Monday was my first day out for some time having contracted Covid (despite all the precautions) and then developing further complications in the form of a clot on my lung. While i'm still not 100% i feel that i'm well on the way to recovery thanks to the wonderful NHS staff at my GPs practice and Cramlington hospital. I ventured down to Tynemouth first and headed out along the pier. Funny how times have changed, i used to go along and could spend an hour on my own along by the lighthouse and be asked if i had seen anything by folks who had gone along for the walk. Following the large number of sightings particularly in the last couple of years of dolphins recently when i walked along the pier a large group, many with cameras and BIG lenses appear to be camped out there waiting for the dolphins to "put on a show" It's a bit like how things developed at Cresswell with the barn owls !
I was actually rewarded with a pod of 8+ Bottle-nosed Dolphins myself although they were just out of range for any decent images but the views through the bins were cracking as they interacted and tail slapped before slowly drifting off north. There were a few Auks still in view also but nothing like the numbers a couple of months back, i'm pleased to say. From Tynemouth off down to North Shields Fish Quay for an hour. Not expecting to see too much i suddenly saw a white winged gull lift from the outer quayside then proceed to patrol along the edge of said quay and river. A couple of passes in i thought to myself "You've been here before my friend" thinking back on an Iceland Gull which, over the last couple of winters had done the exact same thing of often sticking to that outer quay. On further inspection i reckoned it looked to be a 3rd winter bird which fitted in exactly with this gull returning. An Iceland Gull turned up two winters ago as a juvenile and last year a 2nd winter bird showed up, both times an Iceland Gull flew back and forth along the full length of the same area between the lifeboat station and the end of The Gut. Having posted pics of the bird on Twitter a couple of the locals expressed their views that this might be a returning bird. It would be nice to think so.
So my first day back out again was excellent, but as you all know i might not see anything interesting again for a while. That doesn't matter in my book. Just being out in the fresh air and enjoying the peace and tranquillity that can be had is the most important thing. You can't put a price on how much that is good for the soul and your health.
