End of the innings

Final score 267 [year list UK] for 9 [lifers]

It seems a long time since I posted any news. That's not because I haven't been out birding but because when I did get out it was often not for a bird that was easily photographed. Additionally I have been a little tied up at home while we had some fairly major building work completed. Nonetheless I did see the following since the isabelline wheatear at Seaton Carew: the Blyth's pipit [Is there anyone left who hasn't seen the flying dart?], my first woodcock of the year, the Richard's pipits and a glaucous gull. And who'll be there on New Year's Day to see the pipit again? Not I. We are off to Hartlepool to kick start our year list. 75 to beat [2013: it was a mere 71 in 2014].

I also had a few trips out when I saw very little - of which more as we go along. Finally I will finish with my view of my highlights this year - and of my targets for next. Revealing them to my readers will spur me on! But first of all...

Sunday 30th November

I failed to find the short-eared owls at Buckton for the second time. The weather really wasn't fit anyway. The best I managed was a juvenile sparrowhawk at the Bempton feeding station.

Sparrowhawk

We now leap forward to the 14th of December having left home just for a couple of hours to see the Blyth's pipit do 3 fly-rounds on the 8th. On the 14th Barry and I spent an afternoon at Blacktoft where we saw 2 grey male hen harriers and one ringtail. The photos, alas, are limited to some flyover greylags and a marsh harrier in the late afternoon light. The less said about my hen harrier efforts the better!

Greylag Geese

Marsh Harrier

Our next sortie was to Cleethorpes to try to see some shore larks and snow buntings. Not year ticks for me but nice photo-opps.

Friday 19th December

Barry and I went to Cleethorpes. I found Buck Beck car park from memory among the Fitties of Humberston. We immediately saw birders down on the shore and some snow buntings in the air. At times the light was really nice...

Shore Lark

Shore lark

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

There were plenty of shelduck about too.

Shelduck

Christmas Eve 2014

We went up to Saltholme and visited our normal sites but saw little of note. See Barry's blog for his version!  http://barryjohnbishop.blogspot.co.uk/

A drake teal and a fieldfare at the Wildlife Watchpoint at Saltholme were all I could manage.

Teal Fieldfare

We've definitely been in north-east mode recently. Our last 2 trips of the year took us to Redcar and Hartlepool for some nice birds...

Boxing Day 2014

Redcar by the cinema looking for a black redstart. Soon found but then lost away over the rooftops.

Black Redstart

We went down onto the beach and found all sorts but especially a group of velvet scoters...

Velvet Scoter

Velvet Scoter

Flashing those white wing panels.

Velvet Scoter

Common scoters were around too.

Common Scoter

Oystercatchers flew along the shoreline close to us.

Oystercatcher

This greenfinch was at Saltholme.

Greenfinch

At South Gare Barry fed the gulls - mainly black-headed but mixed in were a few common gulls. I concentrated on the latter...

In fact the last few days of 2014 became a bit of a gull fest, as you will see!

Common Gull Common Gull Common Gull

The final curtain call of 2014: December 29th at Hartlepool

After an abortive visit to Nosterfield for lesser white-fronted geese that have not been reported since the 28th [so it is a mystery where they went or if they were ever there at all]......we had missed the glaucous gull by the time we arrived at Hartlepool.

I was probably visibly disappointed but decided to make the best of it. I photographed this juvenile herring gull in the car park at the fish dock.

Herring Gull Since the glaucous had disappeared we decided to come back later and headed for Newburn Bridge. My old friend, lamp-post loving Medusa was present and put on a good show in good light.

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Returning to the fish dock area, Barry spotted a fishing boat pulling a large trail of gulls behind it. Moreover he spotted our target bird. It soon disappeared round the corner into the fish dock proper. We were privileged to be invited inside the electric gates to photograph this confiding bird. Here it is!

Glaucous Gull Glaucous Gull Glaucous Gull Glaucous Gull

Glaucous Gull Glaucous Gull

We left it in peace as it walked off into next year...

Glaucous Gull

So, to sum up...

267 year ticks = worst year since 2008. But a very good year for photographs and some cracking birds including 9 lifers. My highlights would be the big shearwaters [great and Cory's] plus the hoopoe, red-necked phalarope, little terns at Crimdon Dene and the Lockwood osprey. Of those only the shearwaters were lifers. Site of the year: Sand Point Lane, Sunderland: siberian lesser whitethroat and olive-backed pipit!

Here are just a few reminders...

Hoopoe Red-necked Phalarope Little Tern

Osprey

..and finally a reminder of summer days to come...

Kingfisher

Targets to spur me on:

1: photograph 15 more species of British Birds to get to 300 -and improve some of the ones I have photographed.

2: see 300 birds again.

3: 10 lifers in UK

4: website hits to reach 20,000 and BirdGuides photo votes to reach 6,000

See you next year!

Best wishes to all my readers, everywhere.

Chris