What a lark

Doing a bit of sea watching at North Blyth yesterday I noticed an unusual vessel coming toward the river and headed round to south harbour to get some pics as it ran against the incoming northerly at the mouth of the river. The ship was the Greatship Manisha, some sort of drilling vessel. but entrance was not spectacular as hoped. On leaving the small pier next to the concrete pill box and the blue containers a bird flew off the grass headland of little beach over the wall and down behind a pile road debris. I thought 'that's a late Wheatear' and edged round the pile only to find Shore Lark.

Rattling off a few record shots I retired to watch it and sent the news out having first checked I wasn't going daft. It briefly fed on the road before heading back into the grass dunes where I eventually I re-located it. Fifteen minutes later James walked up the beach obviously searching for the bird and I indicated the general area as couldn't see it at the time. He got it and we followed it as it moved around the area giving some excellent views as Brian joined us and we all got some good shots.

These two were when it moved into a fenced yard in the sun where it felt relaxed and safe although in general it was pretty bomb proof not moving for cars or humans and nearly landing on notso when he arrived half an hour later. Only clanging trucks flushed it but fortunately never very far.

I assumed it was just not aware of threat from everything but on reviewing my 55 shots it was looking into the camera on 12 of them so perhaps it was very well aware of our presence.