My first post of 2010

We went to St. Mary's at the weekend (sorry haven't had time to post since then!) and the birds were nowhere to be seen. However, some of the scenes there were amazing, like the snow on the rocks etc. The only birds we saw of note where 3 skylarks in the carpark which was a little different. However, not much else to report except a garden tick. I thought this was quite unusual. I saw a grey wagtail in my garden. I haven't got a pond so I'm not sure why in came but it stayed for a couple of days then moved on. Another garden tick was a fieldfare. I know how unrare they are but I have never had one in the garden before Skylarks

Snow on the causewaySnow in my garden. Grey Wagtail (in my garden)

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A good hour of birding 6/10/09

Just come back from St. Mary’s. The tide was coming in fast so I just got 10 minutes but it was worth it. The North Bay contained a bar-tailed godwit, 2 curlews, 3 redshank, 24 sanderling, 9 turnstone, 3 ringed plover, 50 golden plover and a cormorant fishing. I tried to get photos of all of them in the short time that the tide let me have! I called into Briar Dene Car Park on the way back, no sign of med gull but there were 2 common gulls present. We also saw a grey wagtail fly over then land quite close to the car park down under the bridge in the little stream. As this was a first at St. Mary’s for me we went and got a few photos before moving on. After that we went to Tynemouth Boating Lake to see the barnacle goose. When we arrived there was only one goose there and it was the barnacle goose. Quite easy to spot! The wind picked up a bit while we were there but it soon settled letting me get some photos. A good hour of birding! Cormorant Curlew

Bar-Tailed GodwitRinged Plover Grey Wagtail

Common Gull

Barnacle Goose