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.

 

Lindisfarne

Red-legged Shieldbug

A couple of visits to Holy Island this week and maybe another to come. Yellow-browed Warblers were the star birds with at least 7 scattered over the island. Other species made both visits very enjoyable: Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Song Thrushes (arriving all day in small numbers), Goldcrests and Lesser Whitethroat.

Barn Owl and Roe Deer in the mist added to the enjoyment.

Out and About

Fabulous ...

On the last post I mentioned how uncooperative these birds can be. Ha ... eat my hat, a pair of duelling males took not notice of me and the camera. I was delighted :-)   .

First Lapwing chick of the year. Sadly the Druridge crows are on the look out for these young birds.

Despite the poor early light the camera coped well with these shots I thought.

Finally a trip inland was well rewarded. I think flycatchers are my favourite birds. So to see two species nearby was amazing. The Spotted version kept in the canopy and no photos were possible. It may have been a new arrival as they are one of the last to arrive. The Pieds seemed well settled and at least two territories were noticed with other birds heard ... good news. The more settled birds allowed these photos. The last one has a soft focus affect was caused by the leaf in front of it which I couldn't avoid.

Finally it's hard to resist photographing  Swallows, caught the light right here.