Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[IanF]

Zinc Works Road this morning. The Yellow-browed Warbler reported last night was still in the migrant bushes - though seldom in the sun. Also a single Northern Wheatear.
Seaton Common was pretty common apart from Stonechat, Heron, Mallard and a Kestrel though wave after wave of PF Goose were passing high overhead.

 

[Mark Newsome]

...wave after wave of PF Goose were passing high overhead.

A Ross's Goose arrived with 80 Pink-footed Geese on Back Saltholme at mid-day (BirdGuides). Presumably the Northumberland bird of the last couple of weeks.

 

[StevieEvans]

cock Ring Ousel amongst thrushes & numerous Goldcrests at Penshaw this morning with a very interesting "pied" Moorhen (semi-albino) on the pool adjacent to Foxcover Plantation at Herrington CPk.
Also a garden tick buzzard ssp went south low over Houghton at lunchtime.
Steady no's of thrushes, Skylarks, Mipits & Siskins moving over during this week.
SE

 

[seggs]

trow this morn.

big surprise for me here his morn..
whilst watching the little owl in the main shrub area a BARN OWL flew from the trees and disappeared into one of the larger holes in the cliff!!! also witnessed by another bf member..(poor pic happened so quick)
also around to note..
2 pr.stonechats, 6+redwings,1 chiffchaff, a sparrowhawk was chased by c.crows over the sea..
a weasel hunted amoung the rocks in the bay

 

[matthall]

i was at north gare today. not much there. a sanpiper of some desription. too far away to identify properly , lots of linnets , loads of oystercatchers and a rock pipit.
maybe i was too late in the day.

 

[IanF]

i was at north gare today. not much there. a sandpiper of some desription. too far away to identify properly , lots of linnets , loads of oystercatchers and a rock pipit.
maybe i was too late in the day.

I think it was just a quiet day. I went down there this afternoon and along to Seaton Snook - very little at all. Weekends aren't brilliant down there especially when it's sunny as it's a popular place for visitors. Even along Zinc Works Road there were just a few Stonechat, Robin and Curlew passing overhead. The only raptors were a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk.

Saltholme Ponds were stowed out with birds this afternoon - Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Redshank, Greenshank, Snipe 20+, Little Egret x4, Grey Heron, Shoveler, Wigeon, Mallard, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Teal, Mute Swan, Water Rail etc. Hundreds of Geese on Back Saltholme but I didn't go over for a closer look as it meant looking stright into the sun - maybe a visit there in the morning is on the cards.

After seeing juvenile Sparrowhawk x3 at Cowpen Bewley this morning we had an adult male in the garden for over half an hour this afternoon - first adult in several weeks.

 

[echo24]

big surprise for me here his morn..
whilst watching the little owl in the main shrub area a BARN OWL flew from the trees and disappeared into one of the larger holes in the cliff!!! also witnessed by another bf member..(poor pic happened so quick)
also around to note..
2 pr.stonechats, 6+redwings,1 chiffchaff, a sparrowhawk was chased by c.crows over the sea..
a weasel hunted amoung the rocks in the bay

Hi Folks, my name's Dougie Holden and I live in South Shields. I've been a rather quiet member of BF for some time now and this is my first message so go easy!....just confirming Steves Barn Owl in Trow Quarry this morning, don't know who got the biggest suprise, Steve, me, or the Owl - it was accidently flushed from the trees in the quarry and was visible for about 20 seconds before disappearing into a hole in the cliff face which was immediately surrounded by 3 Jackdaws ( they made a right old racket).... I have only ever seen one Barn Owl before in trow and that was last December and it turned out to be a captive bred escapee complete with jesses....Todays bird was definately wild and what's more seemed very familiar with its surroundings - let's hope it there to stay - I'll let you all know!
Cheers,
Dougie.

 

[jason-t-71]

Ian there were at least 15 Barnacle geese in amongst the others at Saltholme, also at least 4 Little Stints and a single Ruff. No sign of the Buff Breasted Sandpiper when I was there though. There seems to be tonnes of Redwings about at the minute.

 

[JBee]

Feeding station relatively quiet other than lots of water rail (7 out in front of the hide today with another at the back of the feeding station)
Female kingfisher paid a couple of brief visits along with a couple of chiffchaff.

 

[seggs]

Hi Folks, my name's Dougie Holden and I live in South Shields. I've been a rather quiet member of BF for some time now and this is my first message so go easy!....just confirming Steves Barn Owl in Trow Quarry this morning, don't know who got the biggest suprise, Steve, me, or the Owl - it was accidently flushed from the trees in the quarry and was visible for about 20 seconds before disappearing into a hole in the cliff face which was immediately surrounded by 3 Jackdaws ( they made a right old racket).... I have only ever seen one Barn Owl before in trow and that was last December and it turned out to be a captive bred escapee complete with jesses....Todays bird was definately wild and what's more seemed very familiar with its surroundings - let's hope it there to stay - I'll let you all know!
Cheers,
Dougie.

hi again dougie
nice to see you active in the the forum..another shields lad and trow watcher,can't be bad..:t:
had a look at the marsden quarry and whitburn cp. later on today both quiet(from what i seen)except for small flocks of tits and a sleepy little owl at marsden q. small scattering of redwings at both sites..

 

[The Chairman]

Still at least 2 Yellow browed Warblers at Hartlepool Headland this afternoon both in the north east corner of the putting green at 3pm. Also Redwing Fieldfare Blackcap Chiffchaff and Crossbill at the headland. A 3rd YBWarbler trapped and ringed there this morning - also 2 YBWarblers in Seaton Carew Cemy, 1 in bushes early morning at Saltholme Pool, 1 in SW corner of Marsden Quarry and 1 in Whitburn Coastal Park today. 3 Lapland Buntings reported from Seaton Common.

 

[Bonsaibirder]

The best bird at the Blast beach today was a dead Gannet:C!

Still at least 2 Yellow browed Warblers at Hartlepool Headland this afternoon both in the north east corner of the putting green at 3pm. Also Redwing Fieldfare Blackcap Chiffchaff and Crossbill at the headland. A 3rd YBWarbler trapped and ringed there this morning - also 2 YBWarblers in Seaton Carew Cemy, 1 in bushes early morning at Saltholme Pool, 1 in SW corner of Marsden Quarry and 1 in Whitburn Coastal Park today. 3 Lapland Buntings reported from Seaton Common.

 

[DEREK.C.]

The feeding station at Elemore has come on lately, around 40 titmice there today including around 8 Willow Tit. These are by far the tamest (one actually landed on my head today while i was putting seed out )Interesting to see the size difference in Willow Tits, one or two were a lot larger and thicker set than the others.
6 Lesser Redpolls keep visiting along with a few Siskin, and a single Nuthatch pinching Sunflower and storing them nearby.
40 Goldfinch , 20 Greenfinch and 10 Bullfinch around nearby with 60 Redwing back in the hawthorn.
The Sparrowhawks are also enjoying it judging by the clumps of feathers about the place, if it gets too bad i think the plan will be abandoned.

 

[matthall]

around 40 titmice

do you call them titmice ? i am interested on what people call the birds.

 

[jason-t-71]

A couple of damp hours in Seaham Hall area this morning produced nothing too exciting save 7 Redwings hanging around the gardens, and 6 Red Throated Divers so close in that 1 of them got chased by a dog!!! Also had an hour at Silksworth Lakes. Fishing Lake was full of people fishing so was very quiet for birds, but the main Lake had loads of gulls. Over 100 Black Headeds were joined by a handfull of Herrings. I'm hopefull that in the coming months something exciting will join them!

 

[jason-t-71]

I think maybe some of the older generation (heh heh) might still use the term titmice but us younger ones dont.

 

[seggs]

do you call them titmice ? i am interested on what people call the birds.

hi matthall
its a older name for a group or family of small tits..
loads of different names for birds ..some local..some older style..

 

[seggs]

adult med. gull on the grass opposite the leas by the houses this morn.
28 magpies at one point together making a din in marsden quarry..

 

[IanF]

I had a ride up to the Headland at Hartlepool this afternoon for the high tide. On the rocks below Marine Drive were Knot x43, Redshank x23, Purple Sandpiper x9, Turnstone x11, Oystercatcher x47, Curlew x2. Once the tide covered the rocks they all headed for the beach along towards Steetley Pier.

In the bowling green were Redwing x6 and something small flitting around low down in the bushes but I couldn't get a clear enough view to say what it was.

At the Heugh Pier three Razorbill were diving alongside the pier wall. Lined up along the lower edge of the pier were Purple Sandpiper x27 and Turnstone x11. Several Cormorant and Shag were roosting on the rocks and a few Eider were in the bay. Most unusual sighting of the day was a Coot trying to clamber onto the rocks with the Cormorants and on failing then swimming along the sea wall following pedestrians as if looking for food. Rock Pipit x3 were on the beach and Pied Wagtail x2.

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Love the Redwing Ian and the Purple Sand is magnificent!

I had a ride up to the Headland at Hartlepool this afternoon for the high tide. On the rocks below Marine Drive were Knot x43, Redshank x23, Purple Sandpiper x9, Turnstone x11, Oystercatcher x47, Curlew x2. Once the tide covered the rocks they all headed for the beach along towards Steetley Pier.
.