Our grand day out

This was a special day. Sixty-five species of birds; five locations. Two ticks for Barry; one for me - and a good one. And, a special treat, one of my cuckoo type photos. [For new readers this is a rather distant photo of a bird, not even quite good enough to call a record shot!]

First we called at the bus stop lay-by just before Saltholme RSPB [never seen a bus there!] to see if the white-winged black tern and the red-crested pochard were around. We saw both quite distantly. Then we drove up to Bishop Middleham to see the pectoral sandpiper on the A1 flashes. We walked bravely past a somnolent bull and then crossed the wall to follow an invisible path up the hill through thistles and nettles, heading parallel to the A1 and not going to Castle Lake hide.

In future stick to the cart track!!!! - but still walking south parallel to the A1. We saw the pecsand plus common sandpiper and juvenile ringed plovers.

Next we planned to sea watch at Hartlepool Headland but some roseate terns were reported at Seaton Snook. So we headed there, parking at the end of the Zinc Road at North Gare. From there we headed to the sands until Barry spotted birders south-east of us. We then headed to a rocky spit - clear of the water at this time - at NZ541268. Eventually after dancing clumsily on the rocks we spotted a roseate tern. This heavily cropped photo shows the bird far left with sandwich and common terns; juv. sandwich partially obscuring the roseate.

Roseate Tern - extreme left

Here's an even bigger crop.

Roseate Tern - extreme left That's not going to win any prizes! But it was year tick 251. Four species of tern so far that morning!

We walked back to the dunes below the power station. A meadow brown butterfly was feeding on thistle heads.

Meadow Brown

After that thrill we eventually did get to the Headland and started our seawatch. This was probably the best bit of the day for me. No ticks but lots of birds - some most obligingly close at hand. The photos of juvenile common tern were especially pleasing. But let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start...

Two common scoter were by the breakwater. I ran back to Tiggy for the camera.

Common scoter Common scoter

Common scoter This is the other one.
Common scoter

Common scoter Lots of eider were close inshore - one was even on the beach. These portraits show the eclipse detail well.

Eider Eider Angelic pose!

Eider Eider Eider Eider And a female: feathering nice and sharp.

Eider For me terns are always superstars. This individual juvenile - 6 of this bird from a continuous burst - is a stunner. I think these are what makes photography so exciting for me. Just look!

Common Tern

Common Tern Common Tern Common Tern Common Tern

Common Tern There were adults too - resting or bringing back the fish.

Common Tern Common Tern As we started to head back, turnstones joined us.

Turnstone A raft of eclipse eiders drifted past...

Eider ...and a fishing boat was returning to the fish dock with gulls in tow, like the confetti of a bridal march.

We headed for our final call - the Phil Stead hide at Saltholme. A greenshank gave me some good 'photopportunities.' New word. Six syllables!

Greenshank I like birds in context. It doesn't matter if a bit of weed gets in the way: their world is like that.

Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank I had seen some snipe some way off but Barry had to point this one out to me. It was much nearer.

Snipe Then the fox appeared. Sorry - couldn't resist all these.

Fox

Fox

Fox Fox Fox Yes, it was indeed a very good day out.