Anticipation

Autumn Gentian

Seaham

This is the normal colour. The photos I've posted in the past have been the white variant found at East Chevington.

Common Darters

Lots of these emerging in the last week.

Guillemot

Great views of Guillemots as they feed inshore on the hundreds of 'sprats'.

Knot

A lovely day at Teesside this week. Waders were the stars including 500+ Ringed Plover, Flocks of Avocet,  single Wood Sandpiper and Great White Egret were just a few of the 20 or more wader species seen.

Pied Flycatcher

A sniff of an Easterly and there is a sudden increase in birders along the coast. Sea-watching Sites become very busy and all the coastal shrubs are checked. I was lucky enough to come across this Pied Flycatcher. The following day I checked the Pier End car park and heard an unusual call as soon as I parked the car. I thought it was a warbler call and it was very loud. As I approached the source of the call there was no movement. Then all of a sudden several birds moved including the Blue Tit that was making the sound. One bird took my interest as it flew strongly away. It was a Wryneck!

I guess the Blue Tit had been scolding it.

Sadly it flew over a fence and in to a nettle patch never to be seen again.

Wagtail

Try and find this one in your field guide.

This wren was sun-bathing in the garden at Salthome RSPB.

Interesting birds have been still turning up despite the winds coming from the West. Greenish Warbler at Cresswell, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers along the coast, Whinchats and Wheatears.

 

Summer

Dark-red Helleborine

A trip to the Durham Quarry well known for its Helleborines. Just in time to catch the last of flowers.

Emerald Damselfly

Whitburn Steeel and Sandhaven Beach getting a few morning visits by me recently.

Little Gull

Adult. Difficult to get close without disturbing the birds.

Little Gulls

Juveniles

No chance of disturbing these they were closer to North Shields than South S.. Love this plumage though.

Song Thrush 

All those thinking about hedge cutting should be aware that some birds are still feeding young. Others are well on their way to migrating. Twenty Swifts feeding above my flat a few mornings ago. Now they've gone.

The Stonechats are independent now and looking magnificent.

Treecreeper

Whimbrel

Waders on the move. Golden Plover, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Knot, Turnstone and a few Dunlin along the coast. Green and Wood sands a little way inland

Whinchat and Cuckoo at Saltholme this week but this morning, a check along the Leas, was unsuccessful. Trow Quarry also failed to produce a Spotted Flycatcher.

For those of you missing all the insect photos (Well I think there maybe one?) A bumper post will be coming soon, so be warned.