Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, Billingham. UK (3 Viewers)

serenade · Jan 17, 2010

Sunday @ 10:00am

As I got there this morning the sun broke through and stayed for the entire visit. Feeding station was bare of both food and birds so I headed for the lake following the railway path, 40+ Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits and 2 Long tailed Tits in the Alders by the corner just before the railway.

The lake was still fairly frozen so everything was concentrated in the middle puddle: Mallard, Gulls, Swans, Pochard, Shoveler(only 1 seen), Tufted Duck.
As I sat on the benches firstly a Sparrowhawk flew from east to west across the lake flushing a lot from the puddle, then a Water rail went from just under the benches across to the hide side.

Back at the Car Park tables food had been put out so it was a frenzy of Tree Sparrow (30+), Yellowhammer, Blue and Great Tits, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, a song thrush, Reed Bunting and Chaffinch.

IanF · Jan 17, 2010

A late morning visit for me as well just to the car park bushes/tables. It was nice to see a bit of sunshine for a change.

Tree Sparrow x67 was the highest count I had but a lot of movement with them with so many visitors about.

No sign of any Brambling today though we're still getting one in the garden but lots of Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer and Chaffinch and tits. A Redwing flew into the trees above the car park plus a GSW passed overhead.

IanF · Jan 19, 2010

I had my usual Tuesday morning wander around. A cold night left a very heavy frost this morning. It was bright and sunny for the first 30-40 mins but soon clouded over when a fog bank moved in from the north. After that it was a struggle as to who would win out between the sun and fog.

Nothing whatsoever seen between the car park and the lake. The lake itself was almost totally frozen over with just a small ice free area. Lots of Mallard present plus Gadwall x16 and a few Tufted Duck, Coot and Moorhen and a pair of Pochard. Robin, Magpie and Blackbird were in the surrounding bushes. Quite a lot of gulls present mostly Black-headed and several with black heads plus a few Common Gull and a Herring Gull.

Nothing much by the hide other than Blue Tit and a Wren plus a pair of GSW were chasing each other around getting a bit frisky. A Little Egret was on Cow Bridge Beck which was nice to see. It headed off eastwards into the fog bank.

Back at the car park the usual birds were on the tables. The reeds by the iced over ponds held 5-6 Water Rail, Coot and Moorhen but only giving occasional glimpses.

A flock of LTT c.10 were in the feeding station which proved fairly quiet over the next 30 mins until my lift home arrived.

deansmith · Jan 21, 2010

had a walk here today from greatham village, quite a nice walk with plenty too see along the way, the lake was largely frozen over but a good number of gadwall was present and 4 pochard. the car park tables held the usual with a male brambling visiting briefly, headed over the road after this and had a walk over the train tracks through a village and near some cemetary, I didnt know there were a few more patches of land that were part of the woodland park, they were very quiet bird wise but a family of long tailed tits were fleeing about and just after we crossed the road a roe deer stood still and stared at me for a while before clearing off, headed round in pretty much one big circle back to the road and back into the part of the park i know, another look at the feeding station was rewarded with 6 long tailed tits acrobatically taking peanuts and a coal tit was taking peanuts every 5 minutes and a cheeky brown rat hoovering up seeds along with the usual birds. walked back past the lake a strange site was 2 black tailed godwit roosting on the ice. also a good number of tree sparrows ca. 20 birds around the park

IanF · Jan 23, 2010

A great find by Keith Ryan this morning of a male Ring-necked Duck on the lake. Normally I'd have been there myself on a Saturday morning but I couldn't get over until this afternoon. Quite a few birders called in whilst I was there, around 30 though I'm sure there were more in the morning.

At least the weather was a little brighter this afternoon, still mostly overcast but with the sun breaking through once or twice.

The usual birds were on the car park feeders when I arrived though I didn't see any Brambling. The car park ponds are just about ice free. An usual sighting was a Cormornat sat in the reeds by one of the platforms on the first pond. It moved into the water a little sluggishly as I approached but didn't fly off so I wonder if it's a little unwell. Lots of Reed Bunting amongst the reeds and whilst watching the Cormorant a Kingfisher flew from left to right along the back of the reeds.

Only Great Tit and Blue Tit seen as I made my way over to the lake. It was nice to see the lake just about ice free though there's still a rim around the east and south edges. Lots of birds on the water though the only one of note being the Ring-necked Duck.

It remained pretty distant from the east bank staying mostly by the reeds near the wooden platform.

A great bird to turn up.

Heading back to the car park the only birds of note were a Great Spotted Woodpecker heading towards the lake and a Kestrel perched on a bush over Cow Bridge Beck.

IanF · Jan 24, 2010

A revisit this morning. Pretty much the same conditions as yesterday though with a touch of frost overnight.

The Ring-necked Duck was present still and coming a little closer to about half way across the lake.

A few more birds around today. It was nice to see some of the Goldeneye have returned with two males and a female present sometimes giving quite closer views, the males at least. Also a few more Gadwall with around 20 present. Also 100+ Black-headed Gull and a single Common Gull.

Whilst watching the ducks a flock of Goldfinch c.20 flew into the trees along side the railway plus a pair of Reed Bunting.

IanF · Jan 26, 2010

Dull and grey this morning and a little chilly starting off with temperatures just above freezing though it warm up a little.

Nothing much seen between the car park and the lake. No sign of the RN Duck nor was it reported yesterday. In fact the lake was pretty quiet compared to Sunday. Whe I arrived three Goldeneye were present a male and two females but they soon headed off west after circling the lake a couple of times. Pochard x2 were the only birds of note after that. A male Sparrowhawk appeaerd to be displaying over the west side as it was flying back and forth 5-6 times over the trees. Whilst sat by the lake Greylag Goose x4 and Mute Swan x2 flew from east to west over the lake, the swans in addition to the pair on the lake.

Still quite a few gulls on the lake with Black-headed Gull c.50 and Common Gull x2.

In the trees by the hide were a few Goldfinch, a few tits and a pair of Bullfinch.

Back in the car park the tables were quite active mostly with Tree Sparrows x60 but also a few Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Dunnock, tits, Robin and a single female Brambling.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew into the feeding station which was otherwise pretty quiet. Several Bullfinch were feeding in the tree above the gate to the feeding station giving very close views.

mattwhite · Jan 27, 2010

Hi

Is Cowpen Bewley easy to find? I live in Shildon, County Durham and would like to have alook around the place. So far I have only visited Low Barns and SAltholme and I fancy trying somewhere new.

Thanks

Matt

IanF · Jan 27, 2010

Dead easy to find. You probably drove past it when you went to RSPB Saltholme. It's on the A1185 Seal Sands Road about 1 mile east of the A689.

Map - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=54.61937820981754~-1.2389152053236785&lvl=13&sty=s

mattwhite · Jan 27, 2010

Thanks Ian

What is the place like for parking? Do you have to pay?

Matt

IanF · Jan 27, 2010

mattwhite said:
Thanks Ian

What is the place like for parking? Do you have to pay?

Matt

There's quite a large car park and it's free to park. I should have said it's also sign posted from the A1185.

serenade · Jan 27, 2010

Matt,

Dont forget to visit the feeding station, if you walk back out of the car park there is a metal mesh gate, through there you follow the wooden screen anticlockwise all the way round to a screen hide, normally plenty of things there, including the odd rat!

Ray

mattwhite · Jan 27, 2010

Thanks for the info fellas. I'm looking forward to visiting the place. Hopefully I can get there on Saturday.

Does anybody visit Low Barns these days. I just noticed that there is a thread on this forum but it has not been added to for a while.

Matt

IanF · Jan 27, 2010

I visited the car park and feeding station for an hour or so this afternoon.

A female Brambling still coming to the tables though not very often or for very long.

Two male Bullfinch again in the tree above the gate to the feeding station nibbling the young shoots.

Pretty quiet in the feeding station though it was nice to see a Treecreeper for the first time this year. It came in with a flock of Long-tailed Tit x16. A brief visit from a GSW.

mattwhite said:
Thanks for the info fellas. I'm looking forward to visiting the place. Hopefully I can get there on Saturday.

Does anybody visit Low Barns these days. I just noticed that there is a thread on this forum but it has not been added to for a while.

Matt

I've not been to Low Barns since mid-December. The feeding station was pretty good but little else seen on the reserve itself.

IanF · Jan 30, 2010

Quite a bit of snow overnight with 3-4" of fine powdery snow. A little overcast until mid-morning after which the skies just about cleared giving a good deal of sunshine.

Lots of Redwing in the car park bushes when I arrived. 25-30 were dotted around with more coming and going in the trees above. Getting on for around 100+ seen in flight around the park altogether. Also in the car park bushes were 5-6 Song Thrush and a Mistle Thrush in the trees above. The only Fieldfare was a flcok of around 30 overhead as I went over to the lake.

The lake was pretty quiet again with just a few of the usuals. The only bird of note was a Grey Heron sat in the dead tree on the west side.

A Little Egret was on Cow Bridge Beck by the weir.

Bullfinch female x2 were in the tree above the gate into the feeding station.

The feeding station was pretty active with lots of Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer. LTT x6 made a brief visit plus a Wren.

IanF · Feb 7, 2010

A very brief visit this afternoon. A Ring-necked Duck was seen on the lake again yesterday but there was no sign today.

I only visited the lake which was pretty quiet with fewer birds than usual. Only birds of note were a male Goldeneye and several Gadwall and a Reed Bunting flitting about the bankside bushes.

IanF · Feb 9, 2010

I had a wander around this morning. A little on the cool side and wintery showers on and off but with some sunny periods as well.

The car park tables were busy as ever when I arrived though nothing out of the ordinary.

I followed the track to the lake seeing very little on the way or even on arriving for that matter. The RN Duck was reported again yesterday but there was no sign of it when I was there today. Quite low numbers of birds in general. A male Goldeneye dropped in just after I arrived and a female Sparrowhawk was perched by the dead tree on the west side but there was nothing else of note. I had a wander across to Faith Wood and along Claxton Beck but the only birds were a few tits and a Little Grebe.

I retraced my steps to the lake seeing nothing new and then followed the path alongside the railway line through the alders where I came across a large flock of Redpolls, around 70+ and by far the largest flock I've seen here this winter. The odd Great Tit, Goldfinch and Chaffinch was mixed in with them.

A Water Rail dived into the reeds as I crossed the bridge over the Centre access road as I headed towards the feeding station.

The feeding station was pretty quiet in the 30 mins I was there though it had a few busier moments towards 12 o'clock. LTT were in and out every few minutes but 4 was the highest count. A Wren was present most of the time I was there as were several Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Tree Sparrow.

Two rats were present on and off plus a Bank Vole from under one of the wood piles.

Dave.Farrant · Feb 11, 2010

RN Duck present 2:30ish today.

IanF · Feb 11, 2010

Dave.Farrant said:
RN Duck present 2:30ish today.

It was there first thing this morning as well. One of the best selection of birds on and around the lake in quite a while.

Very little seen between the car park and the lake, just a few Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird and Goldfinch in the alders by the Visitor Centre.

On the lake the RN Duck gave very close views on and off when it tagged along with the Tufties that came over for some bread and peanuts. After a while though it reverted to form and stayed in the middle and went to sleep.

The female Goosanders weren't so obliging for views staying altogether mostly along the west edge. They seemed to be catching plenty if fish. It was nice to see a couple of Shoveler back as well and a few more Gadwall. A male Goldeneye visted briefly but didn't stay for long.

The first 30 mins I was there a Little Egret and three Herons were roosting in the dead tree with two Sprrowhawk in the hawthorn hedge behind all sitting in the sun. Another two Herons were in the reed edge below.

I had a walk around Faith Wood and along Claxton Beck but saw nothing at all.

IanF · Feb 13, 2010

Another day of wintery showers on and off though with a few brighter periods in the morning.

Having been dropped off in the car park I headed along the track over to the lake. Cresting the top of the hill a Magpie was 100m ahead of me chasing a weasel/stoat across the path following it through the rough grass bounding forwards 2-3m each time landing close to it's tail. Quite an odd sight as I'd have thought it would have turned on the Magpie.

There were a few more birds on the lake today with a few more Gadwall and Tufted Duck. The Ring-necked Duck and three Goosander were still present but remaining distant sticking to the west side. Whilst sat at the benches a Water Rail flew along the bank edge above the water just in front of us. That was the last I saw of it.

When the rain began I headed back to the car park and feeding station arriving just as the rain stopped again. I spent 20-30 minutes in the feeding station during which time a GSW came in twice to take peanuts, once from the ground. On the whole it was pretty quiet in there but LTT x6 made several visits as did Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Coal Tit x2, Graet Tit, Robin, Blue Tit, Robin x2, Dunnock and a Wren.

Walking through the wood heading west alongside the A1185 there were very few birds around other that a few tits and Bullfinch x4.

Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, Billingham. UK (3 Viewers)

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