A couple of visits to the pier area.

A couple of dog walks around the local pier area the last couple of days have'nt been great for sightings but nice all the same. And not great for photo's either.

A few Razorbills off the pier today........like most of the birds, never coming close in on these visits.

Couple of the Rock pipits showed better, these are a nice sight in Winter here looking for scraps along with a few semi-tame Turnstones.

And today I counted 34 Shags between the S/Shields pier and Trow, many of the birds in small groups. The condition of the sea here allowed a good view over this bay type area. Also 4 Red throated divers in this area, another 2 Red throats in the Tyne area between the Shields piers.

This "non-winter" converted Black headed gull has been on Marine park lake the last couple of days, along with the "almost" resident drake Mandarin and around 30 Tufties and 3 drake Pochards. Mute Swan numbers slighty increasing.

Yesterdays visit was at high tide and waders where rested up on the usual northern side on the pier. Around- 50 Dunlin, 20 Redshanks and 10 Oystercatchers, 3 Purple sandpipers on the approach to this point. 25 Ringed plover on the return leg almost on Sandhaven.

8 Sanderling on Sandhaven today, low count for this time of year.

And.........I had to look twice viewing this sight today. Ive seen this before here but its still a strange one especially from a distance!