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Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Stuck at work yesterday when a reported Yellow Wagtail at Prestwick Carr quickly escalated, as expected, into probable Eastern. Photos showed the required long hind claw and pale base to the bill,...
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More Yellow Wag
A trip to the dentist this morning meant that I was back in the vicinity and with a bit of sun I popped up to Prestwick Carr. The Eastern Yellow Wagtail was still showing superbly, but the low winter...
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House Martin
My last day at work for a while finished after 5 mins this morning. Hopefully this won't go on for too long.My earliest ever House Martin today, feeding over Birtley reed beds with a single Sand...
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Lockdown
With lockdown in force, early morning trips to Burdon Moor have been my only escape from staring out of the window, praying for a White-tailed Eagle. On the 6th April two Willow Warbler were singing...
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Lockdown Gems
The ongoing lockdown has meant any birding has been local, but surprisingly successful. Three unphotographed raptors were welcome additions to the list; Merlin hunting at Burdon Moor, Osprey north over...
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Asian Desert Warbler
A very early start got me to the Snook on Holy Island for 04.05 this morning. Twenty or so birders were already on site, loosely surrounding a stunted pine. The Asian Desert Warbler was singing as we...
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Summer
A few better bits and bobs since my last post.On 22nd June while seawatching at Whitburn, Mark Harper picked up a very distant Rose-coloured Starling to the south. A return after lunch gave better...
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Buffy
A flyer from work on Friday 18th September got me up to Boulmer (again) for a smashing Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Always excellent, but up-close, all to myself and a Northumberland tick made the trip...
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Lap
Yesterday a quiet seawatch led to a look round Whitburn CP where 4 Yellow-browed Warbler were vocal and showing occasionally. Mark's garden Arctic Warbler failed to reappear.In the afternoon I popped...
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Seawatch
With strong northerlies forecast I stuck in a last minute day's holiday. Arriving at first light to a wild sea and a strong north-westerly blowing, the birding didn't really pick up until the wind...
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Scilly
A challenging first three days on Scilly. The Scillonian crossing was very rough and wet, seabirding action curtailed by covid restrictions and weather, but I did manage to pick up a Sooty Shearwater....
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Black & White
Times have been hard. Wild, wet and windy weather, combined with a lack of birds has made for long days. Yesterday the pain was wiped away with one bird.Our third day on stake-out for the Swainson's...
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Swainson's Thrush
Yesterday was spent staring fruitlessly at various bits of the Standing Stone Field and Dump Clump with nothing to show for the effort except more mosquito bites. With no further sightings of the...
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More Scilly
With the warbler and thrush in the bag, the quiet start was forgotten. On the 11th I headed over to Tresco where the American Golden Plover showed distantly, hiding in the heather. A jog back from the...
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Even more Scilly
The early of the 15th was spent on the Garrison where I quickly had 3 Yellow-browed Warbler on Lower Broome and a Ring Ouzel above the Steval.Ring OuzelFrom there it was over to St Agnes where the...
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Brown Shrike
For the first time since 2016, more was happening at home than was happening on Scilly. The Masked Shrike, Two-barred Greenish and Taiga Flycatcher would all have been ticks, but predictably moved on...
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Hawfinch and Shorelark
I assumed that if it was okay to go to the seaside to go fishing, then it was okay to go birding...A stop off on the way at Abbey Mill near Morpeth. A bit grey and early, but after a few minutes wait...
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Divers
Excellent views today of the Black-throated and Great Northern Divers that have spent the last few days at Jackson's Landing, Hartlepool. A bit dark and dingy, but close enough for photos.Great...
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Lockdown 3
The year started with the relative freedom of Tier 4. A couple of seawatches and a trip up into Northumberland got the year off to a flying start. Some decent birds with Hawfinch, Egyptian Goose,...
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Citrine Wagtail
A return to work after the lockdown would obviously curtail birding, but just four days in I had to stop a few hours early to pop up to Lynemouth. Having seen three other Citrine Wagtail (and...
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Mockingbird
I awoke at 2am to a message "Looks like the Mockingbird has come up to you!"A bleary-eyed scroll through Twitter and RBA had me wide awake and up to Newbiggin early doors. A lack of birders on site...
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Red-necked Stint
Almost asleep on my sofa yesterday evening I was fired into action and panic by news of a Red-necked Stint on the Blyth Estuary. Racing north like a headless chicken with no real idea where I was...
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Pacific Swift
Northumberland's purple patch continues. I was just getting ready for work yesterday when news broke of a swift species with a white-rump. With the two possibilities being Pacific or White-rumped...
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Caspian Tern
I arrived at Saltholme in time to be told that the Caspian Tern had flown off just 5 mins before. With no sign from Paddy's hide I legged it towards Haverton. Luckily a large white bird was circling...
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Razorbill
Something bad has happened, forcing auks (in particular Razorbills) close inshore and up rivers. Hopefully everything will turn out okay for them, but at the moment we can only be grateful for their...
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