Red-throated Diver – tonydavisonphotography.com

A Brute of an Arctic Gull – 2nd January 2012

2012, Birds, Birds of 2012, Year No Responses »

Jan 022012

A Brute of an Arctic Gull - 2nd January 2012

Well 2012 has really kicked off with a bang! A day birding in the NE at Hartlepool and the surrounding area certainly got us some good birds. At Hartlepool Fish Quay an obliging brute of a 1st winter Glaucous Gull put on a great show. Also in the harbour – Black & Red-throated Diver; Guillemot; Red Breasted Merganser and several adult Kittiwake. Off the Hartlepool Headland a female Velvet Scoter; a Red-necked Grebe; a small party of roosting Purple Sandpiper; Eider and Common Scoter. At Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park a stunning drake Ring-necked Duck and at Seaton Carew a […]

Scotland – The Highlands & Speyside – Thurs 14th April – Sun 17th April 2011

2011, Birds, Birds of 2011, Year No Responses »

Apr 172011

Scotland - The Highlands & Speyside - Thurs 14th April - Sun 17th April 2011

A superb few days in one of my favourite places in the UK. During our 4 days we saw all the specialities. Our planning worked wonders again and we even managed 2 crossbill species. On 14th arriving at Loch Garten around 2pm, we very quickly encountered our first Crested Tits on our usual walk around the Loch. The pair of Ospreys were showing at the RSPB Centre and the female had laid her first egg early in the morning, so all was well. We then went to our nicknamed spot “Crossbill Corner” and sure enough we had 5 Scottish Crossbill […]