Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[Mark Newsome]

Richard's Pipit over South Shields Leas this morning (good chance it's still in the area), and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers in Whitburn Coastal Park (on edge of Shearwater estate). Also increase in Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs. Let's hope there's a few observers out and about on our coast this weekend (instead of sitting inside drinking coffee and watching their pagers), so we can put Durham back on the map.

 

[Bonsaibirder]

I'll be out first thing tomorrow in the Seaham area.

Had a quick look before work this morning and just had a few Goldcrests, with Skylarks and Meadow Pipits moving through, but hoping to do better tomorrow.

Good luck!!

Richard's Pipit over South Shields Leas this morning (good chance it's still in the area), and 2 Yellow-browed Warblers in Whitburn Coastal Park (on edge of Shearwater estate). Also increase in Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs. Let's hope there's a few observers out and about on our coast this weekend (instead of sitting inside drinking coffee and watching their pagers), so we can put Durham back on the map.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Bird's must have continued coming in through the day - now Red-backed Shrike on South Shields Leas, Pied Fly in Marsden Quarry. Also Barred Warblers reported by persons unknown in both Marsden Quarry and Trow Quarry. South-easterlies forecast until at least Tuesday. It could be a good weekend...!

 

[StevieEvans]

Bird's must have continued coming in through the day - now Red-backed Shrike on South Shields Leas, Pied Fly in Marsden Quarry. Also Barred Warblers reported by persons unknown in both Marsden Quarry and Trow Quarry. South-easterlies forecast until at least Tuesday. It could be a good weekend...!

Very interesting, i'll be down The Blast for certain in morning !
Thanks for info Mark.
Strangely i had two Blackbirds go over high (100') South East at Home late afternoon....
20 Siskin & 2 GSW at work at Ch-le-St
Little Owl on roadside fence at Elemore Vale last night.
SE

 

[russkie]

woken up at 5 oclock this morn by Tawny Owl calling at the cemetary next door.
Stevie - got all my membership bumf and LEK this week - very impressed thanks.

 

[StevieEvans]

Early this morning
Woodcock over the gardens at Houghton.
Raining Redwings
just had 30 Golden Plovers south, also Mipits & Skylarks over...

 

[russkie]

east rainton - 20 grey partridge
hetton - about 300 starlings

dawdon -
19 goldcrest
male blackcap
redwing

 

[StevieEvans]

Stoneybeck Lake, Bish Midd.
1 Common Buzzard low overhead & Green Sandpiper on lake, Little Owl sitting on a beam inside a barn, seemed to be a good omen as we arrived to erect owl boxes.
Cracking immature male Merlin perched at Castle Lake then attacking Skylarks.

H'Pool Headland.
1+ Yellow Browed Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Woodcock, 10 Brambling, 1 Fieldfare, 50 Redwing, 25 Blackbird, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler

Dawdon Blast 11:00 - 12:30
Record count of 10 (Ten !) Birders !!!......
2 cock Ring Ousel, 25+ Golcrest, 2Brambling, pr Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 10 each of Song thrush & Blackbird, 40 Redwing, 8 Robin, 6 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Little Owl, 2 Kestrel, 1 GCGrebe & 1 RTDiver ots.
Firecrest & Yellow Browed Warbler also reported. (another YBW & Ouzel at nearby Hawthorn Dene.)

At least 24 Yellow Broweds on the Durham Coast...

 

[john gardiner]

Trow Quarry Trow Quarry- 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, 3 Stonechat, 2 female Reed Bunting, 6 Blackbird, male Kestrel, 20 Goldfinch, 3 Meadow Pipit and 4 flocks of Goldcrest
Marsden Bay- 2 Brambling & Fieldfare in off the sea
Souter Lighthouse- female Wheatear & 2 Goldcrest, Red Throated Diver flew south
Whitburn Coastal Park- 3 Snipe & 2 flocks of Goldcrest
Goldcrest's were fying in off the sea in big numbers today.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Large arrival of migrants on South Tyneside coast today. a total of 16 Yellow-browed Warblers found between Wear and Tyne, c2000 Redwing, 4 Ring Ouzels, 60+ Brambling, Lap Bunt etc.. Also Greenish Warbler in Marsden Quarry and Richard's Pipit by the SAFC Academy fields.
Several Pallas's Warblers have arrived this afternoon on the east coast, including 1 at St Mary's island. Hopefully there'll be more to find tomorrow.

 

[StevieEvans]

Webs Count - Joes Pond / Rainton Meadows
2pr +M Gadwall, 2 Shoveller, 7 Wigeon, 7 Swan, 2 Water Rail (Joes - 1 seen 1 heard) 50 Golden Plover, 350 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 1 Redshank


Lambton area
4 Green Sandpipers feeding together.
fem/imm Ring Ousel with Redwings.
female Scaup



The Blast & area 08:30 - 13:15
Disapointing, but still several birds about.

7N Pintail, 3S Merganser, 3Goldeneye ots.
imm & Male Ring Ouzel, 6+Stonechat (3beach & 3 ind. estate), 1Chiffchaff, 4-5Blackcap, 25+Goldcrest, 8Dunnock (?some migrants), 2 Woodcock (1 flushed early am & 1 flying along clifftop at 13:00)
2 Kestrels, pair of Little Owls & a Fox on the cliffs.


but......... someone may be weighing in later on with a biggie.....

 

[IanF]

I popped down to Zinc Works Road by North Gare this afternoon - first time I've been out this month.

Fieldfare x1
Redwing x1
Wren x3
Goldcrest x9
Song Thrush x1
Robin x2

Dorman's Pond
Stonechat x1
Dunnock x1
Golden Plover x500+
Redshank x1
Peregrine x1
Lapwing x200
Kestrel x1

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Radde's Warbler

Some people might be interested in looking for the Radde's Warbler at Hawthorn Quarry tomorrow morning, so I have attached a map to illustrate where it was. The bridge is the one that goes over the railway just south of where the track goes down to the south end of the blast beach.

The bird was seen on and off right up until dusk and may have gone to roost in the long grass and Rosebay Willowherb on the steep hillside which rises up from the side of the road which goes around the quarry (arrow on map). It was seen in all places where I have marked with 'x's on the map and was calling a lot, but sporadically.

Good luck if anyone has a go for it!

Best wishes,

Steve

 

[StevieEvans]

Some people might be interested in looking for the Radde's Warbler at Hawthorn Quarry tomorrow morning........
Good luck if anyone has a go for it!
Best wishes,
Steve

I think BirdGuides should introduce a Premium Service & get you to do the maps.... Thanks, we'll try tomorrow.
Funny to think back to this May, you didnt know Hawthorn existed!
PS. Nice find !
SE

 

[Mark Newsome]

10+ Yellow-browed Warblers between Sunderland and S Shields today. Also Greenish Warbler still at Marsden Quarry, Little Bunting there briefly early afternoon, Pallas's reported near Mere Knolls cem, Long-eared owl in Cornthwaite Pk, large numbers of Goldcrests and thrushes (but not as many Redwings as yesterday). Still a few days of SE winds left, so more of the same likely. Olive-backed Pipit would be nice!

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Thrushes

It was you who told me about it Steve - thanks!!!

I think BirdGuides should introduce a Premium Service & get you to do the maps.... Thanks, we'll try tomorrow.
Funny to think back to this May, you didnt know Hawthorn existed!
PS. Nice find !
SE

Is it me or are there even more thrushes going over this morning? I found a Redwing standing in the middle of the road in Seaham - I just walked up to it and picked it up!! When I got to Newcastle, there are flocks of Redwings and Blackbirds going over all the time.

There was something strange about the mix of thrushes at the weekend - huge numbers of blackbirds and redwings, loads of Song Thrushes, one Ring Ouzel, a couple of Mistle Thrushes and only one Fieldfare! Was I blanking out Fieldfares or was it the same for anyone else?

Steve

 

[Mark Newsome]

Same here Steve. eg this morning at Marsden, c600 Redwing over in 30 mins, stacks of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes, 3 Ring Ouzels... and no Fieldfare at all! It's been the same all weekend. Wonder if in a later thrush movement, the proportions will be all reversed? If we only had a bit of drizzle or thick low cloud, I bet the numbers grounded would be phenomenal. I remember some misty murky days at Flamborough in the late 80s/90s, with 20,000+ thrushes in a day. You don't need mega rare birds to make days like that memorable. Maybe next week!

 

[IanF]

I visited Hawthorn Dene this morning hoping for the Radde's Warbler but no joy. I did meet StevieEvans there - though not exactly a rarity around the County as he seems to pop up everywhere

Redwing c.12
Fieldfare x1
Goldcrest 30+
Long-tailed Tit 30+
Yellow-browed Warbler x1
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Wren
Robin
Magpie
Blackbird
Srarling
Blackcap x4
Yellow-hammer 20+
Reed Bunting 15+
Sparrowhawk - male
Kestrel 2+
Chaffinch
Brambling
Wren
Tree Sparrow
Woodcock x1
Pheasant

Heading back south I stopped off at Hartlepool Headland. There were a few birds around by the two bowling greens

Redwing 30+
Yellow-browed Warbler x2
Goldcrest 30+
Brambling x2
Goldfinch
Linnet

Cormorant, Red-breasted Berganser and Turnstone on and by the sea. Goldcrests and Redwing were still arriving off the sea in small groups.

 

[StevieEvans]

Fieldfare seems to be a funny one this year, very few coastal or passage birds so far, but large winter thrush flocks reported ( by reliable source) from Upper Teesdale. (Fieldfare also up there in last week of May & also during August..........)
Had Blackbirds, Song Thrushes & Redwings over at home this morning most of them very high up & going straight in land.

Hawthorn
Good to bump into you again Ian, you certainly seem to get about...
4 members of the Houghton & District bird spotters society tried (with 4 other birders- crowd control was almost necessary!) all morning for the Raddes, but it wasnt to be...
2-3 Ouzels, Blackcaps & Woodcock, 3 Tree Sparrow YBrowed Warb nr Bungalow, Chiffchaff
Per, Mer, Kes & Spar
Other passage migrant fly overs included 1Siskin, 2Redpoll ssp, 1GSW (over open fields), 17 Skylark.

Lambton Bridge
15 mins after work
2 singing Dippers going beserk chasing each other, 1 Grey Wagtail, 18 Goosander including 2 redheaded drakes, 3 Dabchick, strangely 5 Mute Swan & a Greylag Goose on the river.

SE.

 

[russkie]

just off topic a bit

does anyone know somebody locally who takes in injured/ rescued birds?
am awaiting RSPCA but need a plan B if he doesnt turn up for an oiled juve guillemot

cheers