Durham Birding (28 Viewers)

[dmwwp]

Armed with the scuzz and jaybee guide, managed a good lunch of ham and cheese sandwich then these 2 appeared

Only trouble was in organising my sandwiches I forgot my tripod and monopod :eek!: so result a bit blurred. Still, will add that as a side note and venture out again later in the week

Meanwhile, time for a B - purely medicinal of course

 

[IanF]

Dormans Pool 5.10pm this evening - Short-eared Owl x1 around the car park put on a good dispaly for Marmot - her first visit to see them here. After ten minutes it flew off south only to return a few minutes later being mobbed by four Crow. Last seen flying very high northwards over Dormans Pool with the Crows giving chase.

It was reported on TBC that yesterday morning two SEO pinned down a Barn Owl on the ground by the car park. Luckily it got free and flew away okay. No sign of it tonight up to 5.40pm.

 

[Alan Tilmouth]

No.

Thanks for the helpful & informative response.

 

[StevieEvans]

fifty pence mix up

firecrest report from lamesley reed beds this am

Great bird. Dont think we've even managed to conjure up a Chiffchaff yet on our patch......
Liked your latest images.
I reckon there's a fair number of wild birds, & birders, & feeding stations that really appreciate your support this winter:t:

I was wondering, Can you build me a similar bird trap:eek!: - suitable for a 5'4" female, may well be attracted in with pizza:eat:
:-O
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RBGull - seen again today around midday by ColinW et al, found yestday by MickyH.:t:

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Have had small nos of Siskins moving north over past 4 days, Houghton, Durham, Ch-le-St, Washington.

Oystercatcher over yestday, takes our garden list onto 44 this year.

Herring & LBBGulls back over the colony rooftops at Dham City

Blackbird with small young in the nest in Houghton town.

Woodcock roding this evening & Tawny Owl hunting from telegraph pole (poss after frogs, as several on roads) nr the Scouts Wood, Houghton.

Steve

 

[ALFIE TEMPLE]

Still 3 Goosander at Herrington Country Park (1st. March)

 

[beetlebug]

Photography guide

It could be several hundred years before the name Scuzz and Jaybee are uttered in the same breathe as legendary bird photographers such as IanF and Snapper Evans but in the mean time we (Scuzz and I) thought that sharing our undoubted talent with others could be of use.
I've written a very short guide covering the basics of how we get such awe inspiring results.
The tricks and tips included in the guide are the culmination of all our hard work and being the sort of guys we are we thought we would share them :-O :-O :-O
The Guide can be read as a pdf file at the following address.

http://northeastwildlife.co.uk/looking.pdf

I now know the problem with my photograps- lack of coffee!!:-O

Nice one JBee and Scuzz


JBee, Can you give directions to your Barn owl. I would love to take a picture of him.

Regards

Beetlebug

 

[AndyMc]

In two minds Sunday what to do, bike (1st time this year) or birds :h?:- aah both o. A bit restricted as bikes don't make good hides.
First off to Low Barns. Not a lot happening while I was there :-C. ''More of a listening day'' I was told, which isn't very helpful when you're not up to speed, or even dawdle in my case. The new feeder screens are now up but the actual feeders are still to relocate. Too many dogs / kids & cars about to make a stay worth while.......

Cowpen Bewley: Nice to put a person to the name IanF. Nice meeting you:hi: You'll be glad to hear that you didn't miss out on anything, of course you'd already have known that .
Haven't bothered posting any pics as there's enough double exposures with Scuzz & JBee:-O
I thought about tailing you. I wish I had (owl shots:t

:t:Andy

 

[NeilF]

Nearly a full day in the local area today noting the following;

Birtley Reedbeds; Little Grebe, Teal, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail (over), 2 Mistle Thrush (over), 1 Chiffchaff (singing at 08:30 then calling repeatedly in the afternoon), Long-tailed Tit, Bullfinch & Reed Bunting.

Bowes Valley NR; 20+ Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 1 male Stonechat, 1 Goldcrest but no sign of the Firecrest.

Kibblesworth Brickworks Pool; 1 Little Grebe & a pair of Oystercatcher.

Clarty Lane/River Team/Urpeth Wood area; 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 3+ Grey Partridge, 7 Curlew, 1 GS Woodpecker, 1 Dipper, Jay heard, Bullfinch & 2 Yellowhammer.

Birtley Brickworks Pool area; 3 Mallard, 2 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 1pr Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull (one ringed on left leg), Herring Gull, Common Gull, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Coal Tit.

Long Acre Wood; 1 GS Woodpecker, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Treecreeper & 2 Bullfinch.

Local patch year list now upto 88 of which 67 have been seen in the last two day's.

Also today at Chester-le-St/Riverside; 47 Mute Swan's and a Dipper.

 

[IanF]

Belasis Avenue, Billingham/Haverton Hill by pipeline - 6.50am - Barn Owl out hunting.

Tilery Wood/A689 - 9.30am - Crossbill x5 'singing' in trees above car park. Also Willow Tit x2 on the tables plus Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit and a calling Nuthatch that came close but never came onto the tables.

Little Owl x2 north side of A689 plus Little Owl at Hurworth Burn Res in roadside tree by Dropswell Farm entrance - possibly a new nest site as I've never seen one in that tree before though the farmer was trimming hedges by a known nest tree 500m west. Also one at Pudding Poke Farm and one on telegraph pole by Trimdon cemetery.

On Hurworth Burn Res - Great Crested Grebe x5. Goosander x3, Goldeneye x3, Shelduck x5. Willow Tit, Robin and Blackbird on feeders.

Photos: 1. Chaffinch - 2. Coal Tit - 3. Willow Tit - 4. Little Owl - 5. Barn Owl

 

[Shaggy2070]

Teeside

Had a couple of hours down Teeside today starting at Cowpen Bewley.
Tree Sparrows, Greenfinch, Blue Tit and Great Tit on the car park feeders. Walking round saw 3 Magpies, a few Crows, Yellowhammer, Robins and Blackbirds. At the main lake there was 1 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe, 5-7 Shoveller, 2 Mute Swans and loads of Tufties and Mallards. Including one that had a go at a Coot.

Zinc works road next Loads of flocks of Starlings, Crows and Gulls kept taking off but I couldn't see what was putting them up:h?: and only one Stonechat on the posts.

North Gare. Lots of Curlew, Lapwing, and Widgeon, 2 Redshanks, 1 Little Egret and four Greylags Geese.

No sign of the Red Necked Grebe at Hartlepool this afternoon between 3:00 - 4:00pm.

 

[carl_gorse]

Newburn Bridge 3-3-09

Called to Newburn Bridge this morning

Not much about other than a few Oyster Catchers and plenty of Gulls .

I did take this one maybe a ( Turnstone ) ? Any Help in comfirming this or correcting me would be great .

Cheers
Carl.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Called to Newburn Bridge this morning

Not much about other than a few Oyster Catchers and plenty of Gulls .

I did take this one maybe a ( Turnstone ) ? Any Help in comfirming this or correcting me would be great .

Cheers
Carl.

It's a Turnstone.

 

[carl_gorse]

It's a Turnstone.

Brilliant .

Carl .

Another one to tick of the list

 

[NeilF]

Occasionally get a Grey Heron around the houses, presumably checking garden ponds for fish/frogs, today it was forced down by mobbing Gull's and stayed put until they left.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Called to Newburn Bridge this morning

Not much about other than a few Oyster Catchers and plenty of Gulls .

I did take this one maybe a ( Turnstone ) ? Any Help in comfirming this or correcting me would be great .

Cheers
Carl.

Carl.
Normally best to go to Newburn Bridge around High Tide or just before and nearly always get birds like purple sandpiper, sanderling, ringed plover, oyster catchers, knot, various gulls and med gull normally on nearby lampost.
Also pretty much the same birds at the headland between the two piers.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Weardale/Teesdale yesterday:

Large flocks of fieldfare, Lapwings and starlings around Langdon Beck area with few redwing. 7 male & 4 female black grouse seen, 3 grey partridge at a distance, 2 golden plover, 2 pied wagtail, 1 mistle thrush, chaffinch, blue & great tits, 1 kestrel and a few red grouse. Also managed to spot 1 buzzard which was miles away, high up.

 

[Ray.Scott]

And a few black grouse and buzzard effort.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Snapped this yesterday morning near Durham, only shot I got, can anyone I.D It for me ?.

 

[ian hamilton]

Barmston Pond,0545-0715.
1 Little Grebe
2 Mute Swan
2 Greylag Goose
Drake Teal
10 Mallard
Female Pochard
18 Tufted Duck
12 Coot
4 Moorhen
2 Oystercatcher
1 lbb gull

0735;
Greylag Goose flew north over washington highway and a coal tit along
the edge of the highway and 2-3 Yellowhammer at woodhouse farm n.hylton

0830;
15 Shelduck at claxheugh rock,s.hylton

 

[Big Yin]

Snapped this yesterday morning near Durham, only shot I got, can anyone I.D It for me ?.

It's a chaffinch:t: