To Druridge Bay in search of waders ... the highlight ... a Black-necked Grebe ...

Waders at Druridge Bay were unremarkable and elusive on Monday with Cresswell Pond having only a few Lapwings : the Budge Pool wasn't much better on arrival although four Ruff and a hand full of Black-tailed Godwits dropped in.  Around thirty Dunlin made an appearance but an enthusiastic although eventually unsuccessful juvenile Peregrine kept them mobile.

Then on to the main pool at Druridge with expectations running rather low ...

... along with two Little Grebes was a Black-necked Grebe ...

... initially at the far side of the pool, it came much closer ...

... it spent some time diving but also had a go at 'snorkeling' a behaviour I have not seen before in this species ...

... some turns of the head showed the typical rounded crown in front and rear aspects ...

... a rare treat to see a winter plumage bird at this time of year in northern England ...

... with a British breeding population of around 50 pairs, Northumberland features as the most northerly regular site although one pair bred in Scotland in 2014 ...

... many passage birds in autumn are thought to be of continental origin and most head further south to winter from Iberia across southern Europe to the Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts ...

... the greatest numbers of wintering birds gather in the south Caspian Sea with hundreds of thousands birds present ...

... the British wintering population is around 120 ... ice-free locations such as the London reservoirs are favoured sites ...