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

Durham Birding (6 Viewers)

I see they have started work on the heating system then Ian, you must have some clout down there lad.

Either that or it's for bonfire night 8-P

Just Black-tailed Godwit, Teal and Moorhen giving close views from the screen this afternoon.

Twite x71 along at Greenabella Marsh.
 

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Hi Ian
The goose in the Canada flock looks like the darker subspecies of Snow Goose, called a Blue Goose.
A

That's what I thought when I saw it for the first time last year. However, it's far too big to be a Snow Goose. Aparantly it's been around every winter for a couple of years now.
 
Hi Ian,

Your photos look really close and are fantastic photos. Where the best place to view the Twite?

Thank you,
Andrew K:t:

It's easiest to cross the road bridge over Greatham Creek and walk down the ridge on the north side of the Creek over looking the pools. By the end of the first pipe bridge there's a metal gate. If they're about just go through the gate sticking close to the fence line and you're right beside the Twite. This afternoon they were mainly on the overhead wires by the end of the bridge and on the pool immediately below the wires.
 
It's easiest to cross the road bridge over Greatham Creek and walk down the ridge on the north side of the Creek over looking the pools. By the end of the first pipe bridge there's a metal gate. If they're about just go through the gate sticking close to the fence line and you're right beside the Twite. This afternoon they were mainly on the overhead wires by the end of the bridge and on the pool immediately below the wires.

Thanks Ian!

Greatly appreciated.:t:
 
Houghton Local Patch 09

Some decent birds around today with half a dozen or so local observers (SE DK MH AR PD DK CW) coming up with an impressive 93 species :-
Twite, Snow Bunting, Goldeneye, Short-eared Owl, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Kingfisher, Water Rail, Barn Owl, Shoveller, Mediterranean Gull, Tree Sparrow, Merlin, Grey Partridge, Rudworth, Common Buzzard, Stonechat, 100+Lesser Redpoll, Great Crested Grebe, Willow Tit, Little Owl etc etc

Twite & Snow Bunting both long overdue & very welcome local patch "ticks" for some of us.

Also nice to bump into BF & DBC members Dannyboy, Spuggy & Foghorn Leghorn.

Luckily me & the little 'un managed cracking views of a Barn Owl perched on the roadside between Arnison Centre & Chester Moor as we drove slowly by at 17:50 :t:

Steve
 

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Twite & Snow Bunting both long overdue & very welcome local patch "ticks" for some of us.

Also nice to bump into BF & DBC members Dannyboy, Spuggy & Foghorn Leghorn.

What......I say what a fantastic 3 birds thoose Snow Buntings where!

A very nice life tick especially with them being in my own village! I have to admit it was looking more unlikely we where going to see them as time went on with 3 bird of prey species knocking about including at least 2 Sparrowhawk.:-O A thowt I was gunna get me Durham White-tailed eagle whithin that hour.;)
 
What......I say what a fantastic 3 birds thoose Snow Buntings where!

A very nice life tick especially with them being in my own village! I have to admit it was looking more unlikely we where going to see them as time went on with 3 bird of prey species knocking about including at least 2 Sparrowhawk.:-O A thowt I was gunna get me Durham White-tailed eagle whithin that hour.;)

Yes, it wasnt looking too promising, with Merlin & multiples of Kes & Sprawk dashing about in the first 5 mins !
Very nice for you to get a lifer so close to home Andrew ! - I was well pleased with a patch tick.
Snow Bunt's a good bird to get at any inland location, nevermind just along the street! - but with all those stubbles & a supporting cast of 34 Tree Spug et al, who knows what else may be down there . . .

Anyway, well done to Spuggys Border Terrier for finding them :t:
 
any ideas whats the largest flocks that theres been down there over the years Ian ?

I've no idea on historical figures. The last few years though it's usually around 70 max starting off with numbers gradually dwindling. Two falcons present today one a Kestrel and a more distant one perched that could have been another Kestrel or possibly a Merlin. Seemed a little small for the Sparrowhawk that often hangs around there.

The Twite seem to be in at least two flocks so far. I've seen 30+ in one group and a dozen or so as a separate flock some visits. Today 30+ were along the overhead wires when another similar sized group joined them. The second group arrived from the NE towards Able UK/Seaton Snook area. I've not seen any at Seaton Snook yet.
 
Steve
The Barn Owl you saw, Could be the same one I saw last year on the road between Chester Moor and Leamside. It was flying alongside me looking as if it was trying to get a good look at me while I was trying to get a good look at it while it was trying.... you get the idea. Anyway nearly crashed the car trying to get a good look.

Paul
 
Bar Headed Goose

Single Bar Headed Goose at Rainton Meadow this morning with Greylags. Any regular visitor able to tell me whether this is commonly seen around? Haven't noticed one before.
 
Single Bar Headed Goose at Rainton Meadow this morning with Greylags. Any regular visitor able to tell me whether this is commonly seen around? Haven't noticed one before.

Hi,
No Bar-headed Goose is not a usual bird of RM's. It will almost definatly be an escapee.

Still a nice bird though.
 
Single Bar Headed Goose at Rainton Meadow this morning with Greylags. Any regular visitor able to tell me whether this is commonly seen around? Haven't noticed one before.

Foghorn said:
No Bar-headed Goose is not a usual bird of RM's. It will almost definatly be an escapee.

Hi, Only ever 4 or 5 records at RMs/Joes complex of pools.
What was probs same bird was also recently on Seaton Pond (been a single over the last few weeks with 450 greylags at DBC Castle Lake reserve too).

Almost certainly an escaped captive or feral bird then?
IF, a tiny little warbler can make it this far . . . . ;)
(Bar headed geese migrate a very long way & at great altitude - crossing the Himalayas), & also breed in a feral state in Holland i think.


Steve
The Barn Owl you saw, Could be the same one I saw last year on the road between Chester Moor and Leamside. It was flying alongside me looking as if it was trying to get a good look at me while I was trying to get a good look at it while it was trying.... you get the idea. Anyway nearly crashed the car trying to get a good look.
Paul

aye Paul, plenty of hunting opportunities & nice old hedgerow trees, as well as soft verges & deep ditches along there . . .:eek!: remember to keep one eye on the road.
did a limited follow up to an anecdotal report of a breeding pair last year but drew a blank . . . let us know if you see any more
|=)|
 
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Weardale / Teesdale today:

Pretty quiet throughout the trip, single kestrel, mipits, goldfinch and LT Tits and the usual red grouse over the moors, also swan goose.
Plenty pheasant, crows, starling, jackdaws and BH gulls.

At least 14 black grouse near the Langdon Beck hotel, well spread out across the nearby fields and the nearest being about a field away.

Single cormorant seen at cow green resovoir with another 5 black grouse, ( 1 female ) around the surrounding farms.

On the return journey the missus spotted another black grouse near Bollihope quary.
 

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Saltholme wildlife watchpoint hide today:

Birds Seen:
BT Godwit, little egret, gadwall, teal, greylag geese, coot, moorehen, mallard, little grebe, redshank, kingfisher, kestrel, BH gulls, greenfinch, goldfinch, wren & reed bunting.

Also 2 male Bearded Tits seen & reported by 2 bird watchers in the far reed beds.
 

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