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Durham Birding (14 Viewers)
- Thread starter Skelly
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Shaggy2070
Well-known member
I was at Washington WWT yesterday and saw a small flock of Redpoll near "Sandpiper Pool". Most of them were fairly dark, streaked birds and a couple with a pink flush on the chest which I'm presuming are Lesser Redpoll.
But a couple were pretty light coloured with less streaking on the chest like the one photographed below.
Would I be right in thinking Mealy Redpoll??? and can you tell from the shots
???
But a couple were pretty light coloured with less streaking on the chest like the one photographed below.
Would I be right in thinking Mealy Redpoll??? and can you tell from the shots
???Attachments
Shaggy2070
Well-known member
Washinton WWT
Water level at Wader Lake was high, only the Tern island still showing although only half its normal size.
Birds on the lake = Lapwing, Mallard, Teal, Coot, Moorhen, Shelduck, Heron, Tufted Duck, Black Headed Gulls, a Herring Gull, one Wigeon and a Jay in the trees.
Small Redpoll flock with a couple of Siskin at Sandpiper pool.
Hawthorn Wood Hide = 30+ Bullfinch, high numbers of Blue & Great Tits, a few Coal Tits, 2 GS Woodpeckers, 2 Goldfinch, 6+ Chaffinch, 2 Blackbirds, Robin, Willow Tit, Reed Bunting, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Dunnock, Pheasants, Siskin, a couple of small flocks of Long Tailed Tits in a couple of times and a Male Sparrowhawk flew in for a "Take-a-way Bullfinch".
All in all a couple of enjoyable hours:t:.
Water level at Wader Lake was high, only the Tern island still showing although only half its normal size.
Birds on the lake = Lapwing, Mallard, Teal, Coot, Moorhen, Shelduck, Heron, Tufted Duck, Black Headed Gulls, a Herring Gull, one Wigeon and a Jay in the trees.
Small Redpoll flock with a couple of Siskin at Sandpiper pool.
Hawthorn Wood Hide = 30+ Bullfinch, high numbers of Blue & Great Tits, a few Coal Tits, 2 GS Woodpeckers, 2 Goldfinch, 6+ Chaffinch, 2 Blackbirds, Robin, Willow Tit, Reed Bunting, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Dunnock, Pheasants, Siskin, a couple of small flocks of Long Tailed Tits in a couple of times and a Male Sparrowhawk flew in for a "Take-a-way Bullfinch"
.All in all a couple of enjoyable hours:t:.
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Shaggy2070
Well-known member
FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
I was at Washington WWT yesterday and saw a small flock of Redpoll near "Sandpiper Pool". Most of them were fairly dark, streaked birds and a couple with a pink flush on the chest which I'm presuming are Lesser Redpoll.
But a couple were pretty light coloured with less streaking on the chest like the one photographed below.
Would I be right in thinking Mealy Redpoll??? and can you tell from the shots
Looks like a nice Mealy Redpoll to me. Ground colour looks spot on and the the bird looks quite large as well.
StevieEvans
Well-known member
judging by the undisturbed sloping debris at the base, i reckon it looks like its tumbled down naturally - quite possibly if its become saturated after the snow melted - ive seen this happen at quarry & sand pit colonies, more especially after summer deluges.
Still plenty time yet to face the top few feet off with a spade
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Sad news from young Foghorns Patch - 2 dead Barn Owls found recently, victims of the snow.
Ray.Scott
Well-known member
Rainton Meadows today:
2 or 3 hours in the freezer produced 3 golden eye, teal, wigeon, gadwall, lapwing, single GBB gull amongst the herring and black headed gulls + the usual ducks, mute swans and a couple of cormorants also sparrow hawk paid a couple of visits to the far side of the pond.
2 Lesser redpolls up on the hill.
Not much around Joe's Pond other than the usual tits, robin, blackbirds etc.
2 or 3 hours in the freezer produced 3 golden eye, teal, wigeon, gadwall, lapwing, single GBB gull amongst the herring and black headed gulls + the usual ducks, mute swans and a couple of cormorants also sparrow hawk paid a couple of visits to the far side of the pond.
2 Lesser redpolls up on the hill.
Not much around Joe's Pond other than the usual tits, robin, blackbirds etc.
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AndyMc
Well-known member
Good luck. You should have maybe gone down there straight way (usually impossible) I doubt there's enough berries to keep 60 going in the town centre :smoke:
I chased these little blighters around Darlo for a week over xmas without a single sighting despite them turning up less than a mile from my house :'D.
I did get a look in for my first at Saltholme though :t:.
If there's a no show then have a walk into St.Cuthberts (past sighting) then walk downriver into South Park, keeping your eye out on Victoria embankment. Impossible to tell which way they are heading though.
Thanks for the tip off, they will still be around somewhere.
dannyboy
Well-known member
RM's
Ray
Go on show up my Schoolboy Shots with your fantastic ones :clap: but more importantly how did you survive 2-3 hours in there? I couldn't move my fingers after 10 minutes.
Ray
Go on show up my Schoolboy Shots with your fantastic ones :clap: but more importantly how did you survive 2-3 hours in there? I couldn't move my fingers after 10 minutes.
SteveClifton
Well-known member
Good luck. You should have maybe gone down there straight way (usually impossible) I doubt there's enough berries to keep 60 going in the town centre :smoke:
I chased these little blighters around Darlo for a week over xmas without a single sighting despite them turning up less than a mile from my house :'D.
I did get a look in for my first at Saltholme though :t:.
If there's a no show then have a walk into St.Cuthberts (past sighting) then walk downriver into South Park, keeping your eye out on Victoria embankment. Impossible to tell which way they are heading though.
Thanks for the tip off, they will still be around somewhere.
Actually they probably are still there. There were well over 70 in the tree marked X at 8:30 on Sunday morning, and still sat there late in the afternoon. They periodically drop into the courtyard (circled) for a smash and grab raid in a large whitebeam tree that is still loaded with white berries. Perhaps they do wander further afield, but all of their needs appear to be met at the moment within that square (drinking and bathing water in the guttering of the surrounding buildings!)
That's the Dolphin Centre lower right.
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Ray.Scott
Well-known member
Cheers dannyboy
I carry a full survival kit and I've learnt how to control the shivvvvvveeerrring, or maybe I'm just thick skinned, and to cull any further comments, yes, to match my thick head :eek!: :-O.
StevieEvans
Well-known member
RMs
Rainton Meadows tomorrow,
there may be some disturbance, as we have powered access platform coming to enable us to get that pole mounted Kes/Tawny box back up at Pool 1 - just in the nick of time....
Rainton Meadows tomorrow,
there may be some disturbance, as we have powered access platform coming to enable us to get that pole mounted Kes/Tawny box back up at Pool 1 - just in the nick of time....
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frankiex
Well-known member
judging by the undisturbed sloping debris at the base, i reckon it looks like its tumbled down naturally - quite possibly if its become saturated after the snow melted - ive seen this happen at quarry & sand pit colonies, more especially after summer deluges.
Still plenty time yet to face the top few feet off with a spade
--------------------------------------------------
Sad news from young Foghorns Patch - 2 dead Barn Owls found recently, victims of the snow.
stevie ive got a photo in albumn which shows the j.c.b. teeth mark on the face,he was useing the aggregate to fill the pot hole in the ajacent road a couple of years back.i got in touch with rainton meadows and they said they couldnt do anything as it was out of the breeding season.
StevieEvans
Well-known member
yes, there is no argument that its dug from time to time
( i was brought up at gilesgate , know that area well. )
sand is taken from that small pit every year & has been for decades -
the excavations dont stop the birds nesting - in fact it would probably be well overgrown if the farmer didnt dig at it every now & then.....
removing the sand / disturbing the face between March & August is another matter altogether..... this is when a phone call may be necessary. :t:
IanF
Moderator
A Barn Owl at Greatham Creek opposite the car park was giving very good views this afternoon. I fell lucky when it dropped into the grass right in front of where I was stood and popped up again with a vole, taking it to a fence post to eat.
Three SEO's were in view from the road bridge. Two flew over the road to the north side to hunt and a third stayed on Greenabella Marsh.
Twite x11 were in the samphire coming onto the embankment for grit.
Three SEO's were in view from the road bridge. Two flew over the road to the north side to hunt and a third stayed on Greenabella Marsh.
Twite x11 were in the samphire coming onto the embankment for grit.
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Ray.Scott
Well-known member
Couple of handfuls from Clara Vale today:
Plenty birds present including:
Water rail, blue, great, willow, coal and LT tits, siskin, goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, bullfinch, GS woodpecker, dunnock, robin, grey heron, stock dove, wood pigeon, blackbirds, magpies, moorhen, pheasant and sparrow hawk flew through empty handed.
Ended the day at Far Pastures:
Nothing to be seen from the hide, not even a mallard:
Couple of distant red kite from the car park, also blue, great, willow, coal & LT tits, chaffinch, dunnock and robin around the car park bushes.
Plenty birds present including:
Water rail, blue, great, willow, coal and LT tits, siskin, goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, bullfinch, GS woodpecker, dunnock, robin, grey heron, stock dove, wood pigeon, blackbirds, magpies, moorhen, pheasant and sparrow hawk flew through empty handed.
Ended the day at Far Pastures:
Nothing to be seen from the hide, not even a mallard:
Couple of distant red kite from the car park, also blue, great, willow, coal & LT tits, chaffinch, dunnock and robin around the car park bushes.
