of a male Bearded Tit in front of the north hide on the north pool at Chevington (only my second on patch and a much better view than the first) along with 2 Otters there and a Short-eared Owl at Druridge Pools.

PWC 15
Species: 169
Points: 229 

All my photos recently have been pretty poor and my excuse is that the weather hasn't been great!

Bearded Tit

Caspian Gulls - at maximum ISO and one second shutter speeds!

Sleeping Jack Snipe

Harrier sp. near Blyth

A quick rush out of the house provided some brief views of this ringtail harrier over some fields east of the A192 just south of Laverock. The bird flew north, appeared to land in a field but them disappeared. We only saw the bird through binoculars but still it didn't 'feel' like a Hen Harrier with it appearing quite small and slim, and quite warm underneath. I managed a few record shots which might help with the ID. I have not edited the colours at all. Any comments very welcome...

Longspur...

Only my second decent view of a Lapland Bunting today, this one at St. Mary's Island with my first being on Holy Island just over five years ago. It was showing brilliantly, and when I lay on it's favourite path, the bird would walk right up to me.

At Druridge Pools earlier in the day, a Brambling flew west and 15+ Goldcrests were in the pine plantation, and at Chevington 3 Black-tailed Godwits flew over and an Otter was on the north pool.

PWC 15
Species: 166
Points: 224

Lapland Bunting

More YBWs

Two more Yellow-browed Warblers on the patch this afternoon. The first in the plantation at Druridge Pools with a group of Goldcrests. We watched the bird for about half an hour before it disappeared and when we returned later there was no sign. The second YBW was a self-found bird along the track to the southern most hide on the north pool at Chevington. While we were there a Marsh Harrier flew over and 3 Pintail were on the pool.

PWC 15
Species: 165
Points: 223 

Yellow-browed Warbler at Druridge Pools.

Eclipse & Garganey

Yesterday morning we were back on patch where there were a few migrants about. Perhaps the most obvious were the Pink-footed Geese with a flock of 500+ on the north pool at Chevington, which they shared with a Garganey, Black-tailed Godwit and Pintail.

3 Redwings flew over and a Great Spotted Woodpecker appeared to fly 'in off'. Along with a Treecreeper these were additions to the PWC year list.

A very early start this morning resulted in an impressive show from the lunar eclipse, with completely clear skies.

PWC 15
Species: 165
Points: 220

163. Great Spotted Woodpecker
164. Treecreeper
165. Redwing 

Composite image of the lunar eclipse

Garganey record shot