Winter grebe

I've a couple of days off this week so I nipped up to Teesside today, spent the morning at Saltholme having a steady wander around in the hope of maybe catching up with Merlin for the year, no such luck, however I timed visiting the main Hide just right as the Black Necked Grebe that has been there a while but not seen this morning had just appeared and was fishing right in front of the hide. After a spot of lunch I had a look from the Phil Stead Hide but there was not a lot happening so I went up to North Gare, I had a look out to sea but there was nothing moving today, just a handful of waders on the beach, I also checked out the Gulls on Seaton Common from that side and the Zinc Works road side as well but I didn’t see anything unusual. I know I had a late lunch but it is astonishing just how quick the light goes in the afternoons at the moment.

not the best of backdrops but the birds don't seem to mind

on the look out