Duncan Watson

It's a very, very long time since I've seen any taiga bean geese, so it was well worth a trip off patch to see the flock of 11 at Hoppen Kiln Flash this afternoon. #nebirding

Other white-billed diver photos are very definitely available, but I was pleased to get this one when it popped up right in front of us in the sunshine at Blyth South Harbour this afternoon. #nebirding

Polish colour-ringed Mediterranean gull 'PETL' with the black-heads at Tynemouth this morning #nebirding #patchbirding

Remains of one of two dead woodcocks found along the tide line at Longsands this pm. Presumably birds from the continent that didn't quite make it... #nebirding

Shockingly poor phone video (I didn't have my camera with me) but this knot with the turnstones on Tynemouth Boating Lake today is a true Boating Lake Mega! Along with little gull and 2 Med gulls in the surf off Longsands it made for a pretty decent lunchtime walk 😀
#nebirding #patchbirding

First #patchbirding twitch of the year for this juvenile glaucous gull at North Shields Fish Quay, which gave good views late this afternoon before heading off towards South Shields Pier. I didn't see one here last year, so it was great to see this one so early in 2026. #nebirding

And that's #patchbirding at Tynemouth up and running in 2026, with the long-staying black redstart still braving the cold weather at the base of the pier. Happy New Year!
#nebirding

Great photo - the Ross's gull was my patch bird of the year for 2025 by a country mile!

The best/worst of #patchbirding today... A wet lunchbreak spent staring across the river at the South Shields red-necked grebe, showing down to a few metres over there but more like 1km away from here! Easy enough to see what it was though in the scope and onto the #PWC2025 list it goes...

Five snow buntings at Whitley Bay this morning coming to within a few feet at times (video taken with my phone) #nebirding

Black redstart at Cullercoats today - a bit more accommodating than the Tynemouth birds have been over the last couple of weeks. #nebirding

Proper winter seawatching off Tynemouth pre-work this morning in strong northerlies and driving sleet! Disappointingly few birds moving though a single little auk was new for the year, plus 3 long-tailed ducks, great northern diver and 2 goldeneye.
#nebirding #patchbirding

Last Saturday's black redstarts (one male and one female type) at Tynemouth Priory are, somewhat surprisingly, still here and this morning were at the base of the pier. Not the best pics, in pretty grim conditions, but much better views than last weekend. #nebirding #patchbirding

Yes I know. It was pretty dark at that point though...

Bike twitch to Tynemouth Priory this pm for two black redstarts. Far too distant for the camera but onto the #PWC2025 list they go! The afternoon was subsequently soured a bit by missing a swift sp by about 10 mins 🫤 but hopefully it'll still be around tomorrow...
#nebirding

Over five hours #patchbirding at Tynemouth this morning. 3 YBWs the best birds by far, though sadly all evaded the camera. Seven little gulls, two treecreepers (scarce here) and this drake wigeon on Spanish Battery Rocks (unusual to see on the ground/water here) were the best of the rest. #nebirding

Finally caught up with whooper swan at Tynemouth for #PWC2025 with 12 seen flying south this morning, including this flock of 7 past Spanish Battery. #nebirding

Ha! That's my blue skoda right behind you!

Yes, though there will have been many more after I left...

It didn't shift when a dog walked past either, which makes me think something isn't right...

Most waders are rare at Tynemouth Boating Lake (for obvious reasons!) and this young dunlin this morning was only the second I've ever seen there. It seemed unmoved by people walking past it, often at very close range, so sadly may not have been in the best of health. #nebirding #pwc2025

Our last full day on Unst was a bit of a struggle in strong winds. The morning was virtually migrant-free but there was some evidence of a small arrival this afternoon with YBW, hen harrier and snow bunting at Skaw/Valyie. Sad to be leaving tomorrow but I'm sure I'll be back next year! #ukbirding

Unst Day 5: Another slow day, with migrants very hard to come by, was salvaged late afternoon as we finally joined the yellow-browed warbler party when we came across this beauty at Hunter's Wood. #ukbirding

Unst Day 4: Much quieter day today in a brisk southerly wind. A few new birds were evident but migrant passerines remain thin on the ground. A barred warbler at Burrafirth was probably the highlight, though it was generally very adept at avoiding the camera! #ukbirding

Thanks Cliff!

Unst Day 3 (2): Eastern bonelli's warbler would be a British tick for me so despite great views at Houland this afternoon, it was somewhat frustrating not to hear its diagnostic call, despite spending 4.5 hours on site. #ukbirding #rarebirdsuk

Thanks Brydon! To be fair it is an unusually showy PG, but I was well chuffed with that pic.

The weather was beautiful on Unst this morning, the Pallas's grasshopper warbler was still present at Clingera and I was pleased to get some better photos... #ukbirding #rarebirdsuk

Unst Day 2 (2): Up until we decided to visit Clingera this afternoon these two were vying for the accolade of bird of the day - summer plumaged great northern diver at Haroldswick and wood warbler at Halligarth... #ukbirding

Unst Day 2: a slow morning followed by a surreal afternoon during which we found a pallas's grasshopper warbler at Clingera!

My photos were hopeless but thankfully @johnsoniain.bsky.social's were much better, including this one.
#ukbirding #rarebirdsuk