Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[ted hilland]

Hi Ted, good to see you on the board.
To me, the issue here isn't one of captivity but whether someone should be hunting in this manner on a County Council wildlife site........ !
I'll look into this today.

Since the hunting with dogs ban, its seems to be becoming all the rage to try & kill birds with a raptor rather than hares & rabbits with a lurcher / long dog.

SE

Do ya na Steve it never dawned on me about the wildlife site. Ive seen this guy a couple of times and on both occasions the dog was present which can only mean one thing. I do not know this guys name but I do know the pub where he is Landlord/owner if you require any more info pm me.

 

[StevieEvans]

Do ya na Steve it never dawned on me about the wildlife site. Ive seen this guy a couple of times and on both occasions the dog was present which can only mean one thing. I do not know this guys name but I do know the pub where he is Landlord/owner if you require any more info pm me.

Made a few equiries.
No one is permitted to hunt in this manner on any County Council property.

The person in question is known & has been seen hunting on the W.Trust property.

I am advised that should this person be seen hunting on County Council land or anywhere else were he/they dont have hunting rights, then it is a Police matter - Poaching, simple as that.


Houghton Park
Visit with the bairn in the warm sun, late morning
2 singing Mistle Thrush
male Great Tit singing full tilt.
Tawny Owl in flight - disturbed from roost by councils petrol leafblowers.
GSW, Treecreeper, Goldcrest & LTTit in the urban park.
Watched a young Grey Squirrel for 10mins; it went to the end of a brittle dead branch which snapped - it plummeted 50' to land on compacted ground but continued on up the next tree with no hesitation !
Stevie

 

[StevieEvans]

Two Sundays ago a couple of chaps were hunting with a Goshawk at the Herrington Country Park.

Boldon
I'll pass this onto Ian Graham & check if it is a permissible past time there......
SE

(If these characters were walking round there taking pot shots at birds with an air rifle then the chances are there'd be an armed responce unit called out.)

 

[JBee]

Huge flock of Golden plover on Saltholm pond this morning (is that the right name???), just too far away for shots of individuals.
Went along to Creetham creek to look for short eared owls but no joy, a bird watcher turned up looking for a reported green sandpiper that had been seen by the outlet pipe on the lake (the lake with the layby running alongside and hide in the middle (just over the creatham creek bridge) No sign of it though.
Earlier had a great morning on headland photographing sanderling and purple sandpiper at low water. I'll post a few of those after I have processed the raw files.

 

[StevieEvans]

Couple of hours Local Patching at Sedgeletch

Another Firecrest (MH) at Sedgeletch today with Goldcrests.

Tricky to catch up with - mainly due to the Alders still retaining most of their leaves.... bizarre for so late in the year, we even had an Ash with leaves on - usually one of the first to shed their canopies.
This Firecrest follows the Nov'04 bird, seen at the same site as both it & the Sibe Chiffchaff.

An elusive Chiffchaff there today not seen in great detail though..... maybe one to get a close look at...? :h?:

Stunning views of perched Kingfisher at the Sewage outfall, with evidence of Otters visiting the site - spraint found in prominant place.
( these are now regular on the Wear at Ch-le-St - although usually only seen by the anglers on moonlit nights )

The outfall area also produced 1-3 Water Rail, with multiple views of feeding, swimming & flying birds.

Other more regular stuf included Skylarks going over SW, a group of 70 Linnet on the coke works, 20+ Siskin overhead with a few feeding on the Alders. A handful of Reed Bunting popped about, as did Bullfinch & Chaffinch. A pair of Stock & Collared Doves went over, with a flock of 50 Wood Pigeon roosting & preening in the warm sun.

Woodland species, despite the lack of much mature cover included Great Spotted Woodpecker & Treecreeper.

A check on the marsh revealed 3 Common Snipe, 2 Moorhen, 8 Teal & 4 Mallard and a nice loud Water Rail giving the eirie "sharming" call.

A search for Jack Snipe resulted in one coming up off the end of a birders toe - from a very open area, giving excellent close views as it circled round back into cover.
There have been up to 5 here so far this season.

As well as the regular Kingfishers, the stream held singles of Pied & Grey Wagtails with a report of a Dipper singing nr the scrapyard.

This was followed up & resulted in 3 birds, including 2 males singing at the same time. This species has only become regular here in last 3 years so good news there.

Cock Kestrel & fem Sparrowhawk both hunted near the swg wks with a tree top Mistle Thrush keeping a watch over them.

Recent reports of hunting Barn Owl here at dusk from local people.

Reasonable influx of birders too.
SE

 

[Ross Ahmed]

Nothing more unusual than an adult Kittiwake in gull roost off Trow Rocks this evening, although Lesser Black-backed Gull are still (relatively) high at 8 (all adults).

The Eider flock has increased again to 53, and the first Great Crested Grebe here for some time was in close attendance.

 

[Ross Ahmed]

Another Firecrest (MH) at Sedgeletch today with Goldcrests.
SE

Cracking find by Micky - a real 'patch watchers' find.

I reckon many more winterers must go undetected.

 

[StevieEvans]

Cracking find by Micky - a real 'patch watchers' find.

I reckon many more winterers must go undetected.

Hes been working 12 hour shifts & 6 days a week..... so hasnt been out much lately ! :eek!:
Reminds me of someone who went to Uni for 2 birdless year & found a Richards Pipit on his first day back...........

 

[IanF]

Huge flock of Golden plover on Saltholm pond this morning (is that the right name???), just too far away for shots of individuals.
Went along to Creetham creek to look for short eared owls but no joy, a bird watcher turned up looking for a reported green sandpiper that had been seen by the outlet pipe on the lake (the lake with the layby running alongside and hide in the middle (just over the creatham creek bridge) No sign of it though.
Earlier had a great morning on headland photographing sanderling and purple sandpiper at low water. I'll post a few of those after I have processed the raw files.

There were a couple of guys at Greatham Creek when I went past around lunchtime - I wondered what they'd seen. I was headed down to Seaton Snook. The pair of Stonechat were still on Zinc Works Road and around 100 Golden Plover with a few Curlew. More Golden Plover on the field behind the sand dune and maybe a hundred Lapwing. The odd Reed Bunting were in the grassy dunes and the usual Canada Goose and seven Shelduck were on the field towards the Creek. A Merlin had been on the fence as well and as it saw me it headed off towards the car park area.

It was an hour before high tide when I arrived. There was nothing on the beach below the dunes or down the rocky Snook but as I reached the dune area a flock of 20+ birds flew from the left side towards the Creek side. I wandered over that way to find 11x Snow Bunting, 2x Twite and 2x Reed Bunting working their way towards me. I sat on the edge waiting for them to come closer when a Merlin burst from the edge about 4' away - I think we both got a bit of a shock! So did the flock on the beach as they were up and off back to the other side. I tried in vain to relocate them though I did find 2x Sky Lark.

I headed down to the rocky end of the Snook and sat a while waiting for the rising tide to bring the waders closer. There were around 200 birds all huddled together comprising Oystercatcher c.50, Grey Plover c.40, Bar-tailed Godwit x3, Red Knot, Dunlin, Turnstone and Redshank. On the sea which was pretty rough due to the strong offshore wind I could see 2x Red-throated Diver, Red-breasted Merganser and several Cormorant. A young Peregrine flew up the Creek from the direction of South Gare.

Out of the Grey Plover five were colour ringed which I've reported to the BTO.

As I headed back up the Snook the Merlin had returned but I couldn't spot the Snow Bunting and as the light was going due to some heavy cloud cover approaching I didn't hang around to look for them.

Walking back along the top of the dunes behind the power station I came across two more Reed Bunting on the path which appeared to be sheltering from the wind.

Heading down the road back towards Saltholme Ponds after a heavy shower the sun came out again, so I calle dinto the carpark at Dormans Pool. No sign of any SEO's today but a male Stonechat proved most inquisitive as it kept landing on the fence right beside the car.

Then heading towards home I called in at Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park where I met Pauliev69 who'd just arrived. We'd both had the same idea, to try to relocate the Redpoll Paul had found earlier in the week. Wandering around the park there wasn't too much to see until we reached the cycle track at the end of Faith Wood. Getting the bins on a flock of small birds in the young silver birch we saw they were Redpoll - 22 of them! As I started checking them through they took off. I got through about half of them - all Lesser Redpoll. They were pretty active and kept moving on and finally once lost, we couldn't relocate them after they headed over the sewage treatment plant.

 

[JBee]

You must have driven past me at least twice today Ian
I'd pulled my car onto the layby at Greatham (green rover) and was there a good couple of hours.
I called into Cowpen on the way back home but didnt get out of the car.

 

[IanF]

You must have driven past me at least twice today Ian
I'd pulled my car onto the layby at Greatham (green rover) and was there a good couple of hours.
I called into Cowpen on the way back home but didnt get out of the car.

Sorry I missed you, I'd have stopped if I'd realised. If by any chance it's fine in the morning then I'll likely have a look back at Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park for the Redpoll.

 

[JBee]

I thought it best I explained to all that I am not a bird watcher. My knowledge of birds is to say the least limited and without the help of people like Colin WIlson, Steve Evans etc I wouldnt know what half the birds I photograph are even called. When I went to photograph the long tailed duck I must be honest and say that I really didnt even know what I was looking for and had it not been for a passing DBC member pointing it out to me I could well have taken shots of any duck on the lake.
My interest is in wildlife photography and birds are an enjoyable and challenging aspect of that.
Bearing all the above in mind I really don't have much to offer the group other than sharing any photos I take.
I hope that isn't a problem but if so I'm happy not to do so.
It may well be that from time to time I even ask you what bird is in the photo
Hopefully you enjoy looking at the images just as I enjoy looking at images from IanF and all the other great photographers on here.
Cheers
Heres a few from the headland today.

 

[Daz]

Early hours of Wednesday morning, a Barn Owl observed flying across B1278 road between Fishburn and Sedgefield, close to Weterton House Farm.

Today, I was walking south of Hurworthburn Resevoir. I got talking to a female horse rider who told me she regularly sees a Barn Owl flying at dusk. I suggested it was probably a SEO , but she insists it is a Barn Owl .

Walk from the car park, onto the old railway line, turn south over the bridge over the Trimdon Road, within 50 yards you will see a plantation on your left with young Oak trees in it. This runs for about 2 to 300 yards. This is where she saw the Barn Owl . This is the same place I have seen SEO. It is also the same place the Great Grey Shrike was seen regularly. A Grasshopper Warbler was heard regularly heard here in the summer. Unfortunately I never saw no owls, but I feel this is our best chance of finding where these Owls are, when somebody is regularly in the area, they are going to see far more than what we do.

Also, numerous Long Tailed Tit, with all the leaves off the trees I saw 3 nests from this year, not a rare bird but very interesting to watch.

Anybody want to give it a go for the Barn Owl, let us know what you see.

 

[StevieEvans]

I thought it best I explained to all that I am not a bird watcher. My knowledge of birds is to say the least limited and without the help of people like Colin WIlson, Steve Evans etc I wouldnt know what half the birds I photograph are even called. When I went to photograph the long tailed duck I must be honest and say that I really didnt even know what I was looking for and had it not been for a passing DBC member pointing it out to me I could well have taken shots of any duck on the lake.
My interest is in wildlife photography and birds are an enjoyable and challenging aspect of that.
Bearing all the above in mind I really don't have much to offer the group other than sharing any photos I take.
I hope that isn't a problem but if so I'm happy not to do so.
It may well be that from time to time I even ask you what bird is in the photo
Hopefully you enjoy looking at the images just as I enjoy looking at images from IanF and all the other great photographers on here.
Cheers
Heres a few from the headland today.

Do you do requests ?
Can we have a cock Scribblyjack & a singing Stormcock please...?

 

[JBee]

Do you do requests ?
Can we have a cock Scribblyjack & a singing Stormcock please...?

I remember the term scribblyjacks from when I was a kid

 

[Daz]

I remember the term scribblyjacks from when I was a kid

Can we also have the Stinker, the Waggy Hen, the Maggy and the Kessy.

 

[JBee]

Can we also have the Stinker, the Waggy Hen, the Maggy and the Kessy.

I know those 4 - see birds should still be called what they used to be called in the old days Why use fancy names like house sparrow when spuggy would do
Why have a willow tit and a marsh tit when no-body can tell them apart - mallow tit is a far better name.

 

[Stewart J.]

Keep the posts and the piccies coming JBee :clap:

Stewart

 

[Shaggy2070]

I had a ride through to Langley Moor yesterday to see if the Barn Owl was about, but no sign of it.

Is it still in the area? and has there been Lesser Spotted Woodpecker seen in that area?
The reason I'm asking is whilst waiting for the Barn Owl I was looking about and I saw a Woodpecker flying over and I thought it looked a bit small and I couldn't see any red under the tail :h?: , but when I tried to see where it went I for a better look I couldn't find it.

Not much else that I could see apart from a Redwing on top of a tree singing away, but plenty of birds singing (not very good with bird songs yet).

 

[seggs]

I thought it best I explained to all that I am not a bird watcher. My knowledge of birds is to say the least limited and without the help of people like Colin WIlson, Steve Evans etc I wouldnt know what half the birds I photograph are even called. When I went to photograph the long tailed duck I must be honest and say that I really didnt even know what I was looking for and had it not been for a passing DBC member pointing it out to me I could well have taken shots of any duck on the lake.
My interest is in wildlife photography and birds are an enjoyable and challenging aspect of that.
Bearing all the above in mind I really don't have much to offer the group other than sharing any photos I take.
I hope that isn't a problem but if so I'm happy not to do so.
It may well be that from time to time I even ask you what bird is in the photo
Hopefully you enjoy looking at the images just as I enjoy looking at images from IanF and all the other great photographers on here.
Cheers
Heres a few from the headland today.

you keep these photos coming mate they are excellent!!!
and your input!
:bounce: