Hartlepool

[IanF]

On a sunny but very cold and blustery morning we had a run through to Hartlepool and managed several firsts.

Red Breasted Merganser pair off the Skeleton Pier.
Kingfisher off the Skeleton - plus a photo but pretty poor.
Red Necked Grebe in front of the lighthouse.
Great Northern Diver.

Plenty of the usual waders skipping about too.

No sign of any little Auks or RN Divers, though we didn't hang around too long - too darn cold !

[paula]

Wow, what excitement to see such a startling bird, never set eyes on one yet!

[vicky@glos]

My home town. (opps, did I say that ?) Ian you are taking about the Headland. I was not born in that part of town but used to walk there during the summers.

I remember seeing one of the Pipits (rock, I think) near the Borough Hall one year. This is about 10 years ago now.

I loved the Headland and the smell of the sea.

You're making me feel home-sick.

Glad you had a good day bird spotting.

Vicky@Glos
N.B. Well we all have to come from somewhere! Thankfully I always get called a Gordie instead. :king:

[IanF]

Hi Vicky,

Yes I was at the headland and all round the new marina yesterday morning.

The Headland has become a reknown birding paradise. Seawatching is a big thing from just below the lighthouse. Really though it could do with a hide for a bit of shelter. The 'doctors garden' saw some very rare birds last year. The harbour and new marina have been attracting quite a few Loons, Little Auks, rare Gulls and RB Merganser's.
Once the area could only be described as a dump, but nowadays, following the marina development, the whole place is pretty swish. What's more a lot os visible from the car, which was appeciated yesterday in the cold winds.

[peter hayes]

Ian

Nice to hear about Mandelson land! It just goes to show that whatever the weather, you never know what you might see. Sounds like you had a great time.

Any chance of a local campaign to get a hide/shelter in that area?

[vicky@glos]

An old school friend of mine named Steward Drummond is now the Mayor of Hartlepool. Shamed to say I know him. But there you go. You may rememeber him for wearing a money suit as the mascot for Hartlepool United.

The local neswpaper for Hartlepool is the Mail. You could write to the newspaper better still see the website www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk, I think. I'll have to check it. Or just type in Hartlepool Mail into a search engine. It's easy to find.

I know the birders like the Headland. I used to wonder why there was not a hide or building with a viewing platform. That North East wind can be a turn off for new birders. But when the sun is out and the wind is clam - it's a loverly place.

Ian was the chipshop open ? That place is never open when you want it to be.

Vicky@glos.

[IanF]

Hi Peter and Vicky,

As regards the observation point at the Headland, it could do with a hide set up to give the sea watchers a bit of protection. Really it's the domain of the Teesmouth bird club to do something about it. I've never been a sea watcher, which is all a hide would be for. I could never spend a couple of hours staring towards the horizon trying to identify little black dots and count them. I think sea watchers are a breed unto themselves and a hardy breed - why else haven't they applied for a hide themselves ?

I certainly not averse to watching the waders and sea birds within a couple of hundred yards of the beach, but a static hide isn't much use for that in this locatoin.

[vicky@glos]

That's why the car park is there outside the pub further along!

I remember that wind. Nice summer night sat in car park with drink and packet of crisps. Then if anything intersting was happening outside may take a short walk along the sea front.

This entertainment is almost free!

Just watching the world go by or a small boat or two.

Vicky@glos