JBee
Well-known member
A wolf spider with egg sack
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Durham Birding (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Skelly
- Start date
IanF
Moderator
Puzzles me as well. I did wonder if the mipits recognised the shape as possibly previous chicks they've fed. They only agression I saw this afternoon was from the Cuckoo's when mipit landed too close and it seemed to snack/hiss at it.
IanF
Moderator
Checked out some local Peregrines again this morning. Three fully fledged juveniles and two adults. Pair of Kestrel as well.
Zinc Works Road - 9:30am - two Cuckoo still present though one at north end behind dunes towards North Gare access track and the other still hanging around migrant bushes. Very little on Seaton Snook - Common Tern x5, Guillemot, Oystercatcher x3, Cormorant x2.
Greatham Creek - 10:30am - Avocet x10 (3 adult 7 juvenile) all very active. Oldest family flying between Tidal Pool and Greenabella where eventually settled. Other family flying around Tidal Pool but eventually flew off towards Long Drag pools.
Zinc Works Road - 9:30am - two Cuckoo still present though one at north end behind dunes towards North Gare access track and the other still hanging around migrant bushes. Very little on Seaton Snook - Common Tern x5, Guillemot, Oystercatcher x3, Cormorant x2.
Greatham Creek - 10:30am - Avocet x10 (3 adult 7 juvenile) all very active. Oldest family flying between Tidal Pool and Greenabella where eventually settled. Other family flying around Tidal Pool but eventually flew off towards Long Drag pools.
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Julie10_10
Well-known member
By late morning there were three juv Cuckoo's present along the bridleway fence. Two staying close together (North Gare end) whereas the third was staying closer to Zinc Works Road.
degsy_safc
Well-known member
Quick circuit of Smiddy Shaw Reservior resulted in a pair of juvenile red grouse, pied wagtail, lapwing, and this fellow (see attached) looking at my book it looks like a Golden Plover, a very attractive bird and a result for me as i have never seen one of these before :t:
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rokermartin
Well-known member
Yes you are right its a Golden Plover if you want to see big numbers of them go down to Whitburn steel in a few weeks time or St Mary's Island you get them on the rocks at low tide.Certainly a sight worth seeing when they all take off.
degsy_safc
Well-known member
Thanks Rokermartin - out of interest just how close can you get to them at Whitburn? This one was a bit skittish, i had to take the picture from inside the car and as i slowly idled up it kept walking further and further away.
Can you also please advise where Whitburn Steel is? Is it anywhere near the carpark beside Lattimers wet Fish Shop??
StevieEvans
Well-known member
Derek, several types of Plovers use the "walking further & further away...." as a distraction tactic.
They use this clever ploy, as a means of drawing / distracting the intruding person / thing away from their young.
I presume you want to know how close you can get to them at Whitburn for photography purposes ? Large roosting / loafing flocks generally keep some distance away - centres of fields etc & will "flush up" very easily....
Imho best bet for pictures would probably be to watch for feeding birds (over next few months) on recently cultivated arable land - they're more likely to come close to the field edges as they feed especially if you use the car as a hide.
cheers
SE
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degsy_safc
Well-known member
Steve,
Thanks for that.. I'll keep an eye out for ploughed fields over the next few weeks - but i'll have the camera and binoculars at the ready next time. I would have had a much better shot here if i'd been ready with window down bean bag placed, etc, because by the time i got myself sorted the Plover had walked 40 feet or more away :-(
rokermartin
Well-known member
Hi Whitburn Steel is right next to Lattimers wet fish shop.You cannot really get very close to the plovers it's best using a scope when they are on the rocks.High tide they are usually seen in the fields next to the army rifle range you often get better views of them in the fields.Also they get in the large field opposite the Whitburn Lodge Pub.
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IanF
Moderator
Seaton Snook this morning. I was surprised at the number of people around this morning which probably accounts for the lack of birds on the beach. I didn't arrive until around 11:00am.
Very few waders around with just Oystercatcher x3 on the Snook. No Terns on the beach though a slow trickle of Common Tern travelling backwards and forwards. A single Guillemot and two Cormorant in Seaton Channel.
No Cuckoo found today. Plenty of Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Linnet and Starlings along the fences. Goldfinch c.12 and Stonechat x2 along the grass verges of Zinc Works Road.
Over Seaton Common - Lapwing c.400 and Starling c.400 plus a few Curlew - all in the air. I couldn't see the cause until a juvenile Peregrine swooped low over the dunes before heading back west. Last seen over the tip heading along Brenda Road. They bred on the power station last year though I've not seen them here since Spring.
Also Kestrel x2 on the Common with around a dozen each of Swallow, Swift and Sand Martin plus two House Martin.
Photos: 1.& 2. Sand Martin - 3-5. Peregrine Falcon juvenile.
Very few waders around with just Oystercatcher x3 on the Snook. No Terns on the beach though a slow trickle of Common Tern travelling backwards and forwards. A single Guillemot and two Cormorant in Seaton Channel.
No Cuckoo found today. Plenty of Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Linnet and Starlings along the fences. Goldfinch c.12 and Stonechat x2 along the grass verges of Zinc Works Road.
Over Seaton Common - Lapwing c.400 and Starling c.400 plus a few Curlew - all in the air. I couldn't see the cause until a juvenile Peregrine swooped low over the dunes before heading back west. Last seen over the tip heading along Brenda Road. They bred on the power station last year though I've not seen them here since Spring.
Also Kestrel x2 on the Common with around a dozen each of Swallow, Swift and Sand Martin plus two House Martin.
Photos: 1.& 2. Sand Martin - 3-5. Peregrine Falcon juvenile.
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IanF
Moderator
Hardwick Hall Country Park this afternoon - not overly sunny but plenty of dragonflies about - Black-tailed Skimmer 20+, Common Darter x8 and quite a few Common Blue Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly.
Butterflies - Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large Skipper.
Birds on the lake - Great Crested Grebe pair with two juveniles, Ruddy Duck x1 drake - obviously just stopped off for a rest as after an hour it moved on, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Little Grebe and Mute Swan x3 families with 11 cygnets in total. Grey Wagtail x1.
In the woods - Sparrowhawk juv. x2, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Wren.
Around a dozen each of Swallow, Swift, House Martin and Sand Martin constantly overhead.
On route there Buzzard x1 over the wood on the north east sde of A689/Caste Eden Walkway. It was heading east following the road/line of the wood.
Photos: 1. Swift - 2. House Martin - 3. Grey Wagtail - 4. Black-tailed Skimmer - 5. Common Darter
Butterflies - Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large Skipper.
Birds on the lake - Great Crested Grebe pair with two juveniles, Ruddy Duck x1 drake - obviously just stopped off for a rest as after an hour it moved on, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard, Little Grebe and Mute Swan x3 families with 11 cygnets in total. Grey Wagtail x1.
In the woods - Sparrowhawk juv. x2, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Wren.
Around a dozen each of Swallow, Swift, House Martin and Sand Martin constantly overhead.
On route there Buzzard x1 over the wood on the north east sde of A689/Caste Eden Walkway. It was heading east following the road/line of the wood.
Photos: 1. Swift - 2. House Martin - 3. Grey Wagtail - 4. Black-tailed Skimmer - 5. Common Darter
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degsy_safc
Well-known member
Thanks for the info :t:
June Atkinson
Well-known member
SOS
If anyone has a suitable photo of an otter in the Derwent Country Park, and would be willing for me to use it in a Power Point Presentation for Northern Kites, please contact me on:
[email protected]
Thank you.
If anyone has a suitable photo of an otter in the Derwent Country Park, and would be willing for me to use it in a Power Point Presentation for Northern Kites, please contact me on:
[email protected]
Thank you.
Derek Polley
Well-known member
Had a walk up the old railway line in the Derwent Valley yesterday. Superb walk with chiffchaff singing, 2 red kites above the viaduct, perched kingfisher at the far pastures - and thanks to the two local birders who were there, they were very helpful. Jay and nuthatch at Thornley Wood and sand martins as well. All good ticks for the visiting birder. I really must do this walk in April or May when stuff is singing - need to be better organised next year!!
IanF
Moderator
Hartlepool Headland by Heugh Pier yesterday afternoon over high tide - Razorbill x2 with young, Guillemot x7, Common Tern x7.
Zinc Works Road c.3:00pm - Kingfisher sat on the branch over beck which runs perpendicular to the road.
Also Kestrel and Heron along the fence line. No sign of the Perergine today though the Lapwing c.80 were pretty flighty whenever the Kestrel landed on the fence!
Zinc Works Road c.3:00pm - Kingfisher sat on the branch over beck which runs perpendicular to the road.
Also Kestrel and Heron along the fence line. No sign of the Perergine today though the Lapwing c.80 were pretty flighty whenever the Kestrel landed on the fence!
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IanF
Moderator
A brief visit to Zinc Works Road this morning - brief due to the heavy rain that arrived!
Cuckoo juvenile along the north side fence behind the dunes, Kestrel x2, Goldfinch x7, Meadow Pipit 12+, Stonechat pair, Grey Partridge x2, Kingfisher x1, Grey Heron x1, Lapwing 40+, Curlew x8, Linnet c.12, Redshank x2, Canada Goose x7. Common Tern 12+ passing overhead on food runs.
Cuckoo juvenile along the north side fence behind the dunes, Kestrel x2, Goldfinch x7, Meadow Pipit 12+, Stonechat pair, Grey Partridge x2, Kingfisher x1, Grey Heron x1, Lapwing 40+, Curlew x8, Linnet c.12, Redshank x2, Canada Goose x7. Common Tern 12+ passing overhead on food runs.
durham giant
Well-known member
Just seen large dark bird flying between coxhoe+ sedgefield. Thought large silluette gull but fast wingbeats put me of. Any idea?
