Stag Rocks - 2nd January 2022

Jayne and I were still up in Northumberland on the 2nd, so we had a few hours at Stag Rocks aka Harkess Rocks, near Bamburgh. When we got there, it was nearly high tide, so we sat on the rocks and watched the Purple Sandpipers (100+), Sanderling (50+), Turnstone, Redshank  and Dunlin, feeding on the seaweed. 

Purple Sandpiper and Dunlin

One of the Purple Sandpipers was colour ringed. It was ringed on 20th September 2020 at Filey Brigg, and mine was the first sighting since.

Colour-ringed Purple Sandpiper

Year List update:

56 - Great Tit 

57 - Rook

58 - Common Buzzard

59 - Barnacle Goose

60 - Sanderling

61 - Purple Sandpiper

62 - Goldeneye

Bempton and Scarborough - 13th April 2021

 With a relaxation of lockdown rules allowing travel further afield, Jayne and I decided to have a day trip to the coast, visiting RSPB Bempton Cliffs and Scarborough. The weather was great, with bright sunshine, no wind and 12 degrees.

First stop was Bempton Cliffs, where we spent a couple of hours walking along the cliffs, recording the following species: Gannet, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Herring Gull, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Linnet, Pied Wagtail and Tree Sparrow.

Gannet

After Bempton, we drove up to Scarborough where we had a walk along the South Beach up to the harbour area. Herring Gulls were everywhere, and the first new species was an adult Great Black-backed Gull. Other species seen here were: Redshank, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper (one on the breakwaters), Rock Pipit and, best of all, a Great Northern Diver. 

Great Northern Diver

Year List update:

93 - Tree Sparrow

94 - Gannet

95 - Kittiwake

96 - Fulmar

97 - Puffin

98 - Razorbill

99 - Guillemot

100 - Great Black-backed Gull

101 - Turnstone

102 - Great Northern Diver

103 - Rock Pipit

104 - Purple Sandpiper

105 - Red Kite (seen on the way home, near Leeds)