Gateshead birding

[salty]

seeing as my raptor trip was cancelled (weather to blame!) i decided to keep local today, for a couple of hours birding.
first off was shibdon pond. none stop rain and drizzle, but the pond was not frozen at least, so there was a good show of birds. armed with plenty of food, i decided to see what was about:

mallards, shelduck, coot, mute swan, redshank, b h gull, moorhen, tufted duck, canada goose, teal, gadwall, herring gull, dunlin etc etc.

away from the pond was:
sparrowhawk, magpie, blue tit, great tit, bullfinch, blackbird, woodpidgeon, jackdaw, carrion crow.

next was barlow fell:
red kite (despite snowing non-stop!), b h gull, dunnock, redwing, carrion crow, jackdaw.

next was thornley woodlands centre hide:
blue tit, great tit, long tailed tit, yellowhammer, great spotted woodpecker, robin, bullfinch, chaffinch, black bird, jay, nuthatch, magpie, woodpidgeon, pheasant,

so not a bad way to spend 2hrs. highlights were seeing the sparrowhawk being mobbed by crows, the red kite soaring through a snow storm and hand feeding the mute swans. ;)

[LSB]

A good couple of hours out by the sounds of it.Still no Brambling at Thornley I see. Thats saved me a trip ..

[RockyRacoon]

Sounds like a two hours Richie! Red Kite and Sparrowhawk are raptors, so they must make up for your raptor day :t:

[IanF]

Yep! Sounds good to me as well. I haven't had chance yet to get up that way this year.

[timmyjones]

not a bad 2hr birding better than school

[Nutcracker]

Not been birding across the river in Gateshead for years . . . maybe have to go again one of these days!

Better dig out my passport and apply for a visa, though ;)

[salty]

yep, definetly made up for what i thought was going to be a dire day!

still didnt get brambling, merlin, LS woodpecker, water rail, green woodpecker, buzzard, kingfisher etc today. these are on my patch, but have evaded me so far this year!!!! - gateshead has some cracking birds!.

[treecreeper]

A good couple of hours out by the sounds of it.Still no Brambling at Thornley I see. Thats saved me a trip ..

Try the beech trees at the bottom of Blaydon Dene. They have been showing every time I've been for the past two weeks. Yesterday was especially good as it seems that the severe weather made them more confiding and easier to see. I saw about 5 whereas in previous days I've only noticed about two. However i'm always in a rush when I go through there so with more searching you could find a lot more......there were 60 for over a month there two winters ago !

Salty : a male Merlin was seen from the Northern Kites office window yesterday hunting over gardens at Swalwell; it seems the harsh weather had forced it to leave the moors and come into suburbia ! And no it wasn't a sparrowhawk as the person who saw it is a renowned birder !

Stargate Ponds is a giveaway for Green Woodpecker. I've seen it on my last two visits and my success rate is about 50%. Visit a few times and you'll see it; it regularly flushes from the ground close to you.

Dunlin and Gadwall are unusual birds for Shibdon Pond. Has the drake Pintail gone ? It was there for the previous two days and is a real stunner; very rare for Gateshead too !

Tom

[salty]

the pintail wansnt there today, but it's strange how the birds can vary at shibdon! - not sure if some species come in from the tyne for food? - same with the derwent, sometimes quiet, then you get little grebe etc from no where!

[Nutcracker]

the pintail wansnt there today, but it's strange how the birds can vary at shibdon! - not sure if some species come in from the tyne for food? - same with the derwent, sometimes quiet, then you get little grebe etc from no where!

Yep, a lot of the ducks and waders are on the Tyne at low tide, and move to Shibdon at high tide when the mud is covered

[StevieEvans]

Hi Treecreeper,
Re Gadwall
Thats one of my predictions for Gateshead (Gateshead Birders website), as a bird that will occur this year but wasnt recorded at all in 2004 !
So well done Salty, & let us know if you get any of these:- YLG, Slav, Ruff & Whimbrel... over the next few months.

Steve.

[salty]

shibdon pond is notorious for one hit wonders! - im sure the passing migrants and rarities use it as they they follow the A1 to get from a-b. checking the records from g-birders and you can see a few birds that are not 'usually common'.

i have heard of merlin, hobby, osprey! (derwent), hoopoe etc etc all within a mile or two. amazing.

[StevieEvans]

Not quite so many goodies these days though......but...

Laughing & Ring billed Gulls, Icterine, Marsh & Barred Warbler, Black throated Diver, Slav Grebe, Ferruginous & Ring necked Duck, Great Grey & Red backed Shrike, Bluethroat, Goshawk, Bee-eater, Bearded Tit, Spot Crakes, Bittern, Wryneck, Marsh Harrier, Firecrest, Water Pipit etc

Best thing i heard of (but too late to see) was a Hawthorn Bush which held singles of Barn, Tawny & Long-eared Owls at the same time!! :eek!:

Plenty of inspiration for you there Salty. ;)
SE.

[Nutcracker]

I've had Black Redstart at Shibdon too

Though why anyone would want to get shibbed on is beyond me . . . :eek!:

[StevieEvans]

Was Black Redstart 2nd May 1986 ? cant imagine another one there for a good while.

Other shib'd on goodies include

Hen Harrier, Fulmar, Brent Goose, RCPoch, Garg, LTDuck, Smew, L.Stint, Turnstone, WWBTern, B.Tern, Turtle Dove, Water & Rock Pipit, ROusel, Hooded Crow, Grey Plover & Knot.

Hey Salty dont you think that the birds follow the River rather than the Road...?
SE.

[salty]

Hey Salty dont you think that the birds follow the River rather than the Road...?
SE.

thats a thought! - i was under the impression they used GPS, and travelled up and down the motorway, but i could be wrong Stevie ;)

looking forward to my next visit down there, always busy with birds.

P.S. - let me know of any owl sightings in my area, as i am having a 'drought' - tawny, being the only glimpse i have had this year down here, cheers B (:

[StevieEvans]

Hi Salty
Cant see any mention of a recent Gadwall record on the Gateshead Birders web site.....
Perhaps you can send it in (the name of the site 'boss' is purely co-incidental!) :-

doctor.gadwall@gatesheadbirders.co.uk

Re owls:- we've just set up an Owl Study Group at Durham Bird Club http://website.lineone.net/~davidbrown33/index.html (only £12 to join ;) ) you may well get some interesting info as several members live in Gateshead.
SE.

[salty]

stevie:

still wasnt 100% that it was a gadwall, so i dont want to embarrass myself incase it was something else. it looked like one, but without the scope it could of been something else. but knowing shibdon pond, anything is possible!

i see a few rare birds now and again, but if im not 100% - i keep the sighting to myself. plus i dont make lists etc - wich i should start doing.

[StevieEvans]

:h?: Maybe you should have got yourself one or two ident books with that £5K !!! ;)

[cuddy]

Come on Darren there are Brambling in Northumberland you cant be twitching down south ;)

[salty]

Come on Darren there are Brambling in Northumberland you cant be twitching down south ;)

i have seen hundreds of brambling in northumberland this year. but none near my patch, however. they will be around though, no doubt.

stevie: - i have loads of books pal - just cant turn the pages over with my gloves on ;)

[StevieEvans]

drake Green winged Teal at Shibdon Pond this morning......
SE

[Gill Osborne]

HUNDREDS of Brambling??? Where....PLEEEEase tell!!! I've been after the species for yonks but never seem to catch up with them!

GILL

[StevieEvans]

Green Winged Teal is a new species for Shibdon, with the site list somewhere in the 190's.
Saw it this afternoon & it held my attention for approx 5 seconds, the drake Pintail & displaying Goldeneye flock were much more interesting.
Others seen in 1/2hr visit were Water Rail, Redpoll, Kes, male Sparhawk, but bird of the day by far a Shibdon Pond Green Woodpecker!
Steve.

[salty]

i keep missing the green woodpecker and water rail!!!! - you not pop along to see the kites Stevie? - they looked amazing flying throught the snow 100m from us on thursday!

i'll keep my peepers open for new birds at shibdon on my next visit, cracking site.

[Nutcracker]

Green Winged Teal is a new species for Shibdon, with the site list somewhere in the 190's.
Saw it this afternoon & it held my attention for approx 5 seconds, the drake Pintail & displaying Goldeneye flock were much more interesting.

Gotta agree with that!

Tho' ordinary Teal displaying are also good . . .

[StevieEvans]

Nutcracker,
Dont wanna sound like a clever $#>%* but the GWT was displaying... :bounce:

The ex-warden (KB) entered the hide & added GWT as his 200th Gateshead Bird.... he too was similarly unimpressed...!!

He seems to think the recent lack of birds at Shibdon is solely due to lack of observer coverage...... you got that visa & passport sorted out yet...? ;)

Salty,
WRail was close to duck feeding area along reedmace oppisite. (probably 8 or so Males there during breeding season)
Yaffle was fly by at North end of reserve.
Stevie.

[Nutcracker]

So there's gonna be some hybrid teal next summer . . .

Bet Keith's wishing it had been something better for his 200th!

[StevieEvans]

Peter
Re 200, Yeah too right!
Buzzard was his Big Bogey for #199....
I think GWT is long overdue at Shibd given their regular nos of Teal.
I presume this GWT was the same bird as Fridays one at St.Marys...?
Maybe we shouldnt bother ticking it...? (its best mate might have been a Mandarin.... :eek!: )

You going to cross the watter next Summer & confirm breeding for SC for us then...?

SE.

[StevieEvans]

Salty/ Treecreeper
"Re Gadwall
Thats one of my predictions for Gateshead (Gateshead Birders website), as a bird that will occur this year but wasnt recorded at all in 2004 !"

Had a pair of Gadwall on a small pond at Follingsby in February, i assumed that the area was part of South Tyneside.
Looking on Multimap i think the pond may well be in Gateshead Borough Grid Ref: NZ 312 603.... its between the M-Way & the Railway track, on the north side of the road.

Hopefully this will be an excellent retrospective Gateshead tick....

What do you think re location...?

Steve.

[salty]

i guess i was wrong about the gadwall the other day then. but it looks like they could be at shibdon soon, eh Stevie! - just leave a trail of bread for it to reach us mate.....

[treecreeper]

Salty/ Treecreeper
"Re Gadwall
Thats one of my predictions for Gateshead (Gateshead Birders website), as a bird that will occur this year but wasnt recorded at all in 2004 !"

Had a pair of Gadwall on a small pond at Follingsby in February, i assumed that the area was part of South Tyneside.
Looking on Multimap i think the pond may well be in Gateshead Borough Grid Ref: NZ 312 603.... its between the M-Way & the Railway track, on the north side of the road.

Hopefully this will be an excellent retrospective Gateshead tick....

What do you think re location...?

Steve.

Steve,

I worked briefly at Follingsby and I'm virtually sure it's in Wardley, Gateshead. However, walk for a minute to the south and a signpost welcomes you to Sunderland Metropolitan Borough ! However, the publication of the early nineties ' Birds of Gateshead' mentions Follingsby a few times I think. Also, I think Follingsby has been mentioned in the Gateshead section of the monthly sightings in County Durham for ' Birdwatching Magazine '.
I'm confident your Gadwall was indeed in Gateshead !

Tom

[StevieEvans]

Cheers Tom!

I happier with that record than with Sundays/Mondays GWTeal & RBGull combined !!

Get in !
Steve.

[Quacker]

Hi Salty, Brambling has been reported at Thornley Woods feeding station, though I don't think it was recorded - I spoke to a guy who had seen them in January but not reported or filled a report card etc.

Have you or any of the others seen anything of the LS pecker up at Clara Vale? - The one day I planned to go turned out a bad one weatherwise for a visit up there. Indeed there are some good reports coming from up there, has anyone been recently? - I must admit it's a year or so since I was there.

Steve

PS I'd agree Wardley/Follinsby is just in the Gateshead boundary.

[LSB]

Hi Salty, Brambling has been reported at Thornley Woods feeding station, though I don't think it was recorded - I spoke to a guy who had seen them in January but not reported or filled a report card etc.

Have you or any of the others seen anything of the LS pecker up at Clara Vale? - The one day I planned to go turned out a bad one weatherwise for a visit up there. Indeed there are some good reports coming from up there, has anyone been recently? - I must admit it's a year or so since I was there.

Steve

PS I'd agree Wardley/Follinsby is just in the Gateshead boundary.


A mate of mine was thier yesterday and said it hadn't been seen for about 4 days( Clara Vale LS pecker)..One reported over hear in Plessy Woods but unconfirmed

[robshreeve]

hi steve i work in lower prudhoe there was a ls pecker in the trees below prudhoe castle op to the paper mill on thurs and friday it could be the one from clara

[StevieEvans]

Hi Rob
An Excellent record, make sure it gets to North'd recorder.
This is another species which i think were possibly overlooking in the N.East.
Steve.

(Follingsby Gadwall confirmed as in Gateshead Borough, none recorded in the Borough last year!)

[salty]

i have seen ls woodys in gateshead, but i cant remember where i last saw them. was going to pop into claravale today and try for green and ls, but was short on time! - nice to hear of brambling at thornley though! - will keep my eyes open for them when im next there.

[robshreeve]

hi ritchie there is definately a pair in saltwell park ive watched them for the last three year

[Quacker]

Cheers Tom!

I happier with that record than with Sundays/Mondays GWTeal & RBGull combined !!

Get in !
Steve.


Go Stevie E - Owlman and potential predictionmeister!

I see there's 3 of you on 1 prediction each. No-one predicted GW Teal, and as you mentioned with the amount of Teal there at the best of time...

Steve

[salty]

hi ritchie there is definately a pair in saltwell park ive watched them for the last three year

wow! - i live 5 minutes along the road from saltwell park too!, i aint been birding there though, i might look odd walking around there with my bins. all that will soon change though, i never knew there was LS woodys around. ;)

i live just off old durham road, deckham.

[salty]

decided to brave the wind up on barlow fell today to see the kites. it was nice to meet 'quacker' for the first time too, nice to meet you at last mate!

we thought the kites were not going to show, and i was actually in the car ready to go home, when 6-7 kites came soaring over the fellside - better late than never.

didnt have long to watch them though, as the wind chill factor was way below freezing. i have been home an hour, and ate a balti curry washed down with a hot mug of coffee, but im still freezing cold!!!

PS: hope you get the barn owl later mate, will try for it myself either today or sunday - let me know how you get on.

[Quacker]

Good to meet you as well Richie, though seemed i knew you for ages, especially as we know so many mutual birders as well. For those interested, we somehow managed to dip on the Barn Owl, even though it comes out to play every night after 5.15/5.30pm to hunt & feed and has done for a while - indeed I'd seen it for the first time on Friday night at 5.45pm in the middle of a snowstorm! which we thought may have put it off hunting! - I suppose when you're hungry, you're hungry!

The Kites were a great sighting, - my first multiple sighting. Out of interest, after going our separate ways on the tropical (NOT!) Barlow Fell, we(my partially interested partner Debbie and I) had previously visited Shibdon Pond on the way up, and among the many Teal had wondered if we'd seen the Green Winged Teal, but not being sure of it's full i.d. (at that time) didn't tick it, as not only were we unsure, but there were no reports of sightings that day.

For fun, we dropped into Thornley Wood feeding station, were there is always a choice of garden/table birds, and Deb can just about i.d. them all too. We always stay there until we get our ten species (we do this at all feeder stations) Saturday brought Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Blue, Great, Coal, Long tailed tits. Both male & female Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Pheasant, Robin, Blackbird, Yellowhammer (lovely plummaged male) Woodpigeon, Nuthatch, and Magpie, Carrion Crow, Dunnock - The only missing regulars were Jay, and Treecreeper.

The highlight, however was a dashing raid, not once, but twice by a hungry Sparrowhawk - Deb's first) and she was fascinated how the woods cleared! - a couple of Grey Squirrel, a Mouse and several Rabbits completed the entertainment in the compatitive warmth of the hide.

As we mentioned, we managed to dip on the Barn Owl, but succeeded in getting frozen through a second time - never mind.

See report in "Your Birding Day" to read about the tropical temperatures (yeah right) when we dusted the passports off and crossed into the kingdom of Northumbria on SUnday (Today).

Steve

[IanF]

Thanks for the update as to what is about. Sounds like you had a great day - even if a bit chilly. I must admit I always pop into Thornley feeding station when I'm up that way. good to hear the Sparrowhawks are still about too.

[salty]

the sparrowhawks are doing really well here in Gateshead, Ian! - must be all those fat little birds on the feeders doing just as well, lol.

thornley woodlands hide is easily one of the busiest in the area. always a good place to start, plus your 2mins away from barlow fell, shibdon pond and derwent valley is just across the road, what more could you ask for?

[salty]

after dipping at cresswell on the owls, i decided today to try for SEO on my local patch on my way home from work (dont tell the boss ;) ).

my work buddy had not seen an owl before so i decided it was now the time to put that right!. pulling into the site, it was no more than 2 minutes before the first shorty was seen in the next field hunting. i soon realised how much i miss my bino's when watching birds like this, but the views were still close enough to enjoy.

we watched as it twisted and turned to the slightest noise. as it moved into another field, we noticed a second shorty hunting! - they rose high above the hedge line together and had a bit of a mid-air tumble before going there seperate ways, once again.

my none birding mate was well impressed on seeing his first SEO's, and i couldnt belive how easy it was to show him them. not a bad days 'work' - especially as i also had tawny owl in gateshead last night, the first time i have ever seen one in my area!

[rayl]

That’s ‘a gas’ Richie, combining work and birding, I hope you are introducing your work mate to The Forum, before you know it he’ll be up to 2000 posts :cool: :cool: . Well done with the Tawny.

Ray

[John o'Sullivan]

Salty, where were your binos. Don't tell the car thieves ( and I work with a lot of them) but my binos if not round my neck. Are under the seat of my car.

[salty]

Salty, where were your binos. Don't tell the car thieves ( and I work with a lot of them) but my binos if not round my neck. Are under the seat of my car.

i have only taken my bins to work with me a couple of times. it's not advised to leave £1,000 bins in a dirty works van in the middle of a rough housing estate - i wont say what estates in case someone is offended!.

dipped on the shorties yesterday at work, but got great views of displaying skylarks witch was nice. also had great views of sparrowhawk today as it tried it's luck with the local house sparrows. they are busy fighting and displaying, so are easy prey for the local raptors.

ray: i have a couple of work mates who are interested in birds, but they dont go on-line or are obsessed with birds like i am. shame.

[Skelly]

Salty, have you tried the flooded fields at Lamesley before?
I've been past in the car a few times and they look quite well stocked, but traffic's always been too busy to pull over and take a look.
B (:

[rayl]

Salty, have you tried the flooded fields at Lamesley before?
I've been past in the car a few times and they look quite well stocked, but traffic's always been too busy to pull over and take a look.
B (:
Skelly, you need to be on the other side of the fields beside the Ravensworth pub, there's a couple of pull in's for the car, also check out the pull in's on the Sunnyside road from Lamesley.

Ray

[Skelly]

Skelly, you need to be on the other side of the fields beside the Ravensworth pub, there's a couple of pull in's for the car, also check out the pull in's on the Sunnyside road from Lamesley.

Ray
Cheers Ray.
I'll try and check them out this weekend.

[salty]

i aint stopped off yet, but it does look like a good little spot.

[simple]

I would not believe a word of what Steve says he does all his Birding from the tops of trees these days.

Cheers steve see you when I'm up at Mikes next week?

[simple]

wow! - i live 5 minutes along the road from saltwell park too!, i aint been birding there though, i might look odd walking around there with my bins. all that will soon change though, i never knew there was LS woodys around. ;)

i live just off old durham road, deckham.

Try walking through the centre of Newcastle with Bins and Scope or running the Great North Run dressed as a Song Thrush!!

[salty]

Try walking through the centre of Newcastle with Bins and Scope or running the Great North Run dressed as a Song Thrush!!

i would be locked up within a minute methinks!!!

i cant even use my bins/scope in my garden, as other gardens back onto it and i'll probaly end up being labeled a 'peeping tom'..........

.........as to walking around with my night vision, i hate to think what people would think of me with that. hoping Rayl's neighbours are more understanding for next week, eh Ray? - i'll leave my SAS mask at home ;)

[simple]

I never got locked up!!

[StevieEvans]

Nothing wrong with getting a good view point you simpleton;-)

Lamesley Water Meadows is the site name i believe, LRP & Pintail have occured.

SE.

[robshreeve]

hi richie dont know if you went to saltwell park ther this morning saw two pair of
LS woodpeckers so they are still about

[salty]

hi richie dont know if you went to saltwell park ther this morning saw two pair of
LS woodpeckers so they are still about

it's shocking, but i live a 5 minute walk from saltwell park, and i have yet to do any proper birding there!!!

these past few weeks i have been in Cumbria, Scotland and Northumberland, so my local patch has been getting neglected. i will have to see those little beautys soon, and catch up on the local kites this weekend.

thanks for the update ;)

[StevieEvans]

Ruddy Shelduck at Shibdon for its 2nd day today, also 70 Sand Mart, 1Swallow, 2+WillWarb etc

Steve.

[LSB]

That will be the Ruddy Shelduck which spent the winter on Killingworth lake and has been touring the local ponds over here..

[salty]

i'll keep an eye out for the ruddy on saturday.

decided it is time i checked on my local patch for a change! - spent the past 2 weeks or so birding in northumberland, scotland and cumbria.

will be at far pasture, barlow fell and time permitting, shibdon or thornley this saturday.

[StevieEvans]

May well be the Killingworth bird.
'It' was also at Brasside Pond at Durham City last month.
Steve

[salty]

i managed a quick half hour today in my own patch for a change, before going to cresswell.

at barlow fell and then onto thornley woodlands hide:

kestrel, sparrowhawk, red kite, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch, bullfinch, robin, crows etc

quickly onto cresswell where i was hoping for the spoonbill but dipped, however i did see:

green winged teal (wonder if it was the shibdon bird?), teal, widgeon, gadwall, dunlin, red shank, sparrowhawk, shelduck, pink footed geese, mute swan, lapwing, curlew, knot, sanderling, mallard, canada geese, stone chat, plus the usual crows and gulls.

however, when leaving the hide towards the car park, we had very good views of the local peregrine falcon. it was doing dives onto a flooded field where ducks and waders were trying to feed. it was tormenting them for a while giving us plenty of good close ups, before heading further afield - and flushing out every bird for hundreds of metres as it done so!!! - not bad for a rubbish weather day.

[brianfm]

That will be the Ruddy Shelduck which spent the winter on Killingworth lake and has been touring the local ponds over here..

Hi LSB

Do you know if that bird was ever confirmed as a definate escape?

[salty]

Hi LSB

Do you know if that bird was ever confirmed as a definate escape?

aint been seen for a couple of days now Brian. dunno where it's at now?

[brianfm]

aint been seen for a couple of days now Brian. dunno where it's at now?

Hi Ritchie.

I was just wondering because if this is the same bird I first watched it at Prestwick Carrs and then it spent several months, off and on, at Killingworth lake and I think it was assumed that it was an escape. Certainly not at all bothered by human contact.

Cheers.

[salty]

could be an escaped bird. im sure there is a few at washington wild fowl and wetlands the last time i was there - wonder if these birds are going further afield?

by the way people - far pasture is now the hot-spot for red kites in Gateshead. only a couple at barlow fell today.

[StevieEvans]

Hello Brian
Theres very little chance of anyone establishing its provenance.
The local Ruddy Shelduck present recently does have a single metal ring......

This is from the BOU Website:
C5 Vagrant naturalised species Species from established naturalised populations abroad. E.g. possibly some/all Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea occuring in Britain. There are currently no species in category C5.
Basically its up to the discretion of the individual to deciede.

Salty,
Stopped off for a cup of hot chocolate at McDonlds.......... this resulted in us missing the Clara Vale LSW by 15mins.....
Saw 5-6 Kites from High Spen Club at approx 16:30.

ATB
Steve.


Steve.

[brianfm]

Hello Brian
Theres very little chance of anyone establishing its provenance.
The local Ruddy Shelduck present recently does have a single metal ring......

This is from the BOU Website:
C5 Vagrant naturalised species Species from established naturalised populations abroad. E.g. possibly some/all Ruddy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea occuring in Britain. There are currently no species in category C5.
Basically its up to the discretion of the individual to deciede.

Steve.

Thanks Steve.

[salty]

i enjoyed a nice walk in my patch today, to make up with all the rain we have had the past couple of days.

along the derwent valley to far pasture, still very wet and the river very swollen. lots of people out with dogs etc witch didnt help the birds, but still not a bad day.

in 2 hours i saw:

kestrel
red kite
teal
tufted duck
little grebe
dipper
grey wagtail
mallard
reed bunting
long tailed tit
blue tit
great tit
robin
magpie
mut swan
swallow
sand martin
coot
moorhen
pheasant
starling
wood pidgeon
black headed gulls
house sparrow
collared dove
wren
dunnock
carrion crow
jackdaw
and possible chiffchaff or willow warbler (not 100% though)

still dipped on the kingfishers, green woodpeckers and water rail that had been spotted. always next time though.....

[salty]

any news when the next batch of red kites are to be released? - i presumed it was may, but i aint heard any news.

[salty]

anyone seen the lesser spotted woodpecker at clara vale recently? - was thinking about trying for it tomorrow if the weather is ok.

[IanF]

20:57hrs 20/04/2005 was the last time it was reported at Clara Vale on Bird Guides at least.

I believe the Red Kites is a way off yet, maybe July-August.

[salty]

cheers Ian. i think it was mentioned by June Atkinson that they were due in july, regarding what number of kites they can get there hands on from the chilterns.

[salty]

decided to pop into thornley woodlands today as i have been neglecting my patch recentley. very quiet apart from the usual tits, mainly coal tit strangely. chiff chaffs singing there hearts out and a great view of the resident great spotted woodpecker among the feeders. i also counted at least 5 grey squirrels at one time, they seem to be getting more common by the week. no sign of the local red though.

a half hour at clara vale was also strangely quiet. the rabbits were sunbathing or eating apples, some with a bad dose of mixy. brown rats were busy below the feeders. and the grey squirrels were very vocal today - not often heard. they were competing for the peanut laden feeders with a stunning great spotted woody, and the squirrels were winning the fight.

a few greenfinches, more chiff chaff, moorhens and robins were busy feeding too. no sign of the lesser spotted woody or the kingfisher, but that was no surprise.

i passed the time by doing a little bino scoping (holding my mobile phone camera to my binoculars) and got some good shots, with a cracking rabbit shot that was quite impressive.

[salty]

please can we start getting a few sightings of the new kites posted on here folks!

let's find the new hot spots, and possible roost sites, cheers.........

[June Atkinson]

please can we start getting a few sightings of the new kites posted on here folks!

let's find the new hot spots, and possible roost sites, cheers.........

We went out on Wednesdy morning, and picked up signals in the Gibside area, as usual (they like the thermals above the walled garden in the early mornings apparently), High Spen, Barlow Fell, Hamsterley and of course some of last year's are still around, and might be roosting at Sherburn Towers, Rowlands Gill.
One signal we picked up showed a kite moving away from Gibside towards Pontop Pike area. But the signal got weaker and then disappeared.

But Phoenix, No 21, the bird which replaced Flash at Winlaton Primary School, was seen at Hedley-on-the-Hill by a local farmer, whom we met in Chopwell. We also spoke to another farmer whose land kies just off the low road at the junction with Medomsley Bank. He says they have the kites over their farm on a regular basis. :clap:

The new Wing Tags and numbers are so much clearer than last year's. For this year it is pink/orange with black numbers.
Does this help Salty? But you can be thwarted - I did a 4-hour stint and only saw one........... all the rest were playing hide-and-seek with us!!

[salty]

thanks for the update June.

i'll keep my eyes open for the new wing tags - although the new birds should also be a little smaller than last years birds, who have done extremely well.

[john gardiner]

Saw a Red Kite soaring high over Stanhope this afternoon, bit too distant to see any wing tags.

[StevieEvans]

Hi John
Had one this after in North'd just off A68 approx 1.5mile north of R.Derwent.
Over hay fields were the bales were being lead off, bet the farmer got a better view than me.
I did a u-turn at 1st oppurtunity, but came back to find the bird heading off toward the resevoir.
se

[Mouldy]

please can we start getting a few sightings of the new kites posted on here folks!

let's find the new hot spots, and possible roost sites, cheers.........


Hello Mr Salty,

I'm new to this forum game but living in Rowlands Gill I see quite a lot of Red Kites. With all the new releases this is a great time to see them and I often get them flying over the house (lucky me), my regular spot for sightings though is from the Derwent Walk (Rowlands Gill end). About a hundred yards from the Far Pasture gateway there is a picnic table giving panoramic views of the valley. Scan the far side of the valley from there or the bench marked 'Gibside View' a little further down and you shouldn't have to wait long for a sighting, (usually 4 - 6, even had a Peregrine from here a couple of weeks back) often distant but its pot luck, you may get overhead views or one perched close by (new bright orange tags make it easy to spot perched birds), if not try far pasture, one or two often fly over and give prolonged views.

Hope this is of some help

Cheers

[June Atkinson]

Hello Mr Salty,

I'm new to this forum game but living in Rowlands Gill I see quite a lot of Red Kites. With all the new releases this is a great time to see them and I often get them flying over the house (lucky me), my regular spot for sightings though is from the Derwent Walk (Rowlands Gill end). About a hundred yards from the Far Pasture gateway there is a picnic table giving panoramic views of the valley. Scan the far side of the valley from there or the bench marked 'Gibside View' a little further down and you shouldn't have to wait long for a sighting, (usually 4 - 6, even had a Peregrine from here a couple of weeks back) often distant but its pot luck, you may get overhead views or one perched close by (new bright orange tags make it easy to spot perched birds), if not try far pasture, one or two often fly over and give prolonged views.

Hope this is of some help

Cheers

Yes, Mouldy, you're right, the new tags (pink/orange) are easy to spot, and the numbers are much better this year. I cut out 80 tags, which took quite a time to do!! :clap:
Certainly this year's youngsters will be spending most of their time perched in the trees. They will be offered food initially, usually rabbit put out on the fields near their temporary perches. The first lot of rabbit was scoffed by a local fox before the youngsters could get it, so the food was then put out during the day, giving them a better chance of reaching it first.
This week should see the final release, then the trackers can get down to some relaxed monitoring. You remember I tracked one up to the A68, up from Allansford, so this could be the same one which was spotted recently.

If you have time, Northern Kites will be at the Gateshead Flower Show this coming week-end........... top of Lobley Hill. I'll be there on Saturday with Melanie, our Education Officer, then Keith, the Project Leader will be there on Sunday with more volunteers. If you're near, pop in and pick up some information.

[Mouldy]

Yes, Mouldy, you're right, the new tags (pink/orange) are easy to spot, and the numbers are much better this year. I cut out 80 tags, which took quite a time to do!! :clap:
Certainly this year's youngsters will be spending most of their time perched in the trees. They will be offered food initially, usually rabbit put out on the fields near their temporary perches. The first lot of rabbit was scoffed by a local fox before the youngsters could get it, so the food was then put out during the day, giving them a better chance of reaching it first.
This week should see the final release, then the trackers can get down to some relaxed monitoring. You remember I tracked one up to the A68, up from Allansford, so this could be the same one which was spotted recently.

If you have time, Northern Kites will be at the Gateshead Flower Show this coming week-end........... top of Lobley Hill. I'll be there on Saturday with Melanie, our Education Officer, then Keith, the Project Leader will be there on Sunday with more volunteers. If you're near, pop in and pick up some information.

Hi June,

thanks for that, if you remember we met at the release on the 13th, I took a photo which you said you might put on the forum. I had a bit of spare time yesterday so decided to look see if I could find it but got hooked on reading various threads for hours and eventually joined up.

Good luck with the weather at the flower show, shame I didn't know about it earlier (my fault), could have been a good opportunity to display and sell some of my work on the Kites.

PS did you ever get to see the exhibition at Thornley? :flyaway:

[June Atkinson]

Hi June,

thanks for that, if you remember we met at the release on the 13th, I took a photo which you said you might put on the forum. I had a bit of spare time yesterday so decided to look see if I could find it but got hooked on reading various threads for hours and eventually joined up.

Good luck with the weather at the flower show, shame I didn't know about it earlier (my fault), could have been a good opportunity to display and sell some of my work on the Kites.

PS did you ever get to see the exhibition at Thornley? :flyaway:

Brilliant A... !! Did you find your two photos? They are in the "Birds of Prey" Forum.
Welcome to the Gang.......I'm sure you'll have lots to report for us. It sounds as if you are doing well in spotting the kites near Far Pastures.

We haven't been to Thornley Woods yet - the weather has been a real downer! But if we have a fine day before next Tuesday, I aim to take our visitor there and try to find one or two of the kites as well.

Will you try to come to the next North-East Bash, at St. Mary's Island. Salty reckons he'll be there, along with a good number I hope . We aim to see the Roseate Terns. Have a look at the Forum which gives all the details, including the dates. Or contact Ian Forrester, who is co-ordinating things for us.
I shall be at the Gateshead Flower Show tomorrow, along with Melanie, whose pic you took at the Release...........pop in if you're free.

[salty]

mouldy - cheers for the update, i know far pasture very well, and the bench you mentioned. the last time i saw red kites (about 3 weeks ago) was from the viaduct further along the walk.

i dont get to go down to the valley as much as i would like to, as im working hard at the moment. no doubt we will bump into each other at one point though.

try and visit the bird forum mini-meets that we have through out the year, the roseate tern bash is the next one, as June mentioned (27th august at st'marys lighthouse)

[Mouldy]

[QUOTE=June Atkinson]Brilliant A... !! Did you find your two photos? They are in the "Birds of Prey" Forum.
QUOTE]

Cheers June, found the photos and read the thread. :flyaway:

[Mouldy]

try and visit the bird forum mini-meets that we have through out the year, the roseate tern bash is the next one, as June mentioned (27th august at st'marys lighthouse)

Cheers Salty, know what you mean about making time, lucky for me my local patch is on my doorstep, I never get anywhere else and I haven't even got a proper job!
May well make the St. Mary's bash though, will know nearer the time. :flyaway:

[Mickr]

please can we start getting a few sightings of the new kites posted on here folks!

let's find the new hot spots, and possible roost sites, cheers.........

I was at Far Pasture yesterday (Tuesday) and watched up to 4 Kites flying over and around the sewage works. The first two flew over the trees towards the A694 and the second two were in the trees inside of the sewage works. The two in the trees inside of the sewage works were still visible at 7:30pm when I left. I managed to get some video footage but haven't been able to watch it on anything bigger than the screen on the camera. I'll try to have a look later to see if the wing tags are visible. I had to use digital zoom as well as optical zoom so I have no idea how clear the close-up's will be, I'd guess that they are fairly blocky.

I've been all over on 4 trips to see them and today was the first time I've managed to see any. What I did notice today was that I could have walked past them every time I've been out and still not seen them.

My tip is to look for light patches in dark trees. Once I knew two were up a tree it was easy to spot them again and easy to understand how I could have missed them in the past.

I might even post a link on here to my video footage if anyone is interested. That will depend on clarity of film and also size of download. If anybody is interested then let me know although I can't promise, I'm not David Bailey or Ridley Scott though.

[salty]

nice work Mick. welcome to bird forum!

by all means get a link set up for us to view your footage.

as for far pasture, this has been a hot-spot since last year, although as you know all too well - they aint the easiest birds to spot - despite there huge size.

i will be popping down there myself this weekend (weather permitting) hopefully i will see the 'newbies'........

[Mouldy]

I was at Far Pasture yesterday (Tuesday) and watched up to 4 Kites flying over and around the sewage works.

I read about the sewage works being a good spot for perched birds on gatesheadbirders so had a look in this afternoon about 3pm, nothing doing at first then a Northumbria Water truck turned up and shortly after it drove through the gates, maybe it disturbed the birds, something did, 'cos one after another Kites started appearing in the sky above the trees until eventually (after half a dozen re-counts) there were fifteen wheeling above the compound, fantastic sight, never seen so many and most came right above my head, didn't need my bins, just marvelled at the spectacle.
All eventually disappeared below the tree-line but two perched openly in trees and one on the telephone wires.
Was just about to leave (3.15pm) when the same happened again, this time I counted twelve.
At least one of the birds was last year's, middle section of the tail feathers is missing in moult. :flyaway:

[salty]

fantastic. the best that i have managed was 16 birds at once, last year at barlow fell.

i will geuss that the majority of the birds you saw were the newbies, they tend to stick together when first released.

[June Atkinson]

I read about the sewage works being a good spot for perched birds on gatesheadbirders so had a look in this afternoon about 3pm, nothing doing at first then a Northumbria Water truck turned up and shortly after it drove through the gates, maybe it disturbed the birds, something did, 'cos one after another Kites started appearing in the sky above the trees until eventually (after half a dozen re-counts) there were fifteen wheeling above the compound, fantastic sight, never seen so many and most came right above my head, didn't need my bins, just marvelled at the spectacle.
All eventually disappeared below the tree-line but two perched openly in trees and one on the telephone wires.
Was just about to leave (3.15pm) when the same happened again, this time I counted twelve.
At least one of the birds was last year's, middle section of the tail feathers is missing in moult. :flyaway:

That was quite a day, Mouldy! :clap: :clap: :clap:

Do you think you could post your message in the Kites' Thread in the Birds of Prey Thread as well?
It follows on very well from the recent up-date there.............
You were just in the right place at the right time - lucky you!!
:flyaway: :flyaway: :cool:

[Mouldy]

Do you think you could post your message in the Kites' Thread in the Birds of Prey Thread as well?


Consider it done June...... :flyaway:

[salty]

far pastures is still THE place for kites at the moment.

had 2 birds within 10 minutes yesterday even though the weather wasnt the best, with a little light drizzle.

also had 2 sparrowhawks together, male and female with the male calling to the female - who wasnt interested.

had a great display by a wood warbler, my best views ever of this species along with the other little brown jobs including lots of young warblers, finches and tits busy fattening themselves up!

only stayed for around 30-40 mins, so will have to pop down today for a longer look.

[Mickr]

far pastures is still THE place for kites at the moment.

had 2 birds within 10 minutes yesterday even though the weather wasnt the best, with a little light drizzle.

also had 2 sparrowhawks together, male and female with the male calling to the female - who wasnt interested.

had a great display by a wood warbler, my best views ever of this species along with the other little brown jobs including lots of young warblers, finches and tits busy fattening themselves up!

only stayed for around 30-40 mins, so will have to pop down today for a longer look.

I was down again yesterday and spotted at least 6 Kites coming out of the sewage works and going in to the trees at the top of the hill to the right. If you look above the buildings in the back of the sewage works you'll see a pylon, they kept flying from the trees either side of that, right to left then back again.

[salty]

i had five kites in the air as i was pulling into far pastures today, and later had 7 kites all in the sky at once. cracking views, and they were all this years birds by the colour of the tags.

[Mouldy]

Had 13 Kites this morning from the Derwent Walk Rowlands Gill end walking towards far pasture just after 9.30am, 6 were close by over adjacent field with 7 distant over Gibside. Only had 2 at Far Pasture a short while later.

[salty]

Had 13 Kites this morning from the Derwent Walk Rowlands Gill end walking towards far pasture just after 9.30am, 6 were close by over adjacent field with 7 distant over Gibside. Only had 2 at Far Pasture a short while later.

mouldy, what fields do you see the kites visit? - would like to watch them eating. had a drive along the fellside road today but only saw one kite from here, the rest being over the derwent.

[Mouldy]

mouldy, what fields do you see the kites visit? - would like to watch them eating. had a drive along the fellside road today but only saw one kite from here, the rest being over the derwent.

The only field I saw them feeding in was freshly ploughed right on the brow of the valley near Burnopfield, which is a very distant view from the Derwent Walk, otherwise I mainly see them soaring, either high and distant above Gibside or closer and lower towards the river. It's pot luck really, like I say one or two may come right overhead, or you might find the odd one perched in the field-edge trees, theres no guarantees on quality of views or numbers but as I live close by and visit regular I often get lucky.
If you visit far pasture and there aren't any about, walk back up the track onto the Derwent Walk, head south 100 yds to the picnic table or openings in the trees just beyond and scan the valley, birds are often just soaring about. Another good spot is about 400yds further down, an opening to a cereal field often gives closer views and the odd perched bird.

good luck. :flyaway:

[salty]

cracking views of red kites these past couple of days in the ryton/barlow area. also had a kite circling low over a recently ploughed feild in high spen today, although i was driving past so didnt see if it landed.

[Mouldy]

Just to disprove my own theory on foolproof kite-watching spots, this afternoon I did my regular sortie along the Derwent Walk to Far Pasture (inc. sewage works) and back again between 3.15 and 4.45pm and saw not a single Red Kite. My first dip for months though so I can't complain. :flyaway:

[salty]

Just to disprove my own theory on foolproof kite-watching spots, this afternoon I did my regular sortie along the Derwent Walk to Far Pasture (inc. sewage works) and back again between 3.15 and 4.45pm and saw not a single Red Kite. My first dip for months though so I can't complain. :flyaway:

i have been working in ryton today, and the weather was terrible. i went into high spen for a sandwich and it was even worse, hardly a single bird in the sky, let alone red kites.

[Mouldy]

i have been working in ryton today, and the weather was terrible. i went into high spen for a sandwich and it was even worse, hardly a single bird in the sky, let alone red kites.

When I went out yesterday the rain had stopped and it was sunny for quite a while but like you say it was very quiet all round.

This morning however, despite the awful weather I had a steady procession of nine Kites from my back garden (Rowlands Gill) from the direction of the valley and heading towards Spen/Barlow at 7.45am, with one in the opposite direction at 9.10am, just shows the unpredictability of it all. :flyaway:

[salty]

cracking views of the kites over far pastures again today, the sun was out in force, that meant the kites were too!

even had a sparrowhawk amongst them as they soared on the thermals, exellent stuff.

most of the birds i saw today were 'newbies'.

[IanF]

Missed you Richie. I was up there at 8:00 and stayed until 12:30. 8:10 there were nine birds in Barlow Burn including the two newbies below. The other seven were in flight - no close views though. They eventually headed off towards Derwentside. Another three were over Far Pasture when I arrived 10:30 which gradually drifted east. Another glided over the ponds also heading east.

[salty]

nice pics Ian, love the little grebe.

i usually go down in the afternoon, like i did yesterday, they are more likely to of ate by then, so they tend to spend alot of time in the air. must of saw around a dozen different kites throughout the day.

[salty]

far pastures this evening, it still only took me 10mins untill i saw a kite, still the best place in the borough to see them.

be warned though, the midges down there are ferocious and will have you going mad within seconds of getting out of the car!!!

barlow burn quiet kite wise, although very good numbers of swallows and house martins feeding, and also kittiwake and black headed gulls in the recently ploughed fields where the kites usually are!

[salty]

good views of red kites at barlow fell and far pastures today, despite the gales.

not much happening at shibdon pond, although cracking close ups of snipe, a favourite of mine and a tern family did lighten things a little.

[Mouldy]

Far Pasture this afternoon, 2 Common Buzzards present for over half an hour, soaring high with single Kite in tow so giving excellent pointers in differences in jizz of the two species. Not a bad sighting considering it was my first visit for about 3 weeks.
Altogether about a dozen Red Kites in the vicinity, 6 in the sewage compound, at least another 6 seen soaring around.

[StevieEvans]

Had a pleasant 3/4 hr in the sun at Shibdon early this evening:- (18:40 - 19:25)

1 Pintail
19 Shoveller
130+ Teal
1 Wigeon
6 Dabchick
1 Kingfisher
6 Snipe
30+ Redshank
1 Blackcap
10+ Swallow

SteveE.

[salty]

working near clara vale at the moment, and today in the small cul-de-sac where i am, i had 2 very close encounters from a female sparrowhawk, being mobbed by swallows as it passed inbetween houses and over garden fences, fantastic views.

also had a lone red kite soaring over head today after lunch, always a pleasure to watch.

[June Atkinson]

working near clara vale at the moment, and today in the small cul-de-sac where i am, i had 2 very close encounters from a female sparrowhawk, being mobbed by swallows as it passed inbetween houses and over garden fences, fantastic views.

also had a lone red kite soaring over head today after lunch, always a pleasure to watch.
:news: :news: :news:
Today I have been out with Keith, the NK Project manager and two visitors from Holland. This morning we had sightings of kites at Barlow Fell and in Barlow Burn. :clap: :clap: :clap:
This afternoon we went as far afield as Slaley, Blanchland, Muggleswick Moor, Rowley and then back through the usual lower Derwent Valley. We had no sightings, but got signals from about eight birds in the skies above Lintz Hall Farm, Hamsterley and Barlow.
Our Dutch visitors are volunteers at a Reserve in North Holland and are keen to forge links with the North of England, and in particular with the Red Kites Project. A party of ten came last year and thoroughly enjoyed their NE Birdwatching. They were even on television!

[salty]

far pastures today, and the first bird i saw, even before i had a chance to put my bins round round my neck - red kite.

today i went straight to the hide, determined to see the kingfisher, as the weather had been horrendous, with non-stop rain for almost 2 days.

a break in the weather just after lunch was my cue, so off i went!

within a few minutes there was lots of activity in the tree tops, a sparrow hawk was trying (but failing) to catch a woodpidgeon, who was just sitting there stunned - afraid to take off!!! - about a dozen jack daws, magpies and jays trying to chase the hawk around the tree tops, as it dive bombed it's lunch.

a pair of kestrels were zooming around too, as were more red kites, lots of moorhen etc, a lone juvenile swan was feeding with mallards.

then to my delight i heard the chattering of the kingfisher, and caught a glimpse as it flew from the reeds right under my nose! - typical - before hiding in the reeds at the far side of the left hand pond.

it soon came back out though, and perched in the middle of the pond, giving me a superb close-up, a few others had came into the hide too, just in time to share the view.

a stayed a little longer, the kites still soared in the still dark and heavy skies, and the kingfisher hovered and dived for food, the sparrow hawk decided to give up on the woodpidgeon, who was still sat there stunned - probaly still there now!

next stop, barlow fell.

straight to the pub car park, and the the first bird i see? - yep, red kite.

i had a bite to eat while watching the kites, constantly being mobbed by crows, they never let up, apart from when the odd kestrel comes into view, so they start chasing them too!

also popped into clara vale hide for a quick look, only dozens of blue and great tits swarming the feeders, no woodpeckers today, but a large flock of goldfinch kept me entertained outside the hide.

all this, and i was meant to be at work! - well i am on 24hr call out, so i can venture a little way from my house..........

[salty]

popped into far pastures this evening to try and sharpen my digiscoping skills, im still finding it tricky at the moment!

no kites this evening, although it was getting on for last light.

popped into the pub car-park at barlow and got a kite as i pulled in, although by the time i set my scope up it had dissapeared, typical.

plenty of action with the local kestrels v jackdaws as usual.

i got sick of waiting for kites to show, so i set off with the sunset in the background, and what did i see when going out of the car park? - yep, a red kite..........

below are 2 pics i took as i put the gear away in the car, taken with canon A95.

http://img332.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img01902tw.jpg


http://img332.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img01895xm.jpg

[Mouldy]

Not much doing on far pasture ponds yesterday afternoon so decided to do a bit of kite-spotting, no luck in the sewage compound but the sun was out nice so decided to wait a while, scanning above the treetops over Gibside.

Straight away got two soaring birds in the distance, instantly recognized as Common Buzzards, possibly the same pair which gave such good views a couple of weeks back. I watched them circling for a while but they weren't getting any closer so rummaged for my 'scope for a better look, and as often happens, lost sight of the birds never to be seen again.
I scanned all around but couldn't relocate them, but didn't have to wait long before three Kites appeared close-by. They were heading my way in brilliant sunshine so I was geared up for excellent overhead views when the local squadron of Jackdaws on Gibside Hall decided to intervene, around forty of them, screaming as they wheeled around frenziedly, small parties breaking off to scatter the poor Kites in all directions, and giving chase in what can only be described as 'Keystone Cops' fashion .
After that bit of entertainment, a lull in proceedings, one to four Kites making occasional brief displays over the treetops for the next half hour, and the resident Kestrel making the odd sortie over the fields.
Then the biggie of the day.
Dropping my bins for a moment I caught a glimpse of a bird as it zoomed overhead and into the trees just right of Gibside Hall. Immediately I thought either supersonic Woodpigeon or Peregrine. One after the other Four Kites took to the skies just above where the bird had dipped over the trees, and then it joined them, the stocky anchor-like form of a Peregrine Falcon. The five masters of the skies wheeled around each other at close quarters, eyeing each other up and seemingly taking turns to impress with a short twisting fall before rising back above the others. After a few rounds of mutual appreciation the Peregrine dipped its wings and I watched it fly off at speed up the valley. As it disappeared in the distance I got back to the Four Kites, which amazingly had now been joined by a Sparrowhawk, but obviously not so impressed by this intruder, the Kites dispersed uninterested, leaving the Sparrowhawk to circle the treetops a couple of times on it's own, 'till bored by its own company it flap and glided over the adjacent fields and away.

So five raptor species in about an hour and a half, ... and I thought there was nowt about! :flyaway:

[salty]

LOL, superb mouldy, i had kites, sparrowhawk and kestrels together the other day, while a kingfisher perched in front of me at far pastures hide, then i pop back the next day and didnt see any of those, not even a kestrel!

magical place, im popping down today for a digiscoping session!

[salty]

popped into far pastures this morning, stayed away from the hide, so as to watch the raptors at work!

red kite, buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk showed well, first time i had seen the buzzard in ages!

also had a stoat run right past me, too quick for a pic though!

after lunch i popped into thornley woodlands centre to digiscope what i could, spent 40 minutes trying to get the nuthatch, but it just wouldnt sit still, and every shot was blurred :C

did get some cracking shots though.

at shibdon pond, the waders were out in force. there were tons of snipe, teal, lapwing, tufted duck etc etc, also had black tailed godwit that posed for a few pics.

a cracking days birding on my local patch, superb - heres a few pics i took!

[lesleyr]

Great pics Salty. Must visit site myself. Have only lived up here for a few years now and wasn't aware of kite site so close! I come from Bradford originally - still work in Leeds - so have been a regular visitor to the kite site at Harewood House between Leeds-Harrogate and agree its an amazing sight to see them in any numbers soaring. Also had friends down in mid-Wales so regularly saw kites there in Elan valley (and feeding time at Gigrin Farm down there). My fave bird.

[June Atkinson]

Great pics Salty. Must visit site myself. Have only lived up here for a few years now and wasn't aware of kite site so close! I come from Bradford originally - still work in Leeds - so have been a regular visitor to the kite site at Harewood House between Leeds-Harrogate and agree its an amazing sight to see them in any numbers soaring. Also had friends down in mid-Wales so regularly saw kites there in Elan valley (and feeding time at Gigrin Farm down there). My fave bird.

We had about 100 RSPB Volunteers at the Marriott Hotel, Metro Centre, today for a Conference and also guided walks to see the kites.
We had two coaches to Barlow, then the groups took different routes, eventually meeting back at the Sherburn Towers Bus Stop or Greenside (?).
Happily it was a fine morning and the kites had decided to get up and fly, so we had some good sightings. We also saw kestrel, buzzards, sparrowhawk and a weasel!

We were also very happy to meet folk from Yorkshire, some of whom have knowledge of the Harewood House Red Kite Project. Other people were from the Bempton Reserve and Cumbria.All in all, an excellent day:clap: :clap: :clap:

[salty]

June, a load of people came into the thornley hide while i was there taking pics, must of been part of the group - they seemed rather keen, but were a bit on the loud side!

[June Atkinson]

June, a load of people came into the thornley hide while i was there taking pics, must of been part of the group - they seemed rather keen, but were a bit on the loud side!

I can happily confirm that this was not one of our groups. o:D
All four of our Guided Walks took place in and around Barlow/Barlow Burn/Barlow Fell.

Perhaps they were from some other birdwatching fraternity?

[salty]

I can happily confirm that this was not one of our groups. o:D
All four of our Guided Walks took place in and around Barlow/Barlow Burn/Barlow Fell.

Perhaps they were from some other birdwatching fraternity?

good job too, they were making a right racket!, shouting out the names of the birds around the tree tops and feeders, as well as sticking there arms out the hides windows to point out birds to each other, wouldnt mind if they were kids, but they were all older folk :-C

i had tried for 40 minutes to get a shot of the nuthatch, but it just wouldnt stay still for a second, i gave up when the hide got busy!

[Mouldy]

The advantages of working from home and having your PC set up by the front window (and bins close at hand) has been apparent for some time, with regular Kite sightings if I'm busy for any length of time, but today I'd just sat down about 12.15pm, looked up to find 4 raptors which turned out to be 3 Kites and a Common Buzzard appearing low over the trees opposite. I got on the Buzzard and watched it hover for a few moments before it was set upon by a Crow which good for me, chased it in my direction 'till it was just about over the houses on the other side of the road, giving outstanding views in brilliant sunshine. The Crow never gave up though and soon they disappeared off in the direction of the river towards Far Pasture/Gibside.
Over the next hour or so another 7 Kites were seen drifting overhead, stark contrast to yesterday afternoon at Far Pasture with only 1 Kite and precious little else seen in a couple of hours. :flyaway:

[Mouldy]

Excellent performance by a Dipper just upstream from Swallwell bridge yesterday.

The fast-moving rocky water by the bridge is usually good for Dipper and Grey Wagtail, but nowt to be seen for once, though just downstream a Grey Heron and Little Grebe showed off their differing fishing skills to each other.
Walking fifty yards or so up from the bridge I noticed a white blob emerging from the water and disappear again quickly, I got my bins on the spot and found I had a Dipper walking along the bottom of the river. Unusually this is a relatively slow-moving stretch of water, and luckily quite shallow and very clear, so I was able to watch the bird foraging underwater, turning over stones, coming up for air every now and again, following its every move for about a minute or so 'till it emerged with a beak full of 'stuff' onto a far-side rock.
I've never had a view like that before so felt well happy with my good fortune, then to cap it off, a pair of 'peep-peep'ing Kingfishers flashed past as I was preparing to move on like some sort of symbolic celebration flypast.

Marvellous! :flyaway:

[salty]

superb mouldy, i usually get dipper at the small stone bridge near the lake. watching them from above is superb!

[Keith Reeder]

Good stuff, Mouldy: I spent my Saturday in a very similar way - dippers and kingfishers - at Alnwick.

It's amazing to see a dipper "working" on the river bed, isn't it?

[June Atkinson]

Excellent performance by a Dipper just upstream from Swallwell bridge yesterday.

The fast-moving rocky water by the bridge is usually good for Dipper and Grey Wagtail, but nowt to be seen for once, though just downstream a Grey Heron and Little Grebe showed off their differing fishing skills to each other.
Walking fifty yards or so up from the bridge I noticed a white blob emerging from the water and disappear again quickly, I got my bins on the spot and found I had a Dipper walking along the bottom of the river. Unusually this is a relatively slow-moving stretch of water, and luckily quite shallow and very clear, so I was able to watch the bird foraging underwater, turning over stones, coming up for air every now and again, following its every move for about a minute or so 'till it emerged with a beak full of 'stuff' onto a far-side rock.
I've never had a view like that before so felt well happy with my good fortune, then to cap it off, a pair of 'peep-peep'ing Kingfishers flashed past as I was preparing to move on like some sort of symbolic celebration flypast.

Marvellous! :flyaway:

This sounds really exciting.
Do you think you could give me more precise instructions here Alan?
When you speak of the bridge, which side do you walk along, or do you simply stay on the main road? I don't know the access points here, but it seems a good place for dippers.

Another good place for dippers, this time in Northumberland is the bridge by the Angler's Arms at Weldon Bridge. We never fail to find dippers on that stretch of river.

I'd be very grateful for your guidance here.

[Mouldy]

Hi June, will do me best here but instruction giving is not one of my better skills.

The stone bridge is just up from the main road bridge at Swalwell beside the council salt mounds.
Dipper and Grey Wags are often very conspicuous here, fast-running shallows, plenty of jutting rocks and fallen trees for them to perch.
A footpath runs along by the river (main road side) access is between the bridge and the salt mounds, and eventually joins a whole network of paths the whole length of the country park.
I was just lucky seeing the Dipper where I did the other day, but the Swalwell end is very good for Dipper usually.
I have walked the full stretch of water from Swalwell to Rowlands Gill many times, and Dipper can be found all along the river, any accessible point where the water runs fast with jutting rocks is worth a look, especially the stretch of water from the stone Bridge by the lake in the park to the viaduct, and in Rowlands Gill the river under the bridge by the Gibside entrance is excellent for Dipper and Grey Wagtail (Access from the park).

Kingfisher are often encountered too, but not so easy to see perched despite their colouring, though unmistakeable when flying past low over the water.

The whole area is beautiful and well worth a visit any time of year, theres always something about, and with the added bonus of the Red Kites I feel privileged to have it as my local patch.

Hope that helps you out a bit June, as you can tell I love the place me! Marvellous!! :flyaway:

[Mouldy]

Good stuff, Mouldy: I spent my Saturday in a very similar way - dippers and kingfishers - at Alnwick.

It's amazing to see a dipper "working" on the river bed, isn't it?


Read your report Keith, excellent, cracking photo too.

Seems Hulne is a good place to visit regardless of the Hawfinch, and yes, it was cracking to see the Dipper at work, couldn't believe my luck, Dippers are quite easy to find here but usually in places where you can't see past the surface of the water, so this was a real privileged view and would have made a fantastic photograph.

Cheers :flyaway:

[June Atkinson]

:C Hi June, will do me best here but instruction giving is not one of my better skills.

The stone bridge is just up from the main road bridge at Swalwell beside the council salt mounds.
Dipper and Grey Wags are often very conspicuous here, fast-running shallows, plenty of jutting rocks and fallen trees for them to perch.
A footpath runs along by the river (main road side) access is between the bridge and the salt mounds, and eventually joins a whole network of paths the whole length of the country park.
I was just lucky seeing the Dipper where I did the other day, but the Swalwell end is very good for Dipper usually.
I have walked the full stretch of water from Swalwell to Rowlands Gill many times, and Dipper can be found all along the river, any accessible point where the water runs fast with jutting rocks is worth a look, especially the stretch of water from the stone Bridge by the lake in the park to the viaduct, and in Rowlands Gill the river under the bridge by the Gibside entrance is excellent for Dipper and Grey Wagtail (Access from the park).

Kingfisher are often encountered too, but not so easy to see perched despite their colouring, though unmistakeable when flying past low over the water.

The whole area is beautiful and well worth a visit any time of year, theres always something about, and with the added bonus of the Red Kites I feel privileged to have it as my local patch.

Hope that helps you out a bit June, as you can tell I love the place me! Marvellous!! :flyaway:

Thank you so much ...........brilliant :t:
I shall print it out and put it in the car, so that we have it at the ready any time we have the chance to explore this area.............

[salty]

im working in winlaton at the moment, and for the next 2 month or so.

there is brilliant views across the valley, and huge amounts of birds, as the fields are being ploughed. a few sparrowhawks every day, but no kite sightings from my vantage point.

anyone know of any redwing/fieldfare sightings in the borough yet?

[StevieEvans]

Volunteers needed for Tawny Owl Survey in the following Gateshead areas:-
Marley Hill
Lamesley
Ravensworth
Eighton Banks
Birtley
Kibblesworth.

Send me an Email or Pm if you are interested. Survey is easy to do, times to suit you & paperwork easy to complete.

SteveE.

[salty]

Volunteers needed for Tawny Owl Survey in the following Gateshead areas:-
Marley Hill
Lamesley
Ravensworth
Eighton Banks
Birtley
Kibblesworth.

Send me an Email or Pm if you are interested. Survey is easy to do, times to suit you & paperwork easy to complete.

SteveE.


just came back from kibblesworth, lamesly and ravensworth area. heard a single owl calling, but no sightings. the traffic was terrible, even up to 9:30pm!

night vision was working superb, nothing was going to hide from us, but there wasnt much activity.

[rayl]

2 Kites, 3 Buzzards, 3 Sparhawks and minimum of 7 Kestrel south of Marly Hill radio mast today. Superb views of Buzzards looking from above (no, not from the top of the mast)

Ray

[StevieEvans]

2 Kites, 3 Buzzards, 3 Sparhawks and minimum of 7 Kestrel south of Marly Hill radio mast today. Superb views of Buzzards looking from above (no, not from the top of the mast)

Ray
15 Raptors! Good going there Ray.
Multiple Buzzard sighting away from regular breeding area, very interesting, i'll send you an electronic address for the person who co-ordinates local Buzzard records, im sure they'll be very interested.
SE

[ukjesters]

Can i just thank the woman who was at the Black Horse pub this morning (sat) for her information/advice regarding the kites in the barlow area. She was there tracking the birds and said that she was doing a project for Uni. If your reading this then again many thanks for your time, if you happen to know who she is can you pass on my thanks.

Cheers
Rick

[June Atkinson]

Can i just thank the woman who was at the Black Horse pub this morning (sat) for her information/advice regarding the kites in the barlow area. She was there tracking the birds and said that she was doing a project for Uni. If your reading this then again many thanks for your time, if you happen to know who she is can you pass on my thanks.

Cheers
Rick

Rick,
This could have been the Newcastle University student who, for her Master's Degree, has been doing a monitoring/research project on our Kites.
Have a look at the up-date which I posted in Birds of Prey>Stop Press...Northern Kites, in which the most recent news is given. I do know her name so if you wish to contact her let me know and I'll post this privately.
How many kites did you see today? Did you stay in the Barlow village/Barlow Fell areas?

[john gardiner]

Today at Far Pasture
Kingfisher
30 Teal
4 Mallard
female Wigeon
juv Mute Swan
4 Grey Wagtail
2 Snipe
pair of Jays
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
30 House Martins over the sewage works

[salty]

Today at Far Pasture
Kingfisher
30 Teal
4 Mallard
female Wigeon
juv Mute Swan
4 Grey Wagtail
2 Snipe
pair of Jays
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
30 House Martins over the sewage works

nice one getting the kingfisher john, always a fantastic sight.

im not surprised you got sparrowhawk, they are as common as muck at the moment.

B (:

[salty]

red kites showing well over barlow and highspen area this lunchtime, the sun was out in force, and i was able to get cracking views at the roadside.......although i was supposed to be working, and not kite spotting;)

[June Atkinson]

red kites showing well over barlow and highspen area this lunchtime, the sun was out in force, and i was able to get cracking views at the roadside.......although i was supposed to be working, and not kite spotting;)

So, where were you Richie? We were there at lunch-time too.

Sadly, there was precious little at Far Pasture Hide this morning. Your good report from yesterday was enough to get us there!! The mute swan cygnet was lovely. We did see a sparrowhawk and as we were leaving I caught sight of a jay. Jays have never been very common in the north, but are they becoming more numerous?

We have a key to the Hide, but couldn't open any of the windows. Is there a special key available for this? The clarity through the windows is not all that acceptable.......

[salty]

hi June.

if you saw a light blue gas board van, towing a big dumper truck, that was me!

as for far pasture, there did used to be a window key inside the hide, but it must be long gone by now, the windows are in a state, and should be kept clean for us!

i tend to do most of my birding outside the hide, the surounding area is stuffed full of birds, although the kingfishers are still worth sitting in the hide for!

[salty]

i came within a few feet of hitting a big female sparrowhawk on pawston road today! - i was too busy crawling along in the van trying to spot kites when it almost went through my windscreen, but it swerved at the last moment, i was then able to watch it glide along a hedgerow looking for birds to pick off.

on my return journey, i did manage a great view of a red kite as it soared low over the fields near to the black horse pub, brilliant.

[Mouldy]

Sadly, there was precious little at Far Pasture Hide this morning. Your good report from yesterday was enough to get us there!! The mute swan cygnet was lovely. We did see a sparrowhawk and as we were leaving I caught sight of a jay. Jays have never been very common in the north, but are they becoming more numerous?

We have a key to the Hide, but couldn't open any of the windows. Is there a special key available for this? The clarity through the windows is not all that acceptable.......

Hi June,

Far Pasture ponds have been quiet these last few weeks, and like Salty says, most of the action has been from the surrounding land.
Jays have been very prominent lately esp. at Far Pasture where a flock of 10 overhead while Kite watching a few weeks back was a personal best, but I've seen more than usual flying over the village as well.
The Derwent Valley woods have always been good for Jay, Thornley feeding station will usually supply good views of up to 4 birds if you wait long enough.
There's a thread about this elsewhere on the forum but it could be just the time of year, Jay's are notorious storers of food so will be active before the winter arrives searching for and hiding their stocks, so becoming more visible than usual. I think that's about the best theory as their prominence has been noted around the country.

I have my own key for the windows at Far Pasture as do a few others. They are nail-shaped (not fingernails mind) with deep grooves and fit in the circular holes at the sides of the frames, readily available from DIY and keysmiths. If you don't know what I mean I'll put a photo online for you.

Keep watching the skies (but not while you're driving) :flyaway:

[June Atkinson]

Hi June,

Far Pasture ponds have been quiet these last few weeks, and like Salty says, most of the action has been from the surrounding land.
Jays have been very prominent lately esp. at Far Pasture where a flock of 10 overhead while Kite watching a few weeks back was a personal best, but I've seen more than usual flying over the village as well.
The Derwent Valley woods have always been good for Jay, Thornley feeding station will usually supply good views of up to 4 birds if you wait long enough.
There's a thread about this elsewhere on the forum but it could be just the time of year, Jay's are notorious storers of food so will be active before the winter arrives searching for and hiding their stocks, so becoming more visible than usual. I think that's about the best theory as their prominence has been noted around the country.

I have my own key for the windows at Far Pasture as do a few others. They are nail-shaped (not fingernails mind) with deep grooves and fit in the circular holes at the sides of the frames, readily available from DIY and keysmiths. If you don't know what I mean I'll put a photo online for you.

Keep watching the skies (but not while you're driving) :flyaway:

I should have made it clear that I was not on the move at the time - just waiting on the slip road......... o:)

[salty]

observed 2 red kites over pawston road at 3:30pm today, great views as they circled together, despite the poor visibility they showed well.

[salty]

gadwall and kingfisher on shibdon pond yesterday, plenty of birds about despite the drizzle and cold!

[Mickr]

I was at Far Pasture today and didn't manage to see any Red Kites. I drove up towards Thornley Kennels at 17:50 and managed to see 6 a couple of hundred yards away.

1 flew no more than 10 metres above my head.

[salty]

I was at Far Pasture today and didn't manage to see any Red Kites. I drove up towards Thornley Kennels at 17:50 and managed to see 6 a couple of hundred yards away.

1 flew no more than 10 metres above my head.

cheers for the update, great work.

surprised at far pastures mind, although i popped in there yesterday and could only last a few minutes before the midges sent me packing back to my car, they were really attacking me!

[StevieEvans]

gadwall and kingfisher on shibdon pond yesterday, plenty of birds about despite the drizzle and cold!
Bar tailed Godwit too.... first one there for 16 years.

[salty]

Bar tailed Godwit too.... first one there for 16 years.

aye! but it wouldnt show for us yesterday :C

[salty]

6 red kites together in a recently ploughed field in high spen this morning, no more than 100 metres from the main road.

[StevieEvans]

Project co-ordinator informs me of 16 Kites & a pr of Buzzards at Thornley Kennels recently.
SE

[Mickr]

Just out of interest, have the Buzzards turned up since the Kites were released?

[StevieEvans]

Just out of interest, have the Buzzards turned up since the Kites were released?

Mick, The Kites do draw Buzzards / other raptors in.
Theres been a steady increase in Buzz no's locally, but an isolated breeding pair can be unobtrusive in mixed farm/woodland.

Buzzard records are collated in the Durham region by their species co-ordinator:-
Email. ope@globalnet.co.uk

I was told birders are not submitting many Red Kite records to the Northern Kites team.....
Email. info@northernkites.org.uk

4 Water Rail at Shibdon at dusk yesterday, 2 seen & 2 heard.

Records of any bird species in Gateshead can be submitted (a spreadsheet is available for multiple records) to the recording organisation for the area:-
dbc.records@btinternet.com

SE.

[salty]

i first saw buzzards with kites last summer, im sure it's the same pair back this year.

also know of a pair that have been roosting in a small village in gateshead/durham border for a few years, prehaps these buzzards have been here since before the kites were released last year????????

[Mouldy]

Just found out the open-cast mining application overlooking the valley has been thrown out. Marvellous way to brighten up a miserable day!!!

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[salty]

yep, followed this on the news today, good result for all, well done the council for knocking it back - there would of been hell to pay if they'd let this happen!

[June Atkinson]

Just found out the open-cast mining application overlooking the valley has been thrown out. Marvellous way to brighten up a miserable day!!!

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

This is a brilliant result. Congratulations to Gateshead Council for standing firm for what is right on so many fronts. :t

[Keith Reeder]

I just hope that the refusal of this mining application doesn't open the doors to housing development instead - the opencast might not look so bad after all if that becomes the alternative.

[StevieEvans]

Dont know about this particular application, but ive found many recently reclaimed opencast coal sites are far & away better (for birds & wildlife) than the often sterile mono-cultures they often replace.
Not necessarily a victory for birds & wildlife.....
Steve.

[Mouldy]

I just hope that the refusal of this mining application doesn't open the doors to housing development instead - the opencast might not look so bad after all if that becomes the alternative.

Aye, like any destruction of what little countryside we have a building development would be a complete bummer too, but personally I don't think the open cast-mining is any less evil, seeing on the news this week that the last batch of open-casts are coming to the end of their contracts and they're applying for extensions. Once you let them in they're here to stay I reckon.
Must say though, when I saw the farmer in question on TV when all this was originally announced, his reason for offering the land was that the farm just wasn't paying its way so no doubt he will be looking for other ways to offload it. Just a case of watch this space I'm afraid, but for now a quiet celebration I think. |:(|

[Keith Reeder]

Enjoy away, Mouldy - I don't want to be seen to be raining on anyone's parade.

My concern is simply that opencasts are - by definition - finite in life expectancy (even taking extensions into account) whereas housing is, to all intents and purposes, forever.

As Stevie Evans says, what's left after an opencast is finished and tidied up is often waaay better than what was there before the mining started - some of the best birding sites in SE Northumberland are directly the result of opencasting.

Not many housing estates or industrial/commercial developments warrant a visit with the bins though.

As I say, I'm pleased that this is seen as a victory though, and I hope that it stays that way.

[Mouldy]

Comments taken on board Gents, but I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. :flyaway:

[Keith Reeder]

Hi Mouldy,

there's no argument, mate - so need need to agree to disagree...

;)

Seriously - I'm pleased for you and the others that the opencast has been scrapped, and if that's the only threat, it's certainly a victory "on the ground".

[Mouldy]

Hi Mouldy,

there's no argument, mate - so need need to agree to disagree...

;)

Seriously - I'm pleased for you and the others that the opencast has been scrapped, and if that's the only threat, it's certainly a victory "on the ground".


Thanks Keith,

think I misinterpreted the previous comments as putting a damper on what I saw as good news (as I have a special interest in this as I would have to look at it every day and had a worse case scenario in mind of me having to move away from my beautiful patch had the plans been accepted), reading back I see the point as being it wouldn't necessarily be the end of the world had the application gone through,..... though it would take me a while to see it that way!!!

Back to the birds

Cheers B (:

[Keith Reeder]

Cool - I was worried that I'd been picked up wrongly.

Whereabouts is the valley in question, Mouldy?

Edit: Not to worry - I guess it's this:
http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/etech/DCCMinutes.nsf/6fe09dd7d993002780256aef003c01ab/b36df015a5bef4498025705700509550?OpenDocument

Based on the comments from the CC, it does look like there wouldn't have been a net environmental benefit in the long term from this development, so it's clear to me that the refusal was the best decision.

Well done.

[Mouldy]

Cool - I was worried that I'd been picked up wrongly.

Whereabouts is the valley in question, Mouldy?

Edit: Not to worry - I guess it's this:
http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/etech/DCCMinutes.nsf/6fe09dd7d993002780256aef003c01ab/b36df015a5bef4498025705700509550?OpenDocument

Based on the comments from the CC, it does look like there wouldn't have been a net environmental benefit in the long term from this development, so it's clear to me that the refusal was the best decision.

Well done.

No worries Keith, I was feeling the same way myself and Yip, that's the one, didn't realise you didn't know where it was. It also happens to be an important area for the Red Kite Project and right next door to Gibside.
Both sides of the valley here are beautiful, diverse in habitat and wildlife-plentiful which is why I love it so much and feel privileged to have it as my local patch,

but moving on ....

took the bairn out for a late afternoon stroll today in Derwent Park, the childrens playpark at Rowlands Gill just off the road to Burnopfield. There are a couple of buggy-accessible points to the river Derwent here and on the river at the entrance end were a pair of Dipper, a redhead Goosander and two Grey Wags flew past going downstream. We then walked upsteam to the riverbank access under the stone road bridge at the other end of the park, where there was another pair of Dipper (different coloured rings) and a single Grey Wagtail.

Not bad in just a few hundred yards. :flyaway:

[salty]

while at work in winlaton today i watched 2 sparrowhawks trying to hunt a small flock of redwing today, they left empty handed, but they were good to watch at the time.

[StevieEvans]

Hi
Just been sent some info on a further breeding pair of owls in the Borough, heres a pic taken this summer.
SE.

[salty]

working in whickham at the moment, and there have been loads of robins, redwings, blackbirds and the odd fieldfare moving overhead.

also 2 sparrowhaks today, great stuff!

[Mouldy]

Made the short trip to Sherburn Towers Farm this afternoon to look out for the roosting Red Kites. When I arrived at 3.30pm, straight away I could see 4 Kites above the trees left and right, and from then until I left at 4.15pm a constant stream of between 2 and 8 birds were in vision in excellent light, mostly appearing as specks in the distance from the direction of Barlow but growing ever closer eventually giving excellent views as they circled slowly low above the farmland, calling occasionally before disappearing into the trees. Difficult to put a number on how many individuals I saw but must have been in excess of twenty. A few birds were in the most recently ploughed field, one just standing motionless for ages, others appearing in flight just above the ground from beyond where the land dips out of sight.
Star of the show though was an adult Common Buzzard, I first noticed it soaring in the distance with a group of Kites, it gave a great display of laboured hovering in the middle distance, soared with the Kites over the near field but then came closest of all when the local corvids took a dislike to it (strange but not a single Kite was mobbed all the time I was there). 2 Crows and 3 Jackdaws chased it right over to where I was standing, then veered off left. Circling round again it passed me in the opposite direction this time with 9 corvids in attendance. Wings beating faster now as it was being harried from all directions, next time it passed me it had picked up a stream of 17 mobbers from the surrounding fields and this time it didn’t return, it flew off into the distance and I counted no less than 33 pursuers. The whole incident was straight out of Benny Hill, all that was missing was the music.
The whole time I was there, a number of Jays were flying to and fro, bills full of goods to stash away for the winter in a frenzy of activity for that particular species, and with finch flocks building up a return with a ‘scope is warranted methinks.
Things quietened down at about 4.15pm and I suddenly had the image of my better half now gasping for a cup of tea, as I’d left the house on the pretext of popping down to Tescos for milk, but took my bins ’just in case’. A last look as I walked off and another 3 Kites had appeared. Got my provisions and walked back home via the same route. This time, at 4.55pm, not a single Kite was showing, so off I went for a well deserved cuppa.
All in all this was probably the best prolonged view of good numbers of Kites I’ve ever had and the Buzzard (not for the first time this year) was a great bonus. Though it's always a bit of pot luck when looking for the Kites I hope this gives an idea of timing for better chance of good sightings, if you can get anywhere near as good a forty five minutes as I had today I would definitely recommend the Sherburn Towers roost this winter. :flyaway:

(Also added to the Birds of Prey: Northern Kites thread)

[salty]

nice one mouldy, im tempted to pop over after work to get some pics one day soon.

[salty]

popped upto sherburn towers after work today, hoping to get a few snaps of the kites.

they were out and about as soon as i pulled up, and were having there 'happy hour' before going to bed. we counted at least 12 different birds, all of them this years batch.

they were also very tricky to get pics of, seeing as i was only using my digiscoping set-up, i still got some record shots.

[Vipers]

Nice shots Richie! Digiscoping birds in flight is not easy.

[salty]

Nice shots Richie! Digiscoping birds in flight is not easy.


tell me about it! - it was also windy, cold, and the sun was really low, i thought they were all going to be rubbish, so i was quite surprised when they were still pretty useable!

[Mouldy]

popped upto sherburn towers after work today, hoping to get a few snaps of the kites.

they were out and about as soon as i pulled up, and were having there 'happy hour' before going to bed. we counted at least 12 different birds, all of them this years batch.

they were also very tricky to get pics of, seeing as i was only using my digiscoping set-up, i still got some record shots.

not bad at all Salty, I was there meself from 3.30 - 4.30, thought the wind was gonna spoil it today as the early birds weren't staying in the air long but after a while the action was non-stop, will have to take scope and camera next time, could have had some crackers of birds standing in the fields and perched on the pylons. :flyaway:

[salty]

not bad at all Salty, I was there meself from 3.30 - 4.30, thought the wind was gonna spoil it today as the early birds weren't staying in the air long but after a while the action was non-stop, will have to take scope and camera next time, could have had some crackers of birds standing in the fields and perched on the pylons. :flyaway:

i got there just before 5pm, they were in the trees, but the sun and wind didnt give me a chance of a good shot. likewise with the ones that went into the fields, they simply wouldnt stay still long eough.

a DSLR camera up there would produce big rewards.

[StevieEvans]

Hi
Listened to a talk about Kibblesworth & its birds last night, very interesting.
36 years of constant study, data collection & analysis of survey results....
The overall picture did show some losses but on the whole species diversity & no's had increased since 1970.
150 pr's of all species in '70 compared with 500 pr's in 2005.

A total of 99 species have been recorded in the 36 year... the list included rarities like Hoopoe, RBShrike, Bluethroat & Hen Harrier nearby.

An couple of interesting points were all the data & bird records were factored into the Opencast Conditions & also the farmers friends all wanted surveys & bird boxes on their land too.

SE

[salty]

fantastic views once again at sherburn of red kites. straight away there was a good 6-7 kites in the air, and more came out for there happy hour before settling to roost.

:clap:

[salty]

back at hollinside today while the sun made a surprise appearance.

the sky was awash with kites. i also had a very close view of 2 stoats - while i was swapping over my memory cards!!!!! - nightmare.

this is THE place for kites.

[rayl]

So you won't be getting a refund on the lens then? ;)
Amazing the difference a bit of decent light makes. No.3 is nice mate.

It'll be the Photoshop lessons next.

Ray

[Vipers]

Superb shots Richie. Keep up the good work.

[salty]

i passed through 'red kite country' today, and done a quick count for just 5 mins in each of these spots, to see what numbers of kites were available and to show how easy they are to find.

high spen: 5 kites.

barlow fell: 7 kites.

hollinhill lane: 6 kites.

almost 20 kites in just 15 mins at different sites!!!

[June Atkinson]

i passed through 'red kite country' today, and done a quick count for just 5 mins in eack of these spots, to see what numbers of kites were available and to show how easy they are to find.

high spen: 5 kites.

barlow fell: 7 kites.

hollinhill lane: 6 kites.

almost 20 kites in just 15 mins at different sites!!!

:hi:
It's a wonder we didn't meet you Richie..........we were in all of these places between 3 and 5p.m. today.
I realised later that Hollinside had to be near Hollins Lane, but thanks for your message about this.
We too saw several in different places.....started rather slowly with just a couple on Barlow Fell, then we were luckier at the Black Horse, where we met a University student with tracking equipment. She was able to confirm the numbers of the four we were watching as being - WT3, WT12,WT27 and WT28. Later we moved back onto the road between the Fell and Hookergate.
Wow! We had them right overhead, wheeling and soaring....brilliant! :clap:

I took some shots with my Pentax+Zoom, then had a terrible thought - not sure if there is a film in this one or had I removed it!! :-C :-C :-C
I shall be so disappointed if I have lost some possibly good shots!!
We thought we'd give Sherburn Towers a try before heading home. There were definitely four here, but we didn't have close sightings of any. We parked by the Bus Terminus, but I'm sure one ought tobe able to get nearer to the copse on the far side, nearer the Pylons. We tried a couple of side roads, without success. If anyone can help with more specific directions, I'd be grateful.
But, all told, it was a good afternoon, and Leonard enjoyed the outing too. :gn:

[salty]

June:

just head up hollinhill lane and you will get to a point where the road bends to the right, there is a entrance to a field with a pylon about 20ft away - this is right next to the roost site, and if you stay untill last light you will get 20+ kites in no time!

i have had then come over right next to me for a peek, they circle over head to check you out, and if you stay still you can get great pics.

[Mouldy]

Had a bit of a tour about the Derwent Valley yesterday, not a great deal to report but here's the best of what was on offer:

Thornley hide - common tits and finches, 4-5 Jays, Nuthatch. Kestrel hovering in the distance, more unusual species present (for the site) were single Goldcrest and Two Siskin.

Shibdon Pond - nothing but the regulars on the pond but 2 x Sparrowhawks seen

Far Pasture - Female Goldeneye, 2 x Little Grebe, 5 x Snipe, female Reed bunting, single RedKite over, 35 Siskin present for a time. 1 x Kestrel on approach road, 2 x Sparrowhawks. still much activity by Jays in adjacent fields. 2 pairs Common Darter dragonflies egg laying.

Sherburn Towers - Good close views of 6-8 Kites from the bus turning circle, 1 directly overhead came low over the road prompting a motorist to stop and enquire “what the hell was that?”. Other Kites more distant, brief visit by Common Buzzard once again mobbed by corvids as soon as it appeared over the horizon. (Buzzard has made an appearance 4 out of my 6 visits in under two weeks.) :flyaway:

[salty]

i aint seen the buzzards for weeks now, im glad they are still in the area, hopefully they will stay for the winter.

i usually go up hollinhill road for close-ups of kites, park in a field and you wont have to wait long for them to come and check you out, you can get near the roost site this way too, although dont go more than a few feet from the road, just to keep the farmers and kites happy;)

[Skelly]

Thornley Woods Feeding Station

Coal Tit
Jay
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Linnet
Dunnock
Grey Squirrel
Magpie
Black Bird
Wood Pigeon

Far Pasture

10+ Snipe
Water Rail
Female Goldeneye
Little Grebe
Sparrowhawk
Teal
Coot
Moorhen

Shibdon Pond

Loads of Teal
40+ Redshank
Lapwing
Canada Goose
Cormorant
Moorhen
Coot
Pheasant

All in all a pleasant days birding with Rayl.

B (:

[salty]

Thornley Woods Feeding Station

Coal Tit
Jay
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Linnet
Dunnock
Grey Squirrel
Magpie
Black Bird
Wood Pigeon

Far Pasture

10+ Snipe
Water Rail
Female Goldeneye
Little Grebe
Sparrowhawk
Teal
Coot
Moorhen

Shibdon Pond

Loads of Teal
40+ Redshank
Lapwing
Canada Goose
Cormorant
Moorhen
Coot
Pheasant

All in all a pleasant days birding with Rayl.

B (:


what? no red kites!

;)

[Skelly]

what? no red kites!

;)
Unfortunately not.

Didn't have enough time to look for them.

One thing to mention though, the Far Pasture hide was unlocked, can only presume the previous birder forgot to lock it.

[salty]

Far Pasture hide was unlocked, can only presume the previous birder forgot to lock it.



not good!


it only takes one or two bored teens, and the hide will be destroyed, at this time of year especially!


:storm:

[LSB]

not good!


it only takes one or two bored teens, and the hide will be destroyed, at this time of year especially!


:storm:


The past 2 times Ive been over to Far Pasture the hide has been unlocked....Someone needs to pull their socks up......

[StevieEvans]

It may just be people forgetting to lock, but it could be non-keyholders entering while hide unlocked & in use.

Simple soloution
ive only been in that hide twice, both times i locked it upon entry from inside.
that way only key holders can gain entry & you have to unlock to get out.... reminding you to lock it once outside !

As Salty says it wouldnt take much for it to be wrecked or torched & it must have cost a fortune to construct.

SE

[DenBee]

Unfortunately not.

Didn't have enough time to look for them.

One thing to mention though, the Far Pasture hide was unlocked, can only presume the previous birder forgot to lock it.

Hi Skelly
It is a long while since I have been to Far Pasture and did not realise that the Hide had been rebuilt, and am wondring if my Key for Thorley Woods Hide will still open the New Hide. As I am hoping to revisit the area next week.

DenBee

[Mouldy]

Must admit I use the FP hide sometimes 3 times a week and it is a long time since I discovered it unlocked, having said that, it must be getting to be a problem as only recently notices have gone up inside reminding people to lock up after them so theres no excuse really.
Apart from some people are just lazy the only excuse I can think of is that sometimes it is difficult to turn the key to lock it from the outside and you have to spend a while getting the 'knack' of locking it.
Personally I make sure anyone left in the hide has a key when I leave, and Yes DenBee the Thornley Hide Key is one and the same (also Shibdon Pond and Clara Vale). :flyaway:

[Denis J]

The one key fits all 3 local hides
as for locking the hide I always ask if the people I am leaving have a key if not I tell them I have to lock up..never had any bother:@)

[DenBee]

Must admit I use the FP hide sometimes 3 times a week and it is a long time since I discovered it unlocked, having said that, it must be getting to be a problem as only recently notices have gone up inside reminding people to lock up after them so theres no excuse really.
Apart from some people are just lazy the only excuse I can think of is that sometimes it is difficult to turn the key to lock it from the outside and you have to spend a while getting the 'knack' of locking it.
Personally I make sure anyone left in the hide has a key when I leave, and Yes DenBee the Thornley Hide Key is one and the same (also Shibdon Pond and Clara Vale). :flyaway:

Thanks M
Hope to see you there sometime, as I am trying to get back into regular outings, having been inactive for around five month plus

DenBee

[salty]

The one key fits all 3 local hides
as for locking the hide I always ask if the people I am leaving have a key if not I tell them I have to lock up..never had any bother:@)

it also fits clara vale hide too :t:

[Mouldy]

Had a fascinating couple of hours at the river Derwent 'salmon leap' today, apologies for long-winded report, this is one for insomniacs only I think!

Walking up from Winlaton Mill I stopped at the site where Water Rail and Otter had been seen recently. I could see the overnight rain had swelled the river dramatically, making it look like fast moving tea. A 15 minute wait produced a flypast Kingfisher, 2 Grey Heron, Kestrel and If I was brave I would claim the first Waxwings of the new season, was caught unawares by a flock of 10 birds from the trees over the road. In poor light I thought they were Starlings but as they passed overhead I could see the colouring appeared more or less a uniform light grey rather than darker and flecked, and through bins I’m sure the odd glimpse of crest could be made out as they changed direction. Before I could be absolutely sure though, they were heading up river and away in the distance. Obviously need to get my eye in again with Waxwings in flight. Never mind.
I moved on to the weir by the tennis courts. The Salmon and Trout were leaping still, some absolutely massive, but their task was made nigh on impossible by the torrent of muddy water flowing against them. It was fascinating to watch them make the leap over the falls then inch up the slope, only a shark-like dorsal fin showing above the waterline. (pic 1) A quivering shape powering against the flow could be seen, only eventually to come to a halt and slide defeated back over the falls.
All sorts of flotsam was gathering at the foot of the weir, dead branches, massive logs, cans, bottles, a football and then what looks like a pink armchair got stuck at the top of the weir, showing just how powerful the current was today.
An adult and young Grey Heron (pic 2) had been watching from the sidelines, the older bird twice chased the youngster along the path where I was standing and both flew past within inches of me. The older bird left the scene after a while and the young was foolhardy enough to attempt some fishing in the weir (pic 3), but soon lost its balance in the torrent and flew back to the safety of the riverbank at the bottom of the waterfall.
A Sparrowhawk paid a brief visit but was escorted from the area by a large crow.
I was all but ready to leave and typically I’d just packed my camera away when I glimpsed an Otter by the railings at the top of the weir on the far side of the river. It disappeared with that undulating stride into the undergrowth and I thought that was that, but then my attention was caught by the young Heron which was now struggling to control an eel it had just fished out of the slow moving pool at the side of the waterfall.
As it did so, the elusive Otter lunged out from the reeds causing the Heron to leap up into the air and up onto the weir, but tucked in against the wall where the current wasn’t so strong (pic 4) where it eventually managed to control and swallow its slippery prey. But again, the Otter had disappeared out of sight.
A leaping fish close to my side of the river came right into the side under where I was watching, I photographed it (pic 5) before it struggled back into the deeper water and was taken back down by the current (no expert on fish but it looks like a trout to me).
I was now totally immersed in the fishes struggles, willing them on each time one made the leap only to fail time and again and now couldn‘t bring myself to leave, and just as well, for half an hour after its first appearance, the Otter swam into the river below the falls. Three times I saw it come up for air but these brief sightings were all I got. The rain started to get heavy, the light was fading and so I reluctantly took my leave. But a great couple of hours of fascinating nature watching.

Cheers :flyaway:

PS The fish pictured was about 2 feet long

[patmartin]

The fish is a Sea Trout,this is the time of the year when all they think about is the urge to spawn and every rise of water sets them running for the spawning grounds. Sounds like you had a good day.

[salty]

great report mouldy!

[fastshot1]

good report!
i couldnt drag myself away aswell! so much going on in this area, have you noticed that theres some great views of birds in the tennis courts aswell ! mind theres also a few short-skirted wobblers aswell. straight opposite on river (back to serious note) theres a pair of kingfishers, heres a few pic of this part aswell.
thanx

[Gill Osborne]

Good report there...I really MUST venture south of the Tyne ;) I'm sure the locals don't bite! :'D


Gill

[salty]

Good report there...I really MUST venture south of the Tyne ;) I'm sure the locals don't bite! :'D


Gill

are you coming to the kite bash in december Gill?

it will give you a good insight of the hides and birds available, all within a small area too.

[June Atkinson]

good report!
i couldnt drag myself away aswell! so much going on in this area, have you noticed that theres some great views of birds in the tennis courts aswell ! mind theres also a few short-skirted wobblers aswell. straight opposite on river (back to serious note) theres a pair of kingfishers, heres a few pic of this part aswell.
thanx

Whereabouts is the salmon leap? Sounds the right place to be. Another good place - for you Gill too - is the river up at Ingram Valley. We once saw nearly 100 salmon leaping at the little weir - brilliant! :clap: :clap:

Leonard and I went to Thornley Woods and stopped at the Centre to view the very impressive work by both you Steven, and Alan M. Lovely, lovely shots! and what a diversity of subject! :clap:

Then at Barlow Fell, we bumped into Ian F, who was having a quick tour. We saw six kites and Ian saw seven. The weather turned rainy and visibility was pretty poor, but a good outing, nevertheless. :flyaway:

[fastshot1]

Whereabouts is the salmon leap? Sounds the right place to be. Another good place - for you Gill too - is the river up at Ingram Valley. We once saw nearly 100 salmon leaping at the little weir - brilliant! :clap: :clap:

Leonard and I went to Thornley Woods and stopped at the Centre to view the very impressive work by both you Steven, and Alan M. Lovely, lovely shots! and what a diversity of subject! :clap:

Then at Barlow Fell, we bumped into Ian F, who was having a quick tour. We saw six kites and Ian saw seven. The weather turned rainy and visibility was pretty poor, but a good outing, nevertheless. :flyaway:



hi june
the salmon leap is next to tennis courts, good place to visit loads going on. I was there today and couldnt believe 3 hours passed away!
thanx

[June Atkinson]

hi june
the salmon leap is next to tennis courts, good place to visit loads going on. I was there today and couldnt believe 3 hours passed away!
thanx

As a youngster I regularly travelled along what we called the Low Road from Consett to Newcastle. I hated the Derwenthaugh section where both the smell and cokeworks filled the landscape.
Now, what a transformation - Derwent Walk is a wonderful asset; the superb photos by Steven and Alan prove that it is a magical place to visit. :t:

Not knowing it very well however, I'm not sure where the tennis courts are - could you give me a reference point e.g. do we park at Winlaton Mill or at the Caravan Park? Any directions would enable us to go before the salmon have finished their acrobatics! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
The thought of possibly seeing kingfishers and otter is very attractive too.:flyaway:

[Mouldy]

Not knowing it very well however, I'm not sure where the tennis courts are - could you give me a reference point e.g. do we park at Winlaton Mill or at the Caravan Park? Any directions would enable us to go before the salmon have finished their acrobatics! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
The thought of possibly seeing kingfishers and otter is very attractive too.:flyaway:

Hi June,

Theres a car park off the A694 entrance to the cricket ground. The Dam and weir are just upstream from there. I was there for an hour today but the water level has gone down a lot and I fear the best of the action is over.
A Heron was picking off the smaller fish and only a couple of big'uns were seen.
Kingfisher is pretty regular just up from the weir (again today), seeing the otter is more a stroke of good fortune.

Thanks for the nice comments re artwork and photos, bump into you soon no doubt.

Cheers :flyaway:

[salty]

i was up hollinhill lane for an hour today, got some kite shots, and watched about 5 birds in all, no-where near as many as usual, as i tend to see 12+ on a typical day!

i also popped into far pastures just before dusk, and saw 2 kites there, as well as long tailed tits, and the usual suspects.

[Skelly]

Great Spotted Woodpecker on the feeders at Thornley yesterday.

Single Kite flyover at Far Pastures and 3 at Sherburn Towers.

[Mouldy]

Was at Far Pasture about 2.45pm yesterday. Had 7 Kites over which is the most I've seen there for a while, also Common Buzzard over. 3 Little Grebes was 50% more than usual and female Goldeneye still present.
Had 3 sightings of Kingfisher on the river though 2 probably of the same bird, couple of Goosander, 2 Little Grebe also on the river and 8 Grey Heron in various places, one fishing top of the weir was picking off small trout as they jumped. Couple of sparrowhawk sightings too.

[Keith Reeder]

3 Little Grebes was 50% more than usual
Wow!

Do you normally see 1 and a 1/2 little grebes??

;)

Sorry mate, couldn't resist. Great report, by the way...

[Mouldy]

[QUOTE=Keith Reeder]

Do you normally see 1 and a 1/2 little grebes??



QUOTE]

I just KNEW someone would see it like that:) but think about it, if I usually saw 1 and a 1/2 grebes, then seeing 3 would be 100% more than usual. Ha Ha! Mathematical genius or what?

Anyway I heard that in Northumberland the way they keep a tally on the sheep is by counting all the legs and dividing by four!! :brains: :)

But cheers mate all the same, glad to know somebody actually reads my wafflings. :flyaway:

[salty]

visited thornley this afternoon, usual suspects including jays, nuthatch, blue and great tits, bullfinch etc.

then popped into far pasture for half an hour, 2 red kites being mobbed, little grebe, sparrowhawk, juvenile mute swan still there, teal etc etc.

[Mouldy]

Had a walk up Hollinhill Lane yesterday aft. for a bit of Kite spotting - on foot a bit scary walking up the road in certain places but found some good vantage points for viewing Kites, with some good close views and great views against the backdrop of the valley. From 2.30 - 3.20 Kites were in view just about all the time, weather was a bit of a spoiler though, the wind was biting at times, rain threatened or the sun was so bright in my face I couldn’t watch. Numbers of Kites though well into double figures.
A highlight for me was stumbling across two Red-legged Partridges, a county tick for yours truly, and 16 cock pheasants counted but strangely no hens, anyone know of any reason why this might be or was it just one of those things? :flyaway:

[June Atkinson]

I met someone at Bolam Lake yesterday. He was showing me his Canon EOS 350 SLR camera, but he had a Sigma zoom lens (18-200mm).
He is obviously pleased with its performance.

Have any of our talented photographers any comment on this combination.

I really would appreciate your thoughts as I have been on the point of going digital for the past 2 years!!

[salty]

I met someone at Bolam Lake yesterday. He was showing me his Canon EOS 350 SLR camera, but he had a Sigma zoom lens (18-200mm).
He is obviously pleased with its performance.

Have any of our talented photographers any comment on this combination.

I really would appreciate your thoughts as I have been on the point of going digital for the past 2 years!!


i can say nothing but praise for the EOS 350D, after i read the reviews i knew it was the one for me - just look at the pics in the gallery (type in EOS 350D in the search bar).

[rayl]

i can say nothing but praise for the EOS 350D, after i read the reviews i knew it was the one for me - just look at the pics in the gallery (type in EOS 350D in the search bar).

Don't believe him June, if he changes his camera as often as his car, he'll have a new one next month (Maybe even get the brand right next time ;) )

If you have an SLR now, you may be able to use existing lens by going for the same make. Plenty of pointers in the camera section though.

Ray

[June Atkinson]

visited thornley this afternoon, usual suspects including jays, nuthatch, blue and great tits, bullfinch etc.

then popped into far pasture for half an hour, 2 red kites being mobbed, little grebe, sparrowhawk, juvenile mute swan still there, teal etc etc.

Your photos are great Richie. :clap: I actually like magpies. The one of the swan has a lovely tranquil atmosphere.........and a slightly bluish tinge, perhaps?
Is this the reflection off the water?

[salty]

myself and rayl went in search of owls after a fruitless visit to prestwick carr today.

we pulled into a lay-by, with the sun behind us, perfect for pictures i though as we drank coffee.......

but something caught my eye in the rear view mirror, yep, a sort eared owl SITTING on the fence right behind the car!!!!

we had to get out for a good look and picture, and we were cursing ourselves for parking in the wrong spot.

it flew off straight away, but only a few metres into the field, where it sat still - but the sun was shining right into us, so pics were a no-go.

we did manage a few decent ones however, as a kestrel started to mob the owl, sending it into the sky before flying off into another field.

[salty]

i was keen to pop upto barlow fell today, as the weather was brilliant for a change, cold crisp sky without any cloud - just bright sunshine!

once at barlow, the kites and birders, were out in force. i noticed a few people out with cameras and bins, not surprisingly seeing as there was at least 8 - 10 kites as soon as you pull onto the barlow road, great stuff.

further on at the blackhorse pub, there was again kites a plenty, we counted at least another 15 - 20 kites in one area alone.

there was 2 kestrels hunting too, plus reports of the buzzard were coming in, although i didnt see it.

a quick trip along to hollinhill lane, had the grand total of 1 kite!!!

same at far pastures too, it was really quiet raptor wise, so it was back up to another part of barlow, and sure again, yet more kites flying around enjoying the sun.

[john gardiner]

Today
Lamesley Water Meadows
71 Black Headed Gull
6 Moorhen
Ravensworth Arms Car Park
Fieldfare
Redwing
Mistle Thrush
Greenfinch
Chaffinch
Blue Tit
Birkland Lane
300+ mixed flock of Golden Plover/Lapwing
Fieldfare
Black Headed Gull
Rook
Ravensworth Fell
Skylark
Snipe
Pheasant
Fieldfare
Redwing
Blackbird
Starling
Black Headed Gull

[Mouldy]

Had a walk out late morning today, and these are my observations:

7 Fieldfare flew over the Rowlands Gill entrance to the Derwent Walk, many common woodland birds on the way to Far Pasture along the walk itself included a pair of Bullfinch and a Goldcrest.
At Far Pasture, a Kestrel close to the car park, ponds frozen over, a few Snipe showed but not much else. A sign on the door informed me that the Thornley hide was going to be out of bounds for over a week while a new one was built so decided to walk up there hoping to get the recently seen Marsh Tit.
Goldcrest, a pair of Siskin, a small band of Long-tailed Tits and six Bullfinches were feeding at the field edges on the way back up to the Derwent Walk, and on approaching Thornley Woodlands Centre, the feeding table outside the building had briefly what I’m sure was a Marsh Tit. An enquiry within confirmed that said tit used this table rather than the feeding station over the road, so I hung around for ten minutes or so getting a few brief glimpses then a prolonged view enabling me to differentiate it from Willow Tit. (And a County tick to boot, yippee!).
The feeding station over the road was teeming with birds, mainly common types but in just over half an hour I counted 22 species in all including a close encounter with a swooping male Sparrowhawk which almost came into the hide, and a Willow Tit completed a full set of six tit species for the day. (not counting Bearded or Crested for obvious reasons).

A canny couple of hours. :flyaway:

[salty]

good stuff mouldy.

i never knew they planned on building a new hide, although the old one was in serious dis-repair!

[Mouldy]

good stuff mouldy.

i never knew they planned on building a new hide, although the old one was in serious dis-repair!


Aye Salty, I was told about it a couple of weeks back but not sure when till I saw the notice at far pasture, so just to inform everyone, if you're planning on going up there don't bother till after 30th November cos theres no access. However if you want to get the Marsh Tit it feeds at the table outside the Centre itself so no probs there. :flyaway:

[markEll]

Hallo,

im pretty new to birding, a rekindled hobby after my daughters took to spotting wildlife etc on holiday has set me away after a mild interest as a boy some 30 yrs ago. Anyway, we took a stroll along the Derwentside Walk last week, and i was wondering if we started at the best point. We walked from just behind the rugby club for a mile or two before heading back, but on reading some of the posts here, i can see i may have been in the wrong neck of the woods, if you'll forgive the pun. Can anyone give me any tips on where to park and the locations of some of the hides please. We had set out to see the Red Kites but were unsuccessful.

Also, if anyone reading has any decent spots for birding elsewhere in Tyneside/Northumberland/Durham area id love to know.

And, forgive my ignorance, but could someone tell me what...

1. SEO is
2. Lifer means

thanks in advance for your help.

[level seven]

Hallo,

im pretty new to birding, a rekindled hobby after my daughters took to spotting wildlife etc on holiday has set me away after a mild interest as a boy some 30 yrs ago. Anyway, we took a stroll along the Derwentside Walk last week, and i was wondering if we started at the best point. We walked from just behind the rugby club for a mile or two before heading back, but on reading some of the posts here, i can see i may have been in the wrong neck of the woods, if you'll forgive the pun. Can anyone give me any tips on where to park and the locations of some of the hides please. We had set out to see the Red Kites but were unsuccessful.

Also, if anyone reading has any decent spots for birding elsewhere in Tyneside/Northumberland/Durham area id love to know.

And, forgive my ignorance, but could someone tell me what...

1. SEO is
2. Lifer means

thanks in advance for your help.

Hi. SEO is Short-eared Owl, and a lifer is a bird you've never seen before, so new to your "life" list.

I did the very walk you mention myself last week, looking for kingfishers (unsuccessfully as usual for me!) and it is a very nice one, but you're right, there are better ones nearby for seeing birds. Your best bet might be to drive a mile or so on towards Rowlands Gill and you'll see Thornley Woods information centre well signed on your left, with parking. From there you'll find marked paths through the woods and a very good feeding station (with a hide) a couple of hundred yards on the other side of the road. Far Pasture is not too far to walk either and offers a very nice hide overlooking a small lake. There is a map near the information centre, or ask inside. It's easy to find. You can drive there as well, but it's a very pleasant walk anyway from the centre/car park.

I'm sure others more knowledgeable than me will be on to tell you about other places of interest in the area, but a good buy would be "Where to watch birds in North-east England", available in most good book-shops as they say.

[Mouldy]

we took a stroll along the Derwentside Walk last week, and i was wondering if we started at the best point. We walked from just behind the rugby club for a mile or two before heading back, but on reading some of the posts here, i can see i may have been in the wrong neck of the woods, if you'll forgive the pun. Can anyone give me any tips on where to park and the locations of some of the hides please. We had set out to see the Red Kites but were unsuccessful.



Hello MarkEll,

Sounds like you went along the Derwent Walk last week which is probably not the most productive bird-wise. Level seven has the right idea, find Thornley Woodlands Centre down the A694 and it will open up your world to wildlife in the Derwent Valley and beyond.
For a start you need to buy a key for the hides from there, one key gives access to Far Pasture ponds, Thornley Woods Feeding Station (closed till Nov 30 mind) Shibdon Pond hide and Clara Vale.
The information centre has leaflets on all the local nature reserves so its well worth checking out, plus they will give you up to date info on where best to see the Red Kites.
I highly recommend the feeding station there (when it re-opens) for anyone new to birding you will probably see more species there in half an hour than a full day walking the woods, with excellent views of Jay, Nuthatch and GS Woodpecker almost guaranteed.
Thornley Info Centre is open 12-5pm weekends, but during the week is only guaranteed to be open 12 -2pm.

Hope this gives you a taster for whats available, good luck and good birding
:flyaway:

[Mouldy]

I did the very walk you mention myself last week, looking for kingfishers (unsuccessfully as usual for me!)

the most recorded sightings of Kingfisher lately have been on the stretch of river just either side of Swalwell bridge or beside the Tennis Courts south of the dam, as you know theres no guarantees in this game (esp with Kingfishers) but pairs have been logged fairly regularly (even by me) at these points of late.

Cheers :flyaway:

[markEll]

Mouldy, LevelSeven

Thanks very much for your help on the Derwentside walks, i'll have to check out the feeding station, as ive never seen Jays before (thats how much of a novice i am). Im away this weekend but will pay a visit as soon as i can.

thanks again for replying, mark

[piecatcher]

Mouldy, LevelSeven

Thanks very much for your help on the Derwentside walks, i'll have to check out the feeding station, as ive never seen Jays before (thats how much of a novice i am). Im away this weekend but will pay a visit as soon as i can.

thanks again for replying, mark

Hi there , if your'e looking for good birds at the moment you could do worse than try Blaydon shopping centre out , I was there today and saw my first ever Waxwings , wow! what a bird , there were about 30 in the trees next to macdonalds , ther were also a few Redwings and a Mistle thrush , I also saw a few Goldcrests at Shibdon pond
good luck
Stephen

[level seven]

Hi there , if your'e looking for good birds at the moment you could do worse than try Blaydon shopping centre out , I was there today and saw my first ever Waxwings , wow! what a bird , there were about 30 in the trees next to macdonalds

Nice one piecatcher! They were seen there last year apparently, as well as quite a few other locations in the area, most of which I tried without success before finally catching up with them at Houghall College in Durham (after I'd nearly lost all hope). They were my first ones too.

[markEll]

Hi there , if your'e looking for good birds at the moment you could do worse than try Blaydon shopping centre out , I was there today and saw my first ever Waxwings , wow! what a bird , there were about 30 in the trees next to macdonalds , ther were also a few Redwings and a Mistle thrush , I also saw a few Goldcrests at Shibdon pond
good luck
Stephen


Thanks for the tip.

[john gardiner]

Today
Barlow Village 9 Red Kite
Barlow Fell 2 Red Kite, Kestrel, 4 Golden Plover, 3 Bullfinch & 19 Skylark
Chopwell Woods GSW, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Coal Tit no sign of any Brambling or Siskin.
No sign of Waxwing around Blaydon shopping centre.
Back in Durham had 10 Tree Sparrow and pair of Kestrel at Tanfield Moor

[piecatcher]

Today
Barlow Village 9 Red Kite
Barlow Fell 2 Red Kite, Kestrel, 4 Golden Plover, 3 Bullfinch & 19 Skylark
Chopwell Woods GSW, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Coal Tit no sign of any Brambling or Siskin.
No sign of Waxwing around Blaydon shopping centre.
Back in Durham had 10 Tree Sparrow and pair of Kestrel at Tanfield Moor

I was at Blaydon Staion today and saw a small flock of about 7 Waxwings today

[Mouldy]

Don't know about you lot out there but I'm soft as clarts when it comes to the cold weather, and even though my patch is 'on my doorstep' I find it hard to get out much. My two excursions last week were most unproductive thanks to frozen ponds and walking round previously unchartered areas looking for Waxwings. Anyone noticed a distinct lack of berries round their way this year? All the places locally which were good at this time last year seem to be barren.
Luckily the garden makes good watching and today had my first Siskin of the winter, a splendid male, and a Jay made a couple of visits for only the second record in my two years here, though I've had many fly-overs.
Typical garden numbers at the minute are up to 36 Starlings raiding every now and again, c16 House Sparrows, 6-12 Greenfinch and Chaffinch, 4-8 Goldfinch, up to 8 Blackbird, 2-4 Great Tit, Blue Tit and Collared Dove, 3 Bullfinch, 1-2 Magpie, Dunnock and Coal Tit, single Wren, Robin and seen just once in the garden during the last week were Black headed Gull and Goldcrest.
The only downer is the regular Tree Sparrow of the last year and a half hasn't been seen for about 2 months, though a couple of his/her hybrid offspring come in with the house sparrows.

And now its belting down with snow. Great! :flyaway:

[salty]

mouldy, im not a big winter fan myself......

i go to work in the dark, and come back in the dark. im lucky if i get a free weekend to get a few hours birding in now and again.........

[Mouldy]

Aye Salty, that was me a few years back when I lived in the real world. I got out when I never saw the light of day for about 6 months.

A bit different now though....

...despite the good weather today I found myself stuck at home working on the PC which is handily placed by the front window. Just after 10.30 this morning I saw a Red Kite coming very low beyond the rooftops opposite, I picked up my bins and went out into the back garden, the Kite came over, very very low, just about skimming the rooftop, and we live in a bungalow!
It looked directly at me as it did so and must have got a bigger surprise than I did as it reared up in mid-air, directly overhead, almost hovering on the spot for a split second, before gaining height, then circling round a couple of times still quite low, looking down into the garden before swooping down once again to about rooftop height before finally spiralling slowly upwards and away.
I think it was eying up the discarded Rusks we’d put out on the lawn that the Magpies seem to like. Whatever, it was the closest encounter with a Kite I’ve ever had and the sunshine was strong this morning making the colours of the plumage outstanding. And in my back garden as well. Fantastic!
Back to the PC then, and around mid-day a flash of colour caught my eye out close to the front window, I looked out to catch a Jay hopping about, digging and planting what turned out to be peanuts in the lawn just outside the window. It was there a while so I took some pics. Great mornings birding without even leaving the house. :flyaway:

[salty]

nice pics mouldy!

im looking forward to some kite pics this winter, i watched them flying in snow strorms last year, i thought theyd be put off - but they acted like they were having fun!

[ukjesters]

Made a visit to the new Thornley hide this morning and what a difference, excellant job by all involved. Windows are nice and secure with safety hinges etc and appear to be just the right height as well.
Oh and of course loadsa birds out and about including Jays feeding off the bird tables which is something that i have never seen before.
Once again Thanks and a big well done to all concerned.
Rick

[salty]

Made a visit to the new Thornley hide this morning and what a difference, excellant job by all involved. Windows are nice and secure with safety hinges etc and appear to be just the right height as well.
Oh and of course loadsa birds out and about including Jays feeding off the bird tables which is something that i have never seen before.
Once again Thanks and a big well done to all concerned.
Rick


brilliant.

just in time for the colder weather too, plus the mini-meet is only on the 17th dec, so at least we will have a nice new hide to bird from.......

[salty]

quick note.

can people start posting waxwing sightings please.

we are blessed with a few good sites here in the borough, blaydon etc, so lets get those sightings up and running.

[Mouldy]

Took the bairn for a walk up Thornley and had a brief look in the new hide this afternoon, big improvement on the old wind tunnel. The inside has still to be panelled and the information boards to be put up but that should be quite soon so I was told.
Not a lot of food out so birds were a bit sparse, Nuthatch showed well and small flock of Bullfinches came in just before I left to brighten up the afternoon.

Walking up from Rowlands Gill I flushed a flock of eight Waxwings by the farm off the A694 which circled once then flew off towards the Derwent Walk, on the way back down had single Redwing roadside, Red Kite quite low over road heading towards Far pasture, no sign of Waxwings though. :flyaway:

[June Atkinson]

:hi: More news from the Northern Kites Office. Some interesting notes:

Bird News
WT15, it is possible that the radio transmitter on this kite is not working! We believed it to have ‘gone missing’ last week, when no signals were received from it on Monday of last week. Mike Henry, however, had read its wing tags on the same afternoon when it was in the Barlow Burn. He had another sighting of the bird on Wednesday afternoon. Is this the second NK transmitter to go “down” (WT9’s being the other)?

WT54’s roosting behaviour is interesting. Over recent weeks, she has roosted by herself on a number of occasions, sometimes in the Thornley Kennels area. Last Friday she roosted to the west of Sherburn Towers, away from the main communal roost. However, on Monday evening, she was recorded roosting with 13 other kites at Sherburn Towers Farm. Contrary? On Friday evening, WT56 roosted all on his lonesome in the Gibside Estate.

In Teesdale, WT5 and WT57, appear to be becoming an “item”. Ever more, they are foraging together, and when resting through the day they will often be perched very close to each other. WT57 used to go on her own to visit WT23 at Blackton but she is now accompanied by WT5. On one occasion, he was observed inspecting an old crow’s nest, with WT57 perched only a couple of metres away.

Seven of the kites that were in the Gateshead area last week were not detected during the day on the 28th November. Five of these birds returned to roost in the Lower Derwent Valley on that evening, these were WT28, WT36, WT46, WT47 and WT52. Of the two that did not return WT31 was not located but WT24 was found to be roosting in the Delves/Iveston area, to the southeast of Consett. On the evening of 28th, 14 kites roosted at Sherburn Towers Farm; seven roosted in Spen Banks Wood and 15 birds in the Barlow Burn (3 below the Black Horse and 12 below the SITA landfill site).
Once again, we have, had a report of two birds together in Northumberland, just inland from Druridge Bay. Is this a wandering pair or a number of birds that we have not been able to ‘get to grips with’ using the tracking equipment?

Where to See Birds
The Barlow Burn is still the best place to see kites. Kite sightings have been reported regularly from there over the last week. On Monday afternoon, there were seventeen birds there with good views once again being had from the Black Horse car park. The roost at Sherburn Towers is still excellent for observing kites – try the bus turning circle at the top of the Sherburn Tower Estate, in Rowlands Gill.


Posted also in Red Kites

[Mouldy]

Laughing Gull (2nd Winter) at Shibdon Pond late morning/early afternoon (not that I could identify it at the time) and it flew off about 2pm apparently.
Kingfisher and Goosander by Swalwell bridge, 2 pairs little grebe on the river close by. A few Redwings also in the area.

[salty]

i was at shibdon yesterday, and never hears/seen anything about a laughing gull.

couldnt find any waxwings either.........

[russkie]

never mind salty mate

i usually have that sort of luck - spent a morning last week at blaydon and dipped on the waxwings but got some at hartlepool today - see my pics on Durham birding thread