Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[Ross Ahmed]

Common bird count on South Shields seafront this pm included 24 Purple Sandpipers, plus 74 Tufted Ducks on Marine Park Lake.

A white-headed and long-winged 2nd-win Herring Gull in Littlehaven Beach car park (below) masqueraded as something rarer for a while (Caspian/Yellow-legged).

 

[JRE]

I popped down to Saltholme Ponds as well this morning. The Barnacles were pretty distant but the Pink-feet were c.100 yds away from the lay-by.

Two Water Pipit on the pipeline one either side of the road along from Haverton Hole. They disappeared when a Kestrel flew in.

Those are lovely pictures Ian. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton-le-Spring

Common Buzzard over Houghton Cut this morning

Collared Dove collecting & carrying material, cant see it making much progress in thay wind.

SE

 

[JBee]

It was a case of taking a gamble and hoping the afternoon sun lasted long enough for an hour or twos photography.
Popped to Hetton Lyons lake to see if Goodander would play ball and come in little closer. Thankfully they did (30 yards or so) as I couldnt be bothered to carry the Sigmonster and tripod so opted to take just the Nikon 300 amd handhold (always dodgy when you have shaky hands)
Counted three males and one female + 3 great crested grebe.
Mid afternoon the skies blackened and I made a hasty retreat for home. Unfortunately the light had almost totally gone when I spotted a flock of around 100 -150 fieldfare in roadside hedges just out of Easington Lane

 

[seggs]

It was a case of taking a gamble and hoping the afternoon sun lasted long enough for an hour or twos photography.
Popped to Hetton Lyons lake to see if Goodander would play ball and come in little closer. Thankfully they did (30 yards or so) as I couldnt be bothered to carry the Sigmonster and tripod so opted to take just the Nikon 300 amd handhold (always dodgy when you have shaky hands)
Counted three males and one female + 3 great crested grebe.
Mid afternoon the skies blackened and I made a hasty retreat for home. Unfortunately the light had almost totally gone when I spotted a flock of around 100 -150 fieldfare in roadside hedges just out of Easington Lane

as always j-bee excellent photos

 

[Ross Ahmed]

Excellent talk from David Steel last night, with a light-hearted and entertaining feel about it. Some great photos with the 'rares' and 'scares' (as they say on the Farnes) particularly mouth-watering. However, surely one of the most amazing records from the Farnes is the fall of 500 Woodcocks on 2nd Nov 2002 :eek!:

And as if those present weren't already enticed to visit in the summer, there was even an extra incentive kindly offered by Steely

 

[[email protected]]

unknown?

a large raptor flew over a very windy watergate park yesterday getting escorted through the park by a crow looked like a buzzard size wise but it did not have the wing fingers and the light was poor so under wing colouring was difficult to see but pattern was similar. flew like buzzard too. slow and lazy. can there retract there wing fingers in windy conditions?just me dreaming it could be something rare
cheers

 

[StevieEvans]

Local Patching - Houghton-le-Spring area

around the town
GSW drumming
pair of Tawnys at roost.
nests coming on nicely in Rookery
13 Lesser Redpoll with a similar number of Goldfinch
NB. cock Blackbird carrying worms on 3 occassions & headed into bramble scrub...

Hetton Bogs
male & female Kingfisher (John, 1 was perched up at feeding station)
male & female (+ a third calling) Water Rail active at feeding station
2 pair of Willow Tit
1 Coal & 9 LTTit on feeders
3 different Sparrowhawk (adM, adF, imm F)
pr Stock Dove over

Steve

 

[Mark Newsome]

A quick look locally before work produced few surprises in the strong wind, but a Ruff was still on Boldon Flats, along with the usual drake Pintail and Shoveler. The drake Gadwall was still nearby at Tilesheds Pond. The Jackdaw flock at Lizard Point held one well marked bird with a decent neck collar, looking a pretty good candidate for Scandinavian monedula. However it was rather camera shy and even a couple of bread buns couldn't get it to stay still for a photo.

 

[Mark Newsome]

a large raptor flew over a very windy watergate park yesterday getting escorted through the park by a crow looked like a buzzard size wise but it did not have the wing fingers and the light was poor so under wing colouring was difficult to see but pattern was similar. flew like buzzard too. slow and lazy. can there retract there wing fingers in windy conditions?just me dreaming it could be something rare
cheers

The most obvious possibilities for a large raptor in that area would be Common Buzzard and Red Kite, anything else at this time of year would be extremely rare. Strong wind can make raptors change their shape and profile, looking totally different to when they're soaring around on a sunny day. If it flew like a Buzzard and looked like a Buzzard, then it probably was one. Well done though! :t:

 

[[email protected]]

worth a try

one buzzard over watergate park

 

[[email protected]]

best of mates

around the town
13 Lesser Redpoll with a similar number of Goldfinch
Steve

i take it that redpoll group up with the goldfinch,s as every time i have seen redpoll it has been in a charm of goldfinch

 

[JBee]

Hetton Bogs
male & female Kingfisher (John, 1 was perched up at feeding station)
Steve

Excellent Steve.
The extra water around feeders may have tempted it as it did a few weeks ago (though it only landed very briefly twice and flew through once)
I'm hoping you are going to tell me it perched on the branch I set up at an angle on the right of the feeding station?????
Unfortunately dentists appointment tied me down today so didnt gt out and about other than a walk back to Hetton Lyons - goosander and grebes well into the centre of lake.

 

[JBee]

I wonder if this hybrid mallard currently on Hetton Lyons lake is the same bird as the weird youngster I took a shot of in the same location a year ago??
Any thoughts

 

[Ross Ahmed]

1st-winter Iceland Gull in roost off Trow Rocks this evening and 5 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Oystercathers roosting on the pier numbered 191 a winter-time site record. No doubt the very high-tide was partly responsible, but this is an ever-increasing species locally.

Also Great Spotted Woodpecker calling in Harton Cemy this pm.

 

[StevieEvans]

Local Patching - Houghton-le-Spring area

I'm hoping you are going to tell me it perched on the branch I set up at an angle on the right of the feeding station?????

Thats the one..... but, only briefly.
First time ive spent any ammount of time at the blind.
Bit of a chew on gettin the pushchair across - but it makes an exlent windbreak for when ur hunkered down.
Rails were superb
I think the Hedge Sparrows are an aquatic sub species - they must of been watching the Rails - theyre never out of the water.


Excellent Local Tree Sparrow flock of 32 birds with the 2 Corn Buntings - although still some way short of the 200+ each that were there in mid '80's, but great to see after a 6 year complete absence.

Water Rail found at another new site today (DCh)

SE

 

[Paul Mc]

I was on teeside today and drove past a field of (I think) dozens of lapwings(?) not far from the airport?

 

[Mark Newsome]

Very windy and rather quiet seawatching at Whitburn this morning, just a few Eiders and a couple of Red-throated Divers in 2 hours. The Ruff was still on Boldon Flats, but despite checking all the gulls on the Leas, no Med Gull could be found.
Northerly winds still forecast for Monday and Tuesday - could be the first decent seawatch for some time.

 

[Ross Ahmed]

Very windy and rather quiet seawatching at Whitburn this morning, just a few Eiders and a couple of Red-throated Divers in 2 hours. The Ruff was still on Boldon Flats, but despite checking all the gulls on the Leas, no Med Gull could be found.
Northerly winds still forecast for Monday and Tuesday - could be the first decent seawatch for some time.

Winds coming down from well, well north so could be Ok. First northerlies since 1st November!

 

[StevieEvans]

Local Patching - Houghton-le-Spring area

Had a walk across to a windswept R.Meadows / Joes Pond for Webs count.

On the way there, the pair of Tawnies seemed content despite their tree swaying violently back & forth.
The Dipper was at The Mill again, someone thought it had been taken by a Sparhawk.
The Coalfield Way had 150+ Redwing, 2 pairs of Willow Tit, a dozen or more Bullfinch, 2 Treecreeper & half a dozen Goldcrest.
Ponds were poor -
Joes is pretty much a waste of time nowadays, removal of waterside vegetation & loss of shelter after unnecessary removal of mature trees, has left the site bleak & windswept.
This coupled with the regular fishing disturbance & the busy permissive pathway which has sprung up after the Ind. Est road went in, compounds the problem of lack of undisturbed cover.
Rm's pools were windswept & disappointing, although double figures of Pochard added interest. Singles here of Pink footed Goose & Wigeon.

12-15 Redpolls feeding in the amenity planting along the reserve approach road. Most seemed to be Lessers but one stood out, paler & seemingly larger... Not seen well enough for long enough, but it may be one of CW's Mealies. ( between roundabout & barrier )

Building site pools area held a dozen Common Snipe & a single Jack Snipe.

Only species singing today was a Storm Cock or two.

Steve.