Stewart
Just got back from a short break to the North East. The primary purpose of the trip was not birding, but I managed to squeeze in quite a bit of birding on the quiet!
We arrived mid afternoon on Easter Monday, and spent a couple of hours at St. Mary's Island, Whitley Bay. No sign of the Great Grey Shrike that had been there the previous day, but several Purple Sandpipers, a few Eiders and on the rocks below the cliff, a Black Redstart and a Robin showing serious signs of being the continental race (paler and slimmer than the British Robin and more blue / grey on the head). While I was watching the Black Redstart, another birder rolled up, and told me that two more had been reported at Church Headland, Newbiggin, which just happened to be where we were staying.
So after settling ourselves into the guest house, conveniently situated right on the front with dramatic sea views, I headed off to the headland to spend a fruitless hour or so looking for more Black Redstarts. I did see a few Eiders and more Purple Sandpipers, but no BRs. Grumpily I returned to the guest house, looked out the window, and lo-and-behold, a Black Redstart was sitting on the wall between our garden and next doors. I watched it in amazement for about 20 minutes.
The following day, I elected to spend what was to be my one full day birding on that most beautiful of islands, Lindisfarne. The weather could best be described as grim, dull and misty with occassional drizzle, but it produced a highly atmospheric feeling that migrants were in every bush (though in reality they never actually were!).
We walked out to St. Cuthberts Island and from here counted seven Slavonian Grebes, two Red-throated Diver (in summer plumage) and several Red-breasted Mergansers, along with the usual Eiders. What a bird the Eider is. If I was alone on an island and had to pick just one species of bird for company it would be the Eider, a true giant of the bird world.
There were a few signs of migration on the island, a flock of Golden Plover, three more possible continental Robins, a Chiffchaff and a Gannet or two heading north, but not as much as I expected. Still, I never get bored of the island and could quite happily live there.
On leaving Lindisfarne, we headed for another favourite spot of mine, Stag Rocks at Bamburgh. I never fail at this place and today was no exception. It was very misty out at sea as I scanned through the Eider flock, but almost immediately I picked up a Common Scoter, and eventually counted over 80, with an impressive drake Long-tailed Duck. Best (and amazingly closest) of all though, a drake and female Velvet Scoter. I don't think I've ever had such a close view of a drake before, making a mockery of all those tiny black specks with perhaps a hint of white I've counted as Velvet Scoter in the past. With this bird, I could see it's white eye (and I don't mean just the white behind the eye, I mean it's white eye). Awesome!
Wednesday was a day off, but I returned to birding on Thursday, and spent a couple of hours again at St. Mary's Island. I added a few species, notably White Wagtail, Sand Martin and possibly a Scandinavian Rock Pipit, but pretty much the same as Monday. On returning to Newbiggin, I set the scope up at the guest house window, and almost immediately had fantastic views of a Red-throated Diver, followed immediately by a fabulous pair of Red-breasted Mergansers.
At this point I think we need to stop and consider the bird we are watching. You can keep your Belted Kingfishers, your Killdeers, your Bee-eaters and any bird of paradise you can name - on a bright sunny day in spring, is there really a more beautifull bird than the drake Red-breasted Merganser? Reptillian looking, with a green head ridiculously long crest, red bill, eye and breast, black and white wings with silver flanks. It's just too good to be true, and takes my breath away every time I see one. I wouldn't swap it for anything.
So inspired I set out for the last time, and made my way around Church Headland. A few Sanderling scurried along the beach, Eiders sat out at sea, and on the rocks, another favourite of mine, Purple Sandpipers fed frantically oblivious to my prescence (or at least tolerating me). 38 Purple Sandpipers in all, not a bad total I thought.
A thoroughly enjoyable end to the best non-birding holiday I've had in a while
Colin
Shhhhh! our beautiful Northumberland is Englands best kept secret. Glad you had such a great trip.
Stewart
So THAT'S where I'm going wrong....I go on my hols planning to do some birding! And see nowt!!! Ok...next holidays are JUST going to be a touristy sight-seeing one with NO birding whatsoever - though I WILL keep my bins in my handbag JUST so I can have a closer look at the tops of cathedrals and gargoyles and all that stuff...no birds, just medieval monuments
Sounds like you had a FANTASTIC time...despite the murky misty weather (which I actually quite like too) which has been inland where I live ALL week!
Northumberland IS a super place....but don't let anybody know...we don't want tourists over-running the place LOL Birders are ok but not folk with loud music and untrained dogs and screaming kids...yuck! At least we only have to put up with them in the few summer months that we do have LOL
Echo your thoughts on drake Mergansers...I've seen more this year than in my entire life...they're amazing looking birds,aren't they!
GILL