Broad-bodied chaser at Tynemouth this morning - the first I've ever seen here.

Temporarily out of twitching retirement for a day! Great views of the western reef heron below Caernarfon Castle this morning... #ukbirding #rarebirdsuk

A rare trip up to Druridge Bay this afternoon reminded me that there are lots of good birds to see if you are willing to travel outside North Tyneside! A great white egret at East Chev South Pool was a surprise, as were nine 2cy little gulls at Hauxley. #nebirding

Another lovely morning for a vis-mig watch at Tynemouth. A hobby north at 0728 was a long overdue patch tick 🎉 and a spotted flycatcher over north was the first I've ever seen on vis mig. Also singing sedge warbler and lesser whitethroat around the patch this morning. #nebirding #patchbirding

Slower vis-mig day at Tynemouth this morning but great to get prolonged views of this marsh harrier, circling over South Shields to gain height before crossing over the river, then continuing on north. #nebirding #patchbirding

Greenshank on Tynemouth Boating Lake this morning. A scarcely credible sighting and a timely reminder of why I keep checking the place, despite its complete lack of interesting birds 99% of the time... #patchgold #nebirding

Vis-mig at Tynemouth this am produced a common crane south (only my second ever here but far too distant for pics), a hooded crow north and landing briefly (just about visible in photo), 9 mute swans flying out to sea then returning upriver, plus a steady run of hirundines. #nebirding #patchbirding

Female nightjar at St Mary's Island Wetland this pm. Just the best birds... #nebirding

Very smart adult med gull on Spanish Battery, Tynemouth this morning #nebirding #patchbirding

Today's #patchbirding mission was sedge warbler. Just about annual in Tynemouth but largely restricted to early May so it was now or never... It took a while but it was eventually mission accomplished when I found one singing from deep in the vegetation west of the Haven (sound on). #nebirding

Fieldfare in Prior's Park in the cold and drizzle at Tynemouth this afternoon #patchbirding #nebirding

My third grey plover in two days at SMI Wetland this morning. A strange-looking first-summer bird (but definitely not an American golden plover...) #nebirding

Genuine #patchbirding gold! One of two grey plovers on Spanish Battery Rocks at Tynemouth this afternoon - I've only ever seen fly-bys here before... #nebirding

Best morning of #patchbirding of the spring so far at Tynemouth today with female whinchat in Longsands dunes, 2 greenshanks over north, dark-bellied brent goose on Spanish Battery Rocks and 5 wheatears. #nebirding

Whimbrel in the sea fret at Tynemouth this morning #nebirding #patchbirding

Relatively quiet vis mig morning at Tynemouth enlivened by a hooded crow north over the river at 0823 (sadly too distant for photos). Flyover hooded crows are pretty much annual here in mid-April if you spend long enough looking, though of course they count for nowt in #pwc2026 now... #nebirding

'Just' a moorhen, but this one is Boating Lake gold! Moorhen on Tynemouth Boating Lake today, my first there for over six years... #nebirding #patchbirding

Quiet migration morning at Tynemouth today. Highlights of 12 whooper swans north and 3 sand martins south but very few passerines moving. A singing reed bunting on the Spanish Battery was unusual for here. #nebirding #patchbirding

It's a very, very long time since I've seen any taiga bean geese, so it was well worth a trip off patch to see the flock of 11 at Hoppen Kiln Flash this afternoon. #nebirding

Other white-billed diver photos are very definitely available, but I was pleased to get this one when it popped up right in front of us in the sunshine at Blyth South Harbour this afternoon. #nebirding

Polish colour-ringed Mediterranean gull 'PETL' with the black-heads at Tynemouth this morning #nebirding #patchbirding

Remains of one of two dead woodcocks found along the tide line at Longsands this pm. Presumably birds from the continent that didn't quite make it... #nebirding

Shockingly poor phone video (I didn't have my camera with me) but this knot with the turnstones on Tynemouth Boating Lake today is a true Boating Lake Mega! Along with little gull and 2 Med gulls in the surf off Longsands it made for a pretty decent lunchtime walk 😀 #nebirding #patchbirding

First #patchbirding twitch of the year for this juvenile glaucous gull at North Shields Fish Quay, which gave good views late this afternoon before heading off towards South Shields Pier. I didn't see one here last year, so it was great to see this one so early in 2026. #nebirding

And that's #patchbirding at Tynemouth up and running in 2026, with the long-staying black redstart still braving the cold weather at the base of the pier. Happy New Year! #nebirding

The best/worst of #patchbirding today... A wet lunchbreak spent staring across the river at the South Shields red-necked grebe, showing down to a few metres over there but more like 1km away from here! Easy enough to see what it was though in the scope and onto the #PWC2025 list it goes...

Five snow buntings at Whitley Bay this morning coming to within a few feet at times (video taken with my phone) #nebirding

Black redstart at Cullercoats today - a bit more accommodating than the Tynemouth birds have been over the last couple of weeks. #nebirding

Proper winter seawatching off Tynemouth pre-work this morning in strong northerlies and driving sleet! Disappointingly few birds moving though a single little auk was new for the year, plus 3 long-tailed ducks, great northern diver and 2 goldeneye. #nebirding #patchbirding

Last Saturday's black redstarts (one male and one female type) at Tynemouth Priory are, somewhat surprisingly, still here and this morning were at the base of the pier. Not the best pics, in pretty grim conditions, but much better views than last weekend. #nebirding #patchbirding

Bike twitch to Tynemouth Priory this pm for two black redstarts. Far too distant for the camera but onto the #PWC2025 list they go! The afternoon was subsequently soured a bit by missing a swift sp by about 10 mins 🫤 but hopefully it'll still be around tomorrow... #nebirding

Over five hours #patchbirding at Tynemouth this morning. 3 YBWs the best birds by far, though sadly all evaded the camera. Seven little gulls, two treecreepers (scarce here) and this drake wigeon on Spanish Battery Rocks (unusual to see on the ground/water here) were the best of the rest. #nebirding

Finally caught up with whooper swan at Tynemouth for #PWC2025 with 12 seen flying south this morning, including this flock of 7 past Spanish Battery. #nebirding

Most waders are rare at Tynemouth Boating Lake (for obvious reasons!) and this young dunlin this morning was only the second I've ever seen there. It seemed unmoved by people walking past it, often at very close range, so sadly may not have been in the best of health. #nebirding #pwc2025

Our last full day on Unst was a bit of a struggle in strong winds. The morning was virtually migrant-free but there was some evidence of a small arrival this afternoon with YBW, hen harrier and snow bunting at Skaw/Valyie. Sad to be leaving tomorrow but I'm sure I'll be back next year! #ukbirding

Unst Day 5: Another slow day, with migrants very hard to come by, was salvaged late afternoon as we finally joined the yellow-browed warbler party when we came across this beauty at Hunter's Wood. #ukbirding

Unst Day 4: Much quieter day today in a brisk southerly wind. A few new birds were evident but migrant passerines remain thin on the ground. A barred warbler at Burrafirth was probably the highlight, though it was generally very adept at avoiding the camera! #ukbirding

Unst Day 3 (2): Eastern bonelli's warbler would be a British tick for me so despite great views at Houland this afternoon, it was somewhat frustrating not to hear its diagnostic call, despite spending 4.5 hours on site. #ukbirding #rarebirdsuk

The weather was beautiful on Unst this morning, the Pallas's grasshopper warbler was still present at Clingera and I was pleased to get some better photos... #ukbirding #rarebirdsuk

Unst Day 2 (2): Up until we decided to visit Clingera this afternoon these two were vying for the accolade of bird of the day - summer plumaged great northern diver at Haroldswick and wood warbler at Halligarth... #ukbirding

Unst Day 2: a slow morning followed by a surreal afternoon during which we found a pallas's grasshopper warbler at Clingera! My photos were hopeless but thankfully @johnsoniain.bsky.social's were much better, including this one. #ukbirding #rarebirdsuk

Off patch for a week for our annual autumn trip to Unst. Our first full day today was somewhat challenging in a northerly gale and hail showers, with two common rosefinches at Leewart the best of the slim pickings on offer. #ukbirding

Also today, this pochard on Tynemouth Boating Lake. Sadly, less than annual here now. #pwc2025 #nebirding

#nebirding #PWC2025

Another great morning of vis-mig at Tynemouth with birds heading south in a light SW wind. Totals by 11.30 included: 4 marsh harriers (!) 3 buzzards 1,925 mipits 225 house martin 125 swallow 150 pink footed geese 80+ siskins 20+ redpolls 23 skylarks 7 swifts 5 grey wags 1 wheatear 1 reed bunting

Quiet-ish morning on the patch at Tynemouth, but a few local scarcities provided some interest, including this little egret right over my head in Prior's Park. Also garden warbler, jay, 3 rooks and a reasonable number of pipits and finches heading south. #nebirding #pwc2025

A proper autumn birding day on the patch at Tynemouth with a SE wind blowing all day. No less than 7 #pwc2025 year-ticks included pied fly and whinchat, while sea-watching added 2 black terns (my first here since 2017), little tern, little gull, pintail and common sandpiper. #nebirding

Not the best photo but my first half decent passerine migrant of the autumn at Tynemouth - spotted flycatcher this morning #nebirding #pwc2025

Clear skies and a light SW wind meant a busy morning of Vis Mig at Tynemouth. Totals by 9am included: House martin 1520 Mipit 1150 Swallow 660 Siskin 25 Swift 7 Redpoll 1 Black-tailed godwit 2 True totals must have been much higher as birds were passing through on all sides. #nebirding #pwc2025