Decided on a walk round Holy Island. Few highlights but a chance to soak up the atmosphere of this peaceful place. Best sighting was a group of 20 Snow Buntings in the field between the Lough & Emmanuel Head.They soon moved off towards the dunes though. Little moving off Emmanuel Head though with a few late juvenile Gannets. A Great Northern Diver was found near the castle and flew overhead North. Back on the causeway there were seven Long-tailed Ducks by the bridge, a chance to see these at close range. Lunch at Barn at Beal again. They do well out of me when Janet is away. On to Budle Bay with little of note then on to Stag Rocks at Bamburgh. The immature male Velvet Scoter was again close in feeding in the surf off the rocks just N of the lighthouse. A drake Scaup was feeding in with the 200 Common Scoter and a Great Northern Diver was close in by the lower car park. Only one Slavonian Grebe was unusual as normally more visible here. Finished at Seahouses looking for a juvenile Iceland Gull reported earlier but with no success. Also today others reported the Lesser Grey Shrike still at the Links House car park at Newton. TRD
