Pier

An extra cold seawatch from Whitburn Obs in a stiff easterly produced little this morning. A Little Gull and a pair of Red-breasted Merganser were the star birds.

A stop-off at South Shields Pier was more productive with a Little Gull feeding with a flock of Black-headed, a Glaucous Gull and 3 wind-swept Snow Bunting.

Little Gull

Glaucous Gull

Snow Bunting

A check of the Tyne from Bill Quay upstream revealed little, other than 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull at Dunston and a Ringed Plover at Stella, where 3 Oystercatcher were displaying in the middle of the road. No sign of Darren's Guillemot from yesterday. 20 Wigeon were at a mostly frozen Lamesley.

An afternoon walk in the snow when a hunting Barn Owl flew past, almost brushing my arm.

Barn Owl

Late on at Shibdon the decent gull roost held nothing unusual, other than a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. Two pairs of Shoveler were back on the pond and there were single Jack and Common Snipe.

Common Snipe