Day in Northumberland (and Lincs)!

 Day in Northumberland (& Lincs)!

We arrived at Boulmer at 7:00am in hopes of seeing the Red-eyed Vireo reported last night! It took us 3 hours to get there. We trekked along the beach, enjoying the Rock Pipits flying about everywhere. The Turnstones were settled on the rocks and the Sanderlings were doing their iconic run away from the waves. We then went on a track next to some ferns, before then going back to the beach as a 'Private Land' sign popped up ahead. We continued along the beach, with Stonechats and Eider on the coast and bushes. We then saw two birders, meaning we were in the right place! We were taken to the bush where the RE Vireo was last seen, in a caravan park on private land, yet after waiting for around 3 hours, we were unsuccessful. We were then advised by the birders to try Widdrington Moor Lake (25 mins away) where a Red-necked Grebe was reliably showing, so, we set off in hopes of seeing it.

At first, we parked in a layby and walked along East Bank, but the strong winds made it impossible to keep the scope steady. We then left that spot and drove towards a layby along the main road overlooking the lake to one side, after we saw some birders leave the layby. We scanned the lake when a report on RBA came in saying 'N'berland ad. Red-necked Widdrington still viewable from main road' and it also gave a map which matched our location. We then kept scanning from inside the car, to avoid the wind, and saw a distant, pale bird which kept diving. A white cheek and a yellow bill were very obvious on the bird, as well as its small size. It was also at the back of the lake. After seeing it was an adult on the RBA, I immediately knew this was our bird!

We then went over to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Beach (10 mins away) in hopes of seeing a Grey Phalarope. We parked in Church Point Carpark- near Newbiggin Maritime Centre- and asked a birder about the location of the Grey Phalarope. At first, I thought the bird would be distant in the bay, but he told us it was within a gull flock on the rocks very close to shore. I went up to another birder, who was photographing the bird, and asked him for the location of the bird, and within seconds I was on it. This was a bird that I had dipped once, by arriving on site too late, and this bird's relative, the Red-necked Phalarope, I have dipped twice (one was an erroneous sighting, the other was arriving on site the day it had gone, even though it was seen the previous evening, settled). I was very happy with this sighting! 

We were buzzing at this point, and it was only 1.30pm so we decided to twitch hard and went to Halton Marshes, in Lincolnshire, which was 3hr and 25 minutes away, in hopes of seeing the Blue-winged Teal reported today. It was a gamble as to whether there would be enough light, but we did it anyways! When we arrived, we saw a 'Private Property' sign (again) and so we stood the closest we could without trespassing and scanned. Then a red vehicle drove out from the private land. It then pulled over, and a man, with a normal smile, walked towards us. 

"Are you looking for the Blue-winged Teal?" he asks. 

He then says the lady, who owns this, lets all the birders in, and she would be buzzing if she knew someone drove 3 hours to be here. There were no birders there when we arrived at around 5.30pm; we walked along a path viewing the lake from the side. I scanned in the corner where the man said all the birders were pointing at. Suddenly, a female Teal with a white spot by the base of the bill caught my attention. I took a digiscoped video of it and sent it to some experts, and they all said it looked good for Blue-winged Teal. And to me, there was no reason it wasn't! Meaning it was the third and final tick of the day!

Overall, a brilliant day with 3 lifers, achieving our set target of lifers for the day!!