Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[seggs]

Normally dont have much luck with kestrels hovering (normally head away from me once they see camera getting mounted onto tripod) but got lucky with this one

i wish!!!! pics 1 & 2 are the ones i see as brill... shows the birds focus on the prey..eyes and head fixed!! body adjusting to stay there... :clap:

 

[ted hilland]

Thanks Mark
seemed like we were gonna be in for a real early year too....

( i generally think of 10th/11th as arrival date for next wave of stuff like Yellow Wags, House Martin, Tree Pipit & the first few Redstarts -
Seems like we have yet to get our full contingent of "early stuff " like Ring Ouzels & Wheatears & Blackcaps.......maybe everthing will all pour in together..? )
Cheers Ste

Trust me Summers here, 4 f.....g grass fires today, Its got me p...ed off already. Chiff-chaff singing like hell while I was sweating my pods off, only time Im not happy to hear Chiff-chaff is while Im sucking in fumes from burnt grass and woodland, roll on Jan 2009.

 

[sharpy]

Normally dont have much luck with kestrels hovering (normally head away from me once they see camera getting mounted onto tripod) but got lucky with this one

Fabulous series John, must save up for that lens!! Hope to get up to your place Wed. ( I'll get in touch beforehand ) What did you think of ' THE ANGEL OF THE WASHINGTON' post
Regards Alan.

 

[JBee]

Fabulous series John, must save up for that lens!! Hope to get up to your place Wed. ( I'll get in touch beforehand ) What did you think of ' THE ANGEL OF THE WASHINGTON' post
Regards Alan.

It was a great pose Alan - specially just out of the water as it was.
Just my luck they started to feed when I left BUT I did get a few shots elsewhere.
I think I only ever photograph the heron who are really bad at fishing as all my shots show nothing bigger than a stickeback, I want a shot of one with a 10lb carp in its beak

 

[Dab-chick]

Great Grey Shrike???

Was that Great Grey Shrike still up there ?
SE

Steve i didn't know there had been any reports about a GG Shrike up that way! Can't believe i missed out on that! :-C The last GGS i saw was at Hurworth Burn in 2005 (i think :h?: ) so would have loved to see one today! I'm off out again tomorrow so might have another look up there. Could you let me know more details, location etc.....?

Thanks
Dab-chick

 

[Ian Hamiltan]

timber beach,southwick very early am.
4 shelduck
pr mallard
pheasant
curlew
redshank
woodpigeon
5 wren
2 robin
1 song thrush
3-4 blackbird
2 chiffchaff
3 blue tit
1 great tit
6 jackdaw
carrion crow
2 chaffinch
bullfinch

 

[ALFIE TEMPLE]

2 Pink Feet and a Swallow at Boldon Flats

 

[littlebrownthing]

Anyone got any thoughts about birding sites near Keswick I can visit for a few hours on Friday morning? Not meeting friends till about 11 so thought I might get over there early and do some spotting.......
Cheers
Chris

 

[StevieEvans]

mixed bag

House Martins starting to arrive with singles at Finchale & Hetton today & 2 at Sedgeletch at teatime.

Finchale Abbey also had Swallow & Sand Martins over the valley.

Hooded Crow remains at Houghton Biffa Tip

Nuthatch taking material into mud encased nest hole at Consett.

Barn Owl between Seaham & Houghton yestday morning.

4 Willow Warblers & a drake O. jamaicensis back at Hetton Lyons

Female Long-eared Owls watched today, 3 seen sitting rather nonchalantly facing the sun, while incubating their clutches. :t:
( hopefully pics to follow )

( Pied Fly in Cumbria today & Redstart in N.Yorks Dales )

SE

 

[Duckman]

Practice makes perfect.

Slightly confused as to what is being got at here. Shot is of a lovely female Comb Duck - not a native of the Durham area but looking at the state of the water would imagine the bird shares the same pen as the Washington WWT Flamingos. Sadly had the shot been taken in the sun it would have no doubt shown off the duck's beautiful metalic purple & bottle green plumage to the full. Still very nice all the same.

 

[StevieEvans]

forgot

Slightly confused as to what is being got at here. Shot is of a lovely female Comb Duck - not a native of the Durham area but looking at the state of the water would imagine the bird shares the same pen as the Washington WWT Flamingos. Sadly had the shot been taken in the sun it would have no doubt shown off the duck's beautiful metalic purple & bottle green plumage to the full. Still very nice all the same.

Sorry to be a rude bustard , BUT The above is a load of useless waffle & nowt whatsoever to do with a Local Patch.

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Watched a colony of House Sparrows yesterday.
6 pairs Nesting together (seperate active nests) in a Hawthorn Hedge on the edge of allotment gardens - havnt seen spugs nesting away from / outside of a building for 20+ years.
Ive heard about big communal "ball" nests from years ago (<1970's) when these birds used to join together into four figure flocks.....
Anyone remember this ?


Houghton Gate Golden Plover flock peaked at 1,100 birds one evening last week. ( MH )
I heard Golden Plovers going over north east late last night plus 1 Redwing heard going East.

SE

 

[patmartin]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Watched a colony of House Sparrows yesterday.
6 pairs Nesting together (seperate active nests) in a Hawthorn Hedge on the edge of allotment gardens - havnt seen spugs nesting away from / outside of a building for 20+ years.
Ive heard about big communal "ball" nests from years ago (<1970's) when these birds used to join together into four figure flocks.....
Anyone remember this.

SE

Hi Steve,thirty years ago just about every house in the street had a House spug nest at the top of their drainpipe.These nests were made up of straw and long grass piled onto the bend at the top of a drainpipe and could be the size of a football and even bigger in some cases.Nests were also constructed in large Hawthorns and Poplar trees,some trees having as many as a dozen nests,Jarrow cemetery held a large number of such colonies,dont know why they stopped nesting like this but I have seen such nests in recent times when on holiday in warmer climes,maybe someone can enlighten us,Pat

 

[Ian Hamiltan]

barmston pond early am.
pr little grebe
1 grey heron
pr mute swan
2 canada geese
4 teal
8 mallard
15 tufted duck
10 coot
4 moorhen
lbb gull
herring gull
wren
robin
blackbird
willow warbler (first of the spring for me)
chiffchaff
long tailed tit
willow tit
coal tit
great tit
chaffinch
skylark singing from nissan

north hylton
2 mute swan
shelduck
mallard
pr grey partridge
120 redshank
curlew
grey heron
skylark
blackcap
4 chiffchaff
coal tit
jay
yellowhammer

timber beach
1 turnstone
blackcap
willow warbler
2 chiffchaff
willow tit

glorious weather birds singing all over the place
dont you just love the spring

 

[Skelly]

2 Swallows at Washington WWT this morning along with the pair of Avocet

B

 

[headlander]

Had a look to bishop middleham this afternoon, and got off to a great start with a little ringed plover being the first bird seen at the roadside pool.
Castle lake held 3-4 pair of shelduck,shovelar,gadwall + 8 sand martin,single green sandpiper, great crested grebes and little grebes+ peregrine flying over. Canada goose, lapwing and oystercatcher all look like nesting on the island up to now. Castle farm held dozens of yellowhammer,chaffinch +half a dozen redwing and tree sparrow .

Visited Castle Lake this morning about 7am.(11th April)
In addition to the birds noted by Derek on Monday there were 30 Golden Plover, a dozen Curlew, Kestrel,several Redshank,1 Little Owl, three Grey Heron & a few Greylag.

At Hardwick Park, Sedgefield - a pair of Nuthatch nest building, also 8 Little Grebe, a few Pochard,Treecreeper , Goldcrest, Bullfinch & 6 Sand Martins.

GSW & Sparrowhawk in the back garden ( Sedgefield) over the Easter Weekend.

 

[DenBee]

Wind Farm South Sharpley

There are proposals to erect 8 massive Wind Turbines in an area that attracts large numbers of wintering Geese and Waterfowl on three ponds.
These turbines will run right through the centres of these ponds, and also open countryside with set aside.
One of the local landowners along with local residents are asking for support in their objections to this construction as they believe it will have a serious effect on the countryside and visiting bird species.
If you would like to add your support, the landowner would appreciate every piece of written objection forwarded to himself or myself. For further information or if you wish to forward a letter of objection via myself contact through my P.M.
(If this post is inappropriate for this site then I apologise for the intrusion.)

 

[allan rowell]

Slightly more polite reply.

Slightly confused as to what is being got at here. Shot is of a lovely female Comb Duck - not a native of the Durham area but looking at the state of the water would imagine the bird shares the same pen as the Washington WWT Flamingos.

I,m just finding out how to use the Forum PLEASE forgive me my sins and well done with your ID.
hopefully I,ve just learnt how to get the red quote boxes up !

Allan

 

[The Chairman]

Just a reminder for all of you looking in that next Thursday - 19th April - sees the last indoor meeting of the winter 2006/7 programme when the weather means we can get out to visit our friends/members in the south-west and congregate in the village hall at Eggleston. The village hall is opposite the Three Tuns PH which may well benefit from an increase in business later in the evening. If you require a map please go the the DBC website for further details.

The subject matter for the evening in question is an account of the 2006 Birdrace which took place on 12 May 2006 (the 2007 race is set for 12 May as well) so if you fancy a whistle stop tour of your home county come along and meet your fellow members for a good evenings entertainment. With the light nights now here if you come via Weardale there should be an opportunity to see a few moorland birds en route as there are now plenty of Ring Ouzels and Wheatears in around Bollihope.

Hope to see you there.

PS If you know someone in your area who is also likely to go why not team up and car share to save on petrol and reduce environmental pollution. You never know it could be the start of a beautiful friendship!

 

[white van man]

Anyone got any thoughts about birding sites near Keswick I can visit for a few hours on Friday morning? Not meeting friends till about 11 so thought I might get over there early and do some spotting.......
Cheers
Chris

you could have a drive up to dodd wood all sorts up there including red squirrels.You could also keep an eye open for the ospreys that are due any day now. just north or keswick bout 5 mile :brains:

 

[great bustard]

Willow warbler , 4 chiff chaff, gsw, amongst usual at brasside pond. Also saw 5 wheateater together today when at work (in northumberland)
Sparrowhawk with moorhen being hotly pursuied by 10 plus crows at castle lake!