Black Scoter at Goswick Sands on detour home

Black Scoter (file image)

 Romance on the beach

 Captured by Mrs D looking rather smug

 Goswick Sands

 Eastern Yellow Wagtail (@NEIL6518)

   

With there being regular reported sightings of a Black Scoter in Northumberland I thought I'd have a good chance of finding the bird given reasonable conditions. The drive from Grantown took around 4 1/2 hours and whilst there was some drizzle on the edge of the highlands, the rest of the jouney was bright sunshine and very little breeze. 

We parked up at Goswick Golf Club and took the path across the course. Adam Hutt had kindly send me a map which was very helpful. The walk took about ten minutes but it actually looked much closer. At first glance I thought this could be very difficult but once I set up the scope and started scanning I started to pick up ducks in good numbers. As I continued to go through the flocks there were several Red-throated and a single Great Northern. 

As I was looking at some Long-tailed Ducks a large flock of Scoters came across my scope with what looked a large sea duck! The flock were very mobile until finally settling allowing me to start working my way through the ducks. Thankfully due to the benign conditions the Black Scoter could be picked out. I did try and get a record shot but it was just impossible with the swell. You could watch the bird in your scope then next minute it was gone out of view. The bulbous bill was very distinctive. 

I was very pleased to finally see this bird as we tried from a couple of location last winter when visiting this area. Two lifers in three days, a great start to the year.

We had one final stop on the edge of Newcastle to see the reported Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Prestwick Carr. It will be interesting to see how many of the species are found now they are more common. At the same site I noted a Willow Tit, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Redwing and a Bullfinch. It was just another 4 hours to get home.