Surf's up!

 We had only just arrived at Boulmer on Sunday morning when I noticed a message on my phone from half an hour earlier. Ben had found a Surf Scoter off Howick Haven! 

Surf Scoters are a rare American sea duck. Not too rare in a national context, but for my local patch it would be my first and the first I've seen for donkeys years, so we put a march on up to the north end of Longhoughton Steel to scan the bay. From our position, the light was nicely behind us and the sea was flat calm so things were looking good. As I set up my scope and roughly pointed it towards Howick Haven, I put my eye down the eyepiece and what should be bang centre? A nice drake Surf Scoter! Not a bad bit of luck...

The bird was quite distant but with good lighting and it was still early so no heat haze, the views were ok. It eventually swan a hundred yards closer with group of Eiders  giving a better show.

I forgot how bizarre these ducks look. Quite cartoon-like in appearance with that huge coloured puffin bill making the head seem top heavy. 

Eventually, the holiday kayaks and sail boards ensure our duck was pushed out of sight to the north offshore.

Surf Scoter, appeared to be an almost adult drake. Poor phone scoped effort here... 

The rest of the morning was spent loafing around the seat on the point seeing what would turn up.

We had 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Whimbrel, 250 Curlew,  7 Bar tailed Godwit, 15 Lapwing, 20 Ringed Plover, 35 Turnstone, 14 Sanderling, 28 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 3+ Swift over the fields, 1 dark Arctic Skua south, Greenshank heard but remained unseen. Highlight on the wader front was a lovely fresh juvenile Little Ringed Plover on the muddy shore north of the village. What a stunner, I think 've only ever had one here before which is probably to be expected considering the lack of freshwater pools that these birds prefer.

Juv Little Ringed Plover. look how slim its tail end is...

Little Ringed Plover with adult Ringed Plover. Here the photo is dire but the structural differences can be seen, the LRP is not as chunky and  and is much slimmer, a slighter bird . Those legs too were the brightest yellow...