New Year starts with a Lifer

This year's "year list" started off in Northumberland, and, as you can see, Jayne and I managed a very respectable 59 species. The first birds, from 1 - 23 were seen in Warkworth, and on and around the River Coquet. Numbers 24 - 43 were seen at Cresswell Pond, and the nearby coastline. Numbers 44 - 51 were seen at St Mary's Island, numbers 52 - 57 were seen around the Priory and pier in Tynemouth, and the Coot was seen at Wetherby Service Station on the way home! The Wren was seen in Warkworth, but I forgot to add it in earlier, so I stuck it on the end of the list!

The best bird of the day was my first "lifer" of the year in the shape of a Long-billed Dowitcher that has been on Creswell Pond since late last year. The bird was on show from the hide, before being flushed by a Sparrowhawk. I didn't manage any decent photos, as it was quite distant, so here are a few on the Bird Guides website. 

1 – Blackbird

2 – Jackdaw

3 – House Sparrow

4 – Woodpigeon

5 – Robin

6 – Black-headed Gull

7- Chaffinch

8 – Starling

9 – Mistle Thrush

10 – Cormorant

11- Red-breasted Merganser

12 – Mallard

13 – Grey Heron

14 – Eider Duck

15 – Feral Pigeon

16 – Goldfinch

17 – Redshank

18 – Curlew

19 – Herring Gull

20 – Magpie

21 – Common Buzzard

22 – Rook

23 – Collared Dove

24 – Whooper Swan

25 – Greenfinch

26 - Tree Sparrow

27 – Dunnock

28 – Long-billed Dowitcher (lifer)

29 – Mute Swan

30 – Lapwing

31 – Snipe

32 – Little Grebe

33 – Pheasant

34 – Teal

35 – Wigeon

36 – Water Rail

37 – Pink-footed Goose

38 – Goldeneye

39 – Reed Bunting

40 – Sparrowhawk

41 – Oystercatcher

42 – Purple Sandpiper

43 – Great Black-backed Gull

44 – Sanderling

45 – Pied Wagtail

46 – Turnstone

47 – Dunlin

48 – Knot

49 – Ringed Plover

50 – Golden Plover

51 – Common Gull

52 – Peregrine Falcon

53 – Shag

54 – Fulmar

55 – Red-throated Diver

56 – Guillemot

57 – Kestrel

58 – Coot

59 - Wren