Productive

Plenty of these in the dunes.

Well Friday started with an interesting sight. NCC worker using a leaf blower?

Friday evening seawatch was a hit with two good birds; Adult Sabines Gull flew North at Hadston and a close in Balearic Shearwater. Most birds however were heading NE away from the coast.

Saturday I started early and managed to pass a Ring Ouzel at the T-junction Hadston moving inland with a few blackbirds. Seawatching produced 7 Bonxies, 1 Velvet Scoter, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Goosander,

 1 Brent G, 3 GN Divers one very close, Black-throated diver (2 on sea).

Happy with my haul (Even though I still haven't seen Pom and no Petrels or Phalaropes ... greedy or what?).

Hadston and Chevington Dunes were lifeless so a quick Coffee stop and back to Hadston. Now there was plenty to see. Loads of people doing an orienteering challenge through the dunes, down to Druridge and all over the country park, just as a mini fall happened. 20+ Redwing followed a quickly moving LT Tit flock and accompanying Crests. A look up and over my head a Hawfinch! It flew in towards the visitor centre but my quest to re-find it was thwarted by the massed ranks of map readers (I really do hate people).

Another visit mid-afternoon and the awards ceremony was in full swing. The birding had slowed and all that was left was to enjoy a steady N passage of bonxies and another 2 Velvet Scoter.

Hopefully the wind will swing a little more to the East tonight. My target 9 more patch birds for the year! Will I make it ??