Early Days

 

This will be my local patch now. The Country Park, Whitburn, North along the Leas and Trow Quarry to the Pier at South Shields. Any birders spotting me please introduce yourselves and give me some local knowledge tips. Thanks. Oh, you'll spot me ... scruffy, ugly, old bloke with bins and bridge camera.

The smell and sounds of seabird colonies is definitely something I didn't have on my last patch.

Skylark

The Leas. Keeping to the paths but these birds must be used to disturbance by all the dog walkers.

Marsden Rock

Oh no! Fly tipping is such a menace. Oh no! I'm wrong its a stone sofa.

Marsden Quarry

I used to live on Quarry Lane as a youngster. All these places were my childhood birding patches. Finding birds here will be more difficult now because of the extra cover. This site is also worth avoiding at weekends and school holidays (I guess?). When I first visited this place it was used for Motorbike scrambling and even Side Car racing. My last visit here was to see 3 (I think it was 3?) Ortolan. Now how long ago was that.

A longing look North. Looks like Newbiggin and the Bay are having a bit of mist today.

Good Birding everyone!