Jack Bucknall

Top afternoon on the North Tyneside coast, starting with my first Roseate Terns of the year at Tynemouth on the rising tide, followed by a Little Tern feeding between the piers (never an easy species to connect with locally) and ended with the cracking adult Curlew Sand at SMI.

A county tick, giving mega views, in the middle of Whitley Bay - what's not to like!! Sensational display from the Black-crowned Night Heron in Marden Quarry this evening.

The final leg was spent birding around the mighty Mount Nemrut, the number one spot for Kurdish Wheatear amongst other specialities (Rock Sparrow, Tawny Pipit and White-winged Snowfinch also pictured). Fabulous trip all round - would recommend to anyone considering it!

After a number of fruitless searches so far this summer, I was delighted to finally find a singing Quail locally last night!

Next up was Birecik, on the banks of the infamous Euphrates. Some more WP quality on offer with Iraq Babbler, Dead Sea Sparrow, Delicate Prinia and Pygmy Cormorant shown here, as well as Pallid Scops Owl, Grey-headed Swamphen, Little Swift etc.

The middle part of our Turkey trip was based in Gaziantep, specifically around the town of Durnalik - a WP birding paradise! Included here are Desert Finch, Upcher's Warbler, Western Rock Nuthatch (also saw Eastern here) and Rufous-tailed Scrub-Robin.

Some Turkey pics from a few weeks back - the first couple of days were spent in the Aladaglar Mountains with some very special species. Shown here are Radde's Accentor, Red-fronted Serin, White-winged Snowfinch and Horned (Shore) Lark.

A juv Cuckoo near the wetland at SMI this evening, and four Med Gulls off the prom were both very welcome reminders that autumn is now just around the corner...

Random bird of the day… just had an Avocet at Killingworth Lake! Only present for 5 minutes, circled the lake calling constantly, and repeatedly tried to land before flying off high north at 18:05. A site first?

All the way from North America: White-throated Sparrow at Sumburgh Head, Shetland today. A stunner.

Radde’s Accentor from Demirkazik Tepe, one of our big targets in Turkey. We saw a minimum of seven birds around the viewpoint including recently fledged youngsters, and three singing males, often totally unfazed by our presence!

One of the most memorable new birds of our trip to Turkey was Black-headed Bunting, and this exceptional male singing right beside the road was our first!

Our final day in Turkey is sadly at an end, and a fitting way to finish the trip by getting mega views of Kurdish Wheatear at Nemrut Dagi. A totally fantastic week of birding and company, finishing up on 35 lifers! Lots of photos to follow I’m sure…

Turkey trip still going strong, and it’s been a brilliant couple of days birding along the mighty Euphrates River. Some WP gold seen in Iraq Babbler, Red-wattled Lapwing, See-see Partridge and Pallid Scops Owl, amongst many other highlights!

Incredible morning up in the mountains of Aladaglar National Park - 10 lifers for me including the key target in Caspian Snowcock. Some other quality species on offer were Radde’s Accentor, Red-fronted Serin, Crimson-winged Finch and Finsch’s Wheatear to name a few - mega!

We touched down in Turkey yesterday, and are very much looking forward to an action packed week of birding. A few lifers in the bag already such as Sombre Tit, Kruper’s Nuthatch, Black-headed Bunting etc, but tomorrow is the big one - operation Caspian Snowcock!

The curtain comes down on a very quiet May! An afternoon on Weetslade hill failed to produce the hoped-for Red Kite, but a Little Egret south over kept a slight bit of interest. Hopefully June produces a rarity or two…

So, that’s a wrap on the Scotland trip for another year! Magical as always, with all the regulars doing their bit, plus a self-found Surf Scoter at Balranald on Monday morning. Until next year…

Our annual Scotland trip is underway, with a night in Strontian followed by four nights on Uist, before finishing up in Aviemore. Loads of quality on offer already, in a stunning setting and glorious sunshine - it’s good to be back!

Singing male Garden Warbler near Swallow Pond yesterday morning, never an easy bird to connect with in North Tyneside in spring.