After a pre-Xmas look around the Washes I headed north with the family on 23rd. We headed to the coast on Boxing Day and strolled back and forth along the beach at Filey interspersed with mugs of hot tea. Off the Brigg the winter plumaged Black Guillemot drew attention to itself in flight with it's dazzling white wing patches, it pitched on to the sea and fed amongst a large raft of Alcids. On Carr Naze a trio of Snow Buntings beguiled the children and adults alike in their flurries of flight and confiding bouts of feeding, allowing approach to just a few feet in the gloaming. In the bay a couple of Great Northern Diver drifted in on the rising tide as the sunset in pastels over the town.
The next morning we headed north again, stopping at McDonalds in Blaydon, Tyneside for lunch with a Waxwing. An obliging bird and a lovely bonus.
We were aiming to get out for a walk on the beach at Bamburgh before dusk and enjoyed the last hour of light in the shadow of the great castle. The sea was mill pond still with an throbbing swell proving very attractive to the dozen hardy surfers braving the north sea, the Farne Islands an iconic backdrop. On the sea there were plenty of Eider and Common Scoter and a pair of Long-tailed Duck close in.
Next day we headed up to Lindisfarne, with Curlew trembling the air with their sub-song and light bellied Brent Geese out on the mudflats as we crossed the causeway to the Holy Island.
Then started a slow potter southwards through Yorkshire taking in Whitby and a morning out birding with Rich Baines enjoying Goosander and assorted wildfowl at Castle Howard near Malton and another Waxwing in York town centre.
Another stop, on what really became a Xmas road trip, was to the RSPB Visitor Centre in Sherwood Forest where a Woodcock, Redpoll, a small flock of Crossbill and this Tit were pleasing distractions on our leg stretch to the Major Oak on our way from York and our homelands of the Fen.
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