Scoring in extra time...

 No sooner did we think its all over than it isnt!

Luckily I had a couple of days leave booked for Monday and Tuesday this week. Monday dawned sharp clear and cool. Recent walks with Peggy around the local cricket pitch showed there to be a mass of berries on various ornamental shrubs such as Whitebeam, Guelder Rose, Pyracantha etc so after word of two Waxwings that I didn't see at Longhoughton yesterday I thought it might be worth another look.

As I approached the cricket pavilion a Fieldfare chakkered  and a flcok of Bullfinches flew ahead. I came out of cover beside the two tallest whitebeams and there right at the top was a lone Waxwing. It looked like a first year female and it sat there for a good while, in fact until I continued past it. From the other side though it had gone, to where, I didn't see. Still, a nice local patch record, my first here since late 2023.

Sorry about the hand held to the bins phone shot.

We arrived home, I gave Peggy her lunch while my Sunday leftovers were in the microwave. The phone rang. It was JWR saying 'Have you seen the picture I've sent you?' I hadn't. A quick check revealed a back of the camera shot of a female Desert Wheatear on Alnmouth beach!

Playing it cool, I finished my lunch, then popped along the road to see it. A small party of about 8 had gathered to see John's bird and it was soon on show for me, sat on top of a beach side tree. 

It was quite an active little bird, like a very pallid Stonechat as it alternated between the beach and the tops of bushes. This is my 6th Dessie for Northumberland but the first for 6 years (see here).

Surely that was the end? No, definitely not, Hume's Warblers started to appear with one at Craster, Bamburgh, Holy Island and Whitley Bay. Unfortunately I scoured for the Craster bird but drew a blank.

It just shows, autumn can go out with a bang...