Out to the coastal north today starting at Bamburgh. We were pleased to find a Black Tern on the rocks with 60 Common Tern. Also present were at least 5 adult Roseates & one juvenile. The rocks also held 3 Purple Sandpipers & offshore a Great Skua was harassing terns. The Gannet feeding frenzy was quite a sight with 500 strung out in a long line from the Farne’s to Ross. Fresh in were at least 90 Pinkfeet coming in from N/E & heading inland.
On to Budle Bay where the Pinkfeet numbers were substantial , maybe 2,000 birds mostly feeding on fields to N of Budle Bay & then flighting to the bay itself. A Greenshank was present there along with other common waders. Next was Fenham le Moor but the tide had beaten us to it so few waders but more Pinkfeet arriving plus 20 Pale-bellied Brent.
Decided on a mini twitch up to Berwick to look for the juvenile Red-necked Grebe. This juvenile was first reported on 13th between Spittal & Berwick and again yesterday. On arrival no sign & we had a look at Berwick Little Beach. An excellent throng of waders in the seaweed at high tide with 2 Curlew Sandpipers joining the Sanderling, Dunlin, Ringed Plover & Turnstone. Part of the Gosander flock seen with 59 at Little Beach, just a small group of the 300 now present on the Tweed. An Arctic Skua made steady progress N. Back to look for the grebe & managed from the pier to distantly (one kilometre!) pick up a grebe by the south shore. Drove around & off by the Berwick Shellfish building past the pottery was a very obliging juvenile Red-necked Grebe (NT996523). It kept about 50 metres away and provided excellent scope views plus a few photos. Popped in to see Malcolm Hutcheson to thank him for the sighting, tea & cake to end the day !
Tim & Janet Dean
