Cracking Sunset but no bird's!

Teesmouth Sunset

Guillemot

Went to South Gare today but was a bit disappointed at the lack of birds .............never mind though the sunset was brilliant.

Black Tern and Brent.

Black Tern

Have spent the weekend out and about at the coast, showing a friend I met whilst on holiday some of the birds in our area.  Thankfully the weather was kind and the birds were obliging and we had a brilliant day on Saturday.

Black Tern

Pale-bellied Brent Goose

Purple Sandpiper

Knot

Sanderling

Wheatear

Fox

Harrier at Dormans

Late post - Thursday gave us exellent views of a Marsh Harrier at Dormans pool unfortunately the failing evening light wasn't good for pictures.

Sunday around Saltholme

Merlin

Stock Dove

Teal

Cape Shelduck

Pink Footed Goose

Barnacle Geese

A very windy day, plenty of geese on the reserve including a flock of 40+ Barnacle and a single Pink-foot, the Cape Shelduck (escapee) was still around, but waders in short supply. A quick run along to North gare gave us good views of a Merlin perched on a fence post

Bonaparte's but no Plover.

We decided to have a run up the coast this afternoon to see if we could locate one of the birds off my list being the American Golden Plover and at the same time the Bonarparte's Gull at Whitburn.  It was quite windy today but very warm, so much so that the ice-cream we bought in the car park upon our arrival was melting before we could eat it.  We walked along the coastal footpath and one of the first birds we saw was the Bonarparte's Gull sitting on the water below the footpath with a group of Black Headed Gulls.  We walked  on and managed to find a large flock of Golden Plover in a field further along the footpath but were unable to locate the bird we were looking for.  We will have to try again another day.

Sharp Tailed Sandpiper

Managed to get to Greatham Creek early evening to see the Sharp Tailed Sandpiper.  Not a first as we did manage to see one here last year but never the less a nice bird to see.



I decided to write my list of 20 birds to see next with the hope I would manage some of them at least and low and behold one turns up the next day that being the American Golden Plover.  However the chances of seeing it before it goes are pretty slim as I dont suppose it will hang around until next Saturday when I am off work.  Will record my list here and see how many I can get ticked off (and photograph) within say the next year.

Lesser Yellowlegs
Red Footed Falcon
American Golden Plover
Pacific Golden Plover
Ross's Gull
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Rose Coloured Starling
WhiteThroated Sparrow
Ptarmigan
Black Winged Stilt
Scarlet Rosefinch
Golden Oriole
Bearded Tit
Hoopoe
Roller
Nightjar
Red Necked Phalarope
Collared Pratincole
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Firecrest

Sanderking at Newburn

along with Med Gull

Marsh Harriers at Dormans Pool

A visit to South Gare

As it was my last day off school today and I had been frantically trying to do all the jobs I had not done over the past six weeks in one day when Mick came home from work I decided to take a break and we went for a visit to South Gare to see if anything was about.

It was quite a nice evening although a little breezy and there were lots of people fishing on the breakwater when suddently an Arctic Skua turned up out of nowhere and started chasing the few gulls that were around.  Also on the water were at least 55 Guillemots and some were quite close in on the high tide.  On the shore there were lots of Dunlin and Ringed Plover, more than I have seen in a long time together with Sanderling, Knot and at least 4 Bar Tailed Godwit along with 1 Curlew Sandpiper that we could see and 2 Sandwich Tern.  On the wall near the old jetty were over 100 Turnstone sheltering from the breeze.

Arctic Skua

Cormorant

Guillemot

Holiday Mull

We have just returned from our annual visit to Mull.  The weather was mainly good with more sunny days than rainy and then it was usually just heavy showers and it was amazing how you could find somewhere on the island that was better weather then elsewhere.  The worst day was when we had hired bikes to ride along Loch Frisa and 20 mins into the journey the heavens opened and we got absolutely soaked for about 20 mins and then the rain stopped and it was fine for the rest of the day, typical!!  We did however remove the by now ten ton fleece tops and carried on regardless and actually enjoyed the ride.  We saw all the usual birds however the most noticable sightings this time were the amount of Hen Harriers we had and the number of sites we saw them on a regular basis.  We also saw a Knot which was quite unusual there and at least 7 Black Tailed Godwit.  We also had the best photo opportunity for Sea Eagle this time whilst out walking near the coast.  All in all a very enjoyable time once again.

View from our cottage Window looking up the Sound of Mull where we stayed the second week and then the view from our garden of the cottage we stayed in the first week.

Meadow Pipit on the garden gate of which there were lots around cottage.

Swallow in his nest on the side of the cottage.

And then he was out of his nest.

A Warbler at Craignure

Oystercatchers on the shore

Ravens near Duart Castle

Hen Harriers were everywhere but getting a decent picture was easier said than done.

A very obliging stonechat.

A surprising find was a Knot.

Saw this Sea Eagle fly past whilst I was washing up and we managed to run out and get this photo whilst at the cottage in the glen.

And most mornings when we scanned the view from the cottage on the shore we would see a Sea Eagle sitting on the rocks or otters swimming in the sea or porpoise rising to the surface or if we were lucky all three.

The day we went to Iona it was like being in the Med. it was beautiful.

It was good to find some Black Tailed Godwits and a Whimbrel.