North East and Cumbria

Well Last minute decision was made was to nip over to the North East as we had nothing better to do. Started at Whitburn Steel where we had a good 3 hours seawatching.  Visibility was mixed due to heavy rain showers. Nothing great went past, best birds were just a few Arctic Skuas and a single Bonxie. Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns.
We then moved onto Saltholme pools where a Juv Black Tern showed well as did 4 Little Gulls, an Eclipse Drake Red Crested Pochard and a few Little Egret and Greenshanks. We finished at Seal sand but the tide was well in and the waders were hidden, 2 Ruff with the Redshank being it. As ever the Common Seals put on a good show.

Black Tern

Black Tern

Little Gull

Red Crested Pochard

Little Egret

Cormorant

Herring Gull

Common Seal

Common Seal

Common Seal

 A quick wander around Workington produced a 2nd Summer Med Gull at Siddick, 2 Adult Med Gulls at Workington Harbour, 1 being stumpy. A seawatch produced just 10 Common Scoter a few Manxies 1 Common Tern and plenty of Sandwich Tern.

Finished at Soddy Gap and Low Meadows, Low Meadows was the best with finally some birds on the flood. 2 Black-tailed Godwit looked like the Nominate Race 14 Teal 48 Mallard and nicely 3 Eclipse Shovelers.. Smaller birds were 3-4 Willow/chiff, Tree Sparrow,  2 Whitethroat with a 3rd on Soddy itself, Robin and a Yellowhammer.