Missed the aurora last night, but more than compensated by seeing the spectacular Mercury Rev in Sunderland.
Mark Eaton
@markaeaton.bsky.social
Scientist, conservationist, naturalist, birder. Secretary of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel & ornithologist for hire. Loves all of that plus dogs, music, leftwing politics, football, Northumberland, family. He/him.
No proper birding today, but a short dusk dog walk was good value, with c540 Barnacle Geese yapping their way towards the Solway Firth, and a male Goshawk exchanging words with the local Buzzards #NEbirding
Tapas and then the glorious west coast harmonies of The Hanging Stars at The Cluny to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. A good night
Before the excitement of Cranes, a potter around Craster produced a few Chiffchaff, one Whooper Swan, and another six Mediterranean Gulls (which seem to be everywhere at the moment). And a very impressive sun halo #NEbirding
See that red ring? That’s our very distant view of the Northumberland coast, across which have just flown 3 Cranes, giving a 10 second view at something like 4-5 mile range. House mega! With thanks to @gary-woodburn.bsky.social for the tip-off 🍾🙂🏡✅ #NEbirding
Boulmer, late pm… Lapland Bunting still present, Ruff, Barnacle Goose, Little Owl, 2 Arctic Skuas, c210 Little Gulls & 40+ Mediterranean Gulls - the latter an amazing count, several times my previous site best #NEbirding
Tonight, the supernaturally sprightly hippy Jon Anderson (81 years young) in Gateshead, demonstrating the benefits of meditation and a macrobiotic diet by belting flawlessly through a set of Yes classics
Boulmer in the afternoon - Shorelark arrived onto Longhoughton Steel, Redstart, Whimbrel, Brambling, Ruff, 8 Wheatears, c20 Song Thrushes, 2 Snipe, c3200 Golden Plover #NEbirding
A morning of good birding and terrible photos around Seaton Pt, Northumberland… ringtail Hen Harrier, Yellow-browed Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, 2 Redstarts, 8 Bramblings, 228 Song Thrushes (no Redwing!), Sooty Shearwater, 4 Arctic Skuas, c20 Little Gulls, 7 Pintail #NEbirding
A strangely quiet day with @yolobirder.bsky.social on Holy Island - a handful of Bramblings the highlight - was suddenly improved by being in the right place at the right time to see the Olive-backed Pipit found by Stef McElwee. A surprisingly rare bird in Northumberland #NEbirding
Duck-tastic at Seaton Pt today, with c630 Teal inc. a flock of c510 on the sea, and a patch scarcity Shoveler. Also 1 Pomarine (a cracking spoony adult), 5 Arctic & 3 Great Skuas, 1 Sooty & 3 Manx shearwaters, 1 Med & c80 Little Gulls, c50 Common & 8 Arctic Terns, 22 P-b Brents #NEbirding
New job alert 🪶🧪 We are hiring a Conservation Scientist to work on links between hydrological restoration and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker conservation Deadline: 7/10/26 Apply here: app.vacancy-filler.co.uk/salescrm/Car... #SpeciesRecoveryProgramme @naturalengland.bsky.social 📷Ben Andrew
Action shot of a Draparnaud's Glass Snail - seeing this handsome purple mollusc was my reward for replacing rotting decking joists this morning #ukwildlife
Surprisingly good seawatching at Boulmer this afternoon - in 2 hrs: 1 Sabine’s Gull, 1 Balearic, 7 Sooty & 7 Manx Shearwater, 1 Pomarine, 5 Long-tailed, 17 Arctic, 4 Great & 7 unidentified small Skuas, 1 Med & c400 Little Gulls, 2 Pintail, 2 Brent, c195 Teal. Curlew Sandpiperon the beach #NEbirding
Progging-out with Marillion in Gateshead tonight. The first rock band I ever saw, 41 years and 100’s of gigs ago…
Budle Bay, late afternoon - 3 Spotted Redshanks, 8+ Greenshanks and a very distant Great White Egret (5th record, says Budle guru @budlebirder.bsky.social), but the Brents were too distant to pick out the Black Brant #NEbirding
A mixed day… great to have a Baird’s Sandpiper buzz me on Goswick beach, but frustrating not to be able to refind it. Presumably the bird from Guille Pt earlier in the week. Best of the rest was an entertainingly grey Little Stint, Merlin, Marsh Harrier, Merlin, 1186 Pinkfeet arriving #NEbirding
Top evening at Boulmer - got good views of the Lapland Bunting, and the sea was hooching with life inc. 1 Long-tailed & c16 Arctic Skuas, 1 Bonxie, 1 Sooty & 8 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Black Tern, c70 Little & 4 Med Gulls, 7 Pale-bellied Brents & a Minke Whale 🐳 #NEbirding #birds #cetaceans
This week’s gig, Voyage 35 playing the early psychedelic music of Porcupine Tree. Which will mean absolutely nothing to most of you, but was a very good thing indeed.
⏰ NOMINATIONS CLOSING SOON Know someone in #ornithology deserving of recognition? Nominate them for a BOU award now! 🪶 🥇 Godman Salvin Prize 🥇 Alfred Newton Lecture 🥇 Janet Kear Union Medal 🥇 Early Professional Award Deadline: 15 September 2026 Nominate: bou.org.uk/about-the...
Boulmer this afternoon - 1 Roseate Tern, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Ruff, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 6 Wheatears. A fantastic pulse of Swallow passage around 15.45, c650 birds (and just 2 House Martins) south over the sea in 15 minutes before it suddenly stopped #NEbirding
New job alert🪶 Research assistant to support research on Willow Tit demographics. Must have a BTO ringing licence at C level or above Location: Midlands and North of England Duration: Oct-Nov 2026 Deadline: This Wednesday Sept 9th Apply here: app.vacancy-filler.co.uk/salescrm/Car... 📷Ben Andrew
Another gig… Primal Scream absolutely roaring through their classic XTRMNTR album in Newcastle last night.
Faithless closing Lindisfarne Festival last night, a set of amazingly over-the-top epic techno. Loved it.
At Lindisfarne festival and the rapper Professor Green keeps telling the crowd how glad he is to be in Scotland 🙄. I suspect he might not be a proper professor…
Another stunning gig… The Waterboys ‘Fisherman’s Blues Revue’, reunited with legendary fiddler Steve Wickham and with Steve Earle guesting. Glasgow Hydro last night ❤️
⏰ NOMINATION DEADLINE APPROACHING Know someone in #ornithology deserving of recognition? Nominate them for a BOU award now! 🪶 🥇 Godman Salvin Prize 🥇 Alfred Newton Lecture 🥇 Janet Kear Union Medal 🥇 Early Professional Award Deadline: 15 September 2026 Nominate: bou.org.uk/about-the...
Aquatic mammals were the highlights of a family trip to Argyll last week. As well as the Beavers in Knapdale, this mum Otter feeding two cubs on the shore of Loch Fyne stole our hearts! #ukwildlife #ukmammals
