Les Hall

27 Avocets and 19 Whoopers Swans on the #Blyth estuary this morning.
#NEbirding

Back to normal on the #Blyth estuary after all the White-Billed Diver shenanigans. 4 decent #ColourRinged birds this week already.
Teesmouth Shelduck for 4th year, Cumbrian Avocet for 3rd year and a couple of Scottish ringed Shags for their 6th years .
Picturesque innit 🤪
#NEbirding

All those European games in Swansea and Wrexham next season 👌

#ColourRinged Avocet (Yellow Flag 7L) has returned to the #Blyth Estuary for a 3rd consecutive year. See this morning in a flock of 17 birds just below Mount Pleasant farm.
@ntbirdclub.bsky.social @yellowbrow.bsky.social
##NEbirding

#ColourRinged Shelduck (Blue DV) has returned to the #Blyth Estuary for a 4th consecutive year. Originally ringed at Seal Sands Teesmouth on 26/6/22.
@ntbirdclub.bsky.social
@teesbirds.bsky.social
@teesmouthbirdclub.bsky.social @yellowbrow.bsky.social
#NEbirding

White billed Diver is now at #Blyth Quayside opposite Alcan silos
#NEbirding

@andyrickeard.bsky.social

Just in case you had lost JEY1. The Darvic had finally been jettisoned. Photo from 19 February 2026 at QE2. Stavanger metal ring is 6235252

11 Avocets at Mount Pleasant Bay on the #Blyth Estuary this afternoon. #NEbirding

White-billed Divers at Blyth this week, (compared) #NEbirding #UKbirding #RarebirdsUK

Shags have had a tough few years on the Isle of May following a large mortality event in winter 2023/24 and a smaller event earlier this year.

Thankfully both 2024 and 2025 saw above average productivity, so hopefully the population can recover in time. 🐣

#IsleOfMay #seabirds #ornithology

Absolutely fantastic Jonathan and so pleased you had a great day on the Costa del Blyth.

European away games for you next season will be Swansea City but maybe not Wrexham depending on how they do in the play offs 😉

Thanks Josie, you’ll be busy as I’ve just sent you a pile of Darvic readings from Blyth East Pier for February.

As already mentioned looks like a Shag ring just like this one from last autumn on an Isle of May bird we had at Rocky Island @josiethebirder.bsky.social @steelyseabirder.bsky.social ?

The original White-billed Diver from Tuesday has returned to #Blyth South Harbour after a morning trip to the Sleekburn Spit further up the estuary.

Second White-billed Diver of the week on the River Blyth. This one found yesterday by Brian Martin is at Coniston Road on the Riverside Park. Easy Parking and a. 20 metres walk to the bird . The original bird is now also visible on the Sleekburn #NEbirding

White Billed Diver at Blyth this morning in some lovely light.
@teesbirds.bsky.social
@teeswildlife.bsky.social
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
@ntbirdclub.bsky.social
@nenature.bsky.social
@bbcspringwatch.bsky.social
@rspbengland.bsky.social
@rspb.bsky.social
🪶

Does it contain these? #Superdrab Level 11

That’s a cracking picture Simon 👌

At least 5 years since we had #J76Y at #Blyth Quayside and your bird must have been ringed about same time. How old is your bird now ?
#NEbirding

Snap ! Great way to spend the day down at Blyth harbour 👌

Smashed these boys Tom 💪

It found me Paul. I’d missed it on the way in and I was heading back to the car when it surfaced about 10m in front of me . So that’s Walrus and White-billed Diver on my self found list for Blyth Harbour. Harp Seal or Narwhal next eh ?

Nice self found White-billed Diver at #Blyth South Harbour this morning whilst out bagging a few #ColourRinged Shags. #NEbirding @ntbirdclub.bsky.social

Someone’s ’fifty’ being ‘celebrated’ in a hedge at the Aln Estuary, Northumberland. Have a thought about the consequences of balloon releases, it’s just creating litter polluting the environment, and potentially killing wildlife! #banballoons

BTO right, Darvics on left 👍. We’ve had 7 #ColourRinged Shags today on #Blyth East Pier in Northumberland today. At least 3 known Isle of May birds, a @bardseybirdobs.bsky.social bird which first appeared in autumn 2024 and 3 completely new birds. Feeding incredibly tough for them at the moment .

After a quiet winter with only 3 #ColourRinged Shags on #Blyth East Pier it’s fair to they’ve been on the move. Tonight’s roost held 7 birds including 3 Isle of May birds, with Green ARX, ringed 2014 back for another winter. 2 new birds included Yellow 8F8. Any ideas @josiethebirder.bsky.social ?

This makes a strong case for all released non-native birds to be tagged with the name of the estate. Released birds would remain the property of the estate, thus ending the Schrodinger’s pheasant conundrum. @raptorpersuk.bsky.social

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2022/02/07/w...

Should have a minced Needletail at the base of that turbine to be authentic 😉