BLACK_BROWED ALBATROSS!!!!!!!!!!!

 On Monday I drove up to RSPB Bempton Cliffs to see the long-staying Black-browed Albatross "Albert"!

I arrived on site at 5.50am, and saw the bird straight away, perched on the cliffs below Staple Newark, with the Gannets. It was well tucked in, but did keep stretching, and had a brief fly around, before disappearing into the heavy sea fret! A fantastic sighting, and a "lifer" to boot.

Afterwards, I drove further up the coast to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, a regular spot for Mediterranean Gulls. I saw a minimum of  9 on the beach, along with Black-headed Gulls, a fishing Shag and Arctic and Sandwich Terns.

Mediterranean Gull

My final stop of the day was St Mary's Island, where another 20+ Sandwich Terns were roosting. In amongst them were 3 darviced birds, UBB, UVN and KAL. UBB was originally ringed on Coquet Island, on 5th May 2015. It was seen here again in 2018. My sighting is the first since then, and the first away from the island. UVN was also ringed in 2015, on Inner Farne. It has nested on Coquet Island since, but has also been reported in Namibia, in October 2018. I haven't heard back from KAL yet. 

UBB

UVN

KAL

A ringed Black-headed Gull, T73, was also at St Mary's. No details of where and when it was ringed yet, but a local birder said it was a returning German bird.

T73

Year List update:

151 - Black-browed Albatross

152 - Mediterranean Gull

153 - Shag

154 - Sandwich Tern

155 - Arctic Tern