At 13:15 on Friday I could hear something strange calling that I vaguely recognised. I heard nothing for 20 minutes until I could hear it again as it flew north over my house, turns out it was a Ring Necked Parakeet. Strangely enough it was about this time last year when a mystery parrot sp. was heard by a few different people in cramlington including me.
Anyway onto some proper birding as yesterday myself and GB had a three hour seawatch at Church Point, Newbiggin from 13:40-16:40. My target had been any of the four ‘‘easiest’’ birds I haven’t yet managed to catch up with; Pom and Long Tailed Skua, Grey Phalarope and Little Auk.
It wasn’t long until 5 Little Auk- lifer, flew past north. In total we had 28 past north during the three hours, some very close in.
No skuas at all past but we did see 18 Mallard (N), 7 Wigeon (N), 5 drake Goldeneye (N), 50+ Kittiwake, 7 PB Brent Geese (a family party of five adults and two juvs) (N), 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Common Scoter (N), 2 Med Gull (N) and 3 Manx Shearwater (N).
Most frustratingly of all I picked out a large Diver moving north. It had obvious trailing feet, a heavy build with a solid contrast between its upper and under parts, which were clean and white. Crucially we couldn’t see the bill well enough to confirm whether it was a White Billed or Great Northern Diver. This was 50 minutes after the Whitburn White Billed Diver had been seen flying high north.
Oh well at least I saw the Little Auks.
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