A tweet from David A of a Guillemot at Dunston Staithes caused a bit of a rush to the Tyne. A chase downstream ensued and I managed to see it through a fence, just east of Gateshead College. I jumped on the car bonnet to grab a photo over the fence, unfortunately the bird dived just as I got balanced. To the chagrin of Paul and Mike (who both missed it at Bill Quay) it disappeared from view and despite extensive searching couldn't be re-found.
Better luck this morning when Mike picked up the bird from the Newcastle side, just in front of the Baltic. Unfortunately Paul and I were well down-stream. A hurtle back up-river followed as the bird was swimming at a rate of knots. We cut it off at Dunston, where eventually it swam towards us, giving cracking views.
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| Guillemot |
Lamesley is looking great at the moment, a Pink-footed Goose dropped in this afternoon (my first in Gateshead for the year). Also here were a Gateshead record 8 Gadwall. Waders here were 6 Redshank, 4 Oystercatcher, 102 Curlew and 50+ Lapwing. Not long now for the first Little Ringed Plover.
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| Pink-footed Goose |
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| Gadwall |
No Wheatear at Burdon Moor yet, but a Short-eared Owl was quartering the fields.
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| Short-eared Owl |
You deserved some good images of the Guillemot after your exertions Rob. And very nice they are too.
ReplyDeleteCheers John.
ReplyDelete