Durham Birding (6 Viewers)

[great bustard]

It was probably the Shem wan ;0)

 

[IanF]

Back garden today. Brambling x5 and a brief visit from a Yellowhammer along with lots of Chaffinch, Sparrow, Goldfinch and tits. Half a dozen Greenfinch and three Robin though not for long as they chased each other around. An even briefer visit from a Sparrowhawk which made a smash and grab raid but didn't hang around when the birds scattered.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Rainton Freezer

Spent about 5 hours in the freezer yesterday which lived up to its name.
After about 4 hours one of the Bittern finally made a brief appearance, I say brief, as no sooner had It appeared when a Grey heron flew in and seemed to force the bittern back into the reeds :C.
That's the only time it appeared during my stay, but still nice to see It.

Other birds included, crows, magpies, coot, moorhen, mallard, canada & greylag geese, mute swans, 5 skylark, one of which landed on the frozen pond, reed bunting, thrush, teal, wigeon, grey heron, kestrel over and hundreds of gulls GBB, herring, common and single yellow legged gull which I lost sight of when they all took off.
Also a glimps of a weesle or stoat at the far side of the pond.

Also nice to see a few familiar faces in the hide :t:.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Few more.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Last lot.

Is image 2 the Y.L Gull ?, It's the only one I could find that looked similar to the one I saw before they all took off.

Image 5 shows how difficult It was, even for Mr Foghorn to find the Y.L gull.

Forgot to mention, RM's gates/barriers will be locked all weekend.

 

[StevieEvans]

The day the Bittern wernt playing out (much).....

Last lot.

Is image 2 the Y.L Gull ?, It's the only one I could find that looked similar to the one I saw before they all took off.

Image 5 shows how difficult It was, even for Mr Foghorn to find the Y.L gull.

Forgot to mention, RM's gates/barriers will be locked all weekend.

Looks like a Herring Gull in image 2 Ray.
Pleased to see the Bittern made an appearance for you - you can blame Mrs Jinxy for the no-show while we were there . . . :-C
Bittern again this morning, no sign so far of YLG, but a Glaucous gull close in front of hide.
I lost the photo-comp..... her winner below 'half-berried'.
Cu again.

 

[ColinSev]

Glaucus Gull and Bittern

I went to see the Bittern at Rainton Meadows today and found it straight away, typically it was somewhat hidden, but a heron close by did not help. Somebody also spotted the Glaucous Gull and I think someone called Jim identified it. These were two firsts for me! Then went down to see the Red necked grebe at Jacksons Landing -this took a bit of finding and was quite mobile - so a good morning out. On way home saw another flock of waxwings in Salters Lane North Darlington in trees on north side towards railway

 

[Ray.Scott]

I lost the photo-comp..... her winner below 'half-berried'.
Cu again.

Fancy being outdone by the missus, a well deserved winner if that duck was your effort.
You should stick to what you're good at, and I haven't decided what that Is yet :-O.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Somebody also spotted the Glaucous Gull and I think someone called Jim identified it. These were two firsts for me!

Hope this doesn't put a dampner on your day but that bird is an Iceland Gull, there was never a Glaucous Gull just it had been mis ID'd then corrected.:t:

No sign of the Yellow-legged Gull or Iceland Gull this PM but the 2 Bitterns showed superbly on and off from about 1:00 - 4:00 this evening. I raise this question: Is there possibly 3 birds!:eek!: More on my blog soon:

http://www.andrewkinghorn.blogspot.com

 

[dannyboy]

Spent about 5 hours in the freezer yesterday which lived up to its name.

Not even David Blane would attempt that one:eek!::eek!:

 

[Shaggy2070]

First Brambling in our garden

We've been getting lots of chaffinch in the garden this last week due to the snow and I've been keeping an eye out in case any Brambling popped in with them.
We've never had Brambling anywhere near our garden in fifteen years but two tuned up today:eek!::king:.

We had about 20 Goldfinch, 2 Brambling, 15 Chaffinch, 5 Starling, 2 Blackbird, 1 Coal & Blue Tit, 1 Robin and 2 Dunnock which all took off as a Sparrowhawk come through the garden like an exocet missile:eek!:.

 

[StevieEvans]

I went to see the Bittern at Rainton Meadows today and found it straight away, typically it was somewhat hidden, but a heron close by did not help. Somebody also spotted the Glaucous Gull and I think someone called Jim identified it. These were two firsts for me! Then went down to see the Red necked grebe at Jacksons Landing -this took a bit of finding and was quite mobile - so a good morning out. On way home saw another flock of waxwings in Salters Lane North Darlington in trees on north side towards railway

Nice big Bittern image Colin :t: - what magnification is that digiscoped at ?

Certainly an Iceland Gull that you've photographed - Jimmy will be the first to admit he often gets the names mixed up.

( I'd reckon on absolute minimum of 5,000 large gulls daily in the Houghton area - using half a dozen main loafing areas, feeding centred on the Biffa tip - there'll certainly be a Glauc or 2 about. )

 

[ColinSev]

Iceland or Glaucous ?

Whether it was an Iceland or Glaucous it was a first for me. I don't know my gulls enough to call it.
Steve - I had the scope wound up to about 50x with the 3x on the camera - not often that I do this as the depth of field is so narrow. But am just please to see the bittern. I was contemplating going down to Potteric Carr to see one - this may save me a journey.

http://colsdigiscope.blogspot.com/

 

[mcepjg]

Whether it was an Iceland or Glaucous it was a first for me. I don't know my gulls enough to call it.
Steve - I had the scope wound up to about 50x with the 3x on the camera - not often that I do this as the depth of field is so narrow. But am just please to see the bittern. I was contemplating going down to Potteric Carr to see one - this may save me a journey.

If it were a glacous gull it would be bigger I would imagine. at least as big as the black backed gull and completely dwarf the bh gull. Also look fiecer with a thicker bill.

 

[IanF]

Six Brambling in the garden this morning, three of each. They remained most of the day when not disturbed by the neighbours cat!

Seaton Common - pm - Snipe c.12, Skylark x6, Golden Plover x2, Redshank, Lapwing c.20 feeding in the snow amongst the cattle tracks. Small mixed flock of Linnet and Goldfinch. Stonechat x2, Mistle Thrush x2.

Greenabella Marsh - Merlin being mobbed by a Crow. Kestrel perched on a well head.

Cowpen Bewley - Grey Partridge x8. Curlew c.40 with a few Redshank feeding in the horse field by the village.

 

[StevieEvans]

Whether it was an Iceland or Glaucous it was a first for me. I don't know my gulls enough to call it.
Steve - I had the scope wound up to about 50x with the 3x on the camera - not often that I do this as the depth of field is so narrow. But am just please to see the bittern. I was contemplating going down to Potteric Carr to see one - this may save me a journey.

http://colsdigiscope.blogspot.com/

Pleased you caught up with the Bittern Colin - Low Barns used to be the place to go for them. - (Theres been daytime hunting Barn Owls at L.Barns last few days.)

 

[ColinSev]

Low Barns

Thanks steve, young David Brown informed me yesterday - will pay a visit this morning

 

[Andy K]

I tried for the Bitterns at RM yesterday late on circa 3pm but didnt find them |=(| , I should have asked the two people who were leaving as I arrived, I think one was Mr Kinghorn ?
I take it they are to the right as you sit in the hide, there was a solitary heron on the edge of the reeds in the middle,near there ?
Subject to domestic activities I plan to get there again this afternoon and give it another go.

 

[Ray.Scott]

I tried for the Bitterns at RM yesterday late on circa 3pm but didnt find them |=(| , I should have asked the two people who were leaving as I arrived, I think one was Mr Kinghorn ?
I take it they are to the right as you sit in the hide, there was a solitary heron on the edge of the reeds in the middle,near there ?
Subject to domestic activities I plan to get there again this afternoon and give it another go.

Yes over to the right, that's where I saw one on Friday.
The Heron might have caused the Bittern to retreat into the reeds/grasswert, as It did when I was there.

 

[Adam W]

I tried for the Bitterns at RM yesterday late on circa 3pm but didnt find them |=(| , I should have asked the two people who were leaving as I arrived, I think one was Mr Kinghorn ?
I take it they are to the right as you sit in the hide, there was a solitary heron on the edge of the reeds in the middle,near there ?
Subject to domestic activities I plan to get there again this afternoon and give it another go.

Yes thats exactly where they were both Bitterns were in close proximity to the Heron,between there and the right hand side of the pond.