My 1st Orangetip Butterfly of the year in Co. Durham. Green-veined White was also a year tick. #NEbirding

My 1st butterfly of the year, a Comma in N. Marine Park, South Shields enjoying the 1st decent sunny day. #NEbirding

Short clip of the Tundra Bean Geese coming into land at Boldon Flats this afternoon. #NEbirding

A short clip of 1 of 2 SE Owls initially being photobombed by 1 of 2 Barn Owls at Cowpen Bewley this evening. #NEbirding

A few of the 22 Tundra Bean Geese that came into roost at Boldon Flats this evening, just after sunset. #NEbirding

Peregrine hunting over S. Shields Pier this morning. Very few waders around, so soon gave up and headed south. #NEbirding

I checked through my nocmig from last night. A large influx of Redwing with 100 recordings, mostly between 6 and 9am. However the highlight was 3 calls of Waxwing at 0423. Just to be sure I confirmed with both Birdnet and Merlin. #NEbirding

Red-necked Grebe still showing well at S. Shields this morning, in the pouring rain. #NEbirding

Great to get a Home patch 'lifer' when this Red Kite drifted west over the Lawe Top, S. Shields today. Over the Pier, over the Parks then over the House. #NEbirding

A Red-necked Grebe at Little Haven Beach this afternoon, only stayed for a short visit. It may well have been the same bird I found at the same place exactly a week ago. #NEbirding

A bit video of a Red-necked Grebe from Little Haven Beach, S. Shields this lunch time. #NEbirding

I have included the recovery records of the Med Gull from yesterday. Ringed in the nest in 2017 and spending most winters in the NE before returning to Poland to breed in the summer. This was my 5th sighting off her, over 4 winters. She is now 8 1/2 years old. #NEbirding

Came across an old friend this afternoon on the Dragon Playing Fields, S. Shields. A Med Gull which I last saw in Jan 2024. It is colour ringed with Red band and PETL in white. I have sent off the data to the Polish Ringing group and hope to get some feedback. #NEbirding

A short clip of a juv Glaucous Gull feasting on a carcass at S. Shields Yacht Club this morning. #NEbirding

At last something semi decent has turned up at S. Shields Pier. A Slavonian Grebe that cruised up and down Sandhaven Beach late afternoon, before heading out to sea. May still be in the area tomorrow. #NEbirding

Saw this very pale and grey looking Chiffchaff as it moved inland from the Pier, through the car park and then into the bushes beside Haven Point. Thought it looked good for a "sibe". Sadly it called just like a normie. Oh well, keep looking. #NEbirding

Highlight of last nights nocmig in N. Marine Park was loads of Redwing, several Fieldfare, and my 1st Brambling of the autumn. In the Pier Head car park similar numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare but also had Wigeon, Common Snipe and a Woodcock. #NEbirding

A short clip of the Shore Lark, this afternoon, that briefly dropped on to S. Shields Pier before making off south. #NEbirding

Another YB Warbler from an audiomoth recording. Again from Pier Head car park S. Shields this morning at 08:51. It also only called for a few secs before going silent for the rest of the day. #NEbirding

I have just gone through the files of an audiomoth I left in the Pier Head Car Park in S. Shields yesterday. At 14:20 a Yellow-browed Warbler called 17 times. It must have moved on quickly as there are no more calls. A few Redwing were noted early this morning #NEbirding

This afternoon 5 Barnacle Geese circled S. Shields Pier before settling on the river. Only stayed 5 mins before heading off north. A Greenshank also over the Pier, not seen just heard calling. Very little else of interest. #NEbirding

Isabelline Wheatear at Whitburn today. Really lucky to be there when it tried to scramble up the wall. Great find @birds-and-me.bsky.social #NEbirding

Another day another another Whinchat. This time by the side of S. Shields Pier. Using the wall as I blind the bird came relatively close, for a change! #NEbirding

Also at Trow Quarry today was a Whinchat, at times loosely associating with the local Stonechat family. #NEbirding

A short clip of 1 of the 3 reported Pied Flycatchers from Trow Quarry, South Shields this afternoon. #NEbirding

Also on Sandhaven Beach this evening were 5 Wheatear. Probably some of the same birds that have been around for the last few days. #NEbirding

An Adult and a Juvenile Roseate Tern on Sandhaven Beach this evening. The juv has a ring on its left tarsus which shows it is a Coquet I. bird. #NEbirding

Came across a family of Stonechats (2 ads and 3 juv) from the south bowl of Trow Quarry this afternoon. Adult male looking a bit ragged now that he is moulting, only has 2 tail feathers. The 3rd juv was higher up the stem, out of picture. #NEbirding

Not surprised with all the human disturbance, that there were only 4 (2ad, 2juv) Roseate Terns on Sandhaven Beach at high tide this evening. However 14 Sanderling, some still in summer plumage, didn't seem to mind as much. @tomcadwallender.bsky.social any info on bird with 2 leg rings. #NEbirding

Sat on the Sandhaven Beach for over 2 1/2 hours this pm. At 1 point 10 ad and 3 juv Roseate Terns were present together. Birds with rings inc. 3 on Left leg, 3 on Right Leg, 1 no ring and 1 on both legs. #NEbirding #UKbirding

A short clip of the summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit on Sandhaven Beach this morning. #NEbirding

Put my audio gear down by the S.S Pier overnight. Turned out to be quite interesting. 5 sp of Tern inc. Roseate and Little (1 instance each). Waders inc. Whimbrel (6), Redshank (6), Common Sand (4), Oiks (4), Curlew (4), Dunlin (1) and to top it off Wood Sand (1). #NEbirding #nocmig #bioacoustics

Just after seeing the White-beaked Dolphins I turned round and this Hummingbird Hawk Moth was feeding on the Valerian by the Pier side. Seems to have been a good year for these migrants. #NEbirding

A small pod of White-beaked Dolphins way, way out beyond the piers at S. Shields this afternoon. I could hardly see them so it was lucky I got this heavily cropped photo, so I could positively id them. #NEbirding #UKbirding

3 ad Roseate Terns on Sandhaven Beach this afternoon. Only 2 had metal rings, both on left leg. Only stayed about 5 mins. before being flushed. A single ad Med Gull hung around a bit longer. #NEbirding #UKbirding

Heard a Yellow Wagtail circling S/S Pier before heading across the river. 10 mins later heard it again and there it was on the pier right in front of me. A juvenile fly catching. You can just see the fly in question in 2nd photo. #NEbirding #UKbirding

A short slomo clip of a Hummingbird Hawk Moth on my neighbours Lavender this morning. Totally ignored my Lavender so didn't get it as a house tick! #NEbirding #UKbirding @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Came across this 'monster' this morning in N. Marine Park. Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria). The largest British species at about 2cm long. A migrant from Europe to southern Britain rarely seen this far north. #NEbirding #UKbirding

A quick look at a small plot of wasteland on the Lawe Top produced of interest, Large and Small Skippers, Meadow Browns and Ringlets, Cinnabar Moths and 5 spot NB Burnet Moths. #NEbirding

I left my Audiomoth and Song Meter at Boldon Flats over 2 nights. Haven't finished going through all the files but expect 60ish species. LE Owls were very vocal. Spectrogram showing at least 3 birds constantly calling. #NEbirding @openacousticdevices.info #bioacoustics #nocmig

My 1st Painted Lady of the year, 3 in fact. On the red Valerian along Sea Road, South Shields. Already better than last year when I saw none at all. #NEbirding @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

Spent a fab evening at the ‪@speyside-wildlife.bsky.social mammal hide, last week where we saw up to 6 Badgers and a Pine Marten. Well worth a visit if you are up that way. The wife and I were also really lucky as we saw a 'real' Wild Cat the day before. #NEbirding

On my way to Hamsterley Forest, last week, to pick up my audio gear, I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. Slomo clip of an early morning hunting Barn Owl. #NEbirding

My FOY Large Skipper and Common Blue from South Shields today. #NEbirding

This is a spectrogram of a selection of Nightjar calls taken with my Audiomoth and processed in Audacity, from the other night at Hamsterley Forest. It includes the 'churring, wing clapping and froggy croak calls. . @openacousticdevices.info #NEbirding

This time I left my #audiomoth for 2 days at Hamsterley Forest. Just finished going through all recordings and have identified a total of 49 species. List below shows nothing unexpected. But I also saw and heard Crossbills which weren't picked up on recording. @openacousticdevices.info

Obviously not the greatest quality ever seen but this was taken 50 mins after sunset. Just to hear the bird was great but to see it as well was even better. Nightjar at Hamsterley Forest last night. Well worth a listen. #NEbirding

I put my #audiomoth out at Derwent Gorge, Muggleswick and left it for 4 days. I have only worked my way through 2 days so this is the results, so far. 50 species including Tawny, Barn and Little Owls with Woodcock at night. #NEbirding

My 1st Holly Blue of the year from S. Marine Park. A bit later than normal but the recent cold northerly winds probably have not helped. #NEbirding

Came across this juv Dipper begging for food from a parent, on a trip up to Weardale today. #NEbirding