No Surf today

I decided on Teesside today, several good birds on offer not least being an immature drake Surf Scoter off Hartlepool Headland, unfortunately it had moved North ahead of an impending heavy shower before I got there, I spent the morning going through the Eiders and Common Scoters with a female Velvet dropping in late morning but the Surf was never relocated. With a report of a Black Throated Diver at Jackson’s Landing I headed off there next but that proved to be a Red Throated although a rather dark individual, I carried on and took a drive along Zinc Works Road, no sign of the Short Eared Owl that had been out hunting earlier and returning birders informed me there was nothing on the Snook so I soon moved on to Saltholme where the female Smew was still on the Main Lake, I thought I’d try my luck with the Long Eared Owls but it was in short supply today and despite a good stomp around I couldn’t find any, ran out of time for the Green Winged Teal on Dorman's, its amazing how quickly the light goes at this time of year. 

quite a dark looking bird

but just an imm Red Throated

also female RB Merg