Return to work..

The penalty for two weeks off work is the return, and it was with great dismay when the 04:30 alarm call went off today. More on today later.

The weekend consisted of light birding - Saturday was spent with Mark, visiting Arcot (Garganey still present) and then up the coast - no sign of any whinchat at Hadston, but a decent 3 spoonbill at Hauxley along with a wood sandpiper, common sandpiper and two greenshank. At Newbiggin, a minimum of 7 mediterranean gull mixed with the bhs'.

Sunday was meant to be spent out on the bike, but the cycle to a barren West Hartford was suffice to curtail efforts. 3 buzzard at Boghouses poor conciliation.

Monday morning and I'm back at work, and news of the delivery of a new Swarovski scope was sufficient to keep motivation levels up...

First trip out was to Arcot - again the garganey was present, along with water rail and common sandpiper. I didn't have any joy with shoveler, nor digi-scoping.

In the house, garden birds were a doddle with a compact camera hand-held against the scope... out in the field? nightmare! Perhaps the target was a little ambitious? Drap duck, distant, dull and windy (the weather, not me)... and uncertainties of camera settings to use. I eventually opted for manual focussing, and the first image is appended here... "could do better" perhaps is the comment to mark this shot!

Anyhoo, I'm not intending to digiscope with any real interest...

...but the option to do so would be nice

... any practical tips?

Digi-scoping aside, the scope is great - I've been scope-less since May and I dare say I've missed it...

Altitude

Patch birding had been put to one side as Mr and Mrs Sometimes headed to Switzerland for a week or so of hiking around Zermatt. This was the first trip that the "big camera" did not travel, instead opting to take the recently acquired bridge.

Birding was limited to the path side, and most anticipated species were seen, with exception of both Serin and Snow Finch (seen here on our last visit to Zermatt in 2003).

Highlights included a pair of Honey Buzzard residing in the valley, squalls of Alpine Chough on the mountain tops, a single Rock Bunting, Alpine Accentor, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Melodious Warbler, plenty of Raven (affectionally known as "pig birds" by the Mrs -  apparently thats what the call is like!) and loads of willow tit. Our last walk included a close encounter with an immature golden eagle, and raptor interest continued right to the airport with black kite, honey buzzard and peregrine all noted above the runways at Geneva.

The morning after we arrived back in blighty included a quick pitstop at Arcot - Garganey secured for the patch year list...

More spots

Another Saturday, more spotting spotteds... A crake today, with the elusive East Chevington bird on show for a matter of seconds! 

Whimbrel and black tailed godwit also present, while at Newbiggin I continue to not see roseate tern.

A taste of the Med

Thoughts of a cycle to the coast were diminished when Gordon alerted me to the presence of a Mediterranean Gull at Arcot - a moulting adult and only my second in Cramlington.

A ringed bird, Gordons pictures may permit an accurate reading. Flew off east late afternoon...

Common Sandpiper still present, though feeding areas of mud have been reduced with recent heavy rainfall.

Spotty!

News of an adult spotted sandpiper was a pleasant surprise upon arriving home from the Arcot sandpiper fest. Some considerable pondering ensued as a day in the garden had been agreed earlier. Fast forward a couple of hours and I'd cracked, so northwards it was to the "foxton bend" of the river Aln. A small group were already present and a little while later the spotted sandpiper was back on view, on a discrete part of the river - well done to the finder!

Too far for a conventional camera, it was James who kindly took an image with the iPhone - a record of sorts....

A county tick for me (having only seen the Derwent Reservoir bird on the Durham shore)... So a bit of a bonus sandpiper for today.

Sands & Rails

Arcot delivered this morning, with common, wood (2) and green sandpiper all available. A minimum of three water rail, all showing on the mud was great to see too...

Re-tern

Pah.

Just as we thought it was off...

Some incredible close fly-bys this afternoon, but awkward afternoon light and a rather fast flyer were together all too much for the auto-focus... and me.

No re-tern

Thoughts of another bridled encounter were dashed when news broke of the wandering tern down at Saltholme RSPB early this afternoon.

Mark and I had played it cool in the relative heat of the North-easts' splendid weather - heading up to Beacon Hill (marsh tit/tree pipit) and Rayburn Lake (Crane-less this morning).

A brief pitstop in the shameless-esq delights of "RedRaw" for chips then saw us head to the coast - Cresswell had a wad of non-northumbrians hoping to see the tern, so we headed north to East Chevington - more terns here than at Cresswell, but no chance of the bridled once the pager went off.

Moved on...

Bridled Tern, Inner Farne

It was a very early start today, with news last night of the bridled tern returning to Inner Farne...

Alarm set for 04:20, on road at 04:47 and sitting on Glad Tidings IV at 06:00 in Seahouses Harbour.

Taking pictures at 06:10 - a good job too, as the tern soon lifted and went off to feed!

Back home for 09:00

Record shots it is...

My first UK tick since December 2011, so most welcome.

And it's off... blurred but illustrative?!

Hardship

Long working hours and other commitments have significantly reduced birding opportunity this week, and reading other blogs, it seems that there isn't much to miss (unless you live near Trimley!).

Anyhoo... a short trip up the coast provided good company with Mark, a pair of marsh harrier and some rather delightful chips.

Another tough week head, hopefully I'll find a gap to get out birding sometime...

Good start

An early morning vista to West Hartford was not quite as expected - the flash looks great for waders yet there wasn't even an oystercatcher!

23 canada geese over and a single grey partridge appeared to be my lot until that few seconds of magic occurred...

A single female redstart (first at WH) on the sub station permitter fence. Bingo. Text sent to the other patchers... looked up and no further sign!

Maybe later?

Before and After

A lovely sunny day in the North-East, perfect for some household chores - a lawn to cut and a car to wash.

"Pre" all of that was spent at West Hartford, catching up with both Gordon and his previous evening find, a single ruff. Not had one at West Hartford for a few years, so good to see.

"Post" all of that was spent on the bike - heading down the coast on a journey that not only was in a head wind pretty much all the way, but also included a 100% puncture - no slowly decreasing tyre pressure, just straight to flat. Damn them hawthorn thorns!  The target of the journey was thankfully secured, with the intermittent singing marsh warbler at St Mary's Wetland. A good addition to the bike list.

Distant

Moderate weekend so far - Spent Saturday on the bike touring Cramlington's finer spots. Still not managing to find garden warbler, but amassing almost 50 species in the bleak town that this is.

The bike was about to get another outing this morning, but news that the male red-backed shrike was showing well at St Mays had me out in the car - camera (and memory card) at the ready.

The shrike was there, but very distant. So again no pictures! Nonetheless 3 so far this week, can't complain.

There's still an afternoon to look forward too - perhaps the bike will get out after all....