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

Teesside International Nature Reserve (1 Viewer)

sounds good , was down there saturday great day and a wonderful veiw of teeside from top of the hill in cowpen bewley reserve
 
Hi Ian,

Methinks this is in the wrong forum ;) should be Durham! (or Cleveland if that rates a forum of its own)

Yes it'll be interesting to see how the reserve develops. I got Marsh Sandpiper on it this spring.

Michael
 
We have Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank at the moment along with a Bitten and Marsh Harriers two of the species they are trying to attract. A few of the Terns are still nesting too.

I put the thread here as the BBC will change the content shortly.
 
Long term the prospects for this area are great, however after my last visit i am going to need a wetsuit before i venture down south again.
 
Ian how come the terns are still nesting?.Ours have nested ,bred,raised their chicks and have long gone.We have a large tern breeding colony here at Hodbarrow,but they all went long ago.
Christine.
 
There are just a few Common Terns left with young on the new island on Back Saltholme Pool, still being fed by parents. Those on the more established sites closer to Greatham Creek have all upped and moved off.
 
Hi
Ive just recieved a reply from the RSPB regarding this 'proposed' reserve, which includes a map of the boundary of the core site - its vast!!
For any one who knows the area, it will be as large as Seal Sands & Bran Sands Combined.
Apparently, this will be combined with the Largest RSPB Visitor centre in the Country.
Good News.
Steve
 
Hi Ian.
I am very often down Salterholme ponds as I live just up the A19 at Murton Co. Durham and would like to visit this site. Would appreciate any directions from the above mentioned site.

Denbee
 
Hi Denbee,

You'll have to wait a while longer I'm afraid. The development is still ongoing and isn't due to be opened until 2006.

The Salthome Ponds are part a the new reserve, but I believe access to the off road locations is still restricted to Teesmouth Bird Club Members. Viewing is still possible from the main road at Salthome Ponds, Greatham Creek and Holme Fleet.

The new reserve in the main incorporates the older locations from Haverton Hole in the west to Greenabella Marsh in the north east. Earthworks have been under way at various locations extending the reed beds which has disturbed the birding there as they look more like building sites at the moment.The larger ponds like Salthome, Dormans, Reclamation and Greatham Creek are so far unaffected.
 
Hi Ian
Thanks for repyling as fast. I also notice by one of your previous Posts that you visit Low Barnes quite frequently, I think this site will become even better after they finish creating the new Wetland area beside the old West pond, may try and visit this coming week to check on the progress.

Happy Birding

Denbee
 
Hi DenBee,

Low Barns is a great place to visit. I'm looking forward to the wetland development being completed too with the new boardwalk through the middle of it. I'm not sure as to how soon it will be open though the earthworks are supposed to be finished around Easter.

If you do go for a look then try to go on a weekend as during the week and some Saturday mornings that end of the reserve is closed to the public.
 
Last edited:
Last day of July '04

The last 3 weeks have seen some increase in wader species & no's.
A couple of hours tonight produced:-

Little Stint 1 at Calor Gas Pool, Port Clarence for 4th day.
Green Sand 1 at Back Saltholme
Wood Sand 1 on RHS approach to Back Salt
Common Sand 1 at Calor gas
Greenshank 2 on Back Salt, 1 Dormans
Spotted Redshank 2 on Back Salt & 1 still on Dormans
Knot 1 on Back Salt, sum plum.
Snipe 13 on RHS Back Salt approach, 3 Back Salt, 4 Dormans
Turnstone 1 on Back Salt
Little Ring Plover 1 at Calor gas
Whimbrel 2 over Dormans with Curlew
Black tail godwit 3 Calor gas, 4 Back Salt
Ruff 5 Calor gas, 7+Back Salt, 3 Dormans
Dunlin 53 Calor, 9 Back Salt, 5 Dormans

Merlin Adult female attacking a Snipe briefly at Back Salt
Short eared Owl 1 towards Haverton Hole

Water Rail 2 Ads seen on Dormans with 5+ others heard there.
Sand Martin 300+ PortClarence/Back Salt/Haverton Hole
Yellow Wagtail Ad & juv Back Salt, 1 in flight Dormans.
Common Tern Many successes on islands.

Ruddy Duck F & 5very small young on Dormans at dusk.
Garganey single eclipse drake.
Pintail single present on Dormans.
Pochard
Shoveller both species with young

As usual allways something of interest in this bird rich area.
SE.
 
Arrived 19:45, left Dormans 22:10.
Last couple of hours in the day, ie :-
no other birders (not even JG or JD),
no disturbance, birds settled & unwary (except for Merlin),
flat calm conditions.
Almost full moon, could still easily differenciate Spotshank from Redshanks & Ruff at 22:00.

The Merlin was star performer
One each of the Snipe on BkSalt & Dormans were juvs (had 'drummers' over back Back Salt earlier in the season) so possibly local bred.
Ruddy duck brood were only very recent, & the 1st brood i've recorded this year-anywhere.
Usually have Garganey & Water Rail with young by now.

Still No Spotted Crake though Ian, which was the target bird. ;)

Might try again tonight, want to try to age that Seo, as i found a dead Juvenile on the Billingham-SealSands earlier in the week.
Perhaps we've had a successfull lowland pair?

Stevie.
 
I've been thinking about visiting a little later myself. I'm usually leaving at the latest 19.30 which is when the birds seem like they are settling down.

I'll have to keep an eye open for the Merlin as I haven't seen one down there since last year. That was also on Back Saltholme and was there for quite a while.

Snipe do seem to be in decent numbers. I had five together in front of the hide on Dormans Friday evening along with a pair of adult Water Rail and two chicks. As I left another lot were calling from the reeds near the car park.

SEO's are still being seen over Greenabella, but the last ones I saw was three weeks ago, one over Cowpen Bewley Wildlife Park an the other hunting over the fields around the juntion to Dormans Pond road and Seaton Carew Road. It would be nice if they have bred locally as we could do with a few more around.

Spotted Crake would be even better.

I'll let you know if I come across anything 'interesting'.
 
Brief visit 20:30till 21:30

Far fewer waders (falling tide)
2Little stint singles Calor gas & Bk Salt.
Wood sand & 2 Greenshanks Bk Salt with a Bar tail Godwit flyover.

Had the Merlin (Ad fem) sat on fencepost ! along the walkway from the 'triangle' to Bk Saltholme. It went off over PClarence to attack Sand Martins. 2 evenings on the trot!
Hope this one too, sticks around Ian.
In the past ive had them where they appeared to be creatures of habit, on the L.Drag i had a male which used to roost on the same concrete post throughout the winter.

Had an Seo nr to the firestation. Dont know if its same one as last night, but it was definately a youngster.

Tried to see that RNGrebe at the Headland....no luck...would be a county yr tick too.
Well done with the Rails.

Im surprised we havnt bumped into each other...or maybe we have...i'm quite prominant on weekday visits as am usually in the LWB White Transit.

Going back to the owls, it would be great to try to collect all or as many sightings as poss.
I think we'd get a shock at the number of individuals about...?

Hope to see you in the fields
Steve.
 
Hi Steve,

I was down last night too but left at around 7.30pm.

Wood Sand and Little Stint on pond to right of path to Back Saltholme along with three Snipe.

I'll keep my eye open for the Owls and the Merlin.

Due to current work hours weekdays I'm there most evenings. If I see your van I'll have a word. I'm in a dark red Peugeot 206.
 
Ian, you must have been in the Dormans hide while i was there...we'll meet eventually !
2ad & 2juv Greenshank, WHDuck, 2 eclipse Garganey & a Ruff was my lot there.

4 Greenshank, 3 Egrets & a Seo huntiing from a concrete post on Greenabella.

Drake Scaup, 1Common Sand, 1Blackwit, 10+Snipe along the Drag.

Its amazing the difference a few days can make to the wader numbers/species

We're due something good soon........

(that place with the Ruddy Shelducks at Stockton looks realy good, had 3 Greenshank, 4 Ruff a Snipe & 3 Dunlin.......never heard of the place before yesterday. You know much about it?)

S
 
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