Started with a quick look around the Metro Centre which failed to turn up the Crossbill reported yesterday. Sled Lane next gave 9 Goosander, 12 Tufted Duck and a calling Green Woodpecker. No gulls at all at Greenside Tip so I headed down to the Tyne at Stella.
Only about 150 gulls were on the river, but I quickly got onto an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. Just to left was a sleeping gull with a darker back than the surrounding Herring Gulls and apparently (albeit muddy) yellow legs. A ten minute wait and the bird woke up to show a fairly hefty bill with an extensive red patch. A quick paddle and the mud washed off to show bright yellow legs. Twenty minutes later it had a good fly around to show the correct wing tip pattern. Yellow-legged Gull, a Gateshead tick for me.
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| Yellow-legged Gull |
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| With Herring Gull |
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| Yellow-legged Gull |
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| Yellow-legged Gull |
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| Lesser Black-backed Gull |
On to Shibdon, but all quiet and no sign of the Ruff that George had had first thing.
This afternoon a trip up to Burdon Moor gave good views of the Stonechat. Although grey and windy spring is on its way with singing Skylark and the first Curlew back on the moor. 200+ Golden Plover were overhead.
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| Stonechat |
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