Well, you can't say I didn't try

I've spent much of this weekend perched on the dunes at Druridge scanning the sea, trying to add a very special tern tot he patch list.

I have seen the bridled tern, that terned (geddit!) up on Inner Farne last Monday. I was on a 6am boat on Tuesday morning to see it. But as soon as it re-located to Druridge Bay, there was a really possibility that  I could get it on the patch.

Dave Elliott did. Jamming it from the dunes at Druridge. I've not been as lucky and despite over 15 hours of searching it has eluded me.

Looking for a single bird in miles of sea, on your own with no help, is always going to be tricky. I did see some nice birds whilst I searched for the rarity including; stacks of manx shearwaters, double figures of red-throated diver, four or five Arctic skuas, three drake velvet scoters (tonight), great-crested grebe, several roseate terns and also tonight, two adult summer plumaged little gulls flying north.

Also tonight a minke whale moved south through the bay (thanks to Dave Dack for the tip-off). The tern could still be around (last seen today at Cresswell Pond at 15:20) so there's still a chance.


We also did some ringing this morning. it was perfect ringing conditions this morning. Barely any wind and overcast for much of the morning. Ringing was dominated by juvenile warblers, which is great. We caught 27 new birds and three retraps which is excellent for July.

 Juvenile Warblers

Grasshopper Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Whitethroat

Adult Warblers

Reed Warbler

Sedge Warbler

 Not a warbler

Juvenile dunnock

Also of note this morning was a cuckoo and a grey wagtail flying south

131 Grey Wagtail

I can't keep up.

I am struggling to keep up with blog posts at the moment and with a knackered lens I've got no nice photos to put on the blog either (I might go and photograph butterflies, bugs and beasties this weekend)

Yesterday was spent mostly on Inner Farne. At 6.30 am I was enjoying fantastic views of Bridled Tern at 6.30pm I wasn't, I was back on Inner Farne, soaked through and miserable, not seeing the tern.

Don't ask why.

It was much warmer at Druridge this evening, but dull by comparison on the bird front. I ringed a brood of swallows and then had a look on the sea. A few Manx shearwaters flew north  - 25 in 1 hour - and an arctic skua was my first of the year.

'Over the road' Two marsh harriers were passing through.

DIY and gardening have taken a bit of  a priority this week, hence the lack of birding and blog activity. Hopefully will be ringing this weekend so things should improve on both counts.

130 Arctic skua