• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Northumbrian Birding (8 Viewers)

Thanks guys....I was just SO narked that this particular person spoke to me the way they did and I was too darned polite to blow up and tell them to go forth and multiply.....AFTER he's scrubbed his pots and kettles of course ;) I had a comment like this thrown at me when I saw my first Little Egret at Hauxley. I'd always wanted to see the species and was SO excited and thrilled when I saw this one. Unfortunately I was sharing a hide with another wannabe Victor Meldrew and when he heard that I'd read about this egret being around the Druridge area on Bird Forum I got the same old accusation thrown at me that I really should find my own birds y'know :smoke:

For the record I've found my own Black-necked Grebes a few times over the years but always in summer plumage and the most striking thing I found about this Seahouses bird was how crisp and white it was - an absolute stunner :t: Well worth anyone going up to see (go on....you got my permission ;) :-O )
 
Ahh but surely nipping up to Shetland and down to Teeside whenever summik good turns up all doesn't really count as 'twitching' and chasing birds found by others does it? ;) And a local patch chosen 20+ miles from home because it's known for producing the occasional rarity? Each to their own I suppose, as Gordon says :smoke: Quite ironic his comments as I've planned to spend a LOT more time in Hulne Park this year which is just 5 minutes walk from home.....I'm sure those Hawfinches MUST still be around somewhere in all those hundreds (thousands) of acres? Howaay....a wee little bird...how hard can it be to find? ;) :-O
 
God, it's cold out there!!!!! :eek!: I must be getting soft in me old age :smoke:

Too lovely a day to stay in and do housework so after finishing work at 9am I decided to head out along the coast towards Druridge. As I drove through Amble something in my head kept saying Maidens Hall so I took a slight detour and was soon parked up and watching a large flock of approx. 670+ Pink-footed Geese grazing in the field just left of the gate where I was standing. Hoping for a possible white-fronted I took my time going through them all with my scope and whilst I didn't see any whiteys I DID find myself a rather fabulous Taiga Bean Goose!!! :t: Big orange legs a huge contrast to those of all the pinkies around it, long bill with plenty orange colouring and a long neck :king: Really pleased with this one :D

After an hour I headed towards Cresswell Pond which was pretty busy with Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, a single Goldeneye and Little Grebe. As I left however I saw a female Blackcap on the feeders just outside the hide.

Druridge Pools ~ from the Budge Hide ~ was busy with LOTS of Wigeon and Teal (couldn't magic up a green-winged unfortunately despite a jolly good hard try! :smoke:), 3 male Shoveler and a corker of a male Pintail who I showed to a couple who had just arrived. They were chuffed to bits as they're new to birding so we had a few minutes chat about some places local that are good and stuff to see in the summer too.

So....a very nice few hours outside despite my frozen toes....definitely getting soft as it never used to bother me! :smoke: I'll definitely sleep well tonight, eh?
 
Gill Osborne said:
God, it's cold out there!!!!! :eek!: I must be getting soft in me old age :smoke:

Too lovely a day to stay in and do housework so after finishing work at 9am I decided to head out along the coast towards Druridge. As I drove through Amble something in my head kept saying Maidens Hall so I took a slight detour and was soon parked up and watching a large flock of approx. 670+ Pink-footed Geese grazing in the field just left of the gate where I was standing. Hoping for a possible white-fronted I took my time going through them all with my scope and whilst I didn't see any whiteys I DID find myself a rather fabulous Taiga Bean Goose!!! :t: Big orange legs a huge contrast to those of all the pinkies around it, long bill with plenty orange colouring and a long neck :king: Really pleased with this one :D

After an hour I headed towards Cresswell Pond which was pretty busy with Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, a single Goldeneye and Little Grebe. As I left however I saw a female Blackcap on the feeders just outside the hide.

Druridge Pools ~ from the Budge Hide ~ was busy with LOTS of Wigeon and Teal (couldn't magic up a green-winged unfortunately despite a jolly good hard try! :smoke:), 3 male Shoveler and a corker of a male Pintail who I showed to a couple who had just arrived. They were chuffed to bits as they're new to birding so we had a few minutes chat about some places local that are good and stuff to see in the summer too.

So....a very nice few hours outside despite my frozen toes....definitely getting soft as it never used to bother me! :smoke: I'll definitely sleep well tonight, eh?
Click to expand...

A great day out then ! :) Top marks to you for scanning so many birds to find a canny goose. My fave from your day though, is definitely the Pintail. It must be the most elegant of all ducks.

Happy birding,

Richard
 
Pintails ARE something special :t:

I forgot to mention the male Bullfinch that flew across the road in front of me as I headed back up towards...probably because it wasn't in my notebook as writing and driving aren't really advisable and especially as the bird flew across just in front of the speed camera outside Druridge Bay Country Park entrance! ;)
 
Does anyone fancy a days birding on Sunday, either up and down the Northumberland coast or down to Teeside, car share and petrol share, Private Message me if interested
 
North Shields

North Shields Fish Quay today for the Iceland Gull which is a lifer for me. What I did not expect to see was an Otter in the harbour. Having talked to some of the locals that were on the quay (some of whom have lived in North Shields for nearly fifty years) it appears, from what they were telling me, that this is the first time that an Otter has been seen in the harbour. :t::t:
 

Attachments

  • 01.jpg
    01.jpg
    230.4 KB · Views: 47
  • DSC_0710.jpg
    DSC_0710.jpg
    428.5 KB · Views: 55
  • DSC_0731.jpg
    DSC_0731.jpg
    366.3 KB · Views: 51
  • DSC_0775.jpg
    DSC_0775.jpg
    517.4 KB · Views: 76
  • DSC_0784.jpg
    DSC_0784.jpg
    498.8 KB · Views: 84
What I did not expect to see was an Otter in the harbour. Having talked to some of the locals that were on the quay (some of whom have lived in North Shields for nearly fifty years) it appears, from what they were telling me, that this is the first time that an Otter has been seen in the harbour. :t::t:[/QUOTE]

Wow, that's fantastic ! I'll go down tomorrow, when it has no doubt moved on 3:)
 
Right back at you Chris :t: Here's to a bird-filled 2015 o:)

Couple of hours out this afternoon with hubby. He needed to pop along to Rothbury where the most exciting bird seen was a Nuthatch. Then on to the pools at Hedgeley where a single Barnacle Goose was in amongst 62 Canada Geese.

Driving home and just before you reach Eglingham I came upon a big flock, 70+, of Fieldfare which included a single Redwing and 7 Starling.
 
Stag Rocks was very quiet in the strong wind today so not much to be seen there apart from a few Eider. Possible Slavonian Grebe too but with the hurricane buffeting me and my scope there was no way I could get a 100% view.
Budle Bay was a lot better with highlight being Little Egret (don't laugh...I like them!;)).
Black-necked Grebe still present in Seahouses Harbour :t:
 
Out on my bike on New Year's Eve and trying to work off some mince pies, and ended up spending most of it at Bothal. On the way in, the farmland (Shadfen) held its usual winter flock of thrushes, around 120 fieldfare and 20 redwing, while the main pond provided a surprise in a couple of grey wagtail and 3-4 shoveler (thanks to Mr Richardson(?) for confirmation) with yet more fieldfare in the horse field across the road. Also, a single goose, which to me appeared to be a rather small Canada goose.

Then on to 2015, which has already provided its first surprise despite no proper birding outings so far, when a delightful little egret flew over our street in Stobhill, Morpeth this morning! That takes my garden life list to 55 :)
 
Ron Hindhaugh said:
North Shields Fish Quay today for the Iceland Gull which is a lifer for me. What I did not expect to see was an Otter in the harbour. Having talked to some of the locals that were on the quay (some of whom have lived in North Shields for nearly fifty years) it appears, from what they were telling me, that this is the first time that an Otter has been seen in the harbour. :t::t:
Click to expand...

Ron, a few years back we were fishing from Harbour View, South Shields, which directly faces North Shields fish quay and we had an otter swimming around in front of us. I was amazed, but some of the lads had seen them before. They seem more active in the harbour at night.
 
Spent a very quiet hour at Cresswell this morning, highlights on pond were: lots of Widgeon, Goldeneye, Little Grebe, Redshank & Dunlin - then a light aircraft dropped to approx 500 feet and thousands of Pinkies lifted from the fields to the west and north west - very spectacular :t:

On to West Hartford in the hope of the Great Grey Shrike - found it straight away, decided to walk to north west corner of field in the hope it would land in the hawthorn hedge - it didn't come as close as i'd hoped but with a field of view of 1950mm on the camera i had a reasonable view through the lens - should have used the other setup which gives 2700mm though lol..

Couple of pics from this afternoon when the sun came out..
 

Attachments

  • 2015-01-03-153756-DSC_6000-1.jpg
    2015-01-03-153756-DSC_6000-1.jpg
    230.9 KB · Views: 85
  • 2015-01-03-153800-DSC_6044-1.jpg
    2015-01-03-153800-DSC_6044-1.jpg
    270.7 KB · Views: 77
Great Grey Shrike still present and showing very well (top of tree and fence post - you couldn't miss it!) when I was there at 10.30am :t:

Fulmar ~ four on sea and flying around cliffs opposite Golden Sands caravan park.

Two Water Rail at Cresswell Pond ~ one of which I had dash across the sheep field in front of the small pool.

No sign of Green-winged Teal at Budge Fields. Water frozen over and a lot of wildfowl seem to have gone.

The Druridge area was HEAVING with the masses - roll on tomorrow so they can all bu**er off back to work and school and leave Druridge for us birders ;) :-O I'm used to sharing it with 2 or 3 people - NOT 200+:eek!:
 
Somethnglike 100+ pinkfoot on the fields north of Qe2 yesterday about 3pm. Suprised how tolerant they are of humans now. The were half a field away from me and mostly ignored me as i looked at them through the bins. GUess they are used to folk passing by on that path to woodhorn village.
 
Two beautiful ducks yesterday at East Chevington. Long-tailed Duck and Pintail. Earlier it was lovely to get decent views of Kingfisher and Little Egret near Cramlington.

Richard.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 1 year ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 9 (members: 0, guests: 9)
Back
Top