White-fronted goose still at Margrove in with greylag this afternoon, plus distinctive BoP at Sleddale I'm not 100% about, presuming common buzzard due to sp. variability but happy to be corrected. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Nice to have a fieldfare visit the garden this morning. Certainly stood out amongst the starling flock. Nice to have blue sky & bright light too, makes such a difference. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Nice to find a white-fronted goose in with a dozen or so greylag on Margrove back pond this afternoon. Belly stripes and white blaze striking. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Quiet at Margrove lately, a few herring gulls & common gulls the highlights. Disheveled coal tit up by the crossroads - recent scrape with a predator perhaps? It appeared to be ok - flying & feeding well thankfully. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Redwing at Margrove just before the sun made a welcome appearance. Snipe & barn owl also at far bank. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

A productive hour at Cattersty Gill 1pm. Red kite being hassled by corvids, Rock pipits, fly-over & diagnostic call from the Richard's pipit, small flock of meadow pipits, barn owls, fulmars & bullfinch. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

A quick look at Cattersty Gill to see if the Richard's pipit is still about was an impossible task given then weather. Did see these potentials though (poss same bird) with right size, undulating flight & very noticeable white outer tail feathers. Shame it/they didn't call. @teesbirds.bsky.social

One of the 'Polish' mute swans that was born at Skelton Castle this year having a fly round its new home at Margrove, plus a dark eyed herring gull & one I'm not sure about - looks like herring but was very small, just a little bigger than a BHG. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Wondered why the garden was so quiet before noticing this beautiful sparrowhawk waiting for a chance to strike. Photo taken in poor light at a distance through kitchen window. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Dark winter storms together with bright sunlight giving superb contrast & colour with this collared dove near Loftus. Such a common bird these days, hard to believe the 1st UK record was only in 1952. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Very distant long-tailed duck & common scoter at Scaling Dam today, both nice to see inland - many thanks to the kind birders who gave great scope views of the LTD. Much closer cormorant showing well just as the sun made a welcome appearance. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Nice to see one of the Margrove barn owls out & actively hunting this afternoon - hope it had success 🤞 Common gull on ice & having a yawn nice to see also. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Lovely to see a brambling at Lockwood Beck today, feeding well along with siskin, marsh tit & goldfinch. Always a joy to see these winter visitors with their stunning plumage. Nice to see one out of the leaf-litter so as to fully appreciate it. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Thrilled to have seen the bluethroat at South Gare this afternoon. What a beautiful little bird. Amazingly fast scurrying through the scrub & grass more mouse-like than bird. Wishing it well on its travels. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Very much a record shot of the superb olive-backed pipit at South Gare this afternoon - gave better views than photo suggests. 4 x whooper swans fresh-in at Bran Sands plus dark-bellied brent goose & bar-tailed godwit nice to see also. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Twilight at Lockwood Beck with a treecreeper & goldeneye showing well in what little light there was. Pink-stained herring gull at Margrove, plus barn owl also giving close fly-by's - no photo unfortunately. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Just leaving Scaling Dam as night descended when 12 whooper swans flew in. A couple initially looked promising for bewick's but distance & lack of light made it difficult to tell - pretty sure they're all whoopers. Lovely to see either way. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Twilight at Margrove with a very distant jack snipe & little grebe, both nice to see - 1st LG I've seen there in a couple of years. Could barely make them out in the dark, motion of JS bobbing & LG diving gave them away. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Greenfinch goldfinch spat at Lockwood Beck feeders. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Greenfinch, goldfinch & siskin at Lockwood Beck. A reminder of just how big greenfinch are when seen alongside its smaller cousins. Water rail & teal showing nicely at Margrove. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Distant rough-legged buzzard over Park Nab near Kildale this afternoon. Views better than this terrible low-light photo suggest. Nice to see, hope it stays around for the winter 🤞 @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Family of red-legged partridge feeding around the manure heaps near Kildale today, at least 10 birds present including these two showy individuals. Plumage never fails to astonish. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Haven't been able to get out for a while so a real treat to get to Margrove this afternoon and find a life ✅ with a jack snipe bobbing up & down feeding at the far bank. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

8 x whooper swans at Margrove this afternoon. Usually the mute swans see them straight off, but with the mutes currently being elsewhere the whoopers have settled to rest & feed. Fabulous to see & hear them. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

A small number of white & pied wagtails were the highlight at Margrove on an otherwise very quiet day. Lone wigeon still present. Rock pipit at Saltburn nice to see. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Nice common buzzard action over the moors, raven, kestrel & red kite also seen. Small flock of fresh meadow pipits with lovely warm plumage feeding in grassland. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Everything very distant at Margrove today but some nice birds about - common sandpiper, 2 x grey wagtail, several teal, and a wigeon being the highlights. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Second day in a row both swans at Margrove missing. If anyone has any info re their whereabouts could you please get in touch. Female unringed. Male is ringed XY1506. Many thanks. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Teal at Margrove today. They tend to stay distant so this one only a few metres away was lovely to see. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Chaos at Scaling Dam when a small dark unidentified BoP flew through & lifted every bird going, including the greater black-backed gulls & great white egret. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

A pair of common snipe were showing well at Margrove today. Good dragonfly action too with several common darter & several migrant hawkers hunting the main path & proving difficult to photograph. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Wheatear & skylark nice to see whilst waiting for the wryneck at South Gare this morning. Reed bunting & dunnock in nice light at Margrove on way home. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Only photo I could manage of the wryneck at South Gare this morning, but thankfully was blessed with superb, albeit brief binocular views. A bird I've wanted to see for many years. Huge thanks to Martyn for his kind help & excellent spotting skills. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Distant juv common tern at Tees Barrage today. Gave some superb up-close flight views but it was far too nimble for my camera panning skills. Nice to see and excellent to watch. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Couldn't pick out the lesser white-fronted goose amongst the hundreds of sleeping greylags at Bowesfield marsh this aft, but this pair of godwits more than made up for it. Thinking juv black-tailed but happy to be corrected. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Mute swan at Margrove. This is the male, complex in character and somewhat temperamental. King of the pond for sure. Truly a magnificent bird. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Quiet on patch today. Highlights were little egret at Scaling Dam, plus distant snipe in upright posture, and common gull at Margrove. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Knots landing at Scaling Dam this afternoon. 4 birds circled a couple of times before coming to rest at the far side. Distant but nice to see - a 1st for me at that location. Thanks to the kind birder who saw them coming in & pointed them out. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Chiffchaff galore at Margrove, plus a juv blackcap which was nice to see albeit briefly. Berries adding some welcome colour to photographs. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Perfect light and barely a breeze made for some beautiful reflections at Margrove today. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Plenty of chiffchaff around Margrove today including this beautifully marked olive green individual (no song heard unfortunately). Reed bunting, robin, blue tit & coal tit all showing well as were marsh tit & dunnock. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Lots of chiffchaff remaining at Margrove, plus a small flock of meadow pipits passing through. Little ringed plover pottering about & crouching heron looking quite BoP-like from a distance. Not sure if there are any fish left but here's hoping 🤞 @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Sunlit snipe in between the much needed rain showers today at Margrove. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Nice to see a coal tit at Margrove today. Chiffchaffs galore including quite a few singing birds, plus a distant little ringed plover & two common gulls nice to see. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Marsh tit & chiffchaff showing well at Margrove today, plus one I'm not too sure about - recently fledged chiffchaff perhaps? Common gull nice to see also. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

More yellow feet, only on a bird that's meant to have them this time - little egret showing well outside the hide at Scaling Dam today. Great white egret coming in to land at the far bank nice to see also. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Marsh tits at Margrove today. At least 5 birds present - possibly more which was good to see. Reed bunting, chaffinch, dunnock, blue tit, great tit, & robin also present. Welcome greeting from the swans. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Lots of chiffchaff and a few willow warbler at Margrove this afternoon, including one noticeable bird with bright yellow feet (1st 2 photos). Mainly contact calls heard, but a few birds actually singing - lovely to hear in late August. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Good BoP action on the moors in-between the most welcome rain storms today, with 8 x red kite + 2 buzzard in one location & a further 2 red kite & buzzard 100m further up the road. 200+ passing hirundines also superb to see. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

A rather showy female mandarin duck at Margrove this evening. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social