David Parkin

A wading bird with a long curved bill, it's red and copper colouring deepened by the early light

Glossy Ibis, a rare visitor to the Northumberland coast early today. #UKBirding #NEBirding

A small partridge standing on gravel in a rural garden.

This Red-legged Partridge seems to have adopted us. In the Garden today with a juvenile, I had no idea they bred so early. #NEBirding #UKBirding

Aspall Warbler perched at the top of a tree and singing. Whitethroat.

Many Warblers in Ulgham Meadows LNR today. Slow trigger finger meant I only snapped the Whitethroat #UKBirding #NEBirding

A small brown Warbler with a white eye stripe and a white throat singing from the top of a hedge

Merlin heard 8sp of Warbler on Ulgham Park Lane this morning, I think I agreed with 7 but could only snap the Sedge Warbler. A fantastic half hour of bird song though. #NEbirding #UKbirding

A small waterbirds picking its way through shallow water, reeds and leaves. Displaying its red bill, long legs, mottled brown back, grey underside & striped side

The Water Rail at Northumberland Park came too close for my camera, but my wife managed to snap it.

Small wader, mottled brown back and bib with a clean white underside standing close to an anchor chain.

Turnstone on Amble harbour staying still for the photo. (Of course the ball and chain helps). #BirdingNE #Birds

Bought mine in 1984. There is a more current edition I used as a children's prize for a matural history quiz last summer

West Stobswood Pools 11am today

I don't know? Canada / White fronted hybrid? #NEBirding all the other 145 were Canada.

Whooper Swan standing on one leg, surrounded by other water birds. Showing its distinct bill markings.

Single Whooper Swan at QEII Park, Ashington. I see it every January but as I only visit once a year I guess it could be resident. #NEBirding #Birds

A White-billed Diver swimming in Ladyburn Lake in Northumberland.

White-billed Diver a long way from home. Don't you just love Northumberland?#NEBirding

We have had a merlin in the garden this year, presumably the one we usually see in the fields around Ulgham.

We have had one in the garden! Presumably the same one we see in the fields to the south and east of Ulgham

DIY meant a late and gloomy walk today, but a little sparkle was added by a small group of Goldcrest on Ulgham Lane. Heard regularly but first sighting this year. #NEBirding #Birds

Hi. You might also want to consider Northumberland. The coastal path passes many castles and nature reserves with other trails leading off inland to the moors. I could send you the NTBC bird report early next year if you are interested.

Black and white duck with a white cheek and golden eye.

Phone pic of a Goldeneye on the Wansbeck this morning, oddly keeping close company with a Mute Swan.

I have apps on my phone, eg Collins, merlin. Really useful if you need to remind yourself about what might be key features or even what the hell you might be looking at. They are a reassurance but don't give the same contentment as spending the afternoon with the photos and books.

Ha Ha! I wonder how many individual filing systems there are? Maybe when "they" harmonise the global list we will all be able to use an off the peg system.

@whitburnbirds.bsky.social Hi. I am putting #NEbirding in my posts but they aren't appearing- am I getting something wrong?

A Grey Heron standing on a rock in the River Wansbeck, autumn leaves floating past.

3 Roe Deer, a crow with a broken wing and the sound of Goldcrests and Treecreepers. But only this guy prepared to pose on the R Wansbeck #birds #NEbirding

I think I am looking at he feed

Hi. My last few posts although tagged birds and NEBirding haven't appeared in the threads, am I doing something wrong?

A fieldfare sitting in tree with red berries

At last the Fieldfares reach Ulgham. So have the Teal but pics too awful to share. #birds #NEBirding

Ulgham Woodlands & Meadows LNR. Steps now in place to enable a short 1k circular walk round the reserve, as long as you don't mind risking life and limb on the stepping-stones. Suggestions from fellow birders re further improvements gratefully received. Goldcrest this weeks best. #birds #NEBirding

Now with the pic attached #pigeonSky

#pigeonsky a celebratory tufted woodpigeon.

Or even #birdingnortheast

Lesser Grey Shrike, should be in Africa now but instead is lighting up the Amble coastline.#northeastbirding

A welcome, but slightly surprising addition to my garden list, first in 30 years. A Red-legged Partridge admiring the neighbours RV. #birds #ukbirding

My first Pink-footed Geese of the season overhead this morning. Hope they might come down and join the early Wigeon on the ponds who are already visiting the Coot, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Mute Swan and Little Grebe. #birds