KITTIWAKES AT THE BALTIC

I was up early this morning to go online and nab some tickets for the Sela Cup Weekend - some pre-season matches that Newcastle United and Newcastle United Ladies are playing in August.  Booking opened this morning for season ticket holders and members only.  I wasn't able to get my own seat for the matches but Ive got seats in the same area.

This afternoon I decided to head for the Newcastle/Gateshead Quayside to check out the Andalucia - a replica galleon which is moored on the Tyne at the moment.. I got the bus to Gateshead and another bus to The Baltic Art Gallery on the Quayside.  

The Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside is home to the most inland breeding colony of kittiwakes in the world. They spend autumn and winter out at sea and return to nest on buildings and bridge ledges along the Tyne in late February through to August. There is a ledge high up on the Baltic Art Gallery where the kittiwakes nest every year and the best place to see them up close is from the viewing platform on the 4th floor.  So I decided to check  out the kittiwakes before looking at the galleon. I was up there quite a while taking photos of the birds.( its very smelly but you get used to it after a while ) In my Extra you can see the ledge where the kittiwakes are nesting and also the viewing platform... and another shot of a cute fluffy baby.

After I left The Baltic I crossed to the Newcastle side of the river and intended walking along the river to where the galleon was moored.  However it was a bit of a walk, my knees and back were aching  ... and it was getting late as I had already spent quite a while with the kittiwakes.... so I just used my camera on full zoom to take a shot of the galleon in the distance.  See Extra collage. ( Check out davidc's blip for a couple of much better shots).

I caught a bus up to the centre of Newcastle and popped into Superdrug for a couple of things before getting a bus home.

The weather today was rather changeable - it was warm-ish, dull, then sunny, ... and this evening it rained.

Steps today - 8,574