Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[DaveB]

The general feeling is that it's an aberrant Goldeneye, and not a hybrid. There's nothing in the structure or bill shape to indicate another species is involved - certainly if something like Smew was involved (as has been recorded before in Europe), then the bill would be quite different. The only difference to a normal Goldeneye is the leucistic look to some parts of it's plumage - must be leucism rather than bleaching as it showed a similar pattern last winter.
I've not sure of the full range of species Goldeneye has been proved to hybridise with, but my moneys firmly on an aberrant Goldeneye.

A debate of this bird took place last year and we came up with the same conclusion. A record shot of this bird is on my web site:

http://www.durhambirdtours.co.uk/4.images_birds/Goldeneye.html

DaveB

 

[Mark Newsome]

A debate of this bird took place last year and we came up with the same conclusion. A record shot of this bird is on my web site:

http://www.durhambirdtours.co.uk/4.images_birds/Goldeneye.html

DaveB

Cheers Dave. Do you think the bird has changed any since last winter, or do you think it basically has same plumage pattern a year on? (bit difficult to judge from just one photo each year).
Wonder if it will return next winter or if it will turn up elsewhere - by having such a strikingly marked bird, at least we can tell if it's being faithful to it's wintering site each year.

 

[DaveB]

Cheers Dave. Do you think the bird has changed any since last winter, or do you think it basically has same plumage pattern a year on? (bit difficult to judge from just one photo each year).
Wonder if it will return next winter or if it will turn up elsewhere - by having such a strikingly marked bird, at least we can tell if it's being faithful to it's wintering site each year.

Mark,

The markings on the bird certainly appear to be the same and I do believe that this is the same bird.

I can certainly see why people are being thrown by this one and we already know that people are having their own opinions.

I personally agree with your earlier comments. Looking through the leucistic features of this bird (forgetting about the white appearance), I can definately see female (leucisitic) Goldeneye and nothing else.

It does appear to be a bit more wary of people this year. I sat half an hour on my last visit, when it was on Coot Pond. Didn't come anywhere near enough for a decent photo.

DaveB

 

[JBee]

Just had a phone call from CW to tell me that he got clear views of water rail copulating out in the open at the feeding station. (on one of the few days I didnt go up because of the miserable weather )
I presume it won't be the only time the rails get "down to it".
That would be a good photo to get seeing as they are (supposedly) such a secretive bird.

 

[StevieEvans]

Helping Hand for Barn Owls & Tree Sparrows

DBC have x20 Barn Owl boxes and x100 Tree Sparrow boxes, to go up in the Wear Valley from Chester-le-Street up the dale.

Anyone who's interested in helping out hands on, or has suggestions for sites for the sparrow boxes, pls get in touch with John Olley or myself.

Steve.
079 79 60 1231

 

[ted hilland]

DBC have x20 Barn Owl boxes and x100 Tree Sparrow boxes, to go up in the Wear Valley from Chester-le-Street up the dale.

Anyone who's interested in helping out hands on, or has suggestions for sites for the sparrow boxes, pls get in touch with John Olley or myself.

Steve.
079 79 60 1231

Ive not got any suggestions as to where they might go Steve but I have a week off work now and would be delighted to help out .Ted.

 

[ted hilland]

Brambling

Up to about 100 Brambling late this afternoon at grid ref 193 495 thats near to Morrowedge Farm . They can probably be found in the Beech wood just off the B613 at the junction to Morrowedge Farm.

 

[Paul Mc]

DBC have x20 Barn Owl boxes and x100 Tree Sparrow boxes, to go up in the Wear Valley from Chester-le-Street up the dale.

Anyone who's interested in helping out hands on, or has suggestions for sites for the sparrow boxes, pls get in touch with John Olley or myself.

Steve.
079 79 60 1231

Hi Stevie,

I have a 'garden' just crying out for such boxes???

Paul

 

[Mark Newsome]

Up to about 100 Brambling late this afternoon at grid ref 193 495 thats near to Morrowedge Farm . They can probably be found in the Beech wood just off the B613 at the junction to Morrowedge Farm.

That's a cracking number of Brambling, Ted. There's been very few around the county this winter, certainly not in numbers like that. Might have to head up that way myself sometime soon... Makes you wonder what else is hiding away in inland Durham through the winter.

 

[StevieEvans]

REMINDER - Bird Finding ?

... <snip>.......Makes you wonder what else is hiding away in inland Durham.....

( Please dont be put of by the word "work" within the next sentence..... )

This Thursday 1st March, is the Annual Fieldworkers Meeeting.

Room CY 83, Science Site, Durham University.

7:30 PM.


This is a joint meeting between DBC & BTO members & is open to all.

There will be updates on past surveys & an outline of current & up & coming surveys for 2007.

Various flexible surveys are open to birdwatchers of all abilities.

This is your chance to get involved.

If in the past you havnt participated in "fieldwork" please do try to help.
Without information from survey results, it is impossible to address declines in our wild bird populations, by putting in place appropriate conservation measures.

Rest assured your contribution will make a difference.

SE

.....I have a 'garden' just crying out for such boxes???

Paul, you are close to the top of the list.
Steve

 

[StevieEvans]

Reminder Ii - This Saturday

......<snip>....... but I have a week off work now and would be delighted to help out .Ted.

Next Phase of Habitat Works at Bishop Middlehams Castle Lake takes place this Saturday 3rd March.

Further groundworks to spit / island, digging & shoring up bankside, membrane to be secured ready for gravel, planting willow rods & rushes, digging out a dragonfly pool, a couple of large nest boxes to erect if time / manpower allows.
Plenty to get stuck into.

Wellies / dinner essential.

Meet / park at Town End Fm, north of Castle Lake near centre of Bishop Middleham village.
For 10:00AM start.

This is a further step forward towards what will in effect be a club reserve.
Hopefully these works will help improve the site for birds & wildlife & encourage a greater selection of breeding species on site.

Further details from John Olley or myself.


We also need a good quality landscape photograph to use on the sites interpretive boards...........

PS.
dont forget bins ! - Snow Bunting, Ruff, Peregrine, Seo, Green Sandpiper, Goldeneye, Kingfisher etc have all been seen recently...........

SE

 

[NeilF]

Scaup still present on Marine Park lake South Shields this morning in company with about 25 Tufted Duck.
Had a Treecreeper in the garden this morning, bringing this years garden tally to a respectable 24!

 

[ted hilland]

Harpley Woods nr, Tanfield

Spent the morning trying to string the drumming of a GSW into that of LSW but I just couldnt do it. This ancient woodland looks an ideal spot so Ill try again

Did however connect with
Nuthatch x4
GSW x2
Redwing x75+
Siskin x 10ish
Goldfinch x10ish
Marsh Tit x2 singing well
Blue, Great and Coal tits abundant, lots speculating in tree holes.
Thankfully managed Spuggy Hawk and Kessy, thought theyd moved away from the Stanley area.!!!!

This is a Derwentside local nature reserve and has many nest boxes fitted through out, wondered if any one knows who sited them and if any records are kept ?

Later my freinds.

 

[Ross Ahmed]

News just in from Mark Newsome....female Ring-necked Duck currently showing well at Low Barns in front of south hide.

A long overdue bird this winter, although it's good that we have now had one!

 

[DaveB]

Ring Necked Duck

Mark / Ross

Many thanks for posting this (quickly dumped the laptop for an hour (or two))!

A rather active female (constantly diving and rarely staying on the surface longer than 10 seconds at a time) disappeared shortly after Mark left the hide, but the resulting male (from searching for the female) proved to be a fine example of what these birds are all about.


DaveB

 

[JBee]

A couple of firsts at the feeding station today - coot and female chaffinch.
Plus a couple of mallow tit shots.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Low Barns

Er, I think there's actually just one Ring-necked Duck at Low Barns after all. On reviewing photos and consulting literature, the female bird clearly isn't a Ring-necked Duck and appears to be a rather odd Pochard (in my opinion). Unless any one who saw it thinks otherwise?

A rather blowy and wet day all round today. Not many highlights from a bit of a tour around the SW; parties of 100+ Fieldfares at several spots, Common Gulls building up inland, with 1000+ around Kinninvie, mixed flock of 100+ Siskin and Redpoll at Low Barns (the Redpolls being another source of much identification fun!), 60+ Bramblings near where Ted saw his the other day and 2000+ Wood Pigeons arriving to roost at Nissan. The Goldeneyes are also getting very amourous at Low Barns - wonder when they'll decide to use one of the nice duck nest boxes there?

 

[JBee]

Forgot to post this chiffchaff shot from the other day

 

[DEREK.C.]

Elemore golfcourse feeding station still pretty busy, greenfinch numbers still growing; well over 20 there this week on the black sunflower, while bullfinchs have seemingly started to pair off ,12 last week now only odd pairs, willow tits are now visiting in pairs also. 7 reed bunting, plus a few chaffys ,goldies,and yellowhammers also visiting, interestingly apart from the greenfinchs the other birds seem to favour mixed canary seed , with rape ,hemp, niger and linseed first to be taken.
Also great to see andrew bewick from sunderland council pass a conservation order on the land last week. :t:

 

[DaveB]

Er, I think there's actually just one Ring-necked Duck at Low Barns after all. On reviewing photos and consulting literature, the female bird clearly isn't a Ring-necked Duck and appears to be a rather odd Pochard (in my opinion). Unless any one who saw it thinks otherwise?

A rather blowy and wet day all round today. Not many highlights from a bit of a tour around the SW; parties of 100+ Fieldfares at several spots, Common Gulls building up inland, with 1000+ around Kinninvie, mixed flock of 100+ Siskin and Redpoll at Low Barns (the Redpolls being another source of much identification fun!), 60+ Bramblings near where Ted saw his the other day and 2000+ Wood Pigeons arriving to roost at Nissan. The Goldeneyes are also getting very amourous at Low Barns - wonder when they'll decide to use one of the nice duck nest boxes there?

Probably why it disappeared |=)|

Conditions were pretty poor and she was rarely on the surface for longer than 10 seconds at a time.

Definately appeared to be smaller than Pochard and the colouring looked about right (the 2 - 3 times that I cught the bird on the surface).

DaveB