South Gare, Teesmouth

[IanF]

Normally quite good for falls of migrants and waders. Really my main purpose of my trip today was to see the Snow Bunting, that have been reported regulalry over the last couple of weeks - but none were about today.

I only went for a couple of hours this afternoon since it turned out to be a pleasant day, warm and sunny.

Parking by the Coastguard Station, I walked over to the shoreline, about half a mile away as the tide was on it's way out. There were Sanderling, Black Tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Turnstone feeding at the water line. Offshore were Goosander, Great Crested Grebe and Pochard. About thirty Cormorant were waiting patiently on the rocks for the receding tide to uncover their favourite area. There were loads of Black Headed and Herring Gulls around, along with plenty of Starling, but no Snow Bunting at all.
Here's a shot of an obliging Turnstone with a Sanderling which was colour ringed as an inset.

A walk along the Gare itself revealed more Turnstone, Grey Wagtail and what I believe may be Purple Sandpiper, a first for me along with Black Tailed Godwit. I'm not really a shore bird person, a shame as I live so close to the sea. I'll post another photo below, if someone could confirm the ID or say what they are, I'd be grateful.

[IanF]

The Purple Sandpiper ?

[Reader]

Ian

Definitly Purple sandpiper. Good photo too and the Turnstone one. That is excellent. Lovely looking waders aren't they. How on earth did you get a Sanderling to stay still long enough to take a photo of it? They always seem to be scuttling around at breakneck speed.

[IanF]

Thanks for that John.
That's why the Sanderling is a bit blurred, I was following them all over trying to get a shot. I managed some better ones, but not of the one with rings.

[bcurrie]

Ian, glad to hear about your birding day. Very enjoyable photos.

[KCFoggin]

Goodness Ian, it's as though I could reach thru the computer screen and stroke that turnstone. Top notch!

[IanF]

Just an update as regards the ringed Sanderling. I received this reply from Robin M. Ward, Waterbird Monitoring Officer,
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust,Slimbridge, Glos. GL2 7BT, U.K..
Tel no. 01453 891900 ext 272
Fax no. 01453 890901
e-mail: robin.ward@wwt.org.uk

Dear Nicholas, (my posh name)

Many thanks for reporting your Sanderling colour-ring sighting. Though our work at Durham University has had to end, we are still interested in receiving colour-ring sightings to subsequently feed into the national ringing database. From the photo kindly provided, the red ring appears to be over the yellow with no rings above either knee. This makes the bird an individual ringed at Teesmouth on 28th May 1979 as first summer, i.e. born in summer 1978.

Many thanks again for the colour-ring sighting,
Best regards,
Robin

- One old bird I'd say !

The email was quite lengthy giving a potted history of the Sanderlings ringed at Teesmouth and stating that previously ringed birds from the area have been found in Greenland and Canada and other parts of the neararctic where they breed.

[KCFoggin]

It is always a good feeling to receive a reply and followup when you report the sighting of a banded/coloured ring bird. I know I was tickled pink to get a lengthy history on a bunting I had reported. Good going Ian.

[DaveB]

Ian,

Nice Photo's. Can you tell me what you used to catch these great images?

I got 25 Snow Buntings at North Gare a fortnight ago. It is possible that the birds are moving from one site to the other, depending on disturbance at the time.

If your interested, I was on teesside yesterday too.

Med. Gull, Glauc. Gull & Little Auk (views down to 20yds) on Hartlepool Headland.
Red-breasted Merganser & Black-throated Diver at Jacksons Landing.
Twite at seal Sands.
Water Pipit, Meadow Pipit & Stonechat on Saltholme.
Meally redpoll at Billingham.

There is also Red-necked Grebe at Jacksons landing and Merlin at Saltholme. Unfortunately, I failed to see these birds.

Dave B.

[IanF]

Hi Dave,

I'm popping up to Hartlepool today weather permitting. I met a guy yesterday who told me about the Little Auks and Divers. Apparently the best views of the Auks and Divers including a Red Throated was to be had from by the paddle steamer quay.

He'd seen the Hen Harrier from the newer hide off the Long Drag, straight across the water. Have you heard about the Long Eared Owl roost at Haverton ? - apparently there are six birds there.

I often pop down to the Zinc Works Road and have a walk along the dunes both north and south. I see the Snow Buntings there, but only as fleeing flocks from a distance. South Gare you can often see them quite close, but it's a long drive from where I live.

Equipment wise I use an Olympus C2100UZ with a Tcon14 and B300 teleconversion lenses attached. It gives around 1000mm 35 mm equivalence and easy enough to hand hold for most shots. The telelenses work with other digital cameras, even the Coolpixes, though it looks a little ungainly !

[Andrew]

Great pictures Ian, I hope you get some more nice birds today.
How do you post the second attachment in a reply.

[IanF]

Hi Andrew,

I did see the Great Northern Diver and a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers this morning, but they were a little too far for decent photos - a scope would have been more appropriate - likewise for this Kingfisher - but as it's the only photo I have ever managed of one it will have to do for now !

I saw that you'd sussed how to do the attachments. I don't think you can do two in one post unless you use the hyperlink method, where you post a link to where you have your photos hosted online.

I just hit the 'post reply' button and include another attachment.