An early start and a drive through some unexpected snow got me to a very cold and wind-swept Whitby just after first light. The Desert Wheatear was immediately on view and gave stunning point-blank views as it fed around the sheltered areas of the abbey car park.
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| Desert Wheatear |
A Snow Bunting dropped in to show just as well.
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| Snow Bunting |
A dearth of Teal at Saltholme on the way home meant no sign of the Green-winged, but I did pick up the Long-eared Owl from the new watch-point. A further dip followed at Seaton Carew where there was no Lapland Bunting among the Linnet flock.
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| Long-eared Owl |
The first couple of weeks of the year started with the Ross's Gull failing to show at Boulmer on New Year's Day. A few days later a trip up to Slamannan gave distant views of 102 Taiga Bean Geese before a stop at Musselburgh gave us the drake Surf Scoter. A further stop at Goswick was not so lucky, with the Black Scoter having moved on.
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| Taiga Bean Geese |
A trip around Northumberland the following day gave some good year-ticks including Water Pipit, Great Grey Shrike and my first ever Northumberland Hawfinch.
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| Great Grey Shrike |
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| Hawfinch |
Not much time in Gateshead so far, but I have managed to see Rock Pipit, Barn Owl and Waxwing thanks to David, George and Alan.
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