Squirrel & Crossbill

All a bit flat at the moment, with nothing new happening and continuing quietness around Gateshead. As usual for the time of year, Little Owl are popping up all over the Ravensworth Fell area and 4 Gadwall are hanging around Lamesley. The odd Oystercatcher is moving through along with a slow build up of Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Following some excellent photos on Twitter, this morning I popped up to Powhill at Derwent Reservoir. Unfortunately the light was crap, but I managed some excellent views of Red Squirrel and Crossbill.



Red Squirrel



Crossbill

Return to Caspania

It looks like the Rufforth Caspian Gulls have headed home. We did see one (a smart adult), but it took six and a half, cold hours to get it. Looks like the last trip down there this winter. Also seen were 2 Iceland Gull and 2 Glaucous Gull.



Adult Caspian Gull

Juvenile Glaucous Gull 1

Juvenile Glaucous Gull 2

Very dirty twitching

Washington WWT was the venue this morning to year tick the Ferruginous Duck. It took an age for the correct bird to flap two whole wings and flash unadorned legs. It felt ridiculous standing by the edge of the pen, surrounded by displaying Eider.

After my sordid year tick I returned home, but was dragged out again with news of a European White-fronted Goose at Lamesley. With the first Gateshead record only in December 2011, still a rare bird here, this being only the sixth record.



European White-fronted Goose

Dick's

A tough few days around Gateshead with very little to talk about. Highlights today were a pair of Gadwall at Lamesley and 2 Little Owl (my first in Gateshead for the year).

Back in the house with feet up and listening to the cricket, I got the news of 2 Richard's Pipit at Blackhall Rocks (an excellent find by Graham Stoker). It was a bit grey, with the odd spot of rain, but I managed excellent flight views of both birds as they called overhead. Not great conditions for getting flight shots!



Richard's Pipit

Rufforth Thursday

Its Thursday, so it was off down the road to bother some seagulls. Another good haul, despite difficult viewing in the bright sun. Results were, 8 Caspian Gull ( 6x 1st winter & 2x 2nd winter), 3 Iceland Gull ( 1x 1st winter, 1x 2nd winter & 1 adult) and 3 Glaucous Gull (all 1st winter).



Glaucous Gull

Glaucous Gull

Iceland Gull (1st winter)

Caspian Gull (1st winter)

Nowt from the north

A bit of a northerly attracted a few into Whitburn obs this morning, but unfortunately the birds failed to turn up. A Velvet Scoter was the only highlight of a very quiet seawatch.

Back in Gateshead a frozen Lamesley was deserted and Shibdon was again very quiet. At Stella there were fewer gulls with the tip being shut, but the adult Iceland Gull was still present. An afternoon run took in Watergate where there were 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, the first of the year at this site, 3 weeks later than last year.



Iceland Gull

Gateshead Iceland

My continuing hunt for a Gateshead Caspian Gull drew a blank, but I did find a cracking adult Iceland Gull on the Tyne at Stella this morning. It took a few scans of the 300+ large gulls before I picked up the bird, just as the heavens opened with torrential rain/sleet/hail for the next twenty minutes. Luckily it brightened a bit, allowing some photos. This is the first Iceland Gull seen in Geateshead since 2nd June 2012. Also present was a single adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.



Iceland Gull