WET WET WET

2012 a wet year which saw Prestwick Carr and Big Waters flooded a lot of the time. The start of the year was good for wildfowl at BW with Bean and Barnacle geese, Whooper and Bewicks Swan. PC was home to lots of Short Eared Owl and a Great Grey Shrike, then it flooded and in came the waders. The highlights over 100 Black Tailed Godwits some Whimbrel and a fine Spotted Redshank. The crowds of photographers left with the owls and peace returned. A trip to Islay with AJJ was wet most days but as always on this gem of an island the birding was good. I hit lucky on my trip to the Farnes it was sunny and calm, the Puffins had it hard with flooded burrows. The fishing seemed good but drowned chicks can not eat.
A holiday in California was special and dry, the giant trees the highlight. I had a couple of days out with Howden blogger the highlight a good Chinese meal in Amble, I normally take bait but that man knows how to live. I also lived it up on Orkney at a folk festival in May, there was also good beer and birding. 

Mono Lake California

Autumn Invader

a rare visit by the PC Shrike north of BW

Islay

3 of a kind

The worlds most photographed bird

A BW regular 

Hartlepools  Black Redstart

Big Waters held lots last winter

The carrs stars

Whimbrel on PC 

my friend Cliff

I had a quiet autumn apart from the Waxwing invasion and winter was and is wet wet wet
All the best for the New year
Allan
PS pubs are dry inside when it rains so 2012 had its moments,