Nightshift

Four weeks out of the last five have been spent on nightshift, so birding has been restricted to weekends. This forthcoming weekend does not look to good weather wise, so maybe I'll have to content myself to some rest, relaxation and bass.

Photographically it's been a good week with October radde's warbler, glossy ibis and sabine's gull images being published in Birdwatch, Birdwatching and Birding World magazines. They may turn out to be my last published until the spring migration commences!... although recent Decembers' have produced some quality birds.

While I was at work on Monday, Mrs Birdingsometimes had the pleasure of watching Arctic Monkeys / Eagles of Death Metal (photographs above) at the arena in Newcastle. Check out the EODM flying V guitar!

Firebrow

A late morning/early afternoon visit to St Mary's Wetland produced glimpses of both firecrest and yellow-browed warbler. Both species were camera shy. Plenty of redwing dropping in, but were very skittish and quickly moved inland and only one goldcrest was seen.

The cemetery at Whitley Bay prove to be quiet, I could not relocate the yellow-brow that had been reported earlier and made do with further redwing, mistle thrush, grey wagtail, great and blue tit.

It was annoying to hear that the radde's at Druridge had been booted a bit this morning after being battered with mp3... anyone remember fieldcraft and patience? Or is that not convenient for "listing" in this day and age?

Right place, right time. Totally Rad!

Smile?

Having had the ibis and greenshank "fill" Mark and I headed back to the car, noting the increase in robin numbers - several were "ticking" along the track back from the Oddie hide. Coffee poured and the BBRC 2008 report in hand we began planning our route to the inevitable Amble chippie... would we stop at East Chevington for the black redstart? No.

A very pleasing shout of "Radde's" from Ian had us (well, me, Mark was a bit more cool about it) walking (trotting?) rather quickly in the direction of the ringing team just up the road from our parked car to have a grill of a fine radde's warbler!

This was a great twist to our morning out, and after the bird was processed and a few photographs were taken, the bird was released none worse for wear.

This was only my second radde's in Northumberland, following the 1991 bird at Tynemouth.

It was interesting to see that further radde's were reported at Holy Island, Spurn and Filey today... along with many yellow-browed warbler... maybe there is a real biggy waiting to be found?