Durham Birding (21 Viewers)

[Ray.Scott]

Teesside / Saltholme today:

Zinkworks Road:
Starlings, stonechat + around 50 greylag geese.
Walked along Seaton Snook area, not much about, single cormorant, good flock oyster catchers, 1 curlew and about 15 twite which took off towards South Gare.

Saltholme bottom tank.
the usual here including very close BT Godwits, redshank, teal, wigeon, shoveler, little egret etc and water rail showed itself at a distance to the left of the hide:t:.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple more from today.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hetton Bogs

Called at Hetton Bogs today:

Blue. great and willow tits, reed buntings, wren, 2 male bullfinch, 2 robins which were chasing everything from the feeders.
Sparrow hawk flew through once and kinfisher twice, but didn't land.
Only moorehen and mallard on the water, no sign of water rail.
Just before I left the jay flew into the station behind the feeders for a brief visit.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple of others from Hetton Bogs.

 

[AndyMc]

Sparrow hawk flew through once and kinkfisher twice, but didn't land.

I'm guessing that photo had to censored

 

[Ray.Scott]

I'm guessing that photo had to censored

Nice one Andy:t:, Just testing, to see if anyone actually reads the post , well! thats my excuse.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple from Teesside today:

Curlew & wigeon from North Gare Road.
Distant Kestrel from Saltholme and Cormorant from Jacksons Landing.

 

[IanF]

Crookfoot Reservoir am - only one Smew on show. Still about a dozen Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe x3. Pudding Poke Farm Little Owl sat in the sun.

Crimdon Denemouth - Scoter c.30 including Velvet x2, Red-throated Diver c.15 with several close to shore near high tide, Great Crested Grebe x3, Twite c.20. Turnstone and Sanderling on the shore.

Blackhall Rocks - Scoter c.15 including 2-3 Velvet, RT Diver and GC Grebe. Oystercatcher c.50, Redhsnk c.20, Turnstone. Linnet flock c.30 on cliffs and flyover of what looked to be Snow Bunting c.20 on cliff top fields. Also Skylark, Pied Wagtail and Grey Wagtail.

Newburn Bridge - Med Gull x2, Redshank c.220, Purple Sandpiper c.20, Sanderling c.30, Knot x6, Ringed Plover c.20, Turnstone & Cormorant.

 

[StevieEvans]

mistry ?

Fao :- JBee / DJC / Scuzz
did either of you manage to get a look at / pic of the 4 geese that went north over you 3 at @ 15:00 this afternoon.
We were further West & couldnt get enough on them - although i thought they may have been Bean geese rather than Pinkies.?
Heres hoping you got a frame filler.

-----------------------------------

Nice to hear both Mistle Thrush & Great Tits singing away from the comfort of our "little room" at home this morning.
Same 2 species singing at Wharton Pk in Durham too.

Steve

 

[JBee]

Fao :- JBee / DJC / Scuzz
did either of you manage to get a look at / pic of the 4 geese that went north over you 3 at @ 15:00 this afternoon.
We were further West & couldnt get enough on them - although i thought they may have been Bean geese rather than Pinkies.?
Steve

We all saw the geese you are referring to Steve - they went virtually over our heads.
I actually spotted them and gave that famous bird watchers cry of "Fower ower"
Dave did say Pinkies immediately.
I didn't photograph them though - not sure if Ray or Dave took a shot - Ray may have done as he'll take shots of anything that moves

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few from around the doors over the weekend:

Stevie, I binned the shot I took, but they were definately pinkies.

 

[DCJ]

A few from around the doors over the weekend:

Stevie, I binned the shot I took, but they were definately pinkies.

Aye, sounded like pinkies for sure.

 

[IanF]

Great Northern Diver x2 still present at Jackson's Landing this morning though only one coming close before the rain returned. Also present several RB Merganser and Cormorant.

A good find Dave :t:

 

[ColinSev]

Hartlepool area and Saltholme

Visited the Pudding Poke Owl before going down to Jacksons Landing to see the Great Northern Diver, the owl was in and out of its hole a few times while I was there. Two Smew were also on Crookfoot this morning. The GN Diver was showing well and good to see Ian F there to. There were reports of the Hooded Merganser showing there too this morning. Then down to Saltholme and guess what - the Hooded Merganser was showing well there too on main pool. Wind was causing havoc with the scope though - A good day out.

 

[ColinSev]

Clara Vale

A couple of pics from Clara Vale on Saturday, the Kingfisher showed very well and was within 8 or 9 yards, saw the bird catch 14 fish in hour and half, though only small fry. Also a few Bullfinch, goldfinch, and greenfinch. Saw a couple of Redpoll in tops of trees at Thornley Woodland Centre. Also a Sparrowhawk flew through.

 

[Ray.Scott]

A handfull from Jacksons Landing today:

 

[IanF]

A few more from this afternoon.

It was nice to meet up with Colin, Ray and John again.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

A few more from this afternoon.

It was nice to meet up with Colin, Ray and John again.

Fantastic photos! (Scuzz, and Colin as well) A really cracking bird with really close birds. A county tick for me. :t:

I did see you today Ian, I was on the other side of the wata' from where you where standing with a few other photographers who went un ID'd lol. I was going to wave but then realised I would look more stupid that usual if you didn't realise it was me. :-O

 

[IanF]

Fantastic photos! (Scuzz, and Colin as well) A really cracking bird with really close birds. A county tick for me. :t:

I did see you today Ian, I was on the other side of the wata' from where you where standing with a few other photographers who went un ID'd lol. I was going to wave but then realised I would look more stupid that usual if you didn't realise it was me. :-O

Lol! You should have waved - I would have had a look through my bins. I'd just been waving at a couple of friends when they arrived on that side.

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton-le-Spring & surrounding areas this morning (08:00-12:00)

A perfect morning, producing a fair selection of the usual winter species & some of the specialities, although nothing unexpected.
66 species noted including:-
60House Sparrow, 200+Blackbird, 21Song Thrush, 50 each Redwing + Fieldfare, 12Skylark, 1Meadow Pipit, 5+Grey Wagtail, 3Pied Wagtail, 2Heron, 1Kingfisher, 1+2H Water Rail, 2Jack Snipe, 7Common Snipe, 1Curlew, 1Woodcock, 2Sparrowhawk, 1Little Owl, sev Kestrels, 1Chiffchaff, 45Lesser Redpoll, 20+Bullfinch, 1Greenfinch, 46Goldfinch, 13Chaffinch, 9Reed Bunting, 3Willow Tit, 2Goldcrest, 23LTTit, 2Coal Tit, 6Great Tit, 10GBBGull, 170HGull, 10CGull, 70BHGull, 1Cormorant, 2Wigeon, 1Rudworth, 4Pochard, 2Goldeneye, 50Teal, 90Coot, 90Canada Geese, 340Greylag & 1Pink footed Goose, 14Collared Dove, 2Stock Dove, 340Wood Pigeon