Around the pier area patch this week

Being carless and Jobless at the moment my options are limited regarding visiting any other sites in our area except for the kind offers from friends. So the local patch of Marine park and the pier have been visited often over the last week whilst on the "Max" dog walking duties. This afternoon a walk down here produced my first Juv. Sandwich tern of the year around the pier...Some folk might not get too excited about such a sighting but to me it was a sign that our local beach area will soon be graced again by Juvenile and adult terns. ..Jan and Max looked on in dispair at me getting excited....they have seen it all before many a time. (Jan becomes a tern widow and Max is tied to the pier handrail whilst I sit on the pier wall.)

The Swallow family are coming on nicely at the base of the pier, sure theres another nest around here but yet to find it.

Sandhaven beach today was packed! Sunshine brings folk down here on mass. Chippies and ice cream sellers must have been clapping their hands.Plus the local bike club(Badlanders) had a big gig going off in Bents park raising funds for "Help the Heroes"...sound bunch of folk.

This was the sight that greeted us from the top of South Marine park today....wow!

The carrier has been around the NE coastline for some days now. Its a rare sight now as I believe this is our only carrier in service at the moment HMS Illustrious.
I could rant on and on about this but .........I won't, only to say its a crying shame.

Our local "longish" staying drake Mandarin is still in the area and seems to favour Marine park again. What a difference a couple of weeks have made with him going into eclipse molt...(I even asked on Bird Forum in case the bird was a juv.! last week).
A Fanstic productive meeting took place in Westoe cemetery this week with officials from South Tyneside council.....news to follow when finalised!