Wet Weekends

Busy weekend, travelling about the county in search of whatever was available... Red-necked Phalarope, Bonaparte's Gull, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Roseate and Little Tern, Lesser Whitethroat , Great White Egret stood out, and...

Viewings

Potter out this morning provides further viewings / Great white egret, garganey, little egret, Bonaparte's Gull...

Yesterday's misses,

Bonaparte's... On the Wansbeck at Castle Island this morning. 

iPhoned...

DDDip. Drip.

Highly unsuccessful trip out on Saturday, south of the Tyne to Teesside (no sign of the semipalmated sandpiper nor temminks stint at Saltholme).

The real reason for a trip to Saltholme RSPB

Closer to home, we managed to avoid any contact with the bonaparte's gull at Whitburn. So that was a complete result.

Then it rained. Alot.

From the archive: September 2006

The excesses of overtime have again prevented me from getting out this weekend, so here is another image from the catalogue of images I took with the 10D camera body. It's surprising how much more improved the new camera bodies are with increased resolution ~ a six megapixel image from the 10D is much less robust than that of the 11 megapixel mark III (which is already out-"pixeled" by newer models).

Pictured above is the popular near summer plumaged adult bonapartes gull that frequented Newbiggin, Northumberland during September 2006. Having first been seen at East Chevington on 4th it was relocated at Newbiggin on the 7th, remaining until the 29th October, moulting into winter plumage. (Birds in Northumbria, report for 2006). This was my first in Northumberland, and for the county it was the third record.

Photo-wise it was obliging, joining the other gulls in the bread-fest that was handed out by visiting birders.