Nothing quite went as planned today. A morning without the kids saw me head down to the Tyne to see if I could get a shot at the juvenile Sabine's Gull that has been hanging a round. Despite it being seen before and after I left it was conspicuous by its absence whilst I was there. It probably got spooked by the 15 Carrion Crow that were hanging round the Middens waiting to mug the rich Tynemouth joggers.

I worked my way back along the coast via a few stops, checked the sycamores behind the Sea life centre for Yellow-browed Warbler (none) and Whitley Bay Cemetery for migrants (five Blackbird). the morning was pleasant enough, windless and noticeable that autumn is on time this year up here, no repeat of the last couple of years when we have had leaf filled trees long into November. I would estimate that 60-70% of leaf fall has happened.
No sooner do we have dark nights and some folk begin to think of spring. two pairs of courting Common Eider on a sunny Blyth Estuary were displaying vigorously, the males all puffed up and calling their deep 'oohs' audible from the dock.

High tide by the time I got to Newbiggin so the beach was almost deserted, a couple of Med Gull (one adult and one 1st-winter) loitered but even they looked bored so I moved on.

A couple more Med Gull at Woodhorn and a few Yellowhammer, this male Chaffinch the only real poser.

Running out of time I skirted through QEII CP hoping for something stray on the lake but a couple of immature/female Common Goldeneye and two posing Great Cormorant were all I could muster.

Half a mile from home and I couldn't resist the sight of this male Pheasant against the bright green kale(?) in the field.