Seconds and thirds...

An unexpected opportunity to see the Baikal Teal again - initially at East Chevington - matching the Hornsea viewing for distant views, then slightly better a day later on the Budge fields at Druridge...

Recents...

A little relaxing in Portugal...

A little relaxing... in Newbiggin

A morning visit to Hornsea...

An afternoon visit to Saltholme...

Then back in Northumberland...

Feather Diaries

Images form the last few weeks...

In addition to this, I've also started posing some random images on Instagram - bright.birds

so...

Pink-footed Goose, Killingworth

Barn Owl, Widdrington

Kestrel, Widdrington

Waxwing, Cramlington

Red Grouse, Allendale

Great Crested Grebe, Killingworth

Great Crested Grebe, Killingworth

Waxwing, Benton

Waxwing, Benton

Short-eared Owl, Northumberland

Thug Life

Impressive immature Glaucous Gull at North Shields on 13th March ...

(Click images for better viewing).

Shorts

Late afternoon observations of a static Short-eared Owl... a tad too distant really, perhaps as a result of the noisy "togger" crew.

Morning and evening ventures

Sunday morning, 03 February 2019 was spent in the north of the county - half a rivers width south of Scotland.

A very snowy journey north, then immediately after Wooler - no snow!

Target was the wintering Common Crane - and my arrival was timed well, with the bird feeding in the narrow roadside field.

The previous evening was spent more local, and after 5 owls (three short-eared and two barn) it was time to defrost. The first barn came as a bit of a surprise, as it flew right up to me as it hunted in the demising afternoon light...  (ISO 1600, not quite in focus)

Resuming

All of a sudden, 2018 ends and the first month of 2019 is almost over... some highlights and some images...

Snow Bunting, St Mary's Promenade December 2018. A chance to try an alternative camera body - 5D mark IV. Full frame, so some magnification lost ... but pleasing detail. 

Little Owl

Black Redstart

Glaucous Gull, Norfolk

January was busy with a good variety of species picked up in Northumberland... highlights including Firecrest, four species of Owl, Smew, Marsh Tit, Black Redstart, Snow Bunting, Chiffchaff and local Little Egrets. The final weekend was spent in Norfolk - a great place to boost the earliest and an abundance of good quality species. Highlights included Bewick's swan, Red-necked Grebe, Cattle/Great Egret, 11 species of BOP (inc Owl sp number 5, Hen Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard), Water Pipits, Dartford Warbler, Brambling, Hawfinch and Arctic Redpoll

Rough-legged Buzzard... distant...

Wick

Nice to finally catch up with the Warkworth Bewick's swan pair this afternoon, attempt 3... and a decent herd of Whooper too.

A good species in Northumberland, hopefully they'll hang on till the new year.

Apus-fest

Storm Petrel would be more expected off Hartlepool Promenade...

Waiting for the rain to clear at South Shields... waiting for a Pallid Swift to re-appear.
No sign.
Phone buzzes...
"Hartlepool: Little Swift at the battery"
Phone buzzes again. An image. Of a Little Swift....

Dilemma. It's 14.11, its very dull and Hartlepool is 40 minutes away. Would there be any light?

One way to find out...

Arrived in Hartlepool. Don't know where the action is. Dump car and walk round coastal path... Birders, walking north.

Pallid Swift appears overhead. Like they do...

A few meters further and there's a line of folk looking over the promenade.
Theres a Little Swift zooming to and fro... a few feet away! It's joined by the Pallid. Is this really happening?

Yup.

So the next hour or so is spend mainly fruitlessly locking focus on the two swifts (with an imbalance of attempts prioritised on the Little)... a huge percentage of non-focused shutter releases later and the sun sets.

Amazeballs.

1 swift sp. in November is unexpected. 2? Really...