Durham Birding (4 Viewers)

IanF · Aug 7, 2010

RSPB Saltholme this evening late opening 7-8.15pm - Bottom Tank - Snipe x5, Lapwing x5.

Wildlife Watchpoint - fox coming to apples.

Saltholme Hide - in front of the window - Snipe x12, Dunlin x35, Yellow Wagtail (juv) x2, Redshank and Lapwing x2. A Greenshank had been present just before I arrived. Walking down to the hide three fox cubs were chasing hares and Starling c.2000 were wheeling around over the wet grassland before heading towards Petroplus. Lots of Geese and Curlew in flight plus one Little Egret.

Andyclose · Aug 8, 2010

Sea Watch from Whitburn Coastal Park

Seawatch yesterday evening between 07:30 - 09:30 and then 17:30 - 18:30:

These are my total numbers for the day.

Great Skua 3N
Manx Shearwater 31N
Roseate Tern 3 (feeding just offshore)
Great Crested Grebe 1N
Shag 1S
Teal 25N
Common Scoter 90N
Gannet (lots!)

Davy Tee · Aug 8, 2010

Scope for sale

Celestron Ultima 80 Scope with 20-60 Zoom Eyepiece and seperate x25 Eyepiece. Waterproof and with Soft Case. Also Tripod with carry handle. Will also throw in the new Collins Bird Guide edition 2 hard back and loads of back issue Birdwatching mags if wanted.

All as new condition £100 no offers.

Please pm with tel number and i will get back to you tomorrow.

IanF · Aug 8, 2010

Osprey still at Crookfoot Reservoir this morning though remaning in the trees on the west side and not always in view.

Whiskered Tern at RSPB Saltholme am on the west pond. It was feeding by the roadside as I drove past but by the time I'd parked up it was heading over to Back Saltholme. Also along the causeway - Little Gull, Blacktailed Godwit x2, Dunlin c.30, Ruff x2.

RSPB Saltholme this evening during the late evening opening for the Tall Ships event - Saltholme Hide - Barn Owl, Ruff, Greenshank, Redshank, Snipe, Dunlin x12, Lapwing x5, Pied Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail. Fox chasing after waders ran right by the hide.

mattwhite · Aug 9, 2010

Hi Ian - What is the bird in pic 2?

IanF · Aug 9, 2010

mattwhite said:
Hi Ian - What is the bird in pic 2?

It's a juvenile Ruff. There were two in front of the hide last night. I was hoping some of the adults would come close as well but they didn't. There's at least six around Saltholme Pond west still.

martin kitching · Aug 9, 2010

NTBC/NEWT pelagics update

Morning all

We're down to our last few pelagic spaces for this year, so please give us a call on O167O 827465 to book on any of these;

Thursday August 12th. 10hr pelagic to the Farne Deeps, departing Royal Quays at 08:00. £60/person. 4 places remaining.

Saturday September 4th. 8hr pelagic departing Royal Quays at 09:00. £45/person. 1 place remaining.

Saturday September 18th. 8hr pelagic departing Royal Quays at 09:00. £45/person. 1 place remaining.

We will also collect participants from Mill Dam if required.

cheers
martin

StevieEvans · Aug 10, 2010

Black necked Grebe again on the main lake at Hetton Lyons Pk

NZ359477

short BNG clip

more pics here:-
http://s-evans.blogspot.com/2010/08/bng-leo.html

nice to get to see another one at close quarters

Ray.Scott · Aug 10, 2010

StevieEvans said:
Black necked Grebe again on the main lake at Hetton Lyons Pk

NZ359477

Nice one Mr E.
Still there at 11.00am, watched It diving, preening etc for around 3/4 hour, but It never seemed to come up with any fish.

IanF · Aug 10, 2010

RSPB Saltholme - good views of the Whiskered Tern again today.

Pretty much the same as the last few days for other birds on the reserve with several Ruff, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Wagtails in front of the Saltholme hide plus a near summer plumaged Turnstone that looked striking but remained too distant for photos.

Barn Owl around again this evening.

StevieEvans · Aug 11, 2010

bng

Scuzz said:
Nice one Mr E.
Still there at 11.00am, watched It diving, preening etc for around 3/4 hour, but It never seemed to come up with any fish.

it was catching small fish no probs Ray at the weekend, nr the outlet ( & taking feathers to aid digestion)i wonder if smaller items are consumed before it breaks the surface ?

after Colin phoned, i got through asap, but it took me 15 mins before i could see it - hard to believe on an open water body with no emergent vegetation !

Its still there this morning, also Kingfisher, Dunlin & Green Sand.

thearrow · Aug 11, 2010

Gulls!

Just checking to see that I haven't misidentified these that I saw yesterday.
1. Common Gull (seen at Saltholme)
2-4. Common Gull (seen at North Gare, Teesmouth)
5. Not sure what it is (also seen at North Gare)

thanks

Noel

Ray.Scott · Aug 11, 2010

StevieEvans said:
it was catching small fish no probs Ray at the weekend, nr the outlet ( & taking feathers to aid digestion)i wonder if smaller items are consumed before it breaks the surface ?

It was at the end nearest the middle pond, N.W. when we saw It, and did see It taking feathers, but didn't know why. Maybe It does eat the smaller stuff prior to surfacing, but It made loads of Dives and seemed to be empty handed when It surfaced.
and before anyone mentions, I checked It's beak as well:-O.

rokermartin · Aug 11, 2010

thearrow said:
Just checking to see that I haven't misidentified these that I saw yesterday.
1. Common Gull (seen at Saltholme)
2-4. Common Gull (seen at North Gare, Teesmouth)
5. Not sure what it is (also seen at North Gare)

thanks

Noel

Gulls look all like Herring gulls to me and the last pic is a Sandwich Tern.

thearrow · Aug 11, 2010

rokermartin said:
Gulls look all like Herring gulls to me and the last pic is a Sandwich Tern.

many thanks

Noel

Shaggy2070 · Aug 11, 2010

Scuzz said:
It made loads of Dives and seemed to be empty handed when It surfaced.
and before anyone mentions, I checked It's beak as well:-O.

I popped in to see it Yesterday from 16:30-17:40 (between heavy downpours:C) and it came up a couple of times with small fish and once or twice with some weed:h?:

StevieEvans · Aug 11, 2010

Scuzz said:
It was at the end nearest the middle pond, N.W. when we saw It, and did see It taking feathers, but didn't know why. Maybe It does eat the smaller stuff prior to surfacing, but It made loads of Dives and seemed to be empty handed when It surfaced.
and before anyone mentions, I checked It's beak as well:-O.

:-O

Having no hands probably explains why its got a black neck

StevieEvans · Aug 11, 2010

Nice selection

Stoneybeck Lake

This is the "road-side pool" on the RHS as you approach Bishop Middleham from the Sedgefield / Coxhoe road.

This land here is managed sensitively for wildlife as well as farm produce.

There are several recent instances of people walking round the lake, despite there being no rights of way / nor access round it.

Thankfully there was no sign of any disturbance today, with a nice selection of waders.

3 Greenshank,
2 Ruff,
1 Black tailed Godwit,
4 Green Sandpiper,
12 Snipe,
1 Common Sandpiper,

4j Yellowagtail, 1Gsw, 5Dabchick, 200Greylag, 1C.Buzzard, Corn Bunting singing, 1 ad & 1j Little Owl, 2j Bullfinch, Shoveller, Pochard, 8 Teal, f Sparrowhawk, 20+Tree Sparrow, 3 Hares etc etc

Another Good wader day, with 12 species - but Stoneybeck currently performing better than The Lake . . .

http://s-evans.blogspot.com/2010/08/roadside-waders-et-al.html

Shaggy2070 · Aug 12, 2010

LBB vs YL Gull.

A Gull question.
While working in Peterlee today I saw a Gull which I thought was an adult Herring Gull until I noticed the bright Yellow legs, so then I automatically thought Lesser Black Backed Gull. But thinking about other Lesser Black Backs I've seen the grey back looked a lot lighter than usual making me hope Yellow Legged Gull (which I don't think it would be).
Anyway I only saw the bird on the ground as we drove past so didn't have time to study it, but I was wondering how you would tell between LBB Gull and YL Gull at a glance???
Because they both look the bloody same to me

:-O:-O.

IanF · Aug 12, 2010

Shaggy2070 said:
A Gull question.
While working in Peterlee today I saw a Gull which I thought was an adult Herring Gull until I noticed the bright Yellow legs, so then I automatically thought Lesser Black Backed Gull. But thinking about other Lesser Black Backs I've seen the grey back looked a lot lighter than usual making me hope Yellow Legged Gull (which I don't think it would be).
Anyway I only saw the bird on the ground as we drove past so didn't have time to study it, but I was wondering how you would tell between LBB Gull and YL Gull at a glance???
Because they both look the bloody same to me:-O:-O.

I don't think there is an easy way to tell them apart. I usually try to go by the size of the spots on the wings when at rest. I've seen an awful lot of light grey LBB Gulls. Even the intensity of the yellow legs on LBBG varies tremendously.

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