Northumbrian Birding (2 Viewers)

Alan G · Jul 13, 2005

Vipers said:
When I'm out on the bike I don't even take my bins, but I think I'll have to start.

I'm ashamed to say, I don't really know much about Havannah even though its only a five minute walk from my house.

Not somewhere I go often, as its very much favoured by humans looking to empty their dogs, but I've had a couple of Green Woodpecker there on a couple of occasions so it's worth popping in.

It get's very (in fact very, very!) clarty in winter though so make the most of it in the drier months, although some of the shallow pools that form after rain will presumably attract various stuff.

And, of course, a visit will afford you cracking views of that eyesore of a Sage building.

How on earth that was ever granted planning permission in green belt of Gosforth Great Park is beyond me?

:stuck:

Alan

Vipers · Jul 13, 2005

Thanks Alan. Been there again today, but no sign of Green Woodpecker.

I know its supposed to be good for Jack Snipe in winter.

cuddy · Jul 13, 2005

St Marys tonight, wetland quite though 50+ BH gulls and Redshank roosting, sea was calm 2 Manx Shearwater north , 11 Whimbrel on the rocks , small party of Teal south and a light passage of Kittewake supported by the odd Puffin, Fulmar and Guillemot

Brian

Keith Reeder · Jul 13, 2005

I was talking to Martin Kitching about this recently.

Is it just bad timing on my part, or has sea passage been really quiet so far this year?

Brian Bullough · Jul 14, 2005

Beehive /Earsdon flash

Had a quick look at "THE" flash this morning Black Tailed Godwit,Ringed & Little Ringed Plover,Dunlin,Mallard,Teal etc.
Also Snipe and this rather smart leucistic bird
Brian

LSB · Jul 14, 2005

I agree that the Beehive flash is THE place to look at the min...In the past month and a half its held Temminck's Stint, 20+ Black Tailed Godwits, both Little & Ringed Plovers, Garganey,Dunlins,Redshanks and a host of other common Birds. There was a Greenshank there yesterday morning too..Its also had Hottentot Teal so even the escapes favour it.

Nice photo Brian..

Keith Reeder · Jul 14, 2005

Yep, it's on fire, isn't it?

That leucistic snipe is gorgeous, Brian!

StevieEvans · Jul 14, 2005

swiftspectrum said:
Had a quick look at "THE" flash this morning Black Tailed Godwit,Ringed & Little Ringed Plover,Dunlin,Mallard,Teal etc.
Also Snipe and this rather smart leucistic bird
Brian

Great pic. & very interesting bird
se

John Malloy · Jul 15, 2005

No sign of the leucistic Snipe early afternoon at the Beehive Flash, but 2 Blackwits still present and the rather confiding juv LRP, feeding on the roadside edge of the flash, see attached photograph taken from the car. (more images of this bird are on my website, http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/johnmalloy)

Alan G · Jul 15, 2005

A LRP also this evening at Cresswell Pond along with a few Knot, a Common Sandpiper, a lone Black-Tailed Godwit and half a dozen snipe.

Also a Whimbrel flying around the pool a few times but seemingly not wanting to land.

Also an Arctic Tern in amongst the Common & Sandwich Terns and a few Little Gulls - around a dozen compared to the 30 or 40 that have been on there of late.

I finished off a Little Owl perched on top of a tree

Then, the highlight of the evening - a Long-Eared Owl perched on a gate post on my patch this evening - it's ear tufts on full view before it swung around, flashed me it's dark orange eyes and headed over a field to hunt.

Aaafully bliddy clammy out there tho this evening.......could do with another good burst of rain overnight to freshen things up for tomorrow and keep those shallow pools around Earsdon topped up!

:bounce:

Alan

LSB · Jul 16, 2005

Beehive Flash

Just a quick warning to anyone parking at the Beehive flash...There are 2 pull in places which have been made on the Grass please be carefull when parking on the second one (from the north or 1st from the south) as Its very Muddy and I got stuck there today .....Ohh btw a birder sat and watched my try and free my car..................... :storm:

cuddy · Jul 16, 2005

littlestintboy said:
Just a quick warning to anyone parking at the Beehive flash...Its very Muddy and I got stuck there today .....Ohh btw a birder sat and watched my try and free my car..................... :storm:

Time to put that car on a diet methinks

StevieEvans · Jul 16, 2005

south Northumberland

Derwent Resevoir today North'd side

drake Scaup
2pr GCG
pr PFGoose
fem Goosander
24 Teal
27 Wigeon
10 (total) Common Sand
pr LRP
2 Snipe
200 Lapwing
18 Common Gull
3 Crossbill
4 Siskin
20 + Lesser Redpoll
Common Buzzard x2

pleasant visit, spoiled only by a pr of fishermen walking right round nature reserve & an inflatable dingy in there too!

also Red Kite just off A68 2mile north of Allensford.

SE

MH68 · Jul 16, 2005

Gosforth Park today.

Good view of female Sparrowhawk crossing the lake being harassed by Common Terns
Also very close view of Great Spotted Woodpecker tapping away at a branch overhead.13 Greylags on flooded field just outside reserve.
Unfortunately one of the Common Tern chicks has drowned after falling from the nesting platform.Also found Otter spraint, and several owl pellets along one of the paths(presumably Tawny Owl pellets but not 100% certain).Good views of Roe Deer feeding (got pics but not very good ones)but no squirrels seen today.
Noted a female Sparrowhawk (same one possibly) soaring above the park on the way home.
An interesting few hours.........

Mark

Keith Reeder · Jul 16, 2005

I ended up at Big Waters and the farmland between the lake and Dinnington, today.

Plenty of usual suspects - chiffchaff, willow warbler, whitethroat, chaff/green/goldfinch, etc - and like Mark, I got great views of a (male) GSW.

I also drove myself slightly mad following up on grasshopper warblers which actually turned out to be grasshoppers...

Ho-hum. I did actually find one proper gropper.

Loads of young LT tits around - like the little fella in the pic - but the highlight of the day was a male marsh harrier quartering the fields west of the lake.

Some slightly scabby record pics attached...

Coming home, I saw a common buzzard hunting over the fields south of Fisher Lane in Cramlington (not that far from Mark's house!) - great to see it wheeling around and then hovering in the breeze.

Keith Reeder · Jul 17, 2005

According to a report that's just popped up on Birdguides, there was a LS woodpecker at Big Waters yesterday too.

Alan G · Jul 17, 2005

When I looked at Keith's photos I thought this was a cream-crown Marsh Harrier (especially in image 1 & 4) as the head and face looks better for Marsh Harrier, as does the wing shape and the way it's holding its wings.

And here I was thinking I was getting the hang of these raptors !

:h?:

Of course, its a different kettle of fish seeing the birds in the field (where you maybe see them from different angles, etc) than it is looking at still images but can someone give a few pointers on this for me please?

Thanks

Alan

Keith Reeder · Jul 17, 2005

Alan G said:
I thought this was a cream-crown Marsh Harrier (especially in image 1 & 4) as the head and face looks better for Marsh Harrier

Nope, lost me, Alan - it is marsh harrier.

Or is the question about whether it's a male?

I can see what you mean about that...

The bird is rather dark, which I'd put down to the light conditions and the fact that the bird was mid-moult, and the head has some apparently female plumage characteristics.

On balance though I think it most likely to be a 2nd season male.

Alan G · Jul 17, 2005

Keith Reeder said:
Nope, lost me, Alan - it is marsh harrier.

Or is the question about whether it's a male?

I can see what you mean about that...

The bird is rather dark, which I'd put down to the light conditions and the fact that the bird was mid-moult, and the head has some apparently female plumage characteristics.

On balance though I think it most likely to be a 2nd season male.

Oops, it seems in my laziness at not reading all of the post, I missed your mention of Marsh Harrier earlier on and picked up on the Common Buzzard bit at the bottom and associated that with the images.

Apologies for that.

Alan

Alan

LSB · Jul 17, 2005

A quick round up of the local pools...Juv LRP on St Mary's wetland 10 Whimbrel Arctic Skua,Mediterranean Gull past. Also Juv LRP on Beehive Flash (different bird)

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