Great to see and hear those harbingers of Spring back in numbers in Northumberland today, the Willow Warbler. I love listening to their song from now until early July!

Alan wins a Grey Seal Cruise for 2 with Andrew Douglas 👍

Mandy wins a Sunset Cruise for 2 with Andrew Douglas 👍

Congratulations to Mandy Fall for winning NTBC “non-member”Photographer of the Year 2024 with her image of a Little Egret on Hiky Island 🏆🥇 #littleegret #birdphotography #winner

Congratulations to Alan S.Jack for winning NTBC “member”Photographer of the year 2024 with his image of a pair of Common Eider at North Shields Fish Quay #eider #cuddyduck #birdphotography #winner

Sightings today include Hawfinch *(two - only 2nd definite patch record) Osprey, SEO, 2 Avocet, 3 Whimbrel, Greenshank, 10 Wheatear as well as sev Willow Wbler #BudleBay Mike Carr Mac Navin Neil Hinchliff neil osborne Ross Ahmed Lindisfarne NNR Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club

Still there Friday morning..

Northumberland is a main player in hen harrier mini=recovery but overall numbers still critically low. In The Journal today. Natural England NE Mike Pratt Northumberland Wildlife Trust RSPB England NHSN

We’ve had a Siskin invasion in our garden in Hexham. Swarms of them and they’ve now ventured up onto the soon to be paved terrace. Quite astonishing numbers daily. BTO RSPB Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club

Amidst the paddy fields of Gosforth today - Greenshank found by Phil Jordan this morning - thanks for the heads up Lophophanes

Our final Indoor meeting of the season is at McCraken Park, Gosforth on Thursday, 11th April from 7:00pm. Rob Jordan will present the results from our Photographic Competition. There are some excellent images so it should be an entertaining evening. Free entry, all welcome.

Highlights from delayed Wetland Bird Survey count this morning on the #Blyth estuary #Northumberland . In addition to colour ringed Shelduck Blue DV also had Lime TS. Greenshank was new for the year. Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club NERings Ros Green

Wheatear at Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear. Great to see them back!

In 1995 we had a massive influx of Mealy and Arctic Redpolls in #Northumberland . This one was done for the Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club annual report. #birdart #rarebirds

Arctic Tern on Warkworth Beach this morning. This is the earliest in Northumberland since 2017 and misses the all time earliest by just 5 days. A Common Sand nearby also an early one, Wheatear, Swallow, Sandwich Tern, feels like spring??? Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club

Patchwork Challenge Low-Carbon Birding NHSN Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club Wallsend Wildlife Jack Bucknall Alan Curry Alex Liddle Greenshank at Heathery Lane found by Phil from NHSN this morning - #106 on the green patch yearlist😃
Patchwork Challenge Low-Carbon Birding Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club Mike Carr Wallsend Wildlife

Drake Mandarin* #BudleBay ..first known patch record mid-afternoon Lindisfarne NNR Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club Ross Ahmed Neil Hinchliff neil osborne Mac Navin

Wintering Spotted Redshank, just starting to turn ‘Dusky’ at Bothal Pond, Northumberland. Also around 30 Sand Martins. Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club

Handsome Stonechat at St. Mary's Island. Singing and mate is nest-building.

The male Pine Bunting that spent 3 wks in Jan /Feb 1992 at Blakemoor Farm, Cresswell #Northumberland was a stunner. It was my 2nd in the county, not seen one since. Hard to believe it was 32 years ago!
#birdart #fieldnotes #rarebirds