• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Search results

thxpress_search_the_forum Search Opus
  1. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    These jobs may be of interest to some of you. Upland Research Assistant Company: Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust Location: Upper Teesdale, Northumberland Salary: £14-17K Sector: Conservation We seek a research assistant with a strong interest in applied ornithology and / or general...
  2. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Loads of Crossbill about at the moment in the forestry blocks around Otterburn, not long now until there are chicks about. Dippers singing like mad on the Coquet. Theres a pair of Raven hanging around one of last years Buzzard nests, do they ever take over old tree nests? Rob
  3. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Went down to Whittle Dene yesterday, but missed out on the Osprey by half an hour and the Hobby by 15mins! Never mind, had good views of Common Tern, Yellow Wag, Sedge Warbler and a female Goldeneye that presumably must be unable to fly. Had a drive over into the Kale Water today (Scotland)...
  4. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    I had some survey work to do this morning near Otterburn (just passerine transects), I wasn't overly happy, it being sunday, early and all, but had a great few hours. It was so warm even at 5.30, on the drive over we saw Lapwing with chicks. On the 1km walk to the first transect I heard a...
  5. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Had a busy couple of days but have seen some good birds, had Grasshopper Warbler reeling next to a layby off the A68 between Rochester and Byrness. Peregrine came to alarm us by a nesting crag (we were more than 1km away). Sedge Warbler seem to be everywhere, in scrubby willow on the moor edge...
  6. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Interesting Stewart, that backs up some anecdotal evidence I have of the partridge in the Coquet valley. When we moved here in 2003 there were 2 pairs of greys around our house, then a shoot on the Scotch side started releasing Red-legs (tens of thousands, shooting 6 days a week), they drifted...
  7. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Had an interesting ring recovery today, a LBB Gull that I found dead under some telegraph wires near Knowesgate was ringed in Vest-Agder in Norway as a pullus in 2001. 645km, 244 degrees, 2129 days. 2 Grasshopper Warbler and Redstart near Comb today. Fledged grey wags on the Coquet at...
  8. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    I didn't see any Grey's right on the tops but saw a pair by the cattle grid where the Langdon Beck road meets the main dale road, and three pairs around Peghorn. There were Pheasants everywhere, right out to the quarry on the top, they are all 'wild' as the estate don't release any. Not sure...
  9. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Hooded Crow near Rochester yesterday, wondered what the hell is was at first as it flew across the road. Had a trip down to Mordor (County Durham) yesterday, Teesdale was absolutely heaving with waders, it really puts our moors to shame. Lapwing with chicks in every field, Blackgrouse...
  10. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Hobby near Chatton today. Rob
  11. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    The wind was too strong this morning for a wader count but on the way home we came across this unlikely bunch of a resident Lapwing, 4 Ringed Plover and a pair of Dunlin right next to the road at 1500ft ASL. I had a panic as they were more or less in the same place as the Dotterel were in 2005...
  12. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    It may be a bit of a trail from Tyneside, but 2 good sites I know of are at Black Middens Bastle near the Comb at Greenhaugh, and Billsmoorfoot opposite the deer park between Elsdon and Hepple. The pub at Greenhaugh is excellent B (: Billsmoorfoot is also good for Tree Pipit and the fallow...
  13. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    I don't think Thrunton is reliable for Red Grouse. If you're heading up the Coquet Valley, carry on up out of the top of the valley past Chew Green (if the MOD flags are down) and down into Cottonshope - we've had good views recently of Red and Black Grouse on the top, right by the road...
  14. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    They certainly could do with trapping a few corvids at Hauxley, the Lapwing spent more time fending them off than brooding chicks or incubating when we were there on Saturday. The RSPB have worked out that corvids and waders don't mix. Also, why do they not plant the embankment overlooking...
  15. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Saw some Lapwing chicks near Otterburn today, hope the weather stays kind for them. Rob
  16. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    There are Wheatears all over the shop around Otterburn, often in single sex groups of 3 - 6. Whinchat are back up the Coquet. Found a Mippit nest today as well. Rob
  17. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Heard a Cuckoo yesterday near Knowesgate. Also heard Grasshopper Warblers near Holystone and Comb. Had great views of a pair of Rouzel near Byrness on Monday, they were on a high crag and really made up for not seeing anything else after the 3hour walk!! One of my colleagues saw Osprey high...
  18. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Had a mooch around the local area today, started off with singing Dipper and Grey Wag on the river while taking the dogs for their morning splash and dash. Heard Reed Bunting while I was feeding the chickens. Heading over into the Rede Valley had Raven picking at cleansings in a lambing field...
  19. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Some of them will have been on eggs at the end of February. As well as the fledged young, we had pairs that were nest building, incubating and feeding young. They should manage to get in two broods in a season. Ring Ouzel singing today at last years nest site. Also had Snipe on 4 eggs and...
  20. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Cheers Gordon, I've emailed IBR but haven't had a reply yet. Had fledged Dipper chicks near Alwinton today. Rob
  21. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Rouzels are back up the Coquet now - at last! Some huge flocks of Mippits have arrived and the Merlins seem to have followed them, seen 2 males in the past 2 days. Theres a Red-tailed Hawk flopping around near Otterburn, it has jesses on it - is there a place to report lost falconry birds...
  22. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Common Sand's are back up the top of the Coquet. House Martins and Swallows are now in good numbers, no sign of Ring Ouzel yet in their usual haunts. Rob
  23. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    The eagle was on moorland between Rochester and Byrness, theres a layby on the A68 just before you enter Kielder Forest from which you could scan the moor to the north and south of the roads. The gos should be displaying well if the forecast is correct. Good luck. Had a few Willow Warbler in...
  24. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    Good news about the Little Ools. Had a House Martin at High Green today. Two shepherds and a gamekeeper have reported seeing an Eagle in the Upper Rede valley today, they're used to seeing Buzzards so I think it must be genuine. Rob
  25. RobF

    Northumbrian Birding

    The fire was started by a farmer, not a controlled burn by estate staff. I've walked through the area many times and the heather was waist deep in places and starting to degenerate. Heather moorland is a habitat that is adapted to burning, and within a year or two the vegetation will have...
Back
Top