Pacific

After a nervous day stuck at work I was up to Ladyburn Lake at first light this morning. Luckily the Pacific Diver had done the decent thing and stuck around. On show immediately in the half-light, it continued to show superbly for the next couple of hours, sometimes just 20 feet off the bank.

Pacific Diver

Also here were 3 fly-over Crossbill, while a quick stop at Woodhorn on the way to work gave a flock of 15 White-front Geese, mostly Russian, but at least a couple of Greenland birds.

Wednesday morning was seawatching at Whitburn where the calm conditions gave a quiet session. From here it was through the tunnel to North Shields fish quay where 2 Glaucous and a Lesser Black-backed Gull showed well, but the Iceland failed to show.

Glaucous Gull

Back in Gateshead 7 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler and 9 Wigeon at Lamesley, while a Stonechat continues to hang on at Burdon Moor.

Thursday was down to Teesside where after quite a wait a Water Pipit eventually dropped in at Dorman's Pool. At Saltholme there was a Long-tailed Duck and 5 Scaup, but no sign of the Green-winged Teal. The wintering Spotted Redshank was on the Saltern and a Greenshank on Greenabella. A walk out to the Snook was rewarded with 40+ Twite and the Mediterranean Gull was on a lamp-post at Newburn Bridge.