Happy New Year

Happy 2019

Red Dead-nettle

Amazing how many different plants can be found in flower at this time of year.

Yarrow

Daisy

Red Campion

Winter Heliotrope

Red Valerian

Jackdaw

Amble

Turnstone

Mediterranean Gull

Surfing on the River Tyne

The Groyne (South Shields)

Today I did my first proper birding of the year. I decided to close my Twitter account this week (apologies to my few followers). It does make it a bit more difficult to pass on my sightings but I will continue to inform RBA of any scarce/rare birds I see. Also the general bird sightings will appear on my blog.

So today; a quick, unsuccessful visit to Newbiggin for a Black Redstart. A check of Widdrington Moor to see if the Smew was still present. It was. Then my usual patch (East Chevington) visit. Highlights: Pintail (drake), Long-tailed Duck (flew North), Jack Snipe and Kingfisher. All the usual  commoner birds on show. Finally a visit to Warkworth to see the four Shorelarks on the saltmarsh.

A decent enough day (-;