Teesmouth trip 10th November
YOC Field Trip Sunday 10th Nov 2024. Places visited: Hartlepool Headland, Seaton Carew, Seaton Snook, Coatham Marsh & Greatham Creek.
It was a full day out starting at Borough Hall Gardens, Hartlepool Headland at 8.30am and it was about 4.30pm when the last few departed Coatham Marsh car park for home.
Unfortunately the birding weather gods had seemingly had last week off, so with a distinct lack of passerines in the parks and gardens we focussed our time on the Headland sea watching and looking for shoreline birds. It was a mixed bag but Common Scoter, Eider, Gannet, Red-throated Diver and a solitary Puffin were all recorded but, perhaps, eclipsed by a pod of 6 (minimum) Dolphins that entertained close in for some 15 minutes. The obligatory skein of 150+ Pink Footed Geese passed over as did a small group of Whooper Swans. As high tide was approaching all shoreline birds were being pushed closer and closer meaning that scopes weren’t necessary to watch the Turnstones, Oystercatchers, Redshanks and Purple Sandpipers go about their business.A Rock Pipit was noted on Heugh Pier as if to order, they are a regular here, and a Med Gull was with the Black-headed Gulls resting on the scars. On the way back to our cars we passed a very moving Remembrance Service at the Memorial Gardens so it was fitting we all lingered for a moment and joined the large congregation in observing a minute’s silence.
After an early lunch we headed down to Zinc Works Rd, stopping en-route at Seaton Carew to show everyone the Little Tern breeding site. Of course the Terns have long since departed and the site returned to the public until such time next year the birds return. Then the wardens and the barriers will be back in place to ensure another safe and successful breeding season.
The obvious highlight at Seaton Snook were the 50+ Twite which gave everyone great views for a good half an hour. We also found Sanderling, Shelduck, Lapwing, Curlew and a Grey Plover pottering around on the sand and mud in and amongst the Grey and Common Seals. On returning to the cars by the smelly fruit factory a Stonechat was still close by but we were drawn to a Short Eared Owl across Seaton Common toward the golf course which seemed a fitting finale for everyone. A few left at this point but as there was an hour or so of daylight left the few remaining decided to carry on and thankful are we that we did so.
We traveled the short distance to Coatham Marsh car park (by the pointless metal screen) followed by a walk up to the viewpoint (with the other pointless metal screen) overlooking Greatham Creek (North). Here we had good views of Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Egret, Little Grebe and at last we found a few Dunlin. We then crossed the road to see if anything was lurking in the channel or on one of the ponds. A Marsh Harrier and subsequenty a beautiful male Sparrowhawk were principally the cause of putting “everything up” enabling us to connect with a solitary Snipe and Golden Plover. Then just as we were packing our scopes away at 4.10pm a Pomarine Skua came in to view above our heads heading north-west along Greatham Creek. It gave us a great view of its “spoons”. A very fortunate but welcome end to a brilliant days birding.
Finally, a sincere thank you to the 18 members who made the journey north and joined me for this trip. It was a full and eventful day and thoroughly enjoyable. Sixty five species were recorded.
Alan Swain