A few from the weekend and more.

 I paid a couple of visits this weekend to the Hebburn area after learning about Redpolls coming to feeders at a site I've never visited before (thanks Paul! ).Polls have been pretty low on the ground this winter in our area so thought I'll give it a try. Really pleasantly surprised with what has been created at the Monkton community woods. Nice woodland type walkways in a urban area and a viewing screen overlooking a feeding area which the locals and folk looking after this site seem to keep topped up.

 5/6 Lesser Redpolls on Saturday visited whilst here, but only one yesterday on a shorter visit. More around the area after reading a report from today!

 All the usual suspects visiting the feeders - another nice place to pop into when in the area!.the more eyes the better watching this area.

 Seeing Dabchicks (Little grebes) ain't that rare a sight really in ST ....but this pair on the Cockcrow pond (ok technically it's Gateshead) is something I hadn't seen before-not that I visit much and don't hear of any reports from here.

 And the best shot I've managed of the Green-winged teal at Boldon flats on Sunday- still distant but closer than any other visit.

 And my first Water Vole sighting for the year a few days back in Station burn, a couple of ripples of water encountered along this stretch of the Don before one showed briefly.

Couple of latrines found on this visit, hopefully more to follow in the coming weeks. No luck so far with fresh otter sign on the few visits so far this year here or the Scotchy dene-hopefully other folk have had better luck.

Well it had to be done- the Fudge

 I had a half hearted attempt at trying to see the 'free flying' un-ringed Ferruginous duck at Washington wwt a few weeks back.But that just resulted in waiting for any male to get out of the water to check his legs out....nil points.

 So off I went again today after seeing reports of this bird hanging out on the reservoir lake in one of the wild sections here.

 He was still there when I arrived and stayed there for about 20-30 minutes. In that time he hung
around mainly with the Tufties but never seemed settled with his companions here .Three times he swam to one end of the lake and took off to fly to the other end- into the wind. Then he finally done a one heading off towards the enclosures.

Plastic fantastic or not...great to see.

Only the second time I've had the pleasure of Shore lark.

 Set out yesterday with the better half and the dog in tow. First off we thought we'd have a look at Hawthorn dene woods since it's been about a year since we last visited this site.The parking area by the farm was packed when we arrived here,must have been some sort of ramble going on? When we eventually reached the small feeding area the signs didn't look good- no evidence of anyone keeping up feeding the birds here now. We put down seed and waited a canny while before deciding to wander a little further as no birds came down-returned later and sadly the same result...zilch. Hopefully it was just wor luck on this visit.

So it was head scratching time after this...where to try next? Saltholme did appeal for the obvious reason/s but alas no, not with the dog in tow. So the next best thing -some place in Hartlepool that I've only heard of in reports. Found the Spion kop cemetery (eventually) and about 6 cars were parked up with birders etc. all scanning the scraped off area just to the south of here. Five Snow bunts flitted around but it hardly surprising they kept disappearing due to the disturbance from the motor X types that use this area. Gave up after a short wander with the dog....Gave it another go a while later- this time it was quiet and after scanning the ground the reason for the visit was found feeding at the southern end of the barron area.

Cracking! only the second sighting we've had- the first being the Trow bird a few years back.

Not the best pics but went away happy just seeing them.

Cracking visit over the water today.

 First off -apologies again for not blogging for a while due to mainly circumstances beyond my control..ie- having free time to get out!. So with the sun god showing this morning and a gorgeous  little red- head still being reported at Killingworth I took the chance of trying for some pics..
On arrival here she was in the NW corner of the small lake but soon made off towards the reeded area.

 After about half a hour she started to show signs of moving off from this area- so I made my way back along the road here.

 Arse parked on the small wall here as she passed close by- treated to the best encounter with Smew I've ever had!

 And across the road on the large lake- Close encounters of Goldeneye hovering around with many a 'sliced' white feeding.

 Then onto the QE2 in Ashington.  After not seeing nowt but the usual from the car park I walked around the lake. Picked up the reported Slavonian grebe in the southern area of this body of water..tad distant for my lens and the light was shite...(blah..blah..)

This week's outings.

 A couple of canny hours today around the pier area late pm.- After not being able to venture forth yesterday and learning of a few reports locally, I thankfully had a bit time on my hands later today. Didn't have to wait long to see this Snow bunting - it hopped across the pier right in front of me by the old Brigade building as I walked up the pier. This one obviously is of the 'showy' type not too bothered by disturbance. Later picked it up again on the pier wall- the other side of the gate.

 About 18-20 Common terns around on this visit, some rested up on Sandhaven others taking advantage of a feeding frenzy taking place on the south side of the pier wall- sprats maybe??? jumping out of the water attracting the attention of  loads of gulls etc.

 Yip it's a Little gull (again) ! another one in the mix on the south side of the pier.

 Couple of Gannets also joined in and gradually edged in a bit closer.

 Only seen about 3- 1st.winter Common gulls here this year and still trying to get a canny shot.

On Wednesday's visit to the pier I witnessed something I've never seen before ..This Carrion crow was first seen to be picking up a couple of empty Fosters cans- then I figured out what the corvid was actually doing, tipping them up to get the dregs out! It's probably learned to do this from the empties left here during the Mackerel season, when the litter left here is at its highest. Clever bugger!
Little gull on the beach also on this visit. ;-)

 Monday -when the rain stopped for a short time I ventured into the Trow bowl- couple of Whinchats and a single Stonechat (not the photogenic types). Couple of Chiffchaffs in the treed area, Song thrush  and the odd Wheatear around the area. Six Red-throated divers on the sea from gun point was canny thro- group of 4 together (probs family).

 Last Sunday- After 2 failed attempts with trying to see this species in the same field at Whitburn over the years- finally it was third time lucky!  This after not being able to get here until later in the afternoon. Only my second one ever, so was slightly pleased also to even get a semi-decent shot. Oh and another Little gull here also ;-)

New lifer despite being a daft lad (again!).

 After seeing a few reports and pic's of Black darter on twitter over the last week or so, I headed off to the old brickworks pond in Kibblesworth this morning when I got the chance. First time I've ventured here this year!...It really was a comedy of errors this visit- first off after wandering about a third of the way from the parking area to the pond my zippo dried-trip to a garage followed. Then I discovered the battery on the camera was on its last legs after deleting the memory card....I thought the writing was on the wall so to speak. after this!... Thankfully not.
It took me a while and a few 'stand' about moments before I picked up the first Black darter in the south end of the pond,behind the small plantation area. Well worth getting wet knees for!  after this picked up a second one in the same area, the first one landed on my shoulder a couple of times!!! (reached for the phone for a selfie but alas not to be.)

Met another interested bloke at the northern end of this pond, who I ve met before. (It just got mad after this!). 3-4 Black darters hovered around right in front of us, one landed on his foot. Then a female hawker landed on my boot and used it as a landing platform to get the next generation on their way.

Distant one, taken with the macro.

Crap one taken with my phone, the camera battery had died by now.

Absolutely fantastic couple of hours here despite the set backs- sheds loads of Common darters in various stages of breeding, hawkers aplenty also. 

Bird wise- 6 Siskins over calling, couple of Jays, GS woody, Buzzard, Spuggyhawk,Kestrel and the usual stuff calling from the treed areas.

Being a beach bum in August-tern wise.

 Yip I'm blogging again after a canny while. A few folk have asked how's the terns done this year around the Sandhaven area? so I've eventually put together a selection of shots taken here during August along with some of my observations of rested birds on Sandhaven.

Common tern - Pretty much as last year with no 3 figure numbers, best count being 40+ birds on a few occasions.

 Nowt like getting mugged on the beach.

 Sandwich tern- again pretty average number wise with between 10-25 birds on some visits during the month.

 But a visit on the last day of August produced my best count to date of Sandwich terns here- 106 counted at one point when I first arrived.This number slowly tailed off after little disturbance(for this public beach) and what I can only refer to as migratory behaviour. Small groups took off together calling noisily,birds seem to pair up and then circled gaining height before moving off. Something I've seen Roseates doing in the past here.

 Arctic tern- 18 was my best count here this year in the first week of this month and only 3 Juv's .

 Little tern- This is the only one I seen rested here on the first day of this month.

 Roseate tern- After only views from the pier on a couple of occasions this month,eventually on the 12th these two were had on Sandhaven. The only one's I've seen here this year.(but beats last years count..doubled ;-) ).

 And a special mention has to be made for Little gull sightings around this area in the last 6 weeks or so- Started late July and continued most of August.

Again these are my observations on this public beach when numbers can change here by the minute.