Northumbrian Birding (1 Viewer)

[Keith Reeder]

Steve,

you might be interested to know that they've been reported at the gatehouse for the last three days.

"Late morning" today, 09:15 yesterday, and "mid morning" on the 3rd...

 

[LSB]

A single Waxwing in The Gardens Monkseaton next to seashells chippy late afternoon in conifer in front garden of house on left side of the road as you drive south...

 

[Quacker]

Steve,

you might be interested to know that they've been reported at the gatehouse for the last three days.

"Late morning" today, 09:15 yesterday, and "mid morning" on the 3rd...

Reported again today - this morning twice - 3 birds one of them (RBA pager)

Ahm ganna have ter gan.

 

[Keith Reeder]

Four birds @ 11:30 according to Birdguides...

 

[Alan G]

Was up nice and early this am for a trip up to Budle Bay, Holy Island, Stag Rocks, etc but was put off by the the ominous cloud cover and poor visibility so stayed locally instead.

I was rewarded with a patch tick in the shape of 3 Snow Bunting feeding in the dunes below Blyth Pier that I flushed when walking along the beach. E

No sign of any divers in the harbour though.

Then headed up to North Shields and picked up a Med Gull in amongst a load of BH Gulls at the Carpark near the beach / lifeboat station.

Alan

 

[StevieEvans]

Steve,

you might be interested to know that they've been reported at the gatehouse for the last three days.

"Late morning" today, 09:15 yesterday, and "mid morning" on the 3rd...

Hi Keith 5 at gatehouse today. SE

 

[Chop5]

Was at St Marys on friday, saw a BT diver in the bay north of the lighthouse, a couple of scoter perhaps? not sure they were black looked like ducks and were diving (help me on this!) plenty of knot, oystercatcher, a turnstone that came within a few feet of us in the car park, a couple of rock pipits, a turkey (yes a turkey!) in the wetlands and an excellent stonechat on the fence of the mini golfcourse on the way out, had to stopthe car for that one, great view, we were watching it for a good couple of mins (apologies to anyone behind us!). still havnt seen that med gull yet! back to north shields tomorrow kids hehehe
Anthony

 

[Keith Reeder]

I was rewarded with a patch tick in the shape of 3 Snow Bunting feeding in the dunes below Blyth Pier that I flushed when walking along the beach.

Funnily enough, I was telling the guy I was chatting to about the divers, that the dunes next to the pier were a good spot for snow buntings!

a couple of scoter perhaps? not sure they were black looked like ducks and were diving

If they were definitely black ducks (more or less uniformly black), they could well be scoters - you do get them off St Mary's.

I have to ask (no offence meant): in case you were looking at them with the naked eye, do you think you might have been looking at cormorants?

 

[Keith Bradley]

Single GN Diver off Stag Rocks yesterday, along with three LT Duck (including one superb Male), one Female Common Scoter and 2 Slavonian Grebe. Avocet picked up in Budle Bay, feeding behind a pack of Gulls about 100yds out from the layby. Also plenty of Barwits and smaller numbers of Grey Plover.

Keith

 

[Chop5]

Keith,i had my bins with me, although nowt special, no offence taken about the cormorants, there was one close by tho, yep they were all black and plumpish!
Cheers
Anthony

 

[Keith Reeder]

Fair enough - then scoter sounds very good.

 

[Skelly]

Hawfinch at Hulne Park this morning 09:00. A quick 2 minute visit and rewarded at the 1st attempt, if only birding could be this easy every day!!!

No sign of the Avocet at Budle Bay, but plenty of other waders.

Buzzard seen from A1 nr Alnwick on the way back down to Durham. It was perched in a tree nr the Antiques place with the chair on its roof.

 

[Denis J]

4 Hawfinch at Huln park this morning at 8:30
2 Buzzard perched in trees in a field just north of Alnwick
Stag rocks..60+ Long tailed ducks 2 Great northern divers
4 Slav grebe 2 Red necked grebe
Budle bay..Avocet Buzzard Greenshank ,Barwit by the dozen
Back to Alnwick on the way home 4 Common cranes
QE country park...30 Whooper swans
Only the highlights you understand from an excelent days birding in Northumberland)

 

[Mouldy]

Only the highlights you understand from an excelent days birding in Northumberland)

Master of the understatement or what? that would have been 5 lifers for me!

 

[Keith Bradley]

4 Hawfinch at Huln park this morning at 8:30
2 Buzzard perched in trees in a field just north of Alnwick
Stag rocks..60+ Long tailed ducks 2 Great northern divers
4 Slav grebe 2 Red necked grebe
Budle bay..Avocet Buzzard Greenshank ,Barwit by the dozen
Back to Alnwick on the way home 4 Common cranes
QE country park...30 Whooper swans
Only the highlights you understand from an excelent days birding in Northumberland)

Glad you had a great day Denis :clap: Having departed the scene at the same time as yourselves, went direct to DBCP and had three Crossbills within minutes, feeding on the pine cones in the small wood next to the coach park - very grateful to them for feeding right at the edge!. Finally caught up with the RN Grebe at East Chev and then cracking views of my first Kingfisher of the year at Big Waters

Combined with yesterdays birding had a fantastic weekend. I wonder if the cranes have settled in the county?

As for Whooper Swans, it's been difficult locating a flock in Northumberland this Winter - just had the one at East Chevington today (last Summers long staying bird no doubt). Did you check the flock for Bewicks?

Cheers
Keith

 

[martin kitching]

As for Whooper Swans, it's been difficult locating a flock in Northumberland this Winter - just had the one at East Chevington today (last Summers long staying bird no doubt). Did you check the flock for Bewicks?

Contrary to this, Whooper has been very easy this winter; there are good numbers coming to roost regularly at East Chev (I counted 110 in November and 70+ in December). Many of these birds can also be found feeding during the day as well.

martin

 

[Denis J]

Glad you had a great day Denis :clap: Having departed the scene at the same time as yourselves, went direct to DBCP and had three Crossbills within minutes, feeding on the pine cones in the small wood next to the coach park - very grateful to them for feeding right at the edge!. Finally caught up with the RN Grebe at East Chev and then cracking views of my first Kingfisher of the year at Big Waters

Combined with yesterdays birding had a fantastic weekend. I wonder if the cranes have settled in the county?

As for Whooper Swans, it's been difficult locating a flock in Northumberland this Winter - just had the one at East Chevington today (last Summers long staying bird no doubt). Did you check the flock for Bewicks?

Cheers
Keith

Yes we checked, no Bewicks

 

[Denis J]

Master of the understatement or what? that would have been 5 lifers for me!

I forgot to include the Red head smew and the Short eared owl we also saw Razorbill ,Shag ,Fulmar and all the common waders you would expect except Ringed plover the list goes on ..WHAT A DAY!

 

[LSB]

You bunch of Twitchers fancy getting to see the Common Cranes at Alnwick..lucky punters..Mind you Lesser Scaup at Teeside was nice.......

 

[markEll]

You bunch of Twitchers fancy getting to see the Common Cranes at Alnwick..lucky punters..Mind you Lesser Scaup at Teeside was nice.......

Whereabouts are the Common Cranes? never seen one.