Durham Birding (8 Viewers)

[black kite 1964]

Not that underwatched.

Juvenile Scaup there for the last 3 days....

As Black Kite suggests. Use the path near the bus stop in the village. Upsets the locals less.

Unfortunately there always seems to be some cock with a Carp tent there these days!

Make sure u let mr bell know if u find a leaches! :cat:

 

[bob freeman]

Ladies/Gents - Sylvia nisoria has so far eluded me throughout my brief birding 'career'. The effort I have expended should have yielded a Barred Warbler tick before now, but alas no.

I am interested in the one on the entrance to a trattoria in North Dock, Sunderland.

Any advice on the location or anything else would be greatly appreciated before I have a wobbler.

The combination of a Lifer and the smell of garlic is very tempting!

Follow the A183 coast road south from Seaburn heading toward Sunderland,after passing the Roker Hotel on your right you will come to a sharp right bend and mini roundabout,carry on right and about 1/4 mile along the road you will see a petrol station on your left,take the left hand turning before the petrol station and follow the road down the bank,park where you can near the bottom and walk along the quayside sticking to your left past the moored boats,you will see the scranhouse straight ahead,expect the bird will be in bushes etc around here,going to give it a go myself later.
Good Luck

PS If coming other way from Sunderland much more complicated with one way system.

 

[IanF]

RSPB Saltholme - am - Lesser Redpoll x2 in hawthorns along track to Saltholme Hide with Yellowhammer, Goldfinch and Greenfinch. From the hide - Black-tailed Godwit c.7, Redshank x5, Snipe x3, Dunlin x4, Pintail x4, Ruff x5, Greenshank x1. Golden Plover c.30 along causeway Salthome west. Sparrowhawk and Peregrine putting up waders. Several flights of Redwing passing over.

Visitor Centre feeders around 1.00pm - Brambling 15-20 in amongst large flock of Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch. A male GSW dropped in briefly as well. A Reed Bunting had us going for a while as it looked a little different with a pale spot on it's cheek and had us thinking maybe Rustic but clarifed by Toby with an ID guide.

 

[IanF]

The Headland - am - Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Yellow-browed Warbler x1, Ring Ouzel x1, Goldcrest 20+, Redwing c.20, Fieldfare x6, Woodcock x1, Golden Plover x1, Common Redstart x2, Brambling x2, Siskin x6, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff.

A1185 Seal Sands Road/Cowpen Tip - Marsh Harrier hunting alongside road.

Others heard a Hawfinch fly over and a Raddes Warbler was reported on Birdguides.

 

[ColinSev]

Hartlepool Headland - sunday

Went specifically for the Woodchat Shrike as I had seen the GG and RB shrike at south gare and I didnt have a decent pic of the Woodchat (got the hat trick of shrikes). Couldnt believe the number of Goldcrest about, although the shrikes took a few of them out. Also saw the dusky warbler, and Yellow Browed Warbler briefly. (in addition to what I saw south of the river it was a great day).
See link for more details and photos - http://colsdigiscope.blogspot.com/

 

[IanF]

Red-eyed Vireo trapped and ringed by Derek Clayton in Seaton bushes this morning. Gave very brief views as it fed in bushes afterwards. Lots of Goldcrest, Robin and LTT around there as well plus a few Blue Tit and Robin and a Redstart. Whilst waiting for the Vireo to be released Barnacle Geese x74 flew south over the sea close to shore.

Shore Lark at Seaton Carew late morning showing very well in the compound at Seaton Reach on the promenade.

Great Grey Shrike and Woodchat Shrike still present on the Headland. Only a few Warblers and Goldcrest today. Around 100 Redwing and Song Thrush on the Rugby Field.

 

[ColinSev]

Ringed Vireo

That will be another tick for the ringer then.
Good chance that won't be there tomorrow. Am amazed that he wasnt catching Goldcrest by the bucketful yesterday or are they not interesting enough???

 

[IanF]

That will be another tick for the ringer then :C Good chance that won't be there tomorrow. :C Am amazed that he wasnt catching Goldcrest by the bucketful yesterday or are they not interesting enough???

Come off it Colin. If the ringer hadn't caught it no one would have known it was there! It was in the middle of a massive area of buckthorn bushes. The ringer put word out and around 50 birders were contacted by the ringer and arrived within 20 mins to see it released. I dare say all were very grateful for the chance to see one including myself. He could just as easily have caught and released it and no one would have been any the wiser - as some others have done recently I might add.

For your information he caught loads of Goldcrest, Robin and LTT plus a few Blue Tit and Great Tit.

 

[ColinSev]

Then my apologies to him. However it does seem that if a rare bird turns up then the utmost is done to catch it, - (by some ringers) despite it being fatigued and probably stressed before he handles it. Yes they do catch rare birds by accident and plenty of them as it seems this is the case. But what I say is true

 

[StevieEvans]

Today i was a fat greedy hog, birding from 9am-7pm with an old birding pal

We seen loads of birds including

4Ring Ousel, 3nth Fieldfare, 7Mistle Thrush, 25+Song Thrush, 50Redwing, 60Blackbird, 100Starling, 60Robin, 12Brambling, 100Chaffinch, 20Goldfinch, 3Siskin, 2Redpoll, 12Linnet, 1 briefly then off west Hawfinch, 5Bullfinch, 10Greenfinch, 12Tree Sparrow, 2Reed Bunting, 10Yellowhammer, 2Shorelark, 25 west Skylark, 10 nth Meadow Pipit, 1 sth Tree Pipit, 3nth Grey Wagtail, 5Pied Wagtail, 6Chiffchaff, 30Goldcrest, prBlackcap, 1Garden Warbler, 2 nth Wheatear, 10 sth Swallow, 1Willow Tit, 12LTTit, Jack Snipe, Short-eared Owl, 1Tawny Owl, Wigeon, Gadwall, Dabchick, Jay, Little Owl, Magpie, Redstart, twitched the Woodchat Shrike directly opposite Verrills Fish Shop, Willow Warbler, Jewish Cemy area: 1 Twite, 1 Brambling, 1juv Ring Ousel, 1Shag ots, Skeins of Barnacle & Pink feet sth, 1nth Goosander, 1Heron, 14nGolden Plover, 150Lapwing, 5-6 each of Kestrel & Sparrowhawk, 1Little Owl, 3Jay, 10Pintail

Highlight was managing to find a fine & confiding Shorelark on a central section of the coast - before we moved south seeing Dave Britton et al appearing to be watching something in a car park of all places - yes, 2 Shorelarks today - cannot remember last time i saw one.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRjKnfvJ-RM

 

[andy r]

American Nighthawk - just before everyone starts talking suppression etc, the bird was seen and photographed by non birders last night and then just this evening Ian Smith who was doing some quantity surveying (or something like that) was shown some photographs of a bird they couldn't identify!
lets hope its seen again!
Andy r

 

[StevieEvans]

American Nighthawk - lets hope its seen again!
Andy r

just been looking at the Nighthawk pics on the Rare Bird Alert website gallery - Incredible !


If that doesnt give folk the incentive to go "birding" on the Durham coast, rather than "twitching" the "hot-spots", then nothing will !!! :t:



Yesterday afternoon on central section of coast:-

2 Lapland Bunting feeding amongst Skylarks at Kinley Hill NZ430465, with 1 or more calling heading SEast later with 32 Skylark.

Very little visible migration & Yesterdays finch flocks dispersed, 14sth Siskin, singles of Redpoll, Greenfinch & Brambling.

2Meadow Pipit, 1Pied Wagtail, 2Reed Bunting, 9Yellowhammer, 25+Song Thrush, 12Redwing, 1Mistle Thrush, 30nth Starling, 20Robin, imm Ring Ousel with 20+Blackbird

fem Merlin hunting Skylark, 5+ Kestrel & 4+ Sparrowhawk, juvenile male Goshawk, 1Little Owl & 1 recently found dead on cliff tops.

2sth Swallow, 1Wheatear, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler NZ437465 , 8+Chiffchaff, 2mBlackcap, 20+Goldcrest, 1 Woodcock, no sign of Shorelark.

4 skeins of Pink footed Geese south, including a flock of 200 which appeared to land nr Cold Hesleden, 16nth Brent Geese along coast

5Golden Plover, 40Lapwing, 1Redshank, 2Oystercatcher, 1Red throated Diver, 9 Goldeneye, 12 Eider & 70+ Scoter ots

 

[StevieEvans]

Patch Platinum

Houghton Shrike drought finally broken. B

a GREAT GREY SHRIKE this evening at Seaton Pond. (GS). :t:

Beaut
|8)|

 

[StevieEvans]

Nighthawk-less

American Nighthawk - just before everyone starts talking suppression etc, the bird was seen and photographed by non birders last night and then just this evening Ian Smith who was doing some quantity surveying (or something like that) was shown some photographs of a bird they couldn't identify!
lets hope its seen again!
Andy r

Just spoke to Colin Wilson, one of the few birders who know that stretch of coast well - he & a few other observers stayed on till after dusk this evening to see if they could connect with the bird but sadly no sign ...... :-C

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=183316

 

[IanF]

Shorelark still present at Seaton Reach, Seaton Carew yesterday afternoon. Now minus it's tail, right leg and several feathers.

The Headland - pretty quiet - Woodchat Shrike still present plus a couple of Goldcrest, Robin and Blackbird. Sparrowhawk passed over and a Peregrine had been seen earlier by others. A couple of Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone and Oystercatcher were the only waders on the beach though a flock of around 30 Sanderling flew northwards over the Heugh Pier.

Seaton Reach - no sign of the Shorelark today though I didn't stop for long as the rain started.

 

[vanellus]

Ian,

Is the Shrike picture transposed? The ring is not showing on the right leg.

 

[IanF]

Ian,

Is the Shrike picture transposed? The ring is not showing on the right leg.

Well spotted :t:

I cloned it out, though not that well!

 

[StevieEvans]

GGShrike feeding happily from overhead wires at Seaton for its 3rd day

also seen there last 2 days
Lapland Bunting, Greenland Wheatear, Pink footed Goose, Peregrine, Kestrel, Water Rail, Brambling, Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Fieldfare, Common Buzzard, Redwing, Red legged & Grey Partridges, Little Owl, Golden Plover, Chiffchaff, Willow Tit, Stock Dove, etc

Pleasing to be able to report that whilst the bird is proving very popular, there hasnt been one person chase or harrass the Shrike in any way, shape or form. :t:

 

[StevieEvans]

Chester Waterfowl Park

drake Mandarin at Ch-le-Street on the R.Wear nr the cafe - also a Whooper Swan & a Pink footed Goose - quite a menagerie !

If anyones down, can you see if the Mandarin has any rings on its legs......

 

[birding maniac]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone knows where abouts the woodchat shrike is on the headland?
Thanks