What a grey day....

St Mary's Lighthouse

A stonechat was the highlight of an early morning stroll through the fog at St Mary's Island. No short-eared owls this early and no other birders (maybe they new something I didn't?).

Reed Bunting

Golden Plover (honest!)

Curlew

Stonechat

Bay Watch 28/01 - Tree Spuggies Galore!

Waggonway Today

A lovely sunny day with hints of Spring; Skylark singing, Willow catkins bursting forth, and Great Tits calling from all angles. Underfoot, plenty of ice, and according to the met office there's the possibility that the mild winter may have a sting in it's tail - hopefully while I'm filling my bins with new species in The Gambia :)

Willow Catkins

Blackbird

In the fields between Holywell Dene and the Obelisk were unusually large numbers of Tree Sparrows 100+, along with Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings. I've never seen such numbers.

Hedge full of finches and Tree Spuggies

A frosty Holywell Dene

Black-headed Gull - taking a drink from the Brierdene as it flows
down the beach at Whitley Bay

Bunting & Lark Fest

Can you spot the Buntings & Larks?

Thanks to a constant supply of seed from local birders, St Mary's is still pulling in Skylarks, Snow Buntings, Lapland Buntings, Reed Buntings and Twite. And the Black Redstart is still on the beach at Hartley just north of St Mary's Island.

Heads down for the feast

Skylarks are less confiding now they have a good energy source

Seasons Greetings

Lapland Bunting at St Mary's

The seed is drawing quite a crowd at St Mary's and that's just the birding papparazi. The Skylark numbers have swelled along with Reed Buntings, Redshank, Turnstone, Snow Bunting and a very confiding Lapland Bunting.

Lapland Bunting

Lapland Bunting

Reed Bunting

Snow Bunting

Redshank

Reed Buntings return

At least three Reed Buntings came to my garden feeders today

Reed Buntings in my garden!

Reed Bunting - garden tick :)

You know it's exceptionally cold when these fellas turn up on your garden feeders. Two appeared this morning.