Durham Birding (16 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

Castle Lake DBC Reserve

Black Stork the latest addition to the Castle Lake List.
Seen (JO / DC) from the hide today - flew off low to the south appearing to land in the Low Hardwick area ( previously favoured by the White Stork).
Hopefully its waiting to be re-found . . . .

NB:
If anyones heading that way, Works are being carried out by volunteers on C.Lake site tomorrow which will obviously affect whats to be seen.

Steve

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hartlepool/Teesside today:

Firecrest still around the Croft area, only one seen today, also chiffchaff, I think, see below pic.
Nothing worth reporting at N/gare & Znkwks Road other than a few BH & Black Backed Gulls and kestrel fly over.
Pretty much the same at Saltholme with the main of the birds being on the wildlife view point and the bottom tank, such as Dunlin, BT godwit, egret, shoveler, teal, wigeon, common snipe, pied wagtail, goldfinch, greenfinch and BH gulls etc.

Called at Newburn Bridge:
sanderling, oyster catcher, ringed plover, rock pipit Bh & herring gulls.

 

[StevieEvans]

Hartlepool/Teesside today:

Firecrest still around the Croft area, only one seen today, also chiffchaff, I think, see below pic.
.

That looks like a Willy wobbler

 

[Ray.Scott]

That looks like a Willy wobbler

Cheers Steve :t:.

 

[jason-t-71]

Had excellent views of the Bluethroat at Hartlepool this morning. It was showing very well for the masses.

 

[Lapland mull]

Had excellent views of the Bluethroat at Hartlepool this morning. It was showing very well for the masses.

A couple of pic's of the Bluethroat today at Hartlepool

 

[jason-t-71]

Great pictures mate

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

A very enjoyable day down Teeside today.......well Hatlepool!

I had the Richard's Pipit at South Gare briefly. However DC said he had never seen one sitting or standing still before. Thanks to DC for ID'ing it.:t:

Then we had the Bluethroat and watched that for about 1 and a half hours. Which was fantastic!:king:

Then onto Hatlepool Headland where DC spotted 2 Velvey Scoters quite close in shore. All doubts about ID where thrown away when the brids took off an flew south showing there fantastic white wing patches on the secondaries.

All in all a good day with 2 life ticks!

Sorry about my poor photos..........

 

[IanF]

No sign of the Bluethroat at Hartlepool Headland this morning. In fact no migrants at all seen. As consolation though the Eastern Rosella was posing nicely on the arm of a park bench in the bowling green.

The usual Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail and House Sparrows on the rocks plus a few Turnstone, Curlew, Oystercatcher and a single Ringed Plover. A pair of Cormormorant were feeding off the end of the short pier catching lots of fish.

Seaton Common from Zinc Works Road - Curlew c.12, Lapwing c.40, Stonechat x3. Peregrine putting everything up a few times. Two were seen sat on the power station but not by me. The migrant bushes held Blackbird, Robin, Great Tit and a single Redwing.

RSPB Saltholme - Bottom Tank and Wildlife Watchpoint only - Fieldfare, Redwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Little Egret and Little Grebe. Several flights of geese passing overhead again - Pink-footed, Greylag and Canada.

A male Marsh Harrier had been on Dormans Pool likewise Peregrine and Sparrowhawk.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

No sign of the Bluethroat at Hartlepool Headland this morning. In fact no migrants at all seen. As consolation though the Eastern Rosella was posing nicely on the arm of a park bench in the bowling green.

You have a MEGA on your photos Ian!:eek!:

If only it was a wild bird:smoke: See how I run.

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton Local Patch 09

Slav Grebe on main pool Herrington C.Pk - (J.Wa)

 

[IanF]

Merlin over the Bottom Tank at RSPB Saltholme yesterday. Also Brent Goose x7 over North Gare pier.

Slavonian Grebe on Saltholme Pond east for most of the day often alongside the road.

Marsh Harrier (male) reported several times today around Back Saltholme and Dormans Pool.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Started of at Herrington Country Park with the hope of viewing the Slavonian Grebe that was reported.
Spent a couple of hours, but no sign of the grebe.
Plenty of the usual birds such as canada, greylag geese, mute swans, mallards, coots, heron etc and an odd one out amongst the canada's maybe a juv, see below pic.

From here, continued down to Saltholme, not much about here but saw the merlin fly over the bottom tank area.
After a while we were informed that there was a Slavonian on the water opposite the Saltholme pond, so popped over and managed a few photo's before the rain started.

Nice meeting IanF, Derek and a few others :t:.

 

[Ray.Scott]

And a few of the Slavonian Grebe, a first for me :t:.

 

[barnstormer]

Is that the red beach ball pepe reiner kicked out of the stadium of light on saturday........:-O

 

[IanF]

Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Common Rosefinch all present around the Putting Green/Croft at Hartlepool Headland this morning plus a few Fiedlfare and Redwing flying over.

Scoter c.50 and Gannet x3 seen from Heugh Battery area.

Seaton Snook - Bar-tailed Godwit x2, Oystercatcher c.30, Curlew c.15, Redshank x5, Red-breasted Merganser x6, Guillemot x1, Cormorant c.30.

 

[StevieEvans]

huge bird at Trow quarry, South Shields (see the Sth Tyneside thread)

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

I think most will know by now but incase you didn't there is an
EASTERN CRONWED WARBLER - Sighted yesterday and early morning today! It was re identified by Mark Newsome to be a Easter Crowned Warbler after the photographer thought it was a Yellow-browed Warbler. It was ID'd late last night at about 11ish.

This is Britain’s first ever record of this bird. This is exceedingly rare!

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

huge bird at Trow quarry, South Shields (see the Sth Tyneside thread)

sorry bout that Steve you must have posed the same time as me.
As Steve said see here for more detials:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=110408&page=138

 

[IanF]

A great find by Derek and Dougie and well done to Mark for making the ID :t: