25-01-07 THE SEVEN SNOW BUNTINGS/BLYTH

Today I went off to Blyth Harbour not with the intention of trying to get the Snow Buntings as i have seen them many times but it was interesting to hear there where now seven birds so some must wander around I allows thought they would travel in flocks. The main reason I went down was to check for Divers or Grebes or White Winged Gulls perhaps brought in with fishing boats as they headed for shelter in the heavy seas of Tuesday etc.but gull numbers are very low just lately I think they are moving more to the rubbish tips,Blyth used to have an open site many years ago along by "Blyth Cemetery" there used to be thousands of gulls there,before I got into birding,plenty of Shags feeding in the harbour area as are Eider, I have seen these go down for shrimps that have been thrown over from the boats.
I got along to the first pier and got my first sight of the Buntings feeding on the beach and then along the river prom, they can be very elusive but I did get some shots before they flew off.
SIX OF THE SEVEN SNOW BUNTINGS

BIRD OF PREY IMPRESSION
SNOW BUNTING
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
SINENSIS ?