Northumbrian Birding (3 Viewers)

[RobF]

Thank Craig,

I'm staying at Bamburgh, So Farne's was top of the list but needed a few other options just for back-up plans...
This is my list so far
Alwinton-Upper Coquetdale for Dipper & Ring Ouzel
Thrunton Woods-for Crossbill-Red Grouse-Goshawk
Beamish or Harthope Valley ??
Budle bay
Holy island
Stag Rocks
Kyloe - Red Squirrel
Also Richardson's Canada Goose if its still about !!

Im talking sun up till sun down birding cram as much in as possible...!
Is there anywhere i should definitely go !!

Thanks again Mick..

I don't think Thrunton is reliable for Red Grouse. If you're heading up the Coquet Valley, carry on up out of the top of the valley past Chew Green (if the MOD flags are down) and down into Cottonshope - we've had good views recently of Red and Black Grouse on the top, right by the road. Also, keep an eye out for Raven and Peregrine. Cottonshopeburnfoot (FC) is good for Crossbill and Goshawk.

Good luck,


Rob

 

[The Liverbirder]

Poor Start

Never seen a Redstart. Tried yesterday south of the Tyne and failed. Any good locations northside?

 

[RobF]

Never seen a Redstart. Tried yesterday south of the Tyne and failed. Any good locations northside?

It may be a bit of a trail from Tyneside, but 2 good sites I know of are at Black Middens Bastle near the Comb at Greenhaugh, and Billsmoorfoot opposite the deer park between Elsdon and Hepple. The pub at Greenhaugh is excellent B

Billsmoorfoot is also good for Tree Pipit and the fallow deer show well if you like mammals. If you're coming up the A696 the route to either site will take you over moorland and rough grassland.

Good luck,


Rob

 

[tony robb]

could someone tell me how to get to Holywell pond please...do you skirt round the edge of the field or is there a direct path to it....i`d hate to be chased by some irate farmer for trespassing

 

[The Liverbirder]

West Hartford

This evening, two Wheatears (first for me here), three Dunlin (first for me here), Moorhen with four chicks and the all the usuals, such as Oystercatcher, all four common Hirundines, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Linnets, Starlings etc.

 

[tony robb]

had a walk around St Marys at teatime...nothing much happening on the wetlands..Greylag family and the Cob Swan having a squabble...sedge warbler and willow warbler showing well..quick glimpse of a whitethroat...lots of swallows ,martins, swifts, reed buntings and meadow pips...

 

[June Atkinson]

Favourite Northumbrian river bird

We were on the moors between Elsdon and Rothbury today. Sadly didn't see a great deal, as the weather was pretty abysmal! The church in Elsdon is worth visiting.
We did see larks, lapwings and then, on the way back, leaving Rothbury, we crossed the old bridge which is signposted The Lee(s?).
Herons are often here, but today, looking through a rain-spattered windscreen, I caught sight of our favourite river bird in these parts.
There, at the end of the bridge, sitting on a stone on the top of the weir was a dipper, looking glorious, with a white breast shining brightly through the rain. We often see them at the Angler's Arms at Weldon Bridge; indeed the two places are not all that far apart. Made our day!!:clap:

 

[IanF]

could someone tell me how to get to Holywell pond please...do you skirt round the edge of the field or is there a direct path to it....i`d hate to be chased by some irate farmer for trespassing

Park in the cul-de-sac and walk into the end of it - there's an alley way between the houses that takes you onto the footpath along the edge of the field through 90° right and to the hide.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I've been told of a business that does just such repairs in Newcastle. Apparently they are located immediately above Bonsers in the Bigg Market, and do repairs on behalf of Bonsers themselves.

I need to go there myself as I have an old Opticron HR.66-ED scope that has a broken focusing wheel, otherwise its as good as new.

Keith

I've had dealings with a business that fits that very description on two occasions and on both occasions I've been disappointed with the outcome - once for the cleaning of a zoom eyepiece which somehow had collected the case of a mosquito larva between the lenses. It came back only partially cleaned and with a brand new chip clearly visible on one of the lens inner elements.

The second occasion was for a camcorder repair which then required me to buy a new battery to replace the shorted-out one that had gone into the shop in perfect condition (which of course they denied all knowledge of) and within only a few months had to be sent elsewhere for another expensive repair which was needed simply because two screws in the camcorder's interior were mysteriously loose, zapping the viewfinders. I hesitate to suggest that they could have been left untightened during an earlier repair.:h?:

However, far be it from me to suggest that anyone should take this personal anecdote as any indication that the standards of such an establishment may be in any way short of what could be expected.

 

[The Liverbirder]

Druridge Pools

19.10 hrs, from the lean-to hide (the roofless one), 5 Dunlin with a Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint. Also present was a Whooper Swan and the Teal/GW Teal hybrid.

 

[Ericmd]

teal hybrid

hi,
I found it lastweekend and was certain it was gw.Not beenable to talk with any experts but can anyone explain the subtle difference I missed.
ta.
glaucus showed really well for me anda nother this lunchtime at longhirst flash

 

[The Liverbirder]

I am unclear too. There was guy in the hide when I was there who knew the features but the bird was wet and so it was not possible to note them. Something about the yellow stripes around the head and the eye stripe. Like you, I can only marvel at those who can differentiate.

 

[Keith Reeder]

Hmmm...

Thing is, with hybrids, there's no single set of ID features that say "hybrid" over "species" - hybridism will generate any number of variations on the basic design, or sometimes no discernible difference at all.

And of course, there is also variation within a given species.

Given that GW is pretty easy to ID, I'd also be interested to know what makes this bird a hybrid.

Disclaimer: I haven't seen this individual, but quite a few people seem to be happy that it is "proper"...

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I haven't seen this particular bird yet, but these photos may help. In June 2005 a green-winged teal was reported to the right of the Budge screen at Druridge so I went to have a look. The light was appalling and the bird was very active, feeding amongst vegetation, so all I managed were a few crap photos. I wasn't too bothered about it because GWT aren't too hard to get around here.

It was only when I got home and reviewed the photos on the television that I noticed that in addition to the typical GWT vertical white stripe and the lack of yellow lining between the green and brown of the head, this bird also displayed on some of the shots the give-away horizontal white stripe of the eurasian teal. I reported it as a hybrid.

As I said above, I don't know if this week's bird is the same one as this, or if it is displaying similar characteristics, but these pics may be of help.

 

[The Liverbirder]

Quick! Hide!

Away from the complexities of the GW Teal - is it a hybrid or not etc, can someone please clarify the hides at Druridge (easy be comparison?). Which one's Oddie, Budge and South. I want to look for the Jack Snipe tonight and need a starter for ten.

 

[tony robb]

Holywell pond ::: GC Grebe, 3 Shovelers, pair of Shelduck,pair of widgeon, 2 heron, fighting for fishing rights, a few Mallards 4 greylag and a family of Canada Geese (6 gosling)
had a walk across towards the monument and inspite it raining quite heavily i managed to see my now usual whitethroat (5th one in a week) willow and sedge warblers, yellowhammers, great tits ..also 10 greylag in one field and a brown hare..

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Away from the complexities of the GW Teal - is it a hybrid or not etc, can someone please clarify the hides at Druridge (easy be comparison?). Which one's Oddie, Budge and South. I want to look for the Jack Snipe tonight and need a starter for ten.

The Oddie hide is the big one overlooking the deep-water north pool. The Budge hide (or screen) is the "lean-to". The original hide there was donated by RJB Mining (ie Richard J Budge), hence the name that has stck to the open-topped replacement.

 

[The Liverbirder]

So the South Hide is the delapidated one to the south of the Oddie Hide?

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I believe so.

 

[One Man and His Dog]

hi millyg
did you get the curlew sandpiper at duridge pools!
cheers steve