Up the coast, for a change.

Top - Bamburgh Castle and beach.( click picture for a bigger image)
Bottom - A patch of Snowdrops and Aconites in a wood on the way home.

Today was dismal, dull and drizzly with a cool N3.

Before heading off to do a Wetland Birds Survey of the coast between Seahouses and Bamburgh I popped down to Boulmer for a brief look seaward as it was high tide. Little doing although 1 Lesser black backed Gull N was the years first . Also 2 Fulmars moved N. On the shore, the sea was lapping at some washed up weed attracting the attentions of some waders. 119 Turnstones and 8+ Purple Sandpipers were both good counts here.

Up to Seahouses for 0900 counting all waterbirds along the shore right up to Budle Point. Fog and drizzle made counting seaducks very difficult but the following were highlights of the morning. 130 Sanderling, 65 Purple Sandpipers, 114 Turnstones, 7 Red throated Divers, 1 Red necked Grebe, now in summer plumage, 1 Slavonian Grebe still in winter plumage, 14 Pale bellied Brent Geese, 6+ Long tailed Duck and a fw Little Gull was on the shore. The latter is very scarce in Northumberland in winter so I was pleased to see it here.

86. Lesser black backed Gull