Holiday Photos WEEK 1

Just back from a basically 'non birding' holiday but with a few opportunities to capture some of the wonderful variety of bird life in Northumberland. We headed up to our base in Beadnell and made a detour to Bempton Cliffs with the intention of spending the morning there. Unfortunately within 40 minutes the heavens opened  but  I did  manage to get a few images in rapidly worsening light...not ideal and certainly a little disappointing!

Gannets...wonderful birds close up!

...and in flight

One of many Tree Sparrows nesting around the RSPB centre.

 ..and then it was on to Beadnell to settle in and next morning to catch the early crossing to Lindisfarne.The best birds were a collection of Raptors. I am am never very keen on seeing tethered birds but couldn't resist this Merlin!

Next day, a visit to Staple Island in the Farnes for an all too short visit...all the usual suspects were on view and afforded some close up opportunities.

Guillemot...hundreds!

Razoorbill....only a few.

Irresistible Puffins

Coming in to land...at high speed.

A Puffin pair near their nest hole.

Still plenty of sand eels then!

A quick dash before the Lesser Black Backs steal them!

A drake Eider ...from Billy Shiels boat.

Kittiwake on nest

Shag...panting in the sun.

Back at Seahouses a female Eider guards her youngsters.

The following day whilst visiting Amble and learning that we could not get the boat trip to Coquet Island to view the Roseate Terns we visited Hauxley, Druridge Pools and Cresswell ponds.The highlight was a distant Red Breasted Goose.

Next day an early morning stroll around Beadnell with Ringed Plovers obviously breeding near by.

...and then inland to Ford where, whilst having a coffee, I happened to notice a Spotted Flycatcher feeding a youngster.

 ...and then onto Ingram and on the River Breamish breeding Oystercatchers and Common Sandpipers caught my eye!

Oystercatcher on the alert.

Common Sandpiper

Back at Beadnell in the evening and a quick visit to the Long Nanny Tern Colony where a 24 hour watch was being maintained to guard the Little Terns. At this stage my camera packed up and I only caught this Arctic Tern before returning to to 'base camp'....but that's another story.