2011 Year List

Today, I went birding in North Northumberland with the Teesmouth Bird Club members and unfortunately the rain was continuous throughout the day. The first stop was Holy Island and a welcome from the Pale-bellied Brent Geese. Scoping from the coach park at the small pool we recorded Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Golden Plover, Shelduck, Shoveler and Lapwing. As we walked to the small harbour, Fulmar were circling the castle and Grey Plover were feeding on the mud near the stranded boats. Red-breasted Merganser, Eider and Common Scoter were all visible from our vantage point. Walking further around the island we spotted a Long-tailed Duck and six Slavonian Grebe feeding in the calm water.

Next stop, was Budle Bay and as we approached a small flock of Barnacle Geese were spotted in a field. On the mud at Budle Bay we saw a small flock of Pintail and a first sighting of the day of Wigeon. At Stag Rocks, they were Purple Sandpipers, Knot, Redshank and Turnstone on the rocks closeby. Offshore near the lighthouse they were 10 Long-tailed Duck, 4 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Guillemot and several Shag.

On the way to Seahouses, we stopped at a roadside pool where they were 7 Greenland White-fronted Geese in a field with Greylag and Pale-bellied Geese. There was also a large female Peregrine sitting on a fence post which was a great end to the day.

2011 Year List: 95 (Pale-bellied Brent Geese, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Snipe, Slavonian Grebe, Fulmer, Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Shoveler, Common Scoter, Barnacle Geese, Common Buzzard, Pintail, Guillemot, Shag, Grey Plover, White-fronted Geese, and Great-crested Grebe).