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

Durham Birding (3 Viewers)

To celebrate the Tall Ships Races 2010 finishing in Hartlepool, RSPB Saltholme will be open until 8.30 pm each evening from Saturday 7th August to Tuesday 10th of August. With the quality of birds we've had recently you wouldn't bet on something else turning up so have a look for waders coming in to roost at Saltholme Pools Hide or relax in the cafe after a late afternoon stroll up to Haverton. To find out more, including details of other events, visit www.rspb.org.uk/saltholme
 
I find the easiest way to reach Crimdon Dene is to head up the A19 to the A179 Hart/Hatlepool turn off and then take the A1086 Blackhall Road north. Follow it for about three miles and as you cross the bridge over the Dene turn left under the viaduct and alongside the caravan park - it's signposted. Follow the road over the speed humps and along the cliff top to it's end. Loads of car parking there. You can't miss the paths down to the beach - Map

A lot of the Terns have already departed but there should still be a good few around.

Ian

Many thanks for the directions - worked a treat. As you said, the fenced off area was practically empty ( a few plover on it ) but we located a small group of Terns on the beach. Luckily the group contained Little, Common and Sandwich ( all year firsts for me )

We then headed down to Saltholme and caught up with the Whiskered - my first ever four Tern day !!

Not a lot else of new things for me - no sign of the Wood Sands which was disappointing. A couple of juvenile Dunlin confused us at Bottom Tank for a while !!

Thanks again

Mal Skelton
 
RSPB Saltholme - am - Whiskered Tern still on west pond along with Black-tailed Godwit x2 (one colour ringed), Ruff x2, Dunlin c.12 & Common Tern x6 along the causeway.
 

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Whiskered Tern Still at Salthome this morning.
Kingfisher taking food in at Cowpen Bewley Park, Sparrowhawks feeding juveniles in mid air.

Bishop Middleham Lake Common Buzzard/ LT Tits/Yellow Hammers and Willow warbler
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Four Barn Owl nestlings ringed on the Durham/Cleveland boundary this morning. From their small size they may well have been from a second brood.

Afterwards we stopped off at Crookfoot Reservoir and came across an Osprey perched in the 'arm' on the west side. After a short wait if circled the reservoir a couple of times before perching back in the arm. It was mobbed by gulls, Lapwing and Swallows. It didn't make any attempt to catch a fish though it's crop looked pretty full.
 

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Crossing 'Enemy' Lines

Made an all-too-brief visit to Whitburn this morning, as I had a work appointment in South Shields (any excuse!). Flat sea, good visibility but a little disappointing (I am no Whitburn Mark, and it showed). Little Egret flew north along the coast at 8 bells, a Skua (Darctic, I believe) was harrassing the terns in the bay, which was 'littered' with broods of Guillemots and Razorbills. The cut corn field to the south of the observatory had five Grey Partridge, and numerous Golden Plover, Lapwing and Curlew. Not a soul about, and the weather was fine, so a peaceful start to the day. And I got in and out without being spotted! :-O
 
Hartlepool/Teesside

Newburn Bridge:
ringed plover, turnstone, sanderling, single dunlin and 5 linnets.

North Gare & Zinkwks Road:
grey heron, 2 linnets, goldfinch, whitethroat, 2 kestrel over and, not sure on image 3.

Dormans Pond:
Distant marsh harrier over the reedbed about 12.20 which dropped down to the North end of the reeds, appeared again but flew high and further North towards the long drag, also 7 little egret present.

W Tern still present at Saltholme, viewed from the roadside but distant.
 

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Made an all-too-brief visit to Whitburn this morning, as I had a work appointment in South Shields (any excuse!). Flat sea, good visibility but a little disappointing (I am no Whitburn Mark, and it showed). Little Egret flew north along the coast at 8 bells, a Skua (Darctic, I believe) was harrassing the terns in the bay, which was 'littered' with broods of Guillemots and Razorbills. The cut corn field to the south of the observatory had five Grey Partridge, and numerous Golden Plover, Lapwing and Curlew. Not a soul about, and the weather was fine, so a peaceful start to the day. And I got in and out without being spotted! :-O

Well done with the Little Egret Gordon, still a scarce bird around this area. Always excellent around Whitburn early morning, very rarely anyone else about, nice and peaceful.

The seawatching had been quiet yesterday morning, a few skuas passed early on with an adult Pomarine, complete with tail spoons, being the highlight.

Mark
 
Whitburn this evening

Hi All,

A visit to Whitburn this evening and saw soem interesting things. An adult Roseate, 2 Grey Heron, 48 Oystercatcher, 6 Golden Plover (somewhat down on the 500ca of two days ago), 15 Ringed Plover, 6 Curlew, 12 Redshank, 15 Dunlin, 8 Turnstone (some were adults and still looked absolutely spectacular), 4 Teal and 6 Gannet off shore.

Out of interest there appeared to be a movement of alba wagtials, south. I had 18 flying past individually and in a small group.
 
Bish Midd Waders

A nice selection of waders today, with 12 species on Stoneybeck / Castle Lake inc

@50Snipe
8+ Green Sand
2-3 Common Sand
1 Wood Sand
2 Ruff
2 Dunlin
2 Greenshank
1-2 Ringed Plover
7-8 Lrplover

also small nos of Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveller, Pochard, Shelduck

Thankfully there werent any humans wading around this waters edge on this visit . . . , although a grit big para-sale flapping about adjacent to C.Lake made a large negative impact !
 

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The Whiskered Tern is still showing from Saltholme Pools Hide this morning and there was a little increase in wader numbers yesterday with 70 Dunlin and 10 Ruff around the fringes. The reserve will be open till 8.30pm for the next four evenings so if you want to spend some extra time watching the tern or sifting through the waders for something different then now's your chance. We also have the Viking optical team in for the weekend so if you're considering upgrading your binoculars or want to know what to look for when buying your first telescope come down and have a chat and let us help you out.
 
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