Teesside Trip Sept 10th

Seven brave souls headed north to Teesside on the morning of 10th September. Despite the strong southwesterly winds, we had a good day with highlights being good views of two or three Water Rails at Saltholme and one or two adult and one juvenile Roseate Terns roosting on the rocks at South Gare among a flock of Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns.

We noticed a steady passage of Swallows, House Martins and Meadow Pipits throughout the morning with large flocks of hirundines coming in off the sea at North Gare. We saw several Sand Martins too over the water at Back Saltholme Pool.

Very few other passage migrants about, as one might expect given the conditions, with one Wheatear at South Gare noted. Waders were more in evidence, with Black and Bar-tailed Godwits, Ruff, Dunlin, Greenshank, Golden Plover and Snipe amongst others, though we missed the Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint at South Gare.

Harbour (Common) and Grey Seals gave good views at Greatham Creek, making up for being thwarted in our walk by the coastal realignment modifications being made to the flood bank.

Insect-wise, we had a few Red Admirals, a posing Migrant Hawker, a few Common Darters and a moth at South Gare which proved to be a Flounced Rustic.

Jono Leadley
York Area Recorder