Aurora!

A text from Dan came at 9 o'clock last night to tell me that the Northern Lights were on show from Whitley Bay Beach, but were currently faded. Grabbing my camera and rushing down, they soon re-appeared and after watching them for an hour, 100 photos later, I was still in shock at watching the Aurora Borealis from St. Mary's!! A bucket list tick!

Iceland Gull

FINALLY, A TWITCHABLE WHITE-WINGER IN NORTHUMBERLAND THIS YEAR!

After dipping it on Sunday, I thought about going looking for the Iceland Gull at Tynemouth again, when I got a call about a young Glaucous Gull at the Fish Quay. It gave me the run around for a couple of hours, until I got another call saying that the Iceland Gull was back on the Boating Lake, and I got it this time! After watching it for 10 minutes, it flew east and ended up at the Fish Quay, and then it became obvious that the earlier reported Glauc was this bird, a rather dark juvenile Iceland when it flew made it confusing at a glance!

Winter North Tyneside at it's best!

Few photos from the last couple of weeks, no need to leave North Tyneside!

 Glossy Ibis at Tynemouth, first for North Tyneside yesterday!

 Scaup still showing very well at Killingworth Lake.

 White-Fronted Goose at Holywell (just out of North Tyneside)

'Central Asian' Lesser Whitethroat at Tynemouth.

Canny Weekend

A few highlights from the weekend:

 Cracking female Scaup at Killingworth Lake.

 Purple Sandpipers at St. Mary's.

Curlew at St. Mary's.

Male Blackcap in the Garden.