IanF
Moderator
I had my second visit of the week to this location but struck out again on locating any Green Woodpeckers.
Last Wednesday we had a trip up there and did the walk through the Durham Wildlife Trust Hawthorn Dene wood. There were plenty of the usual woodland birds about and loads of Woodpecker bored trees but no sign of them in the flesh - not even a call.
Today I returned alone to complete the walk down to the dene mouth itself. Quite a few birders and walkers about too. It was a bit of a dull Grey overcast morning but it was still nice to be out in the open air. Really there wasn't much of note on the route to the coast, but once there things picked up with a pair of Grey Wagtails on the beach and then a Stonechat singing it's heart out.
Stonechat
Stonechat (2)
Robins and Crows were the only other birds by the beach so I headed back via the steps up the cliff which lead towards the quarry where I'd been told Green Woodpeckers were always heard - but not today! All I saw were a few pigeons and two Kestrels.
After passing the quarry and entering the woods again I soon came across the birds again being greeted almost at once with a pair of obviously courting Great Spotted Woodpeckers. A few yards on were Treecreepers and a family of around a dozen Long-tailed Tits. A few more yards and I spotted a flock of 50+ linnet which were soon joined by 20+ Goldfinches and the odd Yellowhammer.
Linnet
Part of the flock
More long-tailed Tits turned up but I could only manage a very poor photo as they were just too active an just when they were a few yards away the batteries went flat. By the time I got them changed, the birds had moved on. In the same field though were half a dozen Partridge.
All in all despite the weather it was a good couple of hours birding and a location that I will be returning to.
Last Wednesday we had a trip up there and did the walk through the Durham Wildlife Trust Hawthorn Dene wood. There were plenty of the usual woodland birds about and loads of Woodpecker bored trees but no sign of them in the flesh - not even a call.
Today I returned alone to complete the walk down to the dene mouth itself. Quite a few birders and walkers about too. It was a bit of a dull Grey overcast morning but it was still nice to be out in the open air. Really there wasn't much of note on the route to the coast, but once there things picked up with a pair of Grey Wagtails on the beach and then a Stonechat singing it's heart out.
Stonechat
Stonechat (2)
Robins and Crows were the only other birds by the beach so I headed back via the steps up the cliff which lead towards the quarry where I'd been told Green Woodpeckers were always heard - but not today! All I saw were a few pigeons and two Kestrels.
After passing the quarry and entering the woods again I soon came across the birds again being greeted almost at once with a pair of obviously courting Great Spotted Woodpeckers. A few yards on were Treecreepers and a family of around a dozen Long-tailed Tits. A few more yards and I spotted a flock of 50+ linnet which were soon joined by 20+ Goldfinches and the odd Yellowhammer.
Linnet
Part of the flock
More long-tailed Tits turned up but I could only manage a very poor photo as they were just too active an just when they were a few yards away the batteries went flat. By the time I got them changed, the birds had moved on. In the same field though were half a dozen Partridge.
All in all despite the weather it was a good couple of hours birding and a location that I will be returning to.
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