Wheatear. Warkworth Old Water saltmarsh today. Bang on time - I usually get one here in the last week of March (6 out of the last 8 years). Always a good day when you see your first Wheatear for the year. #NEbirding
My first Avocet of the year and it is a repeat customer. Right hand taken on Mar 28th 2023. Left side today. Photos taken in exactly the same spot on Warkworth Old Water Gut. If my memory is correct, a very old Cresswell bird from 2011? Amazing! #NEbirding
Water Pipits at Buston Links Marsh. These (prob 3 birds) have been about for a while but today in the sunshine, two came out for a feed in the open. Super zoom camera at super zoom distance but I got a couple of passable images. #NEbirding
Three Tundra Bean Geese. Still present in the fields in between Amble and Warkworth. Seen from Gloster Hill. I presume these are the same as were present a few weeks back. #NEbirding
Goose fest continues at High Hauxley. This was one of the Tundra Beans today. Sharing a field with c40 White fronts and 1500 Pink feet. Took a while to find it mind. #NEbirding
This one gave me the run around until I realised it was a Rock Pipit. Very pale underneath. Care needed.
Buston Links (Alnmouth)- Water Pipits have not been easy. I think there are still 3. This 1 popped up today briefly but for once the camera was on and pointing in the right direction. Nice rusty rump patch, big white wing bars, clean white outer tail and pale underneath. #NEbirding Opinions welcome!
So many Tundra Bean Geese about at the moment. Went on a goose chase to get it on the 5km patch list for the year. WhatsApp led me to 4 at Warkworth and 6 at Hauxley. Along with 20 White fronts at Hauxley/Warkworth/Amble Links. Photo is of 2 of the Warkworth group and a White front.
I wondered too but thought Druridge to the Tyne and back might be too much to expect. Here's my best photo of a bird facing the same way as yours. Close but......???? IMO different birds. What do you think?
Glaucous Gull - Warkworth Beach this morning. Presumably the juv that has been loafing about Druridge Bay, Snab and Newbiggin over the last few weeks. Good of it to venture a bit further north and onto the 5km patch. #NEbirding
Amazing, Mark. I walked the whole of that beach yesterday and there was nothing but sand.
Siberian Chiffchaff - Warkworth Beach Car Park - prob same bird as a few days ago. But this time it was calling !! And a bit easier to get some photos. #NEbirding
Not sure these photos show the paleness of this bird. Siberian Chiffchaff (??) at Warkworth Beach Car Park this afternoon. Very pale and monochrome but unfortunately it refused to call. Opinions welcome. #NEbirding
Yellow Browed Warblers have been hard to come by in Northumberland this year. Delighted to find this one at Warkworth Beach Car Park. this morning- calling it's wee head off - which is always a help in finding them. #NEbirding
Hauxley NR - Buston Links hybrids?? I think the bill on these isn't quite right for Shoveler and there is a little hint of Blue winged Teal ?? I presume these are two of the offspring from the female BWT x Shoveler and male Shoveler from a bit further up the coast. ??? #NEbirding Comments welcome.
Another day, another Caspian Gull. Amble Links Beach this morning. 3cy/4cy ?? Don't see one for ages and then... #NEbirding Yesterday's 1cy was also still present making it my first ever 2 Casp day.
After a couple of "is it or isn't it" birds this week. Finally, I got a Caspian Gull that I was happy with. Amble Links Beach this afternoon. A double gull day with the YLG this morning. Apart from PKCS, this is my first patch Casp this year (and it has not been through lack of trying)! #NEbirding
A couple of pics of the adult Yellow Legged Gull at Warkworth Weir this morning. My good year on patch continues - another new one for the year list. #NEbirding Even on a dull wet day the legs were glowing!
Wagtail Research! - Amble Links Beach today. This one looks like a White Wagtail to me. #markaeaton.bsky.social This was the most obvious of 20 wagtails with 2 others maybe Whites but probably not. (That was a good way to spend an afternoon!)
Thank you, but I think you over-estimate my abilities. These are the two September birds that you mention in your initial post (2023 and 2024). It is almost like I am looking out for a completely different bird! A bit more reading for me, I think!
Ok, yes, rump colour is a good clue. I will have to change my search criteria as I may be passing birds over that look like this one.
Ummh - separation in autumn is very tricky. IMO - the grey on flanks and chest is problematic, I would expect head to be cleaner with grey extending onto the forehead and there seems to be dark centres to some lower mantle feathers. Borderline but I think this is Pied.
In Northumberland, we get on average 30-40 per year on the coast county-wide, but numbers fluctuate. However, inland birds are much more uncommon and so not surprised that one in Cambridgeshire got people interested.
Always exciting finding a small wader. Juv Little Stint at Hauxley Beach this afternoon. My first of the year and one I missed on the patch last year. Another good one to get. #NEbirding
Black Tern at Birling Carrs. (Cheers Neil for the WhatsApp). A bit of local knowledge and my hunch that it would move a little further down the coast on the rising tide proved correct. A difficult one to get on the 5km patch - only my second in 7 years! #NEbirding
Today, 38 empty Fosters cans placed neatly back in the boxes and then dumped under a tree at Amble Links - At least they were easy to remove but it does make me angry! (Although if I had finished 38 cans, I probably wouldn't be able to locate a bin either!)
This set the pulse racing today. I know it is an escapee, the transmitter wire is clearly visible, but it still knocks you off balance when you first see it! Saker or Gyr or hybrid ??? Boulmer this morning. #NEbirding
Help needed please? Seaton Point, Boulmer today. ???? #NEbirding. And please don't say its an Eider! The other one!
Gull season has started. A good gathering on Buston Links Beach this morning. I think this is an Lesser Black Back of Scandinavian origin (probably intermedius). Seems dark enough on the back to me and a shade darker than the LBBG next door. #NEbirding
