Teeside and White-throated Robin (10-11 June 2011)

Friday 10 June.  Met Martin Casemore off the M25 and he made great time up to Harlepool arriving at 1pm.  Unfortunately the White-throated Robin hadn't been seen for 2 hours.  Three hours later is was beginning to look quite desperate but it reappeared and gave superb views for an hour by the Inner Bowling Green, particularly favouring the rose bed.  We then drove to Redcar where we stayed with Nick Preston and made a late visit to South Gare where a flock of 20 Eider including several drakes was the highlight.  A brilliant day.

White-throated Robin

Saturday 11 June.  Martin, Nick and I returned to Hartlepool hoping for more views of the robin but it had gone much to the consternation of those not able to get there during the week.  Offshore Nick picked up a Puffin and two Manx Shearwaters flew north.  We spent the rest of the morning birding various Teeside sites seeing 3 Spoonbills at Saltholme Pools, seven adult and ten young Red Grouse plus a Woodcock, four Cuckoos, a Redstart family and 5 Spotted Flycatchers at Commondale and a pair of Little Ringed Plover with four one-day old chicks and a Fulmar at Scaling Dam.

Red Grouse