Another year comes to a close

Last birdwatch of the year for me and I headed up to Teesside with Mark, we started at the Headland with a look around the Fish Quay, a single Red Throated Diver and a couple of Guillemots being the best of it, then took a look off Parton Rocks but just a few common Sea Ducks and Waders here, so we headed off to Jackson’s Landing hoping the recent Black Throated Diver would still be there, it was and after a bit of chasing around we managed to get some photos although the light was challenging to say the least, there were also 10 or more Red Breasted Mergansers in the Marina, eventually around midday a few boats started moving around and the Diver flew off out to sea. We headed for Saltholme calling at Newburn Bridge on the way where the usual Med Gull was on the beach and a few more Mergansers were on the sea, Saltholme was very quiet and there was no sign of yesterdays Long Tailed Duck so when news came over that there was a flock of Snow Buntings and Twite at Seaton Snook we went to see if we could find them, well we found the Snow Buntings but the Twite must have moved on, a quick look over Greenabella Marsh found a Marsh Harrier hunting there then we finished off at Dorman’s Pool but no Owls were showing this evening. Oh well it all starts again in a couple of days.

drake Merganser

on his way

with increasing boat activity the Diver decided to leave

silhouette 

Snow Buntings at Seaton Snook