rokermartin
Well-known member
Pic 1 and pic 2 Willow Warbler,pic 3 Whitethroats.
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Durham Birding (36 Viewers)
- Thread starter Skelly
- Start date
malskelton
Enthusiastic Amateur
Just wondering if anyone can help me - I've dipped out three times in the last ten days on male Pintail, it's starting to become a bogey bird for me.
I was looking to find out if there are any in the region yesterday / today that I may be able to visit before I head back down to East Yorks this afternoon
Thanks in advance
Mal Skelton
I was looking to find out if there are any in the region yesterday / today that I may be able to visit before I head back down to East Yorks this afternoon
Thanks in advance
Mal Skelton
StevieEvans
Well-known member
Cannot fail at Dormans pool on NTees marshes.:t:
Use this map link
http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm
& type in
NZ510230
its the large marshy pool right of centre on map.
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IanF
Moderator
Yep! 20+ at Dormans Pool yesterday afternoon :t:
Mind you views aren't exactly close. The odd one appears on RSPB Saltholme. A male was on the wildlife watchpoint pool when it first opened. Saltholme Pond west and Back Saltholme get the odd one or two as well - usually in front of where circular hide area.
EDIT: 23 males plus partners seen in a quick head count from the viewing screen this evening. Probably a few more at the north end. The north end, middle and the east side are the usual places for them.
No Barn Owl tonight but two SEO.
Mind you views aren't exactly close. The odd one appears on RSPB Saltholme. A male was on the wildlife watchpoint pool when it first opened. Saltholme Pond west and Back Saltholme get the odd one or two as well - usually in front of where circular hide area.
EDIT: 23 males plus partners seen in a quick head count from the viewing screen this evening. Probably a few more at the north end. The north end, middle and the east side are the usual places for them.
No Barn Owl tonight but two SEO.
Attachments
IanF
Moderator
Great views of JBee's Barn Owl this morning.
Stillington Forest Park - Siskin c.20, Redpoll c.20, Goldfinch c.20, Yellowhammer, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch. Skylark in display flight singing merrily over fields on east side. Loads of Robins singing plus a few Wren. Coot, Moorhen and Mute Swan on the ponds.
Photos : 1. & 2. Barn Owl - 3. Lesser Redpoll - 4. Yellowhammer - 5. Goldfinch
Stillington Forest Park - Siskin c.20, Redpoll c.20, Goldfinch c.20, Yellowhammer, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch. Skylark in display flight singing merrily over fields on east side. Loads of Robins singing plus a few Wren. Coot, Moorhen and Mute Swan on the ponds.
Photos : 1. & 2. Barn Owl - 3. Lesser Redpoll - 4. Yellowhammer - 5. Goldfinch
Attachments
Jumpin 4 Joy
Well-known member
They move around quite a bit and can turn up almost anywhere, so don't worry about not seeing one.
StevieEvans
Well-known member
NZ34 Rover
We had an hour & half at Sherburn while a Tesco trolley was being filled.
Nice selection of birds & groceries.
Went to check on a Tawny Owl nest, but not so lucky today after hitting on exactly yesterday.
Woodland species represented by 2 or 3 GSW, 1 drumming. 2pr of Nuthatch, a pair of Treecreeper - male sinigng, 3 Goldcrest a male singing & displaying, Green Woodpecker frustratingly heard several times, but not seen.
Multiple species now singing inc Yellowhammer, finches, Larks & a Stock Dove.
The beck held adult Heron, 2pr each of Moorhen & Mallard, Kingfisher perched. We were just about to head off when another target species, Dipper, flashed by upstream.
Bird of the day though, was the male Grey Wagtail, now in full summer colours & singing in his display flight over the water.
Quite a few track & signs too, Otter prints, Roe deer slots & a couple of Badger prints - which the little'un found much more interesting than the birds.
SteveE
We had an hour & half at Sherburn while a Tesco trolley was being filled.
Nice selection of birds & groceries.
Went to check on a Tawny Owl nest, but not so lucky today after hitting on exactly yesterday.
Woodland species represented by 2 or 3 GSW, 1 drumming. 2pr of Nuthatch, a pair of Treecreeper - male sinigng, 3 Goldcrest a male singing & displaying, Green Woodpecker frustratingly heard several times, but not seen.
Multiple species now singing inc Yellowhammer, finches, Larks & a Stock Dove.
The beck held adult Heron, 2pr each of Moorhen & Mallard, Kingfisher perched. We were just about to head off when another target species, Dipper, flashed by upstream.
Bird of the day though, was the male Grey Wagtail, now in full summer colours & singing in his display flight over the water.
Quite a few track & signs too, Otter prints, Roe deer slots & a couple of Badger prints - which the little'un found much more interesting than the birds.
SteveE
Cyclops
1 eyed tree hugging nature nut!
Just bouncing in from the West Midlands thread where a Hawfinch was spotted. Its one of my so called bogey birds. What is the chance of seeing one up here in Darlington? What is their favoured habitat? I imagine with that huge beak they like tough seeds like Hazelnuts or pine cones?
ian hamilton
mackem born and bred
drake eider on the river at deptford also 2 oystercatcher and a female sparrowhawk flew west.
IanF
Moderator
Croxdale Estate at Sunderland Bridge near Durham is your best bet in this area. Several have been seen there over winter. Park at Sunderland Bridge and follow the public footpath (along the estate road) all the way to the hall. You somemes get them along the avenue of trees you walk along but the trees above/behind the chapel at the hall itself are the best bet. Beech mast is the normal quoted diet likewise the hard centre of ewe berries. In some areas they seem to like peanuts from what I've heard/read.
Cyclops
1 eyed tree hugging nature nut!
Thanks Ian. I was hoping to hear of sightings in Darlington itself as I don't drive and am rather confined to just this area at the moment.
Cyclops
1 eyed tree hugging nature nut!
They look pretty nice to me Jbee!
StevieEvans
Well-known member
Dont know Darlo particularly well, but some of the greener parts of the town have seemingly suitable parkland habitat., with mature ornamental tree varieties.Cyclops said:
In Co.Durham, like the rest of the UK, Hawfinch is a reclusive species, often moving through and flying undetected within the canopy of mature trees. They prefer dense foliage and lack of a conspicuous song, makes them difficult to locate (even at hotspots) .
British population may be fewer than 3,000.
Occasionally you may be alerted to their presence by the sound of groups of cracking their favourite food, which includes the pits of damson, hornbeam, sloe and cherry. Its scientific name, Cocco-thraustes coccothraustes, means "one who can break open kernels".
They can exert a massive force of 110lb per square inch with its oversized bill to allow it to feed on nuts and seeds impregnable to other species.
Noted at 3 locations in the Wear Valley this winter (including the only reliable site, as Ian mentions at Croxdale), this is one of the County's rarest breeding residents . . . . - but thats not to say you wont pick one up in Darlington.
Excellent Hawfinch article by F.Milton in a relatively recent DBC annual report - detailing a study of a Gateshead site which held up to 80 birds.
Cheers
Steve.
Bit of a typo there Ian . . .
Didn't You mean to type Yew instead of Ewe
I see the Barn owl photo competition is warming up nicely
. . . .
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malskelton
Enthusiastic Amateur
Just wanted to say thanks for the heads up about the Pintail - my dad and I dashed out at 11am and with a bit of luck we managed to find a drake Pintail.
Took us a little while and a huge slice of look - I was looking at a Teal through the scope when a duck that was bottoms up re-surfaced in front, turned out to be a drake Pintail :t:
Thanks Steve - thanks Ian for your assistance, a successful morning
Mal Skelton
Cyclops
1 eyed tree hugging nature nut!
Just been out for a stroll with matthew up the country lane. Quiet at first but a few chaffinch and great tit. A few crows,but where are all the Rooks? On the way home we went past a large beech full of GreenFinch and then a few Tree Sparrow,always nice to see. Also spotted a pair of deer,not sure what type as they were quite far off but they had very white rumps!
