Water Rail

Thick snow this morning so I declined the battle through traffic to go seawatching and had a lie-in. A look around the more accessible sites around Gateshead gave a few year ticks including a very confiding Water Rail at Watergate.

Water Rail

A flock of Goldfinch and Siskin held a few Lesser Redpoll, but nothing rarer.

Lesser Redpoll

A scarce bird for Gateshead was the female Pochard on Saltwell Park lake along with 50+ Tufted Duck.

Pochard