Petrel Patience

With conditions looking good for a seawatch I headed to Church Point, Newbiggin with GB last sunday. Early on we heard that a Fea's Petrel- Lifer, was being tracked up the coast in yorkshire so with nothing else planned we diceded to stick it out all day on the off chance that the Petrel made its way further north.

The first out was hard work due to the sun but a steady stream of Gannets and a few Manx Shearwater was a good sign.  Wildfowl were present all day mainly small groups of Wigeon heading north but a few Brent Geese, Common Scoter, Goosander, Red Breasted Merganser and a Velvet Scoter were also noted. I heard but never saw Pink Footed Geese and a Tree Sparrow came in off the sea. 

Now used to seeing Med Gulls at Newbiggin it still looked strange seeing them on the sea, some were quite a way out to. 20+ Sooty Shearwaters passed during our time watching the sea including some very close birds. As more time passed and more reports of the petrel surfaced, more birders appeared. Somebody picked out a Sabine's Gull amongst a feeding flock of Kittiwakes. It stayed for around half an hour before heading north. 

By the time the Fea's had reached Whitburn the sun had vanished and fog had set in. The tension was unbearable by the end as it headed past St.Marys but we all managed to get onto it as it appeared from the fog. What a bird! My best ever seawatch and best ever sea bird, a day that will stay long in my memory. 

Good enough for me

After failing to locate the Blue-winged Teal- lifer, at Castle Island during our WEBS count on Sunday morning I went back on Monday afternoon.

A large gathering of Ruff were on the mud under Stakeford Bridge on both days accompanied by 2 late Common Sandpiper on Sunday and a Spotted Redshank on Monday. Two Greenshank and another Common Sandpiper were further up river past Castle Island on Sunday and were replaced by three Little Egret on Monday. I saw a Little Egret in the same place on both days, on the Sleekburn at low tide.

Groups of Teal were scattered across the river and after scanning them all with no luck I got a text from Birding Sometimes saying it was coming down river towards the rowing club. As I looked across I could see it swimming near to the bank albeit distantly. By the time I got around to the other side of the river I saw it fly off back to where I had been. At least I was able to appreciate its name as it flew low over the river.

To my untrained eye I see nothing wrong with it and would like to hear an explanation as to why it is being touted as a hybrid. I'll leave that one to the experts.

Little Redwood

After news of the Woodchat Shrike at Prestwick Carr broke on monday, myself and Cain went straight up for it. He got good views as it hunted its way along the hedgerow west of the viewing platform. It was nice to see a Woodchat Shrike in good plumage compared to the last one I saw a few years ago in Hartlepool.

We were also out for a few hours yesterday afternoon starting at Cresswell Pond. A Little Egret was fishing,  Little Ringed Plover on the mud north of the causeway and a Little Stint followed a flighty flock of Dunlin around the north end of the pond.
Druridge Pools was quiet, the highlight was a Weasel that ran in front of us as we drove along the road. Again quiet on the bird front at Hauxley but busy on the mammal front with a Stoat running around the main car park and surprisingly a Red Squirrel sitting feeding on a nut feeder in the car park.