Mid evening Med

Some sky watching from the garden this evening as hundreds of black-headed gull fed on flying ants. A couple of highlights during the hour (1830-1930): my first "over the house" Mediterranean Gull (and only my third in Cramlington!), and a single Swift. Also "note worthy" is a garden perspective were 100s of Barn Swallow, lesser numbers of House Martin and a few Sand Martin, perhaps 6 Meadow Pipit. Pulse quickened with the appearance of a falcon with the Swallow - alas just a Kestrel.

A few from the triangle

Great Kiskadee

White-tailed Tropicbird - "long tail" to the locals

Grey Catbird

Immature Yellow-crowned Night Heron & Green Heron

County Casp Catchup...

Flew back from Bermuda on Thursday evening, arriving London on Friday morning - a couple of train journeys, a ride on the metro to pick the car up - home for a couple of cups of coffee then up the road for an evening visit to Amble.

Greater Black-backed Gull, Black headed Gull and Herring Gull, along with Starlings and Jackdaw very much enjoyed the slightly stale croissant (courtesy of British Airways) and cheesy wotsit crisps... Caspian Gull did not.

Frustrating views as the Casp sat on top of a telegraph pole watching the feeding melee - assumed to already be content with chips throughout the day.

Still, a County tick and only my second in the UK - so a happy, if somewhat jet-lagged, chap.

Hopefully, as others have already stated, it'll hang round and complete its moult. Raggy could certainly be a term to describe this bird!

Territory birding

A casual week or so in Bermuda is resulting in few birds - while white-tailed tropic birds cruise the coast like black-headed gulls, there isn't much else of note so far! Lesser and greater yellowlegs and a semi p sand on the hotel golf course have been nice and the great kiskidee are very entertaining - noisy, inquisitive and colourful to boot.

Good job the scenary is decent...

Legs and Co

Entirely unexpected, not the bird, the views.

"Showing Well"

mmm...

Still, nice to get another go at the Stilt Sandpiper this morning, tucked in with Lapwing on the Budge Field. A few Snipe and  a Little Egret too.