I first found this Grey Phalarope 12th November still there on the 24th
Digiscoped shots as it keeps it's distance
The fate of many of these Little Auks,shows just how small they are
Six Little Auks over the surf the last one has hit the water !!
St Mary's Island just out of shot
Over the rocks & one overhead
Little Auk picked up and released at Blyth ,stunning little bird in the hand ,I have found many dead but this is a first one alive, it gave me a right pecking
And off it goes ,not sharp as it's hard to hold both bird and camera,so I had to let it go ,pick up the camera and get a shot.
This is the same bird it soon picked up
And more on the sea they flew off just as I walked away
Purple Sandpiper in the setting sun
Had a quick look at the sea before a walk from Seaton Sluice to Holywell pond then Briardene via Holywell Dene to St Mary's Island then back to the Sluice not much to report though it was another bright sunny day a pair of Redshanks fighting along the stream why do they fight so hard and for so long ,one trying to drown the other, just what have they to argue over , still some Common Darters around two paired up and laying eggs , Holywell held no surprises so I did not stay long through the dene and on to St Mary's via Briardene the tide was in with a mass of waders at the start of the prom with also some Purple Sandpipers feeding along the shore also Snipe just beside the viewing wall not much to show for a walk but still not a bad day out
These Redshank where fighting long before I got close enough for a photo and still having a go as I walked away
The Black-headed Gull watched then tried to chase them but they just carried on
Dragonflies in November !!!!!!
St Mary's in the distance ,Purple Sandpiper on the beach
This Rock Pipit had no problem finding food small white things about 1/2" long not sure what they where it took three from this stalk but to fast for me to capture
Snipe from the wallSaturday the 3rd of November not a birding day went to the fleamarket at Tynemouth it also had a continental flavour with French cheese, Spanish sausage etc; then over the ferry to South Shields with a Kingfisher at Smiths dock.
Sunday 4th up to Amble with two Long-tailed Duck in the harbour then on to Hauxley another new hide with the replacement of the Tern hide but not much in the way of birds other then a Kingfisher and another Long Tailed Duck , Redshank. Teal, Wigeon and a couple of Mallard at the Outflow pool a mass of seaweed covers the area the large metal cover from the pipe is long gone allowing the sea to surge in, this site never seems to attract many birds.
That evening it was off to the Fireworks at Blyth much better organised then last year
with an ariel show in the park ,not sure what it was about but worth seeing anyway, the everyone had to file down to the quay for the show .but it seemed to work and after a short wait the fireworks began we happened to stop just at the right spot for a great show, I tried to get some shots but not with great success.
It's rather quiet bird wise of late another run to Cresswell to see how they where getting on with the new hide, the old one was gone just leaving the posts but that' as far as it goes, very strong west wind crossing the pond so after a quick look went further along huge flock of Pinkfeet in the road side field picked out a collared bird PFB I'm sure I had that last year.
On to Druridge Pools again the Otter showed at the east side harder to pick out in the choppy water ,just sat there for awhile getting a couple of digiscoped shots then I decided to walk along to East Chevington via the track a party of 8 Grey Partridge where walking towards me along a grass track they lifted and flew over , a couple of Stonechats , and Pied Wagtails with a flock of about Goldfinch was all I had ,at East Chev went along the south end of the south pool but as soon as I came into the open everything lifted even though they where a long way off, Whooper Swan overhead as I walked back in the fading light .
Crop of above with Collared PFB
Digiscoped shots from the pools
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