Northern Stars

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Northern Stars

My image through Canon Camera

We set off at 12pm on a rainy day and arrived at Long Nanny at 3:15pm in hopes of seeing a first for Britain! We walked along the track to get to the farm, where the bird had been viewed from. We scrambled on top of a huge dirt mound in order to scan the fields. Then, a bird with a grey head, brown back, white underbelly and a striking yellow bill appeared in my view. It was the Grey-headed Lapwing, a wader from Asia! I watched it in the cold and managed to get a decent record shot of it. Surprisingly there was no other birder in sight, I had this first for Britain all to myself! I felt very satisfied with my views and set off to Boulmer for another lifer, a Red-backed Shrike!

My image through Canon Camera

We arrived at Seaton Point at around 4:20pm and walked towards where the bird had been reported. We met two other birders who said the bird got spooked by a Meadow Pipit, but should still be around. The longer we waited, the less hopeful we became. It was raining hard and was very cold. There was no other birder around. We then went to try and relocate the bird, but after no success, we went back to our original location when we met two birders. One of the birders then said he had seen it 20 minutes ago and pointed us in the direction he had seen it. As we were looking, the birder then pointed us towards something sat on a branch. It was the Red-backed Shrike! 

My image through Canon Camera
Sanderlings (left hand side) with Purple Sandpiper (right hand side)

After managing to get a record shot of the Red-backed Shrike, I scanned through the mixed flock of Ringed Plover, Turnstones, Dunlin and Sanderlings, and managed to find a few Purple Sandpipers, which were my first proper views of them. We then met the finder of the Red-backed Shrike, Daniel. We did a seawatch with him, in hopes of getting Roseate Tern, however we only got Sandwich Tern & Little Tern. He then left us and we made our way to the car.

My image through Canon Camera

On the way back to the car, I was delighted to come across two Grey Partridges in the caravan park. A perfect end to a wonderful day.

Overall, a successful day with two lifers (Grey-headed Lapwing & Red-backed Shrike)








Location: G9G7+XP Alnwick, UK

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