South Gare, Cleveland

[bradinho]

This section of the forums seems to be fairly quiet?

Don't know why when there is such great birding out there!

SEO's 2 today, poss hen harrier, Curlew on the marshes

and then from the end we had a diver fly by but couldn't get the bins on it ... dolphins, little auk,

turnstones, sanderling, GBB Gulls, Common Gulls, BH Gulls, Oystercatchers, starlings on the beach/strandline and rocky areas

plus a few other waders that I couldn't ID properly - prob redhsank and grey plover?!?

[JimMorris]

Not sure where South Gare is. I think you will find it may be covered in the thread (Lancashire Birding). It sound like a nice birding spot for some of the more unusual birds. What part of Lancashire is it.

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

It's in Cleveland, although still classed a part of Yorkshire under the Watsonian boundaries for listing purposes.

[bradinho]

Yeah its in Cleveland - The thread was moved from the info wanted section where I posted it under the Cleveland section

[JimMorris]

Thank you folks, you are never to old to learn.

[IanF]

The Cleveland section of the site was probably a better place for this thread really but local patch reports is almost as good.

I suppose Cleveland no longer exists as a county but it's a shame we don't list sightings for the area. North side of the river Tees falls within Durham Bird Club recording area as well so sightings get added to the 'Durhman Birding' thread. It's probably a bit late in the day to start off a 'Cleveland Birding' thread.

South side tends to be unreported which is a shame as there are several good birding areas. I'll amend the thread title and try to think on next time I'm over there to add sightings - actually quite possibly tomorrow if the weather is decent as I'll be that side of Middlesbrough first thing in any case.

South Gare is certainly an excellent birding area, one of the best locations in the County. Being south side of the river it's only occasionally that I manage a visit. Last one was on 7th November when we had a small migrant fall - mostly just Redwing, Goldcrest, a couple of Brambling and a few Snow Bunting. A juvie Peregrine spent a good while on the transmission mast on the pier. There's often at least one around the area.

[IanF]

I was there this morning 9:00am-11:00am.

Not a great deal of difference to the north side - if anything a little disappointing numbers and range of species.

At least seven Red-throated Diver but only two close to South Gare - the rest being off North Gare and heading between Seal Sands and Hartlepool area.

Other birds Eider x1, Sanderling c.55, Oystercatcher c.15, Dunlin x1, Redshank c.20, Turnstone c.20, Ringed Plover x6, Red-breasted Merganser x8, Cormorant c.12, Shag c.12, Bar-tailed Godwit - one of the beach but another 14 disturbed by dog walker flew out to distant rocks. Pied Wagtail x1, Song Thrush x1, Reed Bunting x2, Stonechat x1, Robin x1, Starling c.40.

Four Harbour Porpoise coming out of the Estuary and heading north as the tide went out left me wishing I'd been on North Gare instead as they seeemd to swim by close to shore - it's several months snce I last saw any.

[eagle33]

cant find a saltholme pool thread so though i would add a finding on here.

Saw a Herring Gull on Saltholme pool last week, here is my reply,

Dear Craig,

Thank you for taking the time to report the colour ringed Herring Gull
seen at Saltholme pools. Herring Gull with orange ring 1250 was ringed
on the 10th March 2005 on Ellington Road landfill, as a second winter
bird, with metal ring number GN77123. there have been no other sightings
of this bird since it was ringed.

Thank you for taking the time to report this sighting, it is very
interesting. we don't get very many sightings from Saltholme.

Cheers

[IanF]

cant find a saltholme pool thread so though i would add a finding on here.

Saw a Herring Gull on Saltholme pool last week, here is my reply,

Dear Craig,

Thank you for taking the time to report the colour ringed Herring Gull
seen at Saltholme pools. Herring Gull with orange ring 1250 was ringed
on the 10th March 2005 on Ellington Road landfill, as a second winter
bird, with metal ring number GN77123. there have been no other sightings
of this bird since it was ringed.

Thank you for taking the time to report this sighting, it is very
interesting. we don't get very many sightings from Saltholme.

Cheers

Sightings for north of the river go into the Durham Birding thread. I've copied your post there as well :t:

[eagle33]

Sightings for north of the river go into the Durham Birding thread. I've copied your post there as well :t:

Cheers Ian