Durham Birding (8 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

Gun crime....?

We've only just recently mentioned shooting............

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Shopper39s-shock-at-council-gull.4023145.jp

 

[NeilF]

Washington WWT early doors
1 Green Sandpiper Wader Lake small Island
1 Common Sandpiper ditto
2 Common Tern main Island
also 1pr Avocet, 2pr Oystercatcher, 1pr Teal and all the other regular's

Elsewhere 6 Blackcap (5m1f), 1 Common Whitethroat a good scattering of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Swallow & 1 male Reed Bunting.

 

[great bustard]

Brasside Pond

A couple of hours around the Desserted pond this morning... 4 Male and 1 femaleBlackcap, Willow Wobs, ChiffChaff, Common Whitethroat, Treecreeper. 2 Yellow Legged Gulls accounted for a majority of birds on the pond. 2 Kestrels with prey

Then onto a germ infested Rainton Meadows. Now i cant take credit for finding all the following, however birds seen were Gropper, Wobbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat,a Lesser Whitethroatheard but not officially Id'D. Also Shoveler and a Common Sandpiper on pool 2. Also superb views of a Cuckoo being mobbed by Mipits :t:

 

[seggs]

wet morning

went over to far pastures..a bit void of life again..
thornley..5 jays around the feeders along with the usual..
quick look the at the river by the caravan park rowlands gill..pair of dipper, one common sand and grey wags..

 

[DaveB]

Roseate or Arctic

I was at Teesside yesterday and was lucky enough to catch a distant photo of a couple of terns, one Common and the other originally thought to be Roseate.

This has been questioned since looking at the photos and i've started a thread to help id the bird. The thread has already brought back some interesting comments, including the possibility of it being a longipennis Common Tern (possible first for europe).

Thread can be found at http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1184773#post1184773 .

Thanks

 

[smitsel]

Barmston Pond and surrounding area.

The pond very quiet just the usual tufties, dabchicks, greylag and canadian geese, surrounding trees proved a little better highlight being a whitethroat, also willow warbler, chiffchaff, blackcap, male bullfinch, goldfinch, willow tit and a male reedbunting.
Then a walk down to the river and woodland. 2 jays, gsw drumming, great, blue, long tailed tits, 2 common sands and a redshank, walking back up to barmston pond, 6 swallows, 4 linnets and 1 yellowhammer.
Had a look on the pond next to the traffic lights 2 shelduck and mallards.
42 species recorded throughout the afternoon.B

 

[MalR]

Had a bit of a wander around the Tunstall Hill area this morning. Misty with intermittent drizzle, but quite warm. One chiffchaff heard, plus two willow warblers. One wheatear on the top of "Rocky Hill".

Malcolm

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hetton Bogs this afternoon for a couple of hours, most of the regular birds but smaller numbers and no sign of the water rail.
Black Cap in and out a few times but to well hidden for photo, chiffchaff herd but not seen and Mallard with two ducklings - apparently there were five last wekend according to local birder.Maybe the Heron's been In for lunch .

 

[ColinSev]

Tidal Ponds and Bowesfield

Been testing on new digiscope set up - but conditions have been poor with poor light & winds
Went to see the Red-Crested Pochard at Bowesfield Marsh what a fine looking duck it is too. Also saw snipe and Little Ringed Plover there. But didnt walk too far there - some scrotes were eyeing the car up.
Over at Seal Sands area - saw 4 Avocets in the tidal pools and 1 pair mated twice, also 2 Little Ringed Plover and this other plover which when looking at it I thought was a Grey Plover, however when looking at the pic I now think its a Golden Plover (there were 3 of them) Can anyone verify please.

Went up to Tunstall Res this afternoon, saw a large bird of prey fly through the woods but not a good enough look to identify it. Saw a female Redstart and heard a male Redstart singing close by -not seen though. 4 GSW and 2 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreepers, 2 Common Sandpipers,

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Local Patch

Then onto a germ infested Rainton Meadows. Now i cant take credit for finding all the following, however birds seen were Gropper, Wobbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat,a Lesser Whitethroatheard but not officially Id'D. Also Shoveler and a Common Sandpiper on pool 2. Also superb views of a Cuckoo being mobbed by Mipits :t:

GB, perhaps its worth mentioning these were all in the Car park / Pool I & II area only. Cuckoo was great.
certainly an interesting time to be breaking in a new scope:t:
Not much else to add as the usual suspects were all poncing about down Lancashire, but a single Common Swift N over Dairy Lane was another notch for the Patch yearlist
signed : The Bedridden Black Spot.

Thunderstorm at 20:48........... wonder whats gonna be at Ho'ton gate Greenshank or Wood Sand would suffice & hopefully Little Gull &/or (dont want to be greedy) Black Tern at Rainton.....

 

[rokermartin]

Been testing on new digiscope set up - but conditions have been poor with poor light & winds
Went to see the Red-Crested Pochard at Bowesfield Marsh what a fine looking duck it is too. Also saw snipe and Little Ringed Plover there. But didnt walk too far there - some scrotes were eyeing the car up.
Over at Seal Sands area - saw 4 Avocets in the tidal pools and 1 pair mated twice, also 2 Little Ringed Plover and this other plover which when looking at it I thought was a Grey Plover, however when looking at the pic I now think its a Golden Plover (there were 3 of them) Can anyone verify please.

Went up to Tunstall Res this afternoon, saw a large bird of prey fly through the woods but not a good enough look to identify it. Saw a female Redstart and heard a male Redstart singing close by -not seen though. 4 GSW and 2 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreepers, 2 Common Sandpipers,

Hi the plover in your pic is a Grey plover.

 

[degsy_safc]

Hi All,

Had a couple of hours at Trow Quarry in search of the Wheatears after seeing Dougie's great shots yesterday.... No such luck for me i'm afraid - but i did see a Little Owl at new cliff side location :t:

Plenty of Linnets and Pipits about, plus spent a good 20 mins watching about 8 Fulmar flying back and forth across the cliff tops.....

 

[seggs]

Hi All,

Had a couple of hours at Trow Quarry in search of the Wheatears after seeing Dougie's great shots yesterday.... No such luck for me i'm afraid - but i did see a Little Owl at new cliff side location :t:

Plenty of Linnets and Pipits about, plus spent a good 20 mins watching about 8 Fulmar flying back and forth across the cliff tops.....

hi derek sorry you missed the wheatear feast at the moment here..
they are hanging about target rock..the next one down south wise to the one with the gun on..
went down this even...6 at least present still..
and a whitethroat by the mango pub..
more pic,s on the below thread..

 

[StevieEvans]

Cuckoo singing at Waskerley yesterday.
Several more common spring migrant territories on the edge of our estate filled overnight.

Sure i heard Turnstone going over while walking back last night, but the air was so still when i stopped, all i could hear was someones TV from other side of street !

 

[spuggy]

Tawny Owl

Had some great views of a Tawny Owl today just off a busy public footpath

 

[NeilF]

A three hour stint on Hedley Hall Fell NZ2156 this morning where the following were seen/heard on or overhead;
Mallard, Pheasant, Oystercatcher (2), Lapwing, Curlew, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler (1 reeling), Common Whitethroat (2+), Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler (30+), Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit (1), Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet (8), Bullfinch, Yellowhammer (3) & Reed Bunting (1).
Pockerley Pond (NZ2255) held Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Greylag Geese (2), Mallard, Moorhen, Coot & a brief sing from a Reed or Sedge Warbler.

 

[gogsy]

Walk around local birding spots today,The Dell produced a male blackcap,Watertower area -Yellowhammer,Linnet,nice views of Long-Tailed tits flitting amongst trees above my head,Willow Warbler.Then down to Old Marsden Quarry where I saw a Whitethroat singing then I met with Steve Egg heading in the opposite direction,nice to meet you Steve!
Down to Marsden I saw male Stonechat near stone steps and another in the leas hedge further down.Then off to Trow where I saw two Wheatear near black path, Sandwich Tern in bay.Got soaked coming home but it was worth it.

 

[degsy_safc]

hi derek sorry you missed the wheatear feast at the moment here..
they are hanging about target rock..the next one down south wise to the one with the gun on..
went down this even...6 at least present still..
and a whitethroat by the mango pub..
more pic,s on the below thread..

Steve - thanks for that, will try after work one night during the week. By the way the Little Owl was on the cliff after target rock heading south on the left hand side as you walk up the coastal path towards the mound.

 

[seggs]

nice to meet you too...lawrence:tgogsy)
glad you got wheatear..
seen 7 around the area today..
more pics and report..on s.tyneside

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Muggleswick woods

Birds of interest
2 x redstart
1 x wood warbler
3 x pied flycatcher
all of which were singing.

Hagg hill woods
male & female blackcaps this am (new garden tick)

cheers
one man and his dog