Twite

 

Saturday morning at Blacktoft. A fairly quiet morning bird wise. I presumed that the recent storms and high water levels had scattered the birds and also given them more options to feed.

Sunset from Singleton hide. lots of marsh harriers into the roost, but only 6 in the air at the same time.

Monday morning I went to to Marske and Hartlepool. I was hoping to add several birds to my year list, but I could not find any velvet scoter at Marske, no red necked grebe at South Gare, or med gull at Newburn Bridge.

I did however have more luck at Seaton Snook.

I walked around the shore line as the tide was out, and I find it hard work climbing the sand dunes.

I was prepared to walk out to where an area is roped off for breeding terns etc. but my luck was in as I saw a flock of about 100 birds fairly close by.

They did not settle for long, partly due to continual disturbance from dogs. I decided to stand still, in the hope that they might come closer. after several fly arounds they did settle and I tried to get some pictures. However i found it difficult to spot them amongst the vegetation. None of my pictures are any good, but as I looked through them  I noticed that two birds had rings on their legs.

I was pleased to have seen the birds and added them to my year list as tick number 201.

As  I mentioned, no med gull at Newburn Bridge, but a black-headed gull.

A male eider from the Pilot Pier

A little egret at Saltholme

This was at the Wildlife Watchpoint. No water rail but 17 moorhens.