After a bit of a lie in I didn't get to Gosforth Park until 8am with the Little Bittern not having been seen for a couple of hours. I was set for a long vigil and possibly having to return in the evening, but after just an hour I picked up the bird flying straight towards the hide. Striking buff and black plumage and amazingly small. Great, but brief views before it dropped into the reeds, too quick for a photo. A juvenile Water Rail entertained close to the hide while we waited for the Little Bittern.
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| Water Rail |
Next was a trip to Byker, but there was no sign of the Rose-coloured Starling so I headed north to Seahouses.
I joined a boat trip out to the Farnes on Serenity II. The trip first toured the outer islands giving great views of the breeding sea birds.
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| Shag |
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| Puffin |
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| Puffin |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Guillemot |
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| 'Bridled' Guillemot |
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| Grey Seal |
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| Kittiwake |
I felt a bit guilty, as I was dying to get to Inner Farne and the Bridled Tern. Eventually arriving on the island to the news the tern had disappeared 2 mins before we docked. Thirty nervous minutes later the bird showed itself, giving good, but fairly distant views.
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| Bridled Tern |
Happy with the bird in the bag I got on the return boat. Looking up to see the Bridled Tern heading straight for the boat, giving cracking views as it circled overhead.
Almost back in Seahouses a shout of 'Dolphins' went up and the skipper treated us to an hour extension to the trip as we moved back north as the pod of Bottlenose Dolphins played around the boat. The action was too close for my 400mm lens, but I was happy with the following picture.
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| Bottlenose Dolphin |
Not a bad day!
NOT A BAD DAY !!!!!!!! You must be kidding. The sort of day most of us would die for.
ReplyDeleteSome stunning images there.
That's a cracking Dolphin shot
ReplyDeleteMaster of the understatement, that trip would have been the highlight of my year. But don't you ever go to work? ;-)
ReplyDeleteCheers all. It was a cracking day out.
ReplyDelete