A Drake Black Scoter was still offshore at Goswick this morning + 2 Jack Snipe & Twite in dunes

There were 4 Velvet Scoter (1 drake) at Stag Rocks + 3 LT Duck & 66 Purple Sand.

At Cheswick there were 2 ad Euro White-fronts with Pinkfeet.

Paul Massey

Constant passage of GBBGs north past Blyth this afternoon, and a fresh juv Glaucous Gull dropped onto rocks off Alcan at 1440.

Tom Lowe

Juvenile Scaup at Whittle Dene Reservoirs, on Great Northern Reservoir.

Paul Massey

A Black Scoter  was at Goswick today. Distant & choppy sea making it difficult to view.

Rob Stonehouse

There were 3+ ‘Eurasian’ White Fronts in a field adjacent to the Flash at Gosforth Park NR this am (Members only).

Chris Knox 

A Great Grey Shrike is still at Prestwick Carr,  150mm NE of the sentry box.   There was also a Waxwing at Prestwick Mill  which flew toward Ponteland.

Peter Fletcher

Garden birds happy now that the feeders have been topped up post-xmas – very colourful indeed (Cramlington)

Steve Holliday 

We enjoyed a hot coffee and a panini @Nlandia Northumberlandia cafe today.  From our table we watched a couple of Nuthatch’s on the feeders outside which were joined by a couple of Tree Sparrows and over half a dozen Coal Tit’s.

As we started to leave the cafe and walk towards Northumberlandia, we found  a group of over 50 Brambling in the woodland between the cafe and Northumberlandia path. They were feeding on the ground and at times flew up with some Woodpigeons.

Paul & Adriana Buskin

Juv Glaucous Gull circled Hemscott Hill before flying out to sea. Also 7 Euro White-fronts at north end of Cresswell & 9 Whoopers.

There were also:

5+ White-fronted Goose north over Chevington and 7 Shore Larks flew north over the north pool parking area.

There were Long Tailed Duck and Great Northern Diver north past Hadston in the morning and a single Waxwing sat in roadside Hawthorn on south side of Ulgham.

Jonathan Farooqi

A Twite at Fenham Lindisfarne, Northumberland.

Tom Cadwallender 

At Seaton Sluice there was a Glaucous Gull 1st w flying south and a single Velvet Scoter & Long-tailed Duck north.

Steve Holliday 

Warkworth – 2 Velvet Scoter, Med Gull, Woodcock. Amble – Scaup in harbour. Birling – 31 Whooper Swans.

Mark Eaton 

C/ringed as an adult at Great Yarmouth on 2013, Yellow 2H62 enjoying its 4th winter at Newbiggin, this morning – tough bird!

Steve Holliday

As the year was coming to an end, I found myself back at East Chevington and Druridge Bay, like the final days of 2015; however instead of looking for Water Pipit’s like last year, this time I was searching for a small group of Shore Larks.  I was not in luck, no sign. They were reported later that day however.

I was instead rewarded with some very entertaining Sanderlings, Stonechats and a cute Dunnock. The weather was unseasonably mild and I took advantage of this to scan the sea, for Divers and Grebes etc.

During an an hours sea watch, I noted over ten Red-throated Divers, a couple of Black-throated Divers and Eiders, and a small group of Guillemots. There was also a rather large pair of Red-breasted Mergansers. No sign of any Little Auk’s, Grebe’s or Long-tailed Ducks.

East Chevington and the nearby section of Druridge Bay is fast becoming a favourite site for me to visit, with good facilities nearby, a variety of habitats and shelter with good quality bird hides.  Free, good parking is also always a good bonus.

Paul Buskin

A flock of about 20 Waxwing  were sunbathing in a tall tree at Lowgate, West of Hexham on the 28th December,  at noon at NY 90254 63972. Not feeding locally. Flew off South after a few minutes.

Jim Bowyer

‘As part of a project with Newcastle University studying the ‘home range’ of Turnstones we’ve been colour-ringing, with yellow flag (and Radio tagging) at Druridge Bay. We’re now at a point where would encourage reporting of any sightings. If you do see any could you please note ring combination, grid reference and location and date and time and let me know.

You may see me wandering about with waving an aerial around tracking as well, if so please say hello.

Tom Cadwallender

There was Three plus ‘Tundra’ Bean Geese and  twenty ‘Eurasian’ White Fronted Geese at Backworth..field north of flash mid afternoon.

Chris Knox (per MSH)

Brambling sneaking onto the Cramlington garden list for the year!  Always nice to see.

Steve Holliday

Two Waxwing’s in Wark – at Latterford Doors.

Paul Massey

There was a Juv Glaucous Gull at Longhoughton Steel, Boulmer. It was worth the drenching.

Mark Eaton

There were three Tundra Bean Geese and 19 White-fronts (1 Greenland & 18 Euros) with c. 100 Pink Footed Goose at the old Longhirst Flash site.

Jonathan Farooqi 

Over 90 Waxwing’s were in some trees along Walker Road, close to Albion Row, Newcastle Quayside / Ouseburn. Great views!

Paul Buskin

There was a Green Sandpiper and  two Whooper Swan’s (ad & juv) at Whittle Dene Reservoirs, whilst at Grindon Lough there were  10 adult Eurasian White-fronted Geese.

Paul Massey

A single Waxwing was again in our garden in Northumberland.

Tom Cadwallender

A Sanderling, one of a group of about 25, on the shore at Alnmouth, Northumberland.

Tom Cadwallender