Durham Birding (33 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

Houghton Local Patch 09

Morning visit to Seaton Pond area looking for yesterdays Hen Harrier, no luck but an interesting selection of birds.

Early on we had 2 Redwings go over inland, but these were surpassed by an almost constant flow of passerines moving SW inland. Lots of finches & Mipits going through, with at least 100 Skylarks in visible migration.

A first winter Little Gull was a pleasant surprise, following an adult here last month. Todays bird tagging along with a flock following the plough.

On the open arable land a single Wheatear tried to keep out of the wind, then coming close to perch on wires. A covey of a dozen Grey Partridge scuttled about, but no sign yet of the 400-odd Red-legs that are supposedly released. Many more farmland birds with 250Lapwing, 300Linnet, several Reed Bunts & Yellowhammer.

Throughout the morning there were several skeins of Pink feet moving south, approx 350 birds in total, also several small flocks of Golden Plover moving that way too.

Tried down at Dawdon hoping the Harrier may have moved that way . . . not much to see, but patience paid off when The Raptorman (Mr Olley) put me onto a sub adult Hobby - catching insects right in front of us :t: , before flying to land on a bare tilled field further along the road. It sat on the ground giving excellent views, then off again catching bees at close range.

Steve.E

 

[NeilF]

Pec Sand (Neil.F :t: ) on the A1 Flashes at Bishop Middleham, just south of the DBC Castle Lake Nature Reserve
SE

And still showing well yesterday lunchtime alongside Bar-tailed Godwit, with Spotted Redshank and Pink-footed Geese on Castle Lake together with a whole host of other species at County Durham's number 1 birding site |=)|

 

[StevieEvans]

Meeting

And still showing well yesterday lunchtime alongside Bar-tailed Godwit, with Spotted Redshank and Pink-footed Geese on Castle Lake together with a whole host of other species at County Durham's number 1 birding site |=)|

Thanks Neil, heading down there today :t:

Anyone wanting to purchase Keys (£5) for Castle Lake hide, can do so at DBC indoor meeting tonight at Rainton Meadows DWT HQ (NZ3248) , from 7:00 pm.

As well as the chance to meet up & have a natter with other birers, Chas Holt from the BTO will be giving a talk about the Surveys, Recording, WeBs, BTO Atlas etc.

Refreshments available.

Meeting is open to members & non-members alike. We look forward to seeing you there!

Steve.E

 

[StevieEvans]

Castle Lake DBC Reserve

DBC Castle Lake Nature Reserve, Bishop Middleham:

An impressive 10 species of wader today including :-

Pectoral Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Curlew, Golden Plover, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Lapwing, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruff.

3 Common Buzzards moving SW including 1 mobbed over the lake plus several Sparrowhawks & Kestrels.

60Swallow, 40House Martin, 1 Yellow Wagtail through and 3Grey Wagtail around the lake.

Neil's 9Pink footed Geese joined by another which came in high from the NE, also 7Pochard, 12Shoveller etc

SE / JO

 

[Lapland mull]

Haven't posted anything for a long while so here are some pictures from Teesmouth today- Red-backed Shrike at Dormans Pool and Black-tailed Godwit at Saltholme

 

[IanF]

Haven't posted anything for a long while so here are some pictures from Teesmouth today- Red-backed Shrike at Dormans Pool and Black-tailed Godwit at Saltholme

Great photos. I knew something was bound to turn up whilst we were away for a few days! Same thing happened last September :-C

 

[Boy Wonder]

Buff-breasted Sandpiper with a group of Ruff at Saltholme Pools Hide this morning and a drake Blue-winged Teal coming out of eclipse from the Haverton Viewpoint yesterday at RSPB Saltholme

 

[IanF]

Dormans Pool - am - RB Shrike still present. Giving very good views on and off. Still along the upper track to the top car park.

Back Saltholme - from roadside - BB Sandpiper still present with several Ruff until at least 11.45 am. Pretty distant when I was there but apparently it had been right by the roadside fence mid-morning.

Tilery Wood/A689 - 3.00pm - yesterday Common Buzzard crossed over the road SE to NW.

 

[Wig131]

Re Dormans Pool

Could someone please let me have the location of Dorman's pool? I'm hoping to see the RB Shrike this weekend. Is it OK for members of Durham Bird Club to visit this site?

Steve C

 

[IanF]

Map of Dormans Pool - the arrow marks the spot where the RB Shrike has been.

Unfortunately it's only accessible to members of Teesmouth Bird Club. Even they have to have their membership card with them else will be asked to leave if stopped by the security staff of the site owner.

Taken from TBC web site -

ACCESS TO DORMANS POOL AND RECLAMATION POND - MEMBERSHIP CARD NOW NEEDED

At the instigation of Impetus Reclamation Limited, the Club has just signeda 5-year, legally-executed Licence Agreement, valid from 11th December 2007, which allows access to the Reclamation Pond and Dormans Pool for Teesmouth Bird Club members only. This replaces the former, unwritten access arrangement, which was rarely enforced. From 11th December, a current TBC membership card must be produced when requested by security personnel and any persons who fail to comply will be requested to leave the site. The Licence has been drawn up by Impetus's legal advisers and has been favourably modified following consultation with the Committee. I would be grateful if all members could comply with these new arrangements. Thankyou

Ted Parker (Chairman)

 

[Wig131]

Re Dormans Pool

Map of Dormans Pool - the arrow marks the spot where the RB Shrike has been.

Unfortunately it's only accessible to members of Teesmouth Bird Club. Even they have to have their membership card with them else will be asked to leave if stopped by the security staff of the site owner.

Taken from TBC web site -
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Thank you for the information Ian. I will be joining TBC.

Steve C

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Unfortunately it's only accessible to members of Teesmouth Bird Club.

I rang up to join tonight and I am going to join once I get the information sent to me....... does that not class me as a member now?|:S|

 

[StevieEvans]

I rang up to join tonight and I am going to join once I get the information sent to me....... does that not class me as a member now?|:S|

Andrew, Lots of non-TBC members still visit Dormans area . . . .

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Andrew, Lots of non-TBC members still visit Dormans area . . . .

I see.............

 

[StevieEvans]

I see.............

Could have said . . .

I see, aye. ( ICI )


a few more Hobbies through last 2-3 days at Dawdon, Daisy Hill, Houghton & Crook

 

[IanF]

Andrew, Lots of non-TBC members still visit Dormans area . . . .

I'm very surprised at such a comment on a public forum coming from a DBC Committee Member.

Yep! They can view Dormans Pool from the main road but only TBC members can legally make use of the car parks and tracks - which you'd have to do to view the location where the RB Shrike has been. Plenty of signs up advising as such.

Following the same line of thought as Steve - afterwards you could pop over to Castle Lake and go for a wander around the lake shore - plenty still do!!!

 

[StevieEvans]

I'm very surprised at such a comment on a public forum coming from a DBC Committee Member.

Yep! They can view Dormans Pool from the main road but only TBC members can legally make use of the car parks and tracks - which you'd have to do to view the location where the RB Shrike has been. Plenty of signs up advising as such.

Following the same line of thought as Steve - afterwards you could pop over to Castle Lake and go for a wander around the lake shore - plenty still do!!!

u know me ian, you shouldnt be surprised at anything i type on here.
i say what i see.
its my personal view & nothing to do with any one of the several groups im associated with.

i wasnt advocating that young kinghorn nor anyone else should "trespass" - simple statement of the facts on the ground.
Imho Visitors should join TBC with they wish to visit that particular area - just as they are best off obtaining a hide key if they want to get the best out of a visit to castle lake.

wandering around the shore of a nature reserve, where ever it may be, would be idiotic & has absolutely no comparison with "trespassing" in your car along a rutted old track.

( as i understand it, the RSPB are to take over management of Dormans - with provision of public hides
if this is to be the case, then it'll be better all round - but most importantly better for the birds themselves - regardless of who has, or hasnt got permission to watch them. :t

Houghton Local Patch
Black tailed Godwit, 23Mute Swan, Dunlin & still small nos of Swallows at Ho'Gate Pool this morning.

 

[IanF]

....................wandering around the shore of a nature reserve, where ever it may be, would be idiotic & has absolutely no comparison with "trespassing" in your car along a rutted old track.

( as i understand it, the RSPB are to take over management of Dormans - with provision of public hides
if this is to be the case, then it'll be better all round - but most importantly better for the birds themselves - regardless of who has, or hasnt got permission to watch them. :t

I wish it were 'my' car park - but it's not - nor does it belong to TBC! They have a legal arrangement for access with the land owners who I'm sure would take a dim view of any encouragement by non-members to trespass.

As to ownership of Dormans Pool - there's lots of rumours circulating as to what will be happening in the future - but as far as I'm aware nothing has been decided yet. It's not really worth speculating at present though I suspect the RSPB will be concentrating on the new reserve for a while yet before taking more on board - which is another rumour that's going around!

 

[Wig131]

Re Dormans Pool

I wish it were 'my' car park - but it's not - nor does it belong to TBC! They have a legal arrangement for access with the land owners who I'm sure would take a dim view of any encouragement by non-members to trespass.

As to ownership of Dormans Pool - there's lots of rumours circulating as to what will be happening in the future - but as far as I'm aware nothing has been decided yet. It's not really worth speculating at present though I suspect the RSPB will be concentrating on the new reserve for a while yet before taking more on board - which is another rumour that's going around!

Sorry to have caused this. But the reason I asked the question in the first place was to be clear in my own mind if I as a member of DBC could access Dormans Pool. I now know that I also require membership of TBC. I would not wish to go and trespass or go anywhere without the correct permissions. Could someone pleaes ask the bird to call in at Saltholme, so that I can see it using my RSPB membership.

Steve C

 

[IanF]

A few more photos of the RB Shrike. Still present today. Also one of the two Garganey on the Bottom Tank at RSPB Saltholme.