Citrine Wagtail

Started with a spin around Gateshead with nothing new to report. Highlights were two Grasshopper Warbler reeling at Burdon Moor and the Black-tailed Godwit-Greenshank combo at Shibdon.

Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank

News of a Citrine Wagtail at Seaton Common meant taking the car on its final twitch. On show after a few minutes of arriving, a stunning female with a sherbet lemon face. Scope views only, so too far for photos while I was there.

Citrine Wagtail

A quick look at Saltholme gave six Black Tern, but the Whiskered Terns had just moved off. A Garganey were giving glimpses from the Phil Stead hide.

By a Whisker

I discovered last night that I could sort of coax some life out of my car's clutch and get use out of the first three gears. Eventually temptation took hold and I headed at snail pace to Saltholme for the Whiskered Terns. Timing it just right, I arrived just as the sun dropped below the horizon (you don't want to be looking into the sun!). With three birders still on site and just enough light, I was quickly onto the terns as they fed distantly over Back Saltholme. Panic over and a bonus in the form of five distant Spoonbill. In the last of the light I was able to pick out six Black Tern hawking over East Saltholme.

Tempting fate I headed back down today. With the clutch functioning at time almost normally I even made it home. The two Whiskered Tern and a Black Tern gave stunning views from the Saltholme Hide although shooting into the sun made photography difficult. The five Spoonbill were even more distant than last night.

Whiskered Tern

Now for a few of the Black Tern.

I didn't see a great deal else here other than a few Great Crested Grebe and a Little Ringed Plover. A pair of Garganey showed very poorly in thick vegetation from the Phil Stead hide.

Little Ringed Plover

Back in Gateshead this morning I had three singing Reed Warbler at Watergate and one of David A's Ringed Plover on the Tyne at Dunston. A message from George got me to Shibdon this evening where a Greenshank was feeding in front of the hide with the Black-tailed Godwit.

Ringed Plover

Clutching at Black Terns

My habit of ignoring car problems until terminal came to its natural conclusion this morning. Half of the day was written off with car hunting and thankfully a lift from my dad got me out and about this afternoon. Unfortunately too late for the Tree Pipit at Burdon Moor, but in time for the flock of ten superb Black Tern at Big Waters. Stunning birds, but a nightmare to get a photo.

Black Tern

8 of the 10

Black-tailed Godwit still at Shibdon

A Sedge Warbler Found by Richard W was at Burdon Moor.

Wood Warbler

Popped up to Muggleswick this afternoon, where after an hour's wait, got superb close views of a pair of Wood Warbler. While waiting I had two singing Pied Flycatcher and a male Redstart moved through. A quick look at the reservoir gave a high-flying Cuckoo being chased by an irate Meadow Pipit.

Wood Warbler

A pair of Shoveler at Lamesley were the only new things in Gateshead. The Black-tailed Godwit still hanging on at Shibdon.

First Blackwit

An excellent day around Gateshead with pleasant weather and a light easterly. A dull start at Burdon Moor where I was met by a Weasel bouncing around the path. It dashed off into the grass, reappearing chasing a Vole, only for a Carrion Crow to drop from above to snatch the Weasel's breakfast.

Leaping Weasel

Carrion Crow with the Weasel's breakfast

The moor was pretty quiet, with a couple of Grasshopper Warbler reeling and a distant Fox dive-bombed by Lapwing.

Fox

Heading back to the car I picked up a female Redstart working its way along the hedge before being spooked by a Robin. My second of the year of another former breeder that now just passes through.

Redstart

Yellowhammer

At Lamesley Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat were all singing by the oak tree.

The sky above Shibdon was alive with Common Tern with 19 newly arrived birds. Star bird here though was the Black-tailed Godwit feeding in deeper water- the first of the year. Also here a Common Sandpiper was bobbing around in front of the hide.

Black-tailed Godwit

Common Sandpiper

A lunch-time look out gave a brief Yellow Wagtail at Lamesley and 2 Whinchat at Burdon Moor. A different Yellow Wagtail was at Lamesley this evening.

Yellow Wagtail

Whinchat

Cuckoo

An early start at Burdon Moor and a calling Cuckoo was heard from the car park before the traffic noise started up. Unfortunately it was calling from the Tanfield area and probably outside the Gateshead boundary. Fortunately another called from the direction of Hedley Hall Woods to make it onto my Gateshead year list. Also here were 3 reeling Grasshopper Warbler.

A look up to the hills was thwarted a bit by a much stronger than expected wind. No sign of any Wood Warbler, but there was a Tree Pipit singing at a wind-swept Winnows Hill.

Tree Pipit

Grey Partridge

Pied Flycatcher

The force is strong

A frustrating start to May with some quiet seawatching and the only year tick a calling Cuckoo at Muggleswick on the 2nd.

Star Wars Day around Gateshead has felt like Spring is really kicking in. Starting at Burdon Moor where a fall had dropped 2 Whinchat and 15 Wheatear. There were also now 4 singing Whitethroat here.

Wheatear

Distant Whinchat

Whitethroat

At Kibblesworth there was a new reeling Grasshopper Warbler and at Birtley reed beds the first Garden Warbler of the year, being typically skulking. 3 Reed Warbler and a Sedge Warbler were also singing here.

Stunning views of Garden Warbler

A tweet from Gary S got me over to Chopwell Woods where the Pied Flycatcher did the decent thing and hung around for me. This used to be a regular breeder all down the Derwent Valley in small numbers, but now just a rare passage visitor, singing briefly before moving on.

Pied Flycatcher

In the sun today there were plenty of butterfly with Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Comma.

Comma

Speckled Wood

Small Tortoiseshell

Toffee

Bluebells

Tonight 20+ Swift were screaming around Shibdon where 4 Common Tern dropped in.