Out to Ross Back Sands today. Visions of Grebes, Divers & sea duck almost came to naught but Janet thankfully managed to pick up a drake Velvet Scoter which landed on the sea enabling us to rule out White-winged Scoter ! Apparently one photographed on Boxing Day at Musselbrough. Very little else visible even at high tide other than a few Red-throated Divers and Goldeneye. We moved on to Fenham le Moor where the Pintail flock was grouped together. Mixed in with Wigeon made counting difficult but at least 50 present. Lunch at Barn at Beal which always gives me an excuse to move on to Beal Pt & Holy Island. A drake Green-winged Teal was found on teh Rocket pools on Holy island this morning by David Steel but no sign this afternoon. Almost certainly still present as Teal are hunkered down in the grass in the keen S/E wind. However two Black-tailed Godwit were always a pleasant winter sighting as the rocket field near the harbour is one of their only wintering sites. May well be the same birds each winter ! TRD/JD
