Subbuteo

Last night a trip up to Burdon Moor gave a reeling Grasshopper Warbler, either a very late arrival or an unpaired male trying a new site. The Ruff was still at Lamesley with a fly-over Grey Wagtail, but a complete lack of Pratincoles was evident.

An early start this morning had me in Whitburn Obs just after 5am with a northerly wind and cloud cover giving an excellent seawatch. The star bird was a distant Storm Petrel at 06.10, but backed up with 8 Bonxie, 3 Arctic Skua, 60+ Manx Shearwater, 1 Whimbrel and a Velvet Scoter.

Up to Northumberland and Cresswell was quiet with 1 Little Gull, 1 Little Egret and 30+ Black-tailed Godwit. 9 adult Avocet were around the pond with 3 young on the sandbar. Druridge was a bit busier with 3 Spoonbill, 1 Little Egret, 1 Greenshank, 1 Little Ringed Plover and 30+ Black-tailed Godwit. Despite the strong wind a couple of Dark Green Fritillary were feeding behind the dunes.

Spoonbill and Little Egret

Dark Green Fritillary

Dark Green Fritillary underside

Back down to Kibblesworth brick works where it was now warm and sunny. The grass was alive with Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Large and Small Skipper, with several Common Darter zipping around. Around the ponds were 2 Emperor Dragonfly, a pair of Black-tailed Skimmer and 10+ Four-spotted Chaser.

Four-spotted Chaser

While successfully scanning the tree tops for Purple Hairstreak a cracking Hobby drifted over north- a long awaited Gateshead tick for me.

Purple Hairstreak

Hobby

Pratincole

I was almost at Derwent Reservoir when I got news of the Black-winged Pratincole at Hurworth Burn Reservoir so a swift about turn was called for. With the best part of 100 birders on site by the time I got there, the bird was on show immediately, but at a great distance across the reservoir as it roosted with Lapwings. A walk round meant closer, but still scope views of the bird on the ground and occasionally in flight. A great bird, just a shame it wasn't up hawking insects while I was there.

Black-winged Pratincole

Black-winged Pratincole

A few other birds seen here included Great Crested Grebe and Gadwall on the reservoir and a Kingfisher shot along the line of twitchers.

A trip to Kibblesworth gave Emperor Dragonfly, Common Darter with Common Blue, Azure, Emerald and Blue-tailed Damselfly. Plenty of butterfly on the wing with Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Large Skipper, Common Blue and Small Tortoiseshell.

Emperor Dragonfly

Common Darter

A quick look at Lamesley gave good views of the Ruff and Green Sandpiper.

Ruff

Lamesley, last night held a cracking male Ruff in ginger, black and white. It was showing well from the oak tree, but too far to get a decent photo. On Ravensworth Fell 2 Long-eared Owl gave brief views.



Ruff

Today started at Shibdon to see the Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper that George had found on his early patrol. My first Gateshead Ringed Plover of the year.

Moving north on the off chance that last night's Cattle Egret might show up was unsuccessful. Highlights were 5 Little Gull and 6 Acocet at Cresswell and 2 Spoonbill at Druridge.

The afternoon was up to Derwent Reservoir to try for a better shot of the Temminck's Stint. The stint was showing well as soon as we arrived, but flew off when attacked by a Redshank and couldn't be relocated. The female Long-tailed Duck was showing well, plus 7 Common Sandpiper, 5 Ringed Plover and 1 Little Ringed Plover.

Long-tailed Duck

This evening the Ruff was still showing at Lamesley and the Green Sandpiper was to the left of the hide.

Temminck's before breakfast

After dipping the Temminck's Stint yesterday I thought it might be worth another shot, but getting there before the fishermen disturbed everything. Arriving at the reservoir at 5.15 this morning paid off as I found the stint after just a few minutes scanning with the scope. Feeding with a Little Ringed Plover it was creeping about like a mouse. Sadly the light was poor for photos.



Temminck's Stint and Little Ringed Plover

Temminck's Stint

Walking back to the car I was charged by this stoat, a real shame that the light was so poor.

A fly-by Hobby on the way home was an unexpected bonus. A successful trip and back in the house before 7am.

Roseate

A late start after calling in to work. Cresswell first where there were 22 Little Gull and 50ish Black-tailed Godwit. At Druridge a Spoonbill was feeding in front of the south hide and my first Dark Green Fritillary of the year was patrolling by the road.

Spoonbill

At the point at Hauxley a brief seawatch produced a few distant Roseate Tern taking food back to Coquet Island.



Coquet Island

South, via home, to Derwent Reservoir failed to get the reported Temminck's Stint, but there were 4 Common Sandpiper, 5 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover.

Common Sandpiper

A tea-time trip to Kibblesworth Brickworks gave an Emperor Dragonfly, Emerald Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Darter and Common Blue Damselfly. Loads of Ringlet and Meadow Brown with a few Large Skipper and Common Blue. Plenty of Five-spotted Burnet were feeding by the path.

Five-spotted Burnet

A late trip out before a curry gave a Kingfisher at Lamesley and a Long-eared Owl on Ravensworth Fell.

Long-eared Owl

Little Bittern, Tern and Dolphins

After a bit of a lie in I didn't get to Gosforth Park until 8am with the Little Bittern not having been seen for a couple of hours. I was set for a long vigil and possibly having to return in the evening, but after just an hour I picked up the bird flying straight towards the hide. Striking buff and black plumage and amazingly small. Great, but brief views before it dropped into the reeds, too quick for a photo. A juvenile Water Rail entertained close to the hide while we waited for the Little Bittern.

Water Rail

Next was a trip to Byker, but there was no sign of the Rose-coloured Starling so I headed north to Seahouses.

I joined a boat trip out to the Farnes on Serenity II. The trip first toured the outer islands giving great views of the breeding sea birds.

Shag

Puffin

Puffin

Sandwich Tern

Guillemot

'Bridled' Guillemot

Grey Seal

Kittiwake

I felt a bit guilty, as I was dying to get to Inner Farne and the Bridled Tern. Eventually arriving on the island to the news the tern had disappeared 2 mins before we docked. Thirty nervous minutes later the bird showed itself, giving good, but fairly distant views.

Bridled Tern

Happy with the bird in the bag I got on the return boat. Looking up to see the Bridled Tern heading straight for the boat, giving cracking views as it circled overhead.

Almost back in Seahouses a shout of 'Dolphins' went up and the skipper treated us to an hour extension to the trip as we moved back north as the pod of Bottlenose Dolphins played around the boat. The action was too close for my 400mm lens, but I was happy with the following picture.

Bottlenose Dolphin

Not a bad day!

Green Sandpiper

Stuck at work, so I haven't seen the Bridled Tern yet and managed to dip the Temminck's Stint at Saltholme last night.

Gateshead today before and after work. The highlight being a Green Sandpiper at Burdon Moor briefly before flying high to the south. The first juvenile Black-headed Gull of the year was on the flash pool at Lamesley.

Common Blue

Azure Damselfly

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Green Sandpiper