Alan Curry

This Magellanic Plover necessitated a fair bit of legwork to locate on Tierra del Fuego. With a restricted global range and an estimated population of below 500 individuals, it probably qualifies as the rarest bird of the trip so far. #Patagonia #Birding

All hail the King. A sensational experience visiting the mainland colony of King Penguins on Tierra del Fuego. Even better than I hoped it would be! #Patagonia #Birding

Male Magellanic Woodpecker, a woodpecker the size of a wheelie bin. This one must hit the trees so hard, it’s blunted the tip of its bill! #Patagonia #Birding

Inca Terns, these jewels were lining the ledges, window sills and air con units of our seafront hotel in Vina del Mar. Just like the Kittiwakes on Newcastle Quayside! #birding

Peruvian Diving Petrel was a welcome lifer, giving off a real Little Auk vibe! #birding

Red-legged Cormorant, BB Albatross, Chilean Skua and Westland Petrel among some of the days star performers. #birding

Fuegian Storm Petrels a potential future split from Wilson’s perhaps? #birding

Salvin’s Albatross from a wonderful pelagic off Valparaiso last weekend. #birding

A few more of the phenomenal DSP from last week. A bit of a ball breaking three hour drive to get to the location but I ended up doing it three days running! #birding

That’s the first leg of our Chilean road trip up in the Andes done and dusted. With Diademed SP being firmly numero uno on the bucket list, our jaunt could hardly have started any better!

One of three DB Brents that have been visiting SMI Wetland this week. The high water levels resulted in some exceptionally close encounters in front of the viewing wall at times. #NEbirding

Yup!

Ha!

An exceptional 2 Grey Plovers today @ SMI inc a weird looking pale-billed individual. #NEbirding

Water Rail squeezed out of the shadows by last week’s freeze up. #NEbirding

Grey Plover in the north bay @ SMI this pm. A scarce occurrence here. #NEbirding

Male Snow Bunt putting the brakes on along Whitley Bay links this pm #NEbirding

The SMI Water Pipit was hunkered under the cliffs in the north bay late yesterday pm #NEbirding

Dark-bellied Brent on SMI Wetland this morning. The first record of the year here fittingly on the final day! #NEbirding

Ginormous crop of yesterday’s Russian WFG on the outskirts of Whitley Bay. The field was empty today with the Pinks having moved up to Gloucester Lodge, Blyth for a change of scene #NEbirding

Big crop of Martin Kerby’s fab Black-throated Diver off Tynemouth Long Sands this pm. A rare opportunity to see one locally that wasn’t belting past on a seawatch! #NEbirding.

I can probably count the number of Med Gulls I’ve had in Marden Quarry over the years on one hand. So 2 adults present this morning proved quite exceptional. Not had time to chase the ring up yet however. #NEbirding

The potentially wintering Firecrest continues to light up Marden Quarry this morning, tho it can be very difficult to locate at times. #NEbirding

Greenland WFG with Pinkfeet at Backworth yesterday. Given their current population decline, arguably the rarest bird seen in North Tyneside this autumn! #NEbirding

Snow Bunting along Whitley Bay prom yesterday, typically ridiculously approachable. #NEbirding

There seems to be a fair few Black Redstarts locally at the moment. This one was along the prom at Cullercoats this pm. #NEbirding

You might well be correct there Jack, we’re thinking about sacking off Unst next year and renting an airbnb on Studley Gardens instead 😂

The Marden Quarry Firecrest, the first one here since 1992 and what a banger! #NEbirding

Record shotery at its finest Adam, you’ve had a great Autumn keep it up!

Quality over quantity off SMI today in some decent seawatching conditions. An afternoon Leach’s Petrel proved the best of the bunch with Sooty Shearwater, Bonxie, GND and Little Gulls providing some canny back up. #NEbirding