I collected Nick and Mel from Seahouses for their 2nd consecutive day out with NEWT and we headed north towards Holy Island under blue skies…

Along the causeway Little Egrets, Redshank and Curlew were patrolling the interface between falling tide and freshly exposed mud.  Flocks of Golden Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit patterned the sky in twinkling clouds as Red-breasted Mergansers pursued fish incessantly just offshore and a fantastic Merlin was perched in roadside bushes along the Snook.  Blackbirds seemed to be in every bush we passed and a flock of Redwing were obligingly close as they feed in a grassy field.  Robins were ‘ticking’ in deep cover and Grey Seals were hauled out enjoying the sunshine while the chacking calls of Fieldfare betrayed their presence overhead.  Standing at the top of the Heugh a Woodcock flew by before vanishing over the cliff edge and an elegant Black-tailed Godwit provided a contrast to the short-legged Bar-tailed Godwits.  Roe Deer were just visible in long grass and a walk along Greenshiel produced a couple of heart-stopping moments as first a Woodcock and then a male Pheasant exploded from cover as we passed by.  As the tide rose and we headed back to mainland Pale-bellied Brent Geese were chased along by the incoming water.  Shelduck and Wigeon were present as far as the eye could see and we finished the afternoon with a magnificent Peregrine perched on a rock before it headed off and sent ripples of panic through all of the assembled waders, wildfowl and gulls.