Portrait of a female Eider Duck, Seahouses Harbour

Male Eider Duck in Seahouses Harbour

Male Eider Duck in Seahouses Harbour.

Mirror Mirror....I don't think there is a much more beautiful sight than the Male Eider Duck.

Male Eider Duck

Male Eider

Male Eider Duck - one of my very favourite ducks!

Male Eider

Male Eider

The female Eider is not as flashy as the male, but she still has a very stylish look.

Purple Sandpiper - this gorgeous little wader was hunkered down on a small ledge...how the boat Skipper spotted it I'll never know!

Purple Sandpiper.

Female Stonechat - amazing beak full of goodies for the kids!

Female Stonechat

Male Stonechat - Newton Steads

Female Stonechat have a bit of brush up!

Male Stonechat - Newton Steads

Male Stonechat - Newton Steads

Male Stonechat

Male Stonechat - Newton Steads

Perky little Lady Stonechat!

Female Stonechat

Meadow Pipit - Low Newton Freshwater ponds.

Meadow Pipit - Low Newton freshwater ponds.

Willow Warbler - these little birds were singing all around us as we walked through the dunes around Embleton Bay and Low Newton by the Sea. Very like a Chiffchaff but easily identified when the song is heard.

Portrait of a Chaffinch - Breamish Valley. This was a lovely area but not a lovely day - quite dark and rainy. There were a few Chaffinches around and I think they'd got used to hoovering up the picnic crumbs as they homed in on the car as soon as we parked up.

Chaffinch - Breamish Valley

Dunstanburgh Castle

Dunstanburgh Castle

Common Ringed Plover - beach at Long Nanny

Kitiwake over Culernose Point

Kittiwake

Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper - Breamish Valley - really dull day, drizzly and very cold. Low light resulted in high ISO and thus rather grainy images.

Common Sandpiper

Sand Martin - massive crop - these birds move so fast and twist and turn in the air - uber difficult to capture! Amazed I got any in focus TBH!

Sand Martin - another massive crop.

Sand Martin

Sand Martin - not such a big crop - I got better with practice!

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Fulmar - my favourite sea bird - not a gull but related to the Albatross. Named from the Norse meaning 'Foul Gull' because when threatened these birds spit a foul smelling oil from their stomach.

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmar gliding around Culernose Point. I love this shot - there was a really big storm heading in from way out at sea but the light on the birds was still good. The colour blending in the background is lovely and and light on the bird good. One of my personal favourites from this set.

Fulmar - another of my favourites.

Fulmar - this shot was full frame with hardly a crop needed.

Oyster Catcher

Oyster Catcher

Oyster Catcher

Fulmar