Brother Rob and his wife Gi are over from Australia, stopping with us for a few days prior to their trip to Iceland (the country not the frozen food store!) – we’re joining them for a few days at the end. We’ve come up to Northumberland to meet up with other brother Bryan and his wife Anne, from Scotland – we’re staying at the quirky but charming country house B&B at Budle Hall. On the way up we drove through Teesdale and yesterday we did the castles – Alnwick, Warkworth, the iconic Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh. Today, weather permitting, we’re going over to Lindesfarne. As the primary purpose of the trip is a family re-union, there’s only been limited scope for birding but we have managed to see a few bits and bobs:

Black Grouse, at the same spot in upper Teesdale as last year, but only two and distant

Red Grouse, easier to see, but still nice

On the cliffs at Dunstanburgh, Rock Dove

Kittiwake, in the rain

Razorbill

and Fulmar

Finally a rather chilly Barn Swallow, probably wishing it had waited a while longer before migrating

We’re hoping for much better views and photos of sea birds and ducks when we get to Iceland in just over a weeks time