[IanF]

Tilery Wood - pm - Crossbill x6, Siskin x12, LTT x4, Marsh Tit x3, Treecreeper, GSW.

RSPB Saltholme - pm - Saltholme Hide - Black-tailed Godwit x1, Peregrine, Dunlin x5, Jack Snipe present but well hidden, Goldeneye x5.

Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park - Smew, LTT x3, Bullfinch x2, Little Grebe x5, Sparrowhawk - all by/around lake.

Avocets still on Greenabella Marsh.

[Ray.Scott]

2 or 3 Hours in the freezer this morning.
Plenty on the water but mostly distant including, little & G.C grebe, shell duck, gadwall, goldeneye, teal, heron, cormorant, canada & greylag geese, pochard and the other usual ducks and gulls.
Also, stoat made a brief appearance.

[Ray.Scott]

Couple more from today, the grey wagtail was taken near Fence Houses.

[IanF]

Coatham Wood - am - Great Grey Shrike, Kestrel, several flocks of LTT. Several collecting moss/lichen. Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, LTT, Bullfinch x2, Grey Partridge x2, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Meadow Pipit x2, Skylark x4. GG Shrike almost caught a Blue Tit but mostly catching bugs.

Cowpen Marsh - pm - Glossy Ibis reported flying north and dropping down.

Dormans Pool - Marsh Harrier, Green-winged Teal. 46 twite reported by top car park this morning. 1st winter Glaucous Gull seen in font of the screen by others and flew SW towards tip.

[IanF]

Tilery Wood - am - several sightings of Crossbill - three together was the highest count. Buzzard x2 in flight together. Siskin x12 & Goldcrest x6, LTT x4 by the Scout Hut. Bullfinch, Kestrel & Sparrowhawk by the car park. The Goldcrest behaviour was interesting to watch when five of them flew into a frenzy spinning like a mini-whirlwind or dust devil nine or ten times before fleeing in different directions.

Dormans Pool - pm - Green-winged Teal in front of the hide. Dunlin x5, Pintail x11, Grey Partridge x2, Pheasant x3, Stonechat x2.

Glossy Ibis reported again early this morning by Haverton Hole but not relocated during the day.

[Ray.Scott]

Cowpen Bewley today.
Smew still present, but still distant, also the usual other ducks etc on the pond.
Possible merlin over, as we walked back, but It was gone in seconds, aided by the wind.
Couple of yellow hammers, and single greenfinch amongst the tree sparrows etc in the car park.

[IanF]

RSPB Saltholme - am - pretty quiet compared to the last few weeks. Covered whole reserve - only birds of note seen were Brent Geese x2 opposite Paddy's Pool Hide and Goldeneye x3. Jack Snipe may have been present but didn't show itself by the time I left at lunchtime.

Tilery Wood - pm - Siskin c.25-30. Crossbill c.12-15 though could have been more. Very frustrating trying to spot them amongst the cones, Goldcrest x2, LTT x2, Jay, GSW x2, Marsh Tit x2, Treecreeper x1, Buzzard x1, Sparrowhawk x1, Kestrel x1. Lots of Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Chaffinch.

Wynyard - Hen Harrier. It's been around for several days but I've dipped every time I tried for it. Today it gave very good views. As it hunted over a grassy field it kept picking up balls of grass every few seconds and then watching them as it let them fall. I'd hazzard a guess that it might have been watching for mice/voles falling from the grassy bundles?

Dormans Pool - Green-winged Teal still present when I left at 4.30pm opposite screen. Marsh Harrier juv. flew through north along east side at 4.00pm. Grey Partridge x2, Stonechat x2.

[IanF]

A pretty quiet morning again but an excellent afternoon.

Dormans Pool - pm - juv Marsh Harrier, GW Teal, Twite x46 in two flocks of 22 & 24 that perched in trees together several times.

Wynyard - Hen Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard 5+, Kestrel.

Haverton Viewpoint - Glossy Ibis still present when I left at 5.30pm. It flew past the viewpoint three times before settling directly opposite the viewpoint to feed preen and appeared to go to sleep on small pool just the other side of the strip of reeds in line with the left edge of the grey substation transformers.

[Ray.Scott]

Called at the Academy pools today, hopeing that the Scaup was still about.
Thankfully It was, as there wasn't much else about other than a few mallard, coots and a few reed buntings.

Also, a short video of the Scaup.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3L_T...ature=youtu.be

[keith]

Originally Posted by IanF

A pretty quiet morning again but an excellent afternoon.

Dormans Pool - pm - juv Marsh Harrier, GW Teal, Twite x46 in two flocks of 22 & 24 that perched in trees together several times.

Wynyard - Hen Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard 5+, Kestrel.

Haverton Viewpoint - Glossy Ibis still present when I left at 5.30pm. It flew past the viewpoint three times before settling directly opposite the viewpoint to feed preen and appeared to go to sleep on small pool just the other side of the strip of reeds in line with the left edge of the grey substation transformers.

What an awsome set of birds to see in Cleveland and Durham, the things we seem to take for granted these days, brilliant images as usual from Ian.

[DCJ]

Trudgin about

[A W Gregory]

More superb owl pics from the Master

[IanF]

Great light today but not as much around to see as the last few days.

No sign of the Glossy Ibis first thing from Haverton Viewpoint but it emerged later in the day. Toby managed to read the ring and has sent off the details.

Tilery Wood - pm - Siskin c.20, Jay, Goldcrest x2, LTT x6, GSW x2.

Wynyard - no sign of the Hen Harrier but several Buzzards still plus Sparrowhawk x2 and Kestrel.

Dormans Pool - Green-winged Teal, Pintail x10, Little Egret x2. A Short-eared Owl stole the show though gving very close views from the hide. It then hunted by the screen to the car park for at least 20 minutes before heading to the north end. Photo was taken from the hide.

[Michael A]

Today, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Curlew, Ringed Plover,Oyster Catcher, all displaying on upland nesting sites.
http://www.trampsandhawkers.co.uk/gallery/
http://www.northeast-butterflies.org.uk/
http://www.durhamwt.co.uk/

[IanF]

Wynyard - pm - Hen Harrier, Buzzard x5, Sparrowhawk x2, Kestrel.

Dormans Pool - GW Teal, Stonechat pair, SEO x2, Pintail x12, Little Egret x2. Peregrine x1.

Glossy Ibis still at Haverton Hole this morning though staying well hidden.

Brief views of Water Rail at Wildlife Watchpoint at RSPB Saltholme.

[2slo]

6 Curlews flying over Lanchester this lunchtime (5 in shot below):



Wren seen in my garden this afternoon:

[JontyCalvert]

Hi Ian ( or anyone else who may know )
Where is it in Wynyard you go to see such a fantastic set of birds??
Thanks in advance
Jonathan

[IanF]

Originally Posted by JontyCalvert

Hi Ian ( or anyone else who may know )
Where is it in Wynyard you go to see such a fantastic set of birds??
Thanks in advance
Jonathan

I've sent you a PM

[IanF]

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.

[ALFIE TEMPLE]

Chiffchaff singing at Herrington Country Park

[IanF]

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+.

[DCJ]

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.

[DCJ]

Around Durham on Sunday.

[Ray.Scott]

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.

[Ray.Scott]

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