Shibdon Pec

Popped into Shibdon this afternoon and the first bird I looked at was a fresh in juvenile Ruff. I pulled the camera out of the bag and started clicking (Ruff is still a pretty good bird for Gateshead). After a few shots it dawned on me that the Ruff had moved and I was shooting Gateshead's first and long-awaited Pectoral Sandpiper. Get in!!

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper

New Ruff

Ruff chasing Pec

Also here were 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank and the adult Ruff.

Seawatching this morning was slow to get going and failed to get overly exciting, with 2 distant Black Tern the highlight.

0620-1040

Wigeon    8n  1s
Teal    55n  13s
Arctic Skua    14n  1s
Whimbrel    35n
Common Tern    31n  30s
Tufted Duck    1n  1s
Sandwich Tern    7n    14s
Bonxie    4n
Bar-tailed Godwit    1s
Common Scoter    28n  5s  3 on sea
Manx Shearwater    4s
Eider    4s
Grey Plover    1n
Black Tern    2n
Red-throated Diver    1s
Pintail    1n
Dunlin    3s
Swift    1n

A quick look in Whitburn C.P and a good search of Marsden Quarry failed to turn up any migrants.