Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[IanF]

I've had my fingers crossed all week that the RN Duck at Low Barns would prove a long stayer as I'd not seen one yet this year. Luckily it has been and we managed to see it this morning. Today it was on the West Pond and despite the dull skies we had very good views of it from the hide. It seems to have established a harem as it spent omost of the time herding a pair of female Tufted Duck around. A male tufie was with them too and occasionally an eclipse Pochard. Also from that hide we had Nuthatch, Jay, Chaffinch, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Coot, Wren, Robin, Magpie, Dunnock and GS Woodpecker. I heard a distant Green Woodpecker but we never saw it. Around 100 geese passed overhead heading up the valley. West Pond has by far been the best perfroming location for me so far this year.

There wasn't much to see as we headed to the South Hide on Martson Lake, just a few tits. In front of the hide were four Tufted Duck, a Little Grebe, Mallard, three Oystercatcher and a female Goldeneye - no sign of the strange looking one today. In total I counted seven female Goldeneye on the lake and just one male. There were nine Cormorant on their island and several Jackdaw on the island opposite the hide. Whislt sat in the South Hide we heard a Tawny Owl calling a couple of times from the direction of the ford.

Following the path around to North Hide and back to the car park there were plenty of birds in Alder Wood. We came across Nuthatch, Marsh Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, GS Woodpecker, Chaffinch and Song Thrush.

The feeding station was pretty quiet with not much food in the feeders but it still held Willow Tit, LTT, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Nuthatch.

 

[great bustard]

Rainton Meadows

Had a good old walk around here this morning looking for Coot. Had a fantastic time, there were hundreds of them!!! Apart from the Coot spotting i also saw the following, in no particular order...
Bullfinch , Chaffinch, Great ones , blue ones , coal ones, Mallard, Tufted, Comorant, Lapwing, Oystercatchers, Pochard, Jays, Reed Bunting, Canada Geese, G C Grebe doing thier meeting dance thing with thier heads(you all know what i mean!) Fieldfare, Redwing, Wren, Mute Swan, and my Bird of the day .......A Little Grebe! Nice one. :t: . Not a bad place considering.. Also heard woodpecker of some sort but could not locate the pesky thing.

T T F N

 

[StevieEvans]

directions for those who've aksed

........<snip>........ Hooded Crow again at Biffa Landfill site, Houghton-le-Spring (CW).

Take A182 North west out of Houghton towards Newbottle.
Park between the club & the roadside Tyre Spot depot.
Walk up rough tarmac bank & follow path to RHS.
Leave track & head up grassy slope & view through steel palisade fencing down into quarry.
SE


MAP
www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=54.8491&lon=-1.472&scale=25000&icon=x

 

[DenBee]

Boldon Flats

Had a run over this afternoon after dropping the better half at work.
Quite a lot of activity around the ponds, although no sign of the Pinkies from a few weeks ago or the Ruff.
still a good influx of Wigeonx c200, Teal x 60, Lapwing x c150. Shoveller x 2, G.B.B G x 2, Herring Gull x 30 (Most appear to be 1st year)
Also present were:
Greylag x 6, Canada x 6, Curlew x 3, Shelduck x 2( These appear to now be a resident pair), Grey Heron x 3, Redshank x 8, Blk Headed Gull x 50.
The feeding station was attracting a good group of Tree Sparrow x 15, Yellowhammer x 20, House Sparrow x 10

 

[Bonsaibirder]

PFGeese

Walking in the North York Moors had 320 Pinkfooted Geese heading north. Only about 8 miles before they hit the Durham recording area - hope someone saw them 'cause i don't think Mark will let me send in a record card for that!!

 

[Bonsaibirder]

quiz

Which county is the Yellow-legged Gull in ? :h?:

 

[Bonsaibirder]

cormorants

I still haven't got my miniscule brain around the ID of sinensis Cormorants. Any advice on this one at the Tees Barrage?

Cheers,

 

[IanF]

Which county is the Yellow-legged Gull in ? :h?:

Lol! I'ts north side of the central point so it's Durham

Actually I've only ever seen it on the north side of the river. It seems to like the yellow buoys and the pontoon beside the fish ladder.

I guess it can go on both lists though!

 

[StevieEvans]

Which county is the Yellow-legged Gull in ? :h?:

I'll be diplomatic & sit on the fence...

As the photo perhaps suggests it could be either of the 2 Counties that border the Tees........... :h?:

North Yorkshire OR Durham

 

[seggs]

Seawatching at Whitburn was still good this morning. Three flocks of Pink-footed Geese were seen returning north, totalling 180 birds, 7 species of wildfowl included Goldeneye and Goosander and a superb full summer Mediterranean Gull flew south.
Long-eared Owls were still present at a roost in South Tyneside - not long until the roost breaks up and then it's finding where they've gone to...

what a cracking pic of the l.e.owl.. in s.tyneside!!! :clap:

 

[Steve Chinnery]

Med Gull

Stopped off quickly at Marsden Lea car park and saw this 2nd W Med gull amongst the BH Gulls

 

[Mark Newsome]

Stopped off quickly at Marsden Lea car park and saw this 2nd W Med gull amongst the BH Gulls

This looks like the regular 2nd w. - good to see that it's starting to get it's hood. There were 2 different ads. over the weekend (one full winter and one full summer), so at least 3 still around the Whitburn area. Cracking birds! (and nice shot Steve!)
There were noticeably more Common Gulls moving at Whitburn this weekend; spring passage normally peaks in late March and the first half of April, so a good chance to get a few more Meds coming through with them.

 

[The Liverbirder]

Journey South

Planning a trip south on Wed to hopefully add the RN Duck at Low Barns and the Hooded Crow to my Life List (feathers permitting). Any news as to whether they are still about, please.

Thought For The Day - Confucius says - Read Birdguides before posting on the Durham thread

 

[JBee]

Increasing numbers of Dunnock at the feeding station of late.
2 x Male and 1 x female chaffinch now regular.
Woodpecker has decided it's a lot easier just to take peanuts from the table.
Noticeable how bedraggled coal tits are looking after being in "dapper" condition a week or two ago.
Water rail showed very well today.
Ponds around the hide "boiling" with common frogs.

***Almost a "proper" twitchers report |;|

 

[IanF]

Planning a trip south on Wed to hopefully add the RN Duck at Low Barns and the Hooded Crow to my Life List (feathers permitting). Any news as to whether they are still about, please.

Bird Guides posted RN Duck hadn't been seen this morning - but it's still worth checking out. We saw it on West Pond, but it was first seen on the ponds in amongst the reeds below the hide-on-the-hill. Yesterday afternoon it was on the main pond, Marston Lake.

You'll likely pick up Hooded Crow at Low Barns as well. There's three of them around - all hybrids but one looks to be almost pure. They can be almost anywhere on the site, even the fields on the roadside as you approach Low Barns. On site the pastures and trees around West Pond are favoured as are the trees viewed from the South Hide. I've often seen them on the island opposite and even the grass bank to the left of the hide.

 

[IanF]

Planning a trip south on Wed to hopefully add the RN Duck at Low Barns and the Hooded Crow to my Life List (feathers permitting). Any news as to whether they are still about, please.

Thought For The Day - Confucius says - Read Birdguides before posting on the Durham thread

Lol! Sighting just came in to say the RN Duck was at Low Barns today after all :t:

 

[Paul Mc]

Just came in from my early evening walk the dogs and logged onto the site as a very excited person. Decided to check guides before posting and had several books out.
BARN OWL so excited I have to say it again BARN OWL, flew past me just a few feet away, in my 'garden'.
Stevie said he saw pellets here but now...I bet there is no other person on this site as excited as me right now!
Think I need a long drink and some medication!

Sorry people, hope you can undulge me just this once?

Paul

 

[IanF]

This morning I had a run through to Hartlepool. On the way I stopped off at Ward Jackson park. The Parakeets are still present though they were all in the tree tops and very mobile when I visited. Quite a few smaller birds in the trees mainly tits, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.

The Headland was pretty quiet over low tide this morning. Plenty of Eider on the sea but little else. In the harbour were a few Cormorant and RB Merganser.

A late afternoon visit to Seaton Snook for the high tide was quite productive. Walking along the dunes to the Snook there were Ringed Plover 30+ on the field by the power station - got stopped by the power station police again, but just for a chat as they know me now. On the field by the creek were a few Shelduck, Redshank and Oystercatcher.

Scanning across the water there was little to see, just the odd RB Merganser and Cormorant. Downstream Shag x5 were heading out to sea so I headed down to the end of the Snook itself. A Great Crested Grebe and A RT Diver were just off the end of the Snook. There were several more small groups of Shag scattered across the estuary. Numerous Cormorant flew in as well.

An hour before high tide the waders started to gather with Bar-tailed Godwit 30+, Grey Plover 30+, Knot 60+, Oystercatcher 30+, Dunlin 40+, and a few Redshank and Curlew.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Just came in from my early evening walk the dogs and logged onto the site as a very excited person. Decided to check guides before posting and had several books out.
BARN OWL so excited I have to say it again BARN OWL, flew past me just a few feet away, in my 'garden'.
Stevie said he saw pellets here but now...I bet there is no other person on this site as excited as me right now!
Think I need a long drink and some medication!
Sorry people, hope you can undulge me just this once?
Paul

I get the impression you're happy with your sighting....!! :t:
Excellent Paul, well chuffed for you! I can guess where you'll be tomorrow evening...!

 

[Paul Mc]

I get the impression you're happy with your sighting....!! :t:
Excellent Paul, well chuffed for you! I can guess where you'll be tomorrow evening...!

Thanks, I've been watching birds with a purpose for about 3yrs now and have a facination for owls and birds of prey. I had always thought that around the farm we must have something that will attract them.
For years the family have talked about 'screetching' and I have heard it on a regular basis but not seen anything until tonight.
I do a stressful job (as we all do) but today a guy told me he was going to kill me! Not a first but it takes its toll. Almost 20 yrs in martial arts and being an ugly git means I don't take it too seriously.
But I think tonight I was ready for something a bit special and at least for me it happened!
Seemed like just the time to break out that Chateau Musar!!!