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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Northumbrian Birding (4 Viewers)

Negrounder said:
Sorry I didnt reply earlier lazza. Didn't catch the mistle thrush, but then again with two 10 year olds in tow, we didnt have time to pick carefully through every bird!
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I know that feeling. Was at Cragside with our 4-year-old twins on Sunday, and there was a lot of bridlife in the woods. I could hear goldcrest calling in the trees, but could not find them due to the attentions of our girls.

Negrounder said:
Glad you saw the linnets - nice to get a decent flock - best I've seen for ages.

Re the whitefronts. Most of the whitefronts around this winter have been European, rather than Greenland. The bill colour never looks terribly pink to me on Euorpeans - usually only very diagnostic if you can happen to get both forms in one flock (which is not at all easily done, and indeed Northumberland may be one of the most likely places for this to happen).
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Last whitefronts I saw were on Bothal pond, when there were 4 European and one clearly different Greenland, so I see what you mean.... having both helps!
 
Gosforth Nature Resurve

According to the Journal news paper the developers have withdrawn plans to build close to the nature reserve
 
Good! I saw that too in the Journal at work today :t:

Stupid idea anyway...quite apart from the conservation aspect....why build more homes which normal folk cannot afford to buy anyway :smoke:
 
Still not managed to catch the green woodpecker at Bassington - tried again Sunday morning while out on my bike. Good, close views of M+F bullfinch though.

Went down from there along Beacon Lane, and past Arcot Hall. Stopped off at a pool next to the hall, first time there for me. It's not labelled on any of my maps, or google, etc. - anyone know if it has a name?

Nice views of gadwall, wigeon and pochard, plus a couple of red-headed sawbills, but not sure what!
 
Flock of c50 whooper swans this lunchtime adjacent to the site between Wingates and Rayburn Lake which we learned today is being recommended for 3x397ft turbines. Of course the environmental impact assessment and planning report make no mention of this regular flock. If you object to this then lobby your councillor before next week's planning meeting.

Also at least 7 short eared owls observed while driving past the other approved wind farm site at Windylaw, west of Wingates despite the county ecologist claiming they don't exist. 3 pairs were engaging in aerial chases and calling loudly.
 

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lazza said:
Still not managed to catch the green woodpecker at Bassington - tried again Sunday morning while out on my bike. Good, close views of M+F bullfinch though.

NOT SEEN HER FOR TWO WEEKS
Went down from there along Beacon Lane, and past Arcot Hall. Stopped off at a pool next to the hall, first time there for me. It's not labelled on any of my maps, or google, etc. - anyone know if it has a name?

ARCOT POND/LAKE
Nice views of gadwall, wigeon and pochard, plus a couple of red-headed sawbills, but not sure what!

THREE FEMALE GOOSANDERS THERE ON SUNDAY
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OK
 
Great grey shrike, 2-3 short eared owl, 40 curlew, yellowhammer, great spotted woodpecker, two kestrel, 12 fieldfare, lots of pied wagtail and a buzzard at Prestwick Carr today. Get in!
 
Sadly i hear sweethope has been sold and a wind farm has been given approval up there- wonder what effect that will have on some decent birds up there!
 
I've suspected for some time that there were two female hen harriers wintering in the Wingates-Forestburn Gate area but saw them together for the first time this evening. Also good numbers of short eared owls - at least 9 with 6 in the binoculars at one time. Whooper flock still in fields west of Rayburn Lake.
 
Was at St mary's lighthouse a couple of weekends back, and saw these two mute swans in the bay to the north. Can't say I have seen mute swans in the sea before - is this common behaviour?

Also, there were perhaps 10 or so curlew on the rocks and another 50 or so on the fields by the caravan park. Was quite dark, and excpetionally windy, so only managed one in-focus photo, although I do rather like the evil-eye I'm getting :D
 

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lazza said:
Was at St mary's lighthouse a couple of weekends back, and saw these two mute swans in the bay to the north. Can't say I have seen mute swans in the sea before - is this common behaviour?

Also, there were perhaps 10 or so curlew on the rocks and another 50 or so on the fields by the caravan park. Was quite dark, and excpetionally windy, so only managed one in-focus photo, although I do rather like the evil-eye I'm getting :D
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Ive quite often seen mute swans off littlehaven beach in south shields and also just off trow now and again
 
The last few sightings on BirdGuides are;
07/03/12 Somerset Dunster Park
05/03/12 N Yorks Knaresborough
28/02/12 Glos Bledington Heath
30/01/12 W Yorks Allerton Bywater
16/12/11 Somerset Chew Valley Lake
03/12/11 Devon Kingsbridge Estuary
02/12/11 Devon Kingsbridge Estuary
02/12/11 Devon Kingskerswell
27/11/11 Northumbs Felton
26/11/11 Beds Sandy

I wonder, assuming that the i/d's are correct, if they are late leavers or early arrivers or that some have stayed?
 
The Liverbirder said:
The last few sightings on BirdGuides are;
07/03/12 Somerset Dunster Park
05/03/12 N Yorks Knaresborough
28/02/12 Glos Bledington Heath
30/01/12 W Yorks Allerton Bywater
16/12/11 Somerset Chew Valley Lake
03/12/11 Devon Kingsbridge Estuary
02/12/11 Devon Kingsbridge Estuary
02/12/11 Devon Kingskerswell
27/11/11 Northumbs Felton
26/11/11 Beds Sandy

I wonder, assuming that the i/d's are correct, if they are late leavers or early arrivers or that some have stayed?
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Of that list the Beds and Devon individuals were multi-observer sightings over several days so no doubt about the ID's. A few of the remaining reports use the term 'reported' generally accepted as suggestive of 'some doubt'. None of those reported were photographed to the best of my knowledge.
 
Foghorn- i know they are wintering in Africa, and are passage birds, but we do have residents in Northumberland, so may have been one of those?
also
Many folk dont post on birdguides, i dont- so info on there not especially correct- only on what has been reported in.
Hopefully more about soon!;)
 
shellscape said:
Foghorn- i know they are wintering in Africa, and are passage birds, but we do have residents in Northumberland, so may have been one of those?
also
Many folk dont post on birdguides, i dont- so info on there not especially correct- only on what has been reported in.
Hopefully more about soon!;)
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Do we really have resident Ospreys in Northumberland?
 
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