Teesside + Bluethroat

Had a very enjoyable day out today with fellow Durham Bird Club members. Me, Stew, Derek, and Andrew-G Raine descended upon Teesside once again.


First of all we went to South Gare. At South Gare we had the pipit sp. It flew over our heads and started to call. With Derek having had experience of Richard Pipit he said that, that bird was it. It flew over our heads and I noticed it was quite large and very much like a wagtail more so that a pipit. Its call was like a high pitched house sparrow. It was really long in the tail and defiantly a pipit. Therefore we where sure it was a Richards Pipit. With Derek having experienced the species in the past I was happy to tick it off. Sadly I barely got it in my bins and if I did I was out of focus with it being so close. It all happened so quick!

After out fleeing glimpse we saw nothing else so we left. We went to Salthome RSPB and to the bottom tank. There was not much there at all! Only birds of note where Black-tailed Godwit, Teal, Snipe, and Dunlin.

So we went onto Dorman's Pool. Again nothing much of interest apart from Kingfisher (which I missed), and also Sparrowhawk right in front of the car. This all happened during dinner! After dinner Derek received a report of a Bluethroat! So onward as fast as we could to Hartlepool Headland to the Bowling green to try and see the Bluethroat. When we arrived there were a handful of birders. Eventually the number of birders increased and there must have been 25-40 people there at one time. Cracking bird! Male aswell!?!?!?!

(Bluethroat - Hartlepool Headland)

After that fantastic bird we went onto Hartlepool Headland where the only bird of note where two fantastic close range Velvet Scoter! They sat for a while then took off and I saw there white secondaries defiantly confirming they where Velvet Scoters. Also we had 1 Manxie heading north. Then we went looked along the pier and had Purple Sandpiper, Knot, and Turnstone.

(Turnstone & Purple Sandpiper & Knot)

Then onto Newburn where we had Mediterranean Gull, Sanderling, Purple Sandpipers, Ringed Plover, and Oystercatcher.

(Mediterranean Gul - Newburn Bridge)

Then the rest of the crew had an ice cream! Then we went to try for the Lapland Bunting at......can't remember the name but quickly gave up as we saw it was to big of a task and it was getting dark.

Life List updates:

214 - Richard's Pipit

215 - Bluethroat

Year List updates:

201 - Richard's Pipit

202 - Bluethroat