Newbiggin by the Sea - it's mainly rubbish!

Having spent 10 million on a new breakwater and beach, you'd think the local community would take care of their new asset. The beach is covered in rubbish, tons of it. Shame on you Newbiggin.

Anyhow, I did manage to get one shot of the Desert Wheatear without a pop bottle, or plastic bag spoiling things.

Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti

Worra corker of a day!

Work took me to Rothbury this morning and on the way back I headed for the coast to see the reported Shorelark at Druridge Pools and the Avocets at Cresswell.

A quick look/see at Hauxley gave me two singing Willow Warblers and my first Swallow for the year, nice!

At Druridge the Shore Lark was briefly seen but disappeared as I grabbed my camera. Never mind, the Wheatears, Twite, Sand Martin and House Martin kept my face straight :)

Twite

Wheatear

At Cresswell there were now six Avocets, two by the causeway - too far for a decent pic and with the sun behind them - so here's a 'record shot':

Avocet

A nice surprise was a Yellow Wagtail that appeared briefly before being lifted by an aggressive Meadow Pipit.

On returning home I had a call from Tom Tams to come and see the first V-Pug for Northumberland for 32 years, caught in his garden last night. As I arrived an Osprey flew over!!!!!!!!

If I score a hat-trick at footy tonight it'll have been a perfect day.

(All I got was a dead leg)

What's For Desert?

The report of a Desert Wheatear came through at midday so, after a couple of phone calls, the Quattro was fired up and pointed in the direction of Seahouses taking me Tom and Joe to see a cracking visitor to Northumberland.

Seahouses - harbour on the right, Desert Wheatear on the left, Farne Islands straight ahead.

The Wheatear was reported 400 yards north of the harbour on the beach. Someone's got long legs! The bird was on the beach at the end of the rocks (where the houses come to an end), more like 800 yards.

Desert Wheatear

Ross's Goose - it's there somewhere with a few thousand Pink-footed Geese