FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
True, Chilton Moor is excellent and you can get far better views. Where do you park at Newbottle to view the gull flocks Mark?
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In AND around Sunderland (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Adam W
- Start date
True, Chilton Moor is excellent and you can get far better views. Where do you park at Newbottle to view the gull flocks Mark?
Mark Newsome
Born to seawatch...
Comin from the A19, take the right hand turn by the junction with the Jaguar garage. You can park on the roadside just before the houses start on the left and view down towards the landfill site (but make sure you're half off the road so you don't obstruct traffic). On the times I've been recently, the gulls have been towards the bottom of the first field and in the next field to the right. I've seen 500-800 Herring Gulls on some visits, but none there yesterday! I guess it depends on the time of day, where they choose to rest up, disturbance etc.
StevieEvans
Well-known member
Houghton tip / gulls
Heres a map link containing a few details for any Gullers visiting Houghton (Biffa) Tip
Houghton Tip Gulls MAP - vantage points & parking
Can be frustrating at times, especially when falconer employed on site has his birds up
Numbers dont seem to be particularly high at the moment.
Heres a map link containing a few details for any Gullers visiting Houghton (Biffa) Tip
Houghton Tip Gulls MAP - vantage points & parking
Can be frustrating at times, especially when falconer employed on site has his birds up
Numbers dont seem to be particularly high at the moment.
StevieEvans
Well-known member
i had an hour or so at Rainton at the end of the day
surprised to see the pools once again iced up by about 80% - we'd just got rid of the stuff !
a quick look round revealed a yeartick for me in the form of a sleepy Shelduck (there on Monday too - but seemingly supressed
)
a pair of Gadwall, a dozen Wigeon, 2m1f Goldeneye, 2 Water Rail, a flock of Teal displaying on a tiny patch of ice free water.
I held on till the light had gone in the vain hope of an owl... no such luck, but consolation in the form of a Bittern flying in from a fair height to roost/feed on site.
surprised to see the pools once again iced up by about 80% - we'd just got rid of the stuff !
a quick look round revealed a yeartick for me in the form of a sleepy Shelduck (there on Monday too - but seemingly supressed
)a pair of Gadwall, a dozen Wigeon, 2m1f Goldeneye, 2 Water Rail, a flock of Teal displaying on a tiny patch of ice free water.
I held on till the light had gone in the vain hope of an owl... no such luck, but consolation in the form of a Bittern flying in from a fair height to roost/feed on site.
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FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
Don't tell Mickey, there'll be blood! :-O
StevieEvans
Well-known member
already did...
hadnt realised he still hasnt getten it - maybe he should get out birding a bit more.....o
havnt heard any reports of it for a while - pleased to know its still about ...
light was gone - saw it at 17:05
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FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
Bonsaibirder
http://mobro.co/saddinall
If I understand correctly, previous reports of the Roker Iceland Gullhave been of an adult (including your photo posted previously, Steve). Jason's picture is of a 2nd year bird. So looks like there are two in the area.
FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
agamiheron
Well-known member
a quick look round revealed a yeartick for me in the form of a sleepy Shelduck (there on Monday too - but seemingly supressed
Won't happen again Stevie I promise :-O
FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
a quick look round revealed a yeartick for me in the form of a sleepy Shelduck (there on Monday too - but seemingly supressed
You've both seen the Scop's Owl right?
165.4 Redpolls at Rainton, give or take .1 of a percent
FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
Rainton Meadows
Numerous Lesser and Mealy Redpoll still present at Rainton Meadows today as well as at least 1 Coues' Arctic Redpoll. Bird 3 for thoose who have seen my blog post HERE. As usual this bird is vigorously defending the feeders put up by the DBC. Birds seen daily and if you go for the whole day and put the time in I would be surprised if you left without seeing them!
Highlight of the day is obviously the Arctic Redpoll but I had a 45c Pink-footed Geese fly fairly low overhead calling, got good views. What superb bird!
No sign of the Iceland Gull at Sunderland South Pier this AM but Mark reported the bird as being present at 2:45ish :-C have to try again! Nothing much in the way of Gull activity at Rainton Meadows today but a single Lesser-black backed Gull was nice.
Also over the past week some local owl activity with Little Owl but no Tawny heard for a good week or two now. Got some good habitat eye'd up to hopefully get out and count vocal Tawnies to get some idea of local population.:eat:
Numerous Lesser and Mealy Redpoll still present at Rainton Meadows today as well as at least 1 Coues' Arctic Redpoll. Bird 3 for thoose who have seen my blog post HERE. As usual this bird is vigorously defending the feeders put up by the DBC. Birds seen daily and if you go for the whole day and put the time in I would be surprised if you left without seeing them!
Highlight of the day is obviously the Arctic Redpoll but I had a 45c Pink-footed Geese fly fairly low overhead calling, got good views. What superb bird!
No sign of the Iceland Gull at Sunderland South Pier this AM but Mark reported the bird as being present at 2:45ish :-C have to try again! Nothing much in the way of Gull activity at Rainton Meadows today but a single Lesser-black backed Gull was nice.
Also over the past week some local owl activity with Little Owl but no Tawny heard for a good week or two now. Got some good habitat eye'd up to hopefully get out and count vocal Tawnies to get some idea of local population.:eat:
Bonsaibirder
http://mobro.co/saddinall
StevieEvans
Well-known member
Bonsai
Youre right, there have been 2 Icelands gulls in the area, although JT's is a library image
(ihmo its refreshing to see someone blogging & using readily available photos to illustrate a point/subject)
Along with the regular adult, theres been a 1st winter Iceland at RMs & H'ton Biffa Tip on a handful of dates. Whilst this bird doesnt appear to have been seen in the Roker Pier area, i'd imagine it will be lurking on the coast at times....
All the Houghton gulls head to the coast, mostly late afternoon, presumably to roost on the sea - the flightline for majority of them appears to head to the Hendon / Ryhope stretch
(not somewhere ive not yet covered late in the day, but maybe should, if not for gulls then for Barn Owl - theres plenty of hunting & several rough buildings for roosting )
----------------------------------------------------------
Recent sighting of Barn Owl hunting at Houghton.
There still seems to be a real lack of Skylarks & Mipits, with Jack Snipe & Snipe only in very reduced numbers - presumably many of these birds have yet to return having moved out of the area during the period of snowcover.
On the other hand some of our residents are showing signs of thinking of the months ahead -
several species now singing, Rooks making noisy visits to their scattered colony at home, the commoner dabbling ducks displaying, street lighting & milder temperatures inducing thrushes into proclaiming territory throughout the night ( even some still singing at midnight last few nights of minus 5 or 6 )
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StevieEvans
Well-known member
RM's - 16:00 till 17:45
despite the yesterdays clear cold evening turning into a mild damp overcast morning it was a surprise to see pool 4 was iced over & pool 2 only a small area of
Not much light, on wat round saw these :- Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Goldeneye, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Lapwing, Snipe, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Heron, Coot, Moorhen, Water Rail 1+1h, Grey Partridge, RLPartridge(h), Blackbird, Redwing, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Crow, Pheasant, Little Owl 1+2h, Long-eared Owl 1 hunting & last but not least a Barn Owl hunting around pool 1 at dark o'clock (17:35)
despite the yesterdays clear cold evening turning into a mild damp overcast morning it was a surprise to see pool 4 was iced over & pool 2 only a small area of
Not much light, on wat round saw these :- Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Goldeneye, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Lapwing, Snipe, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Heron, Coot, Moorhen, Water Rail 1+1h, Grey Partridge, RLPartridge(h), Blackbird, Redwing, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Crow, Pheasant, Little Owl 1+2h, Long-eared Owl 1 hunting & last but not least a Barn Owl hunting around pool 1 at dark o'clock (17:35)
FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
Excellent! Wants to get itself up that hill to the box!:t:
Adam W
Well-known member
Had my first trip of the year well away from Sunderland with a day up at Wooler. Several RL Partridges a Dipper and these 7 Whoopers were all year ticks also noticed the same total lack of Skylarks and Mipits(havent seen either yet this year) but I did see 1 Snipe.
A suprising amount of Geese have returned to the area with several thousand Pinkfeet,as many as there were before the bad weather came.
A suprising amount of Geese have returned to the area with several thousand Pinkfeet,as many as there were before the bad weather came.
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StevieEvans
Well-known member
still very thin on the ground - had 9 Skylark this morning low over the road nr Castle Dene, Lumley (Ch-le-St district) dropping into an autumn sown field.
a trip to the riverside park at Chester to feed the ducks - 100+Tufted, half a dozen Goosander, about a dozen Swans, 2 Dabchick, 1 female Mandarin, several hundred Mallard, Grey & Pied Wagtail & a dead Salmon Kelt.
FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
This Afternoon
1 Coues' Arctic Redpoll at Rainton Meadows this afternoon, it was the Snowball one! About time it has only taken me 4-5 weeks!:-O
Also Peregrine flew over, to me it appeared to have a full crop. Lets hope it wasn't heading to the dales, very direct in flight as though it was going somewhere. Perhaps to a roost? Where do Peregrines roost? Chosen roost sites or anywhere that takes there fancy?
1 Coues' Arctic Redpoll at Rainton Meadows this afternoon, it was the Snowball one! About time it has only taken me 4-5 weeks!:-O
Also Peregrine flew over, to me it appeared to have a full crop. Lets hope it wasn't heading to the dales, very direct in flight as though it was going somewhere. Perhaps to a roost? Where do Peregrines roost? Chosen roost sites or anywhere that takes there fancy?
Ashbrooke,Backhouse Park,Queen Alexandra Road,Silksworth Lakes
Took a walk just after lunch.
Kestrel on St Johns Church Steeple, approx 10 LT Tits in trees alongside Ashbrooke Sports Club,Herring Gulls and Jackdaws on West Lawn rooftops, Blue,Great and LT Tit,Chaffinch,Carrion Crow,Rooks and single GSW in Backhouse Park.Song Thrush and Greenfinches along Queen Alley road.
Robin and Wren along old railway track from Barnes Roundabout up to Silky Lakes.
Chaffinch,Wood Pigeon,Blackbird,Carrion Crow and Racing Pigeons on footpath adjacent to Sainsburys.
Lower Silky lake 8 pairs of Tufties,numerous Mallards,hybrid ducks,pair of Mute Swas,Moorhens,Coots,single Heron on the island,Common,Herring and Black Headed Gulls,Magpies,Jackdaws.
Top Silky Lake,approx 25 pairs of Tufties,loads of Mallards,two pairs of Pochards,Coots,Moorhens and two adult Mute swans with one cygnet from last year with mix of grey and white feathers/blackish beak.
If I remember rightly two cygnets were killed last year here as the Swans nested on the edge of the lake next to the path.Some of you may have seen it in the Echo but I am pleased to report that the two "artificial" islands that have been built look sound with veg growing, hopefully the Swans will nest there and have more luck with their young. :t:
I noted one large dead Bream too, though luckily the lakes do not seem to have had the problems reported in last nights Echo at Mount Pleasant Lake,James Steel Park where hundreds of fish have died,apparently due to lack of oxygen with the recent cold and ice |=(|.
Took a walk just after lunch.
Kestrel on St Johns Church Steeple, approx 10 LT Tits in trees alongside Ashbrooke Sports Club,Herring Gulls and Jackdaws on West Lawn rooftops, Blue,Great and LT Tit,Chaffinch,Carrion Crow,Rooks and single GSW in Backhouse Park.Song Thrush and Greenfinches along Queen Alley road.
Robin and Wren along old railway track from Barnes Roundabout up to Silky Lakes.
Chaffinch,Wood Pigeon,Blackbird,Carrion Crow and Racing Pigeons
on footpath adjacent to Sainsburys.Lower Silky lake 8 pairs of Tufties,numerous Mallards,hybrid ducks,pair of Mute Swas,Moorhens,Coots,single Heron on the island,Common,Herring and Black Headed Gulls,Magpies,Jackdaws.
Top Silky Lake,approx 25 pairs of Tufties,loads of Mallards,two pairs of Pochards,Coots,Moorhens and two adult Mute swans with one cygnet from last year with mix of grey and white feathers/blackish beak.
If I remember rightly two cygnets were killed last year here as the Swans nested on the edge of the lake next to the path.Some of you may have seen it in the Echo but I am pleased to report that the two "artificial" islands that have been built look sound with veg growing, hopefully the Swans will nest there and have more luck with their young. :t:
I noted one large dead Bream too, though luckily the lakes do not seem to have had the problems reported in last nights Echo at Mount Pleasant Lake,James Steel Park where hundreds of fish have died,apparently due to lack of oxygen with the recent cold and ice |=(|.
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