I had been working in the northeast for a couple of days but found that I could finish early - by the time I drove home the work day would be over and so I decided to make the short journey to Seaton Snook / North Gare beach to see if I could find any twite; it has been years since I saw any and I had been informed this was a good place for them.
The Babet storm system had been crossing through the night before and was continuing to cause havoc on the east coast particularly, but generally further north. The sea was rough, and the South Gare lighthouse was being battered by waves crashing onto it. Rain began to fall gently but I made up my mind to set out anyway -I had a waterproof coat.
As I went onto the beach there was little in the way of birds in view, other than a pair of stonechats along the posts by the path. I decided to head south along the beach as this promised to be the better habitat.
As I walked, I could hear the calls from curlews and oystercatchers but there was only one meadow pipit and two pied wagtails in the way of small birds. I reached the corner and despite the rain getting a little heavier, I pushed on to the fencing before the power station where I could look over into the river estuary. Now we were talking ... out in front were dozens of redshanks, oystercatchers, and a few curlews. On the opposite bank a few seals basked on the water's edge. Out on the water was a red-throated diver, the first of a few that would fish nearby or fly through.
There were still no small birds in view and so I scanned across the water and picked out a small bird on the very far edge, diving frequently. It surfaced and I could see it was a Slavonian grebe, a year tick! I watched as it worked left - hearing a call overhead I broke away - it was only a meadow pipit.
I turned to get back on the Slav grebe and in my bins was a red-necked grebe ... had I mis-ID'd the bird ...? No, there popped up my Slav with the red-necked grebe.
I followed both birds as they separated but neither ventured from the safety of the opposite bank, the Slav eventually disappearing altogether while I wasn’t looking. It was a little pointless taking photos but even record shots are worth having.
With only guillemot and the odd razorbill on the water I started scanning back along the water's edges and eventually picked up two knot, which then flew picking up about another ten before landing further down the channel.
The weather had turned, and a spot of sun had broken through, so I decided to back-track picking up only a couple of meadow pipits, a few wigeon, and a large flock of golden plover on the way. I reached the path to go back but instead decided to walk down to the water's edge where I found a single sanderling being flushed along by a couple of dog walkers. I got a photo, but it was immediately on the wing and distant when it landed. I returned up the beach and walked through the dunes hoping to find something resting there, but no dice.
I decided to climb over the dunes rather than simply follow the track and came across a path leading along a meadow and by some trees flushed a woodcock - not what I was expecting. The meadow was bordered by lots of fence posts and so I continued on beyond the trees hoping to perhaps see a raptor (merlin?) perched somewhere. A bird was perched on top of some trees and I raised my bins in hope - although it wasn't a raptor, I was still happy as it was a ring ouzel. Who'd have thought!
Time was getting on and I still had at least a 3.5 hour drive ahead of me and so I made my way back to the car and set off home. I'd had a good hour and a half and see some great birds, even managing a year tick - it is good up north!
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