The past week or so !!!

Thought it about time I updated my blog although few photos of late.

I forgot to mention that I added American Golden plover to the bus list with a visit to Whitburn area the bird  located on the fields with the shooting butts a very windy day only one digi shot which was rubbish,had intended to return but the bird only reported once there after.

Also went down to Greatham Creek for the Sharp- tailed Sandpiper but alas it had gone ,10 Curlew Sandpipers on the small pools ,with 4 Ruff and lots of Dunlin and Ringed Plover but again the wind very strong despite the birds being reasonably close I could get no photos. A walk along to the hide which I had not been in for years gave some welcome shelter from the wind, thousands of birds seem to be feeding here ,but it's a vast  area, out of some of the nearer birds where 12-15 Black Tailed Godwits one of which was in difficulty floundering around trying to avoid the rising tide, a group of 25+ Grey plover and a single Avocet, back along the creak a Hawker patrolled over the seaweed. later at home a Swift circled over the garden .

13th a visit to Hollywell Pond only produced 3 Pied Wagtails , 2 Bar-tailed Godwit with a few Common Gulls in with the numerous Black-headed.

14th A Cycle along to Blyth Estuary for the rising tide saw numerous waders among which a single Ruff and 3 Curlew Sandpiper, with a Guillemot well up the river , 2-3 Speckled Wood Butterflies out. A brief walk to the old railway line near to my house produced 48 Speckled Wood  with as many as 6 together in one spot.

15th  Back along the estuary on the way north at least 3 Curlew Sandpiper still with the numerous waders feeding on the muddy shore. Stopped at Snab Point for a seawatch which produced 25 Manx, 4 Sooty , 2 RT Diver, 1 Velvet Scoter, 15 Teal, 9 Brent, 8 Arctic Skua  & 3 Pomerine Skua which came over high before descending to sea level where they caught up with and Arctic, all heading North with 4 RTD south.

Cresswell turned up 2 Scaup in with the Tufted and a Curlew Sandpiper briefly.

16th   A brief Seawatch from Seaton Sluice only produced Teal North and South and 9 Brent North.

17th

A reasonably early start at the Sluice with some good numbers of duck moving totals from 7:30 - 11:00, Teal 400,Common Scoter 542, Wigeon 60, 1 RTD, 1 Manx,1 Sooty, 45 Curlew, Gannet 260hr,1 Pintail, 1 Red -necked Grebe, 4 Brent (North)

20 RTD, 3 Velvet Scoter, 4 Little Gull (South). I realise these numbers are small compared to other sites but a good few hours nevertheless ,the highlight being one of the longest strings of Scoter I have ever seen . Hollywell for the afternoon and a Spotted Redshank dropped in  ,Two Ruff didn't  but a Med Gull also dropped in. 

The famous Seal Sands NR it's huge you definitely need a scope just to see the birds never mind I.D. them, as expected plenty of Seals loafing around .

This Common Gull moulting to 1st Winter , 2 Bar -tailed Godwit  on the shore

One of 48 Speckled Wood counted near my home on a nice sunny morn, and I discounted  ones I thought I might be counting twice.

Graffiti this is down on the estuary not your usual rubbish with a spray  can , but still Graffiti  !!!!!

This is Perennial Sow Thistle sucking the life out of a Ladybird  :)