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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Durham Birding (4 Viewers)

Wynyard - pm - A possible Rough-legged Buzzard behind Huntsman building seen from the side of the A689 - very pale coloured below with pale tail with dark band across end, prominent fingers, spent quite a while hovering like a Kestrel. Unfortunately just as it was coming closer a birder in a green fluorescent jacket walked into the field and it flew off NW along with six Common Buzzard, two Sparrowhawks and a Kestrel. Also seen was a distant Falcon which was likely a Merlin.

No sign of the Hen Harrier at lunchtime though it briefly appeared late afternoon.

Dormans Pool - pm - Stonechat pair by the lower car park. GW Teal from the track to the hide. Apparently the Marsh Harrier crept up behind me when I was on the path to the hide but headed back over towards RSPB Saltholme before I saw it. No sign of the SEO's up to 4.40pm.

If anyone uses the Jeff Young Hide can they please make sure they lock the door properly. When I went in this afternoon it was unlocked. The tongue was sticking out but hadn't engaged properly. This is the second time I've found it like that in the last 10 days.
 

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Tilery Wood - am - Crossbill x14 feeding together in one tree besode the path near the Scout Hut. Group contained at least two juveniles with speckled fronts. Several other individuals seen later. Siskin c.12, Goldcrest x4, LTT x4, Jay heard, GSW x2. Probable Chiffchaff between car park and Scout Hut with an odd sounding call - more Chiff-fizz. I've noted similar calls previous years when they first arrive back.

RSPB Saltholme - pm - Haverton Viewpoint - Glossy Ibis still showing well in the open at times but distant directly opposite the viewpoint on the edge of the grass/water before moving over to the marshy area behind.

Dormans Pool - pm - Marsh Harrier and GW Teal reported by others.

Wynyard - pm - Buzzard x6, Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel. Hen Harrier appeared at 3.40pm and in view most of time until I left at 4.10pm though didn't come close. May have done later. Several Skylark and Curlew 20+.
 

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Rainton Ponds

Today, crappy shots, either too distant or dull weather early doors, a goshawk was spotted by the exiled one, forty mins later a pair directly over the ponds, male clearly displaying for her.

Green woody, kittiwake, GS Woody, redshank and goshawk.
 

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Around Durham on Sunday.
 

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Weardale/Teesdal

Ride over the dales yesterday.
Plenty red grouse, 4 black grouse, S.E owl, merlin, possible buzzard, lap wings, golden plover, skylark, G.C grebe, which were displaying for a short while and mallards etc.
More or less everything was at a fair distance.
Unusually, didn't see any dipper.
 

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A few more from yesterday including a pair of blind or queer mallards :eek!:.
 

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Today, crappy shots, either too distant or dull weather early doors, a goshawk was spotted by the exiled one, forty mins later a pair directly over the ponds, male clearly displaying for her.

Green woody, kittiwake, GS Woody, redshank and goshawk.

Without trying to pour doubt onto your Goshawk, Dave...honest!! o:D Can someone point out the key features that make that bird a Goshawk and not a Sparrowhawk?

I only ask because in the last couple of weeks I've seen a couple of high level birds of prey over Rainton. I managed to get my scope on one yesterday, but not really having a reliable size reference, I just walked away and assumed Sparrowhawk.

Searching on the internet just seems to confuse the issue, especially when most sightings are distant and lacking any detail. Most frustrating...
 
Without trying to pour doubt onto your Goshawk, Dave...honest!! o:D Can someone point out the key features that make that bird a Goshawk and not a Sparrowhawk?

I only ask because in the last couple of weeks I've seen a couple of high level birds of prey over Rainton. I managed to get my scope on one yesterday, but not really having a reliable size reference, I just walked away and assumed Sparrowhawk.

Searching on the internet just seems to confuse the issue, especially when most sightings are distant and lacking any detail. Most frustrating...

ID'd 40 mins earlier by your very good friend Steve, have checked and checked again kelvin, blame the twitchers m8 ;)



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From private land, late 2011, early 2012.

___________________________________________________
 

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Last edited:
From private land, late 2011.
 

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From private land, late 2011, early 2012.

(Three different birds for those with vision problems)


(Kudus to several people)



.
 

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Seaton Common - am - single Wheatear along fence to North Gare at bottom of Zinc Works Road. Lots of Meadow Pipit there this morning. Stonechat pair along side Zinc Works Road. Kestrel x2 on telegraph poles. Four colour ringed Curlew still present - the one in the photo was ringed as a juvenile on Seal Sands in 1991.

Cowpen Marsh - Wheatear x2 east side of road opposite Holme Fleet access road.

RSPB Saltholme - Wildlife Watchpoint - Water Rail.

Tilery Wood - Crossbill x2, Chiffchaff x1 in the same spot as yesterday but in better light and singing a little more, Goldcrest 5+, LTT x6, Bullfinch x2, Siskin x8, GSW x2.
 

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A couple from around the doors over the past week or so in Durham.


Ta Shagster.
 

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Wrens building a nest at the bottom of my garden (100% crops of shots taken from at least 40 feet away & behind cover, the birds were not disturbed):

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Treecreeper which landed next to me whilst I was watching the Wrens!

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