St Mary's Island

I'm up in the North East visiting my parents for a few days & this morning we popped out to St Mary's Island where the weather was crisp, the sky clear & the tide was steadily approaching the causeway. Down by the water's edge Turnstone, Sanderlings, Dunlin, Knot, Rock Pipit, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Cormorant & Golden Plover.

Here's a few pics of Turnstone, Rock Pipit & Redshank.

North East sightings

Up to the North East for the weekend to celebrate my Grandma's 100th birthday, happy birthday Grandma! Took the opportunity to get out & about, and popped across to St Mary's Island (Whitley Birder's home patch) at low tide & with a strong Easterly breeze & a heavy sea fret there was little about. To the left of the causeway we spotted Curlew, Rock Pipit, Turnstone, a group of Eider on the water & skylark audible inland. A pitstop at Castaways, Seaton Sluice for soup & pudding then a quick look around the harbour, not much about other than Starlings lining the fence. We continued up the coast to Blyth Harbour to chance a sighting of the Seal but no luck there, we did manage a few decent shots of the Eider, about 9 in total, and a few greedy Gulls too.

I didn't realise that this Starling was ringed until I reviewed my pics.

Pipits a plenty

At the Isle of Whithorn, situated on the southernmost tip of South West Scotland, Pipits hopped amongst the stoney outcrops. Pipits in pics 1,4 & 5 are Meadow Pipits 2,3,6 & 7 are Rock Pipits. Thanks to my Dad(City Birding) & Brian Bullough for help with identification.

Amongst the grassland, a couple of small cap & stem Fungi, the caps are roughly the size of a 5p piece.Down by the harbour, a couple of House Sparrows enjoyed the sunshine.