Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[IanF]

First time I've seen them at that spot this winter Steve, though I met a guy down there who reckoned there were 100+ a few days ago.

I don't know about the feeding though I must admit I spread a few sunflower hearts around myself They were pretty mobile bewteen the sand extraction piles and the corner of the 'snook' where the dunes reach the river. The same guy had a dog with him which disturbed them and they made off up the creek along the powerstation fence followed a few minutes later by the Merlin which had been sat in the edge of the dunes watching them. The hide beside Greatham Creek mouth is usually a good place to see them as well - sometimes they're right in front of the hide.

 

[StevieEvans]

100+ !
hopefully they'll stick around all winter... & maybe attract something else.... Shorelark perhaps...?
As you say Greatham Creek / Greenabella & the Seal Sands hide area are usually best. Ive watched them go to roost late afternoon, over several winters in a quite small patch of phragmites reeds at southern end of brackish laggon on Long Drag.
i would have imagined that they'd simply roost on the ground or maybe in willow scrub.... the reeds seemed a strange choice.
SE

Mistle Thrush singing its heart out at home this afternoon.
cock Kestrel with a short tailed field vole at close range on fence at Herrington CP
flockof 450 Starling there


Local Bird News

Herrington CPK
1st winter Mediterranean Gull, 1st winter Yellow Legged Gull & 1 SEO.

Ryhope Cliff Tops
5 Snow Buntings remain.

 

[IanF]

Despite the miserable weather I had a run through to Hartlepool this afternoon - high tide.

Lifeboat pier -
Common Scoter x1
Cormorant
Eider x2
Shag
Red-breasted Merganser
Guillemot
Oystercatcher x20

Fish quay -
Great Northern Diver showing very well.

Afraid I packed in once the rain came down in earnest |=(|

 

[john gardiner]

2 SEO at Rainton Meadows this afternoon.

 

[Skelly]

2 Waxwings reported on the cycle path between Newton Hall and Aykley Heads this morning.

 

[StevieEvans]

Local Bird News

Ryhope
1 Lapland Bunting
2 Peregrine
1 Great Northern Diver
1 Little Auk

Seaham
1 Slavonian Grebe.

Houghton yesterday
Barn Owl over sub urban housing estate at dusk & a single Waxwing reported nr Co-op.

 

[Skelly]

Waldridge Fell

Single Stonechat
Bullfinch
Magpie
Kestrel
Parties of 3 & 5 Grey Partridge
Pheasant
Dipper on fast flowing stream at bottom of the fell, first time I've had one at this site.

B

 

[Skelly]

15 Waxwings at Back Saltholme this morning.
Also 50+ Fieldfare
10+ Pintail on Saltholme
Good numbers of Wigeon, Teal and Gadwall as well
Pair of Stonechat on track to hide at Dormans
500+ Golden Plover on Saltholme

 

[russkie]

hurrah

managed to catch up with the waxwings at salthome today

heres a couple of pics - not brillliant cos the kight and rain was bad but thought id share them with you

nigel

 

[Denis J]

Barn owl across the road at Lambton bridge this morning

 

[IanF]

Well done getting the Waxwing Ian & Nigel :t:

I was down there myself this morning but not until 11.00am. I checked out the trees beside Calor Gas and in Port Clarence itself but no joy. Looks like you struck lucky.

I started off at Hartlepool and worked my way down back towards Port Clarence.

The GN Diver was showing nicely in the harbour working it's way round and round from the Fish Quay entrance to the Lifeboat Pier and the Pilot Pier.

From Pilot Pier a flock of 52 Twite flew over strangely heading out to sea though they could have gone north or south as well.

Other birds were

RB Merganser x12
Guillemot x7
Redshank x20+
Oystercatcher
Eider
Cormorant
Purple Sandpiper
Turnstone
Curlew

Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park feeding station

Chaffinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Marsh Tit x3
Coal Tit
Treesparrow
Yellowhammer
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

 

[Mouldy]

Was at Shibdon Pond today doing WeBS count. Gull I couldn't identify at the time turned out to be a 2nd winter Laughing Gull. It was there from when I arrived at 11.50am till I departed at 1.10pm. Reported (with pics) on Gatesheadbirders website (www.gatesheadbirders.co.uk) as having flown off at 2pm.

 

[pauliev69]

Well done getting the Waxwing Ian & Nigel :t:

I was down there myself this morning but not until 11.00am. I checked out the trees beside Calor Gas and in Port Clarence itself but no joy. Looks like you struck lucky.

I started off at Hartlepool and worked my way down back towards Port Clarence.

The GN Diver was showing nicely in the harbour working it's way round and round from the Fish Quay entrance to the Lifeboat Pier and the Pilot Pier.

From Pilot Pier a flock of 52 Twite flew over strangely heading out to sea though they could have gone north or south as well.

Other birds were

RB Merganser x12
Guillemot x7
Redshank x20+
Oystercatcher
Eider
Cormorant
Purple Sandpiper
Turnstone
Curlew

Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park feeding station

Chaffinch
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Marsh Tit x3
Coal Tit
Treesparrow
Yellowhammer
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

Cracking pics of the Diver and the Turnstone Ian, DSLR or Digiscoped?

 

[StevieEvans]

Barn owl across the road at Lambton bridge this morning

:t: (hope it keeps away from the M-Way.)


Webs - Rainton Meadows
1 GCGrebe, 5 Dabchick
fem Goldeneye, drake Pochard, 16 Tufted Duck
173 Mallard, 4 Gadwall, 69 Teal
73 Canada Goose, 39 Greylag Goose, 14 Mute Swan
110 Coot, 26 Moorhen, 1 Water Rail
13 Curlew, 2 Woodcock, 37 Snipe, 2 Jack Snipe, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Reed Bunting
GBBGull , HGull, CGull , BHGull
9N Skylark, 2 Meadow Pipit
9Bullfinch, 7Chaffinch, 5Greenfinch, 111Goldfinch, 52Siskin, 7+Lesser Redpoll
7Wren, 11Robin, 5Dunnock, 22Blackbird, 4Song Thrush, NilFieldfare, NilRedwing
14Goldcrest, 3Willow Tit, 50Long tail Tit, Blue Tit,Coal Tit, Great Tit, 2Treecreeper
72N Wood Pigeon, pr Stock Dove, 1 Jay, 25 Magpie, Nil Grey Partridge
3 - 5 SEO 3 fighting together, inc 1 very plae bird, 2 LEO, 10 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk ad M & imm F.
SE

 

[IanF]

Cracking pics of the Diver and the Turnstone, Ian, DSLR or Digiscoped?

DSLR :t:

By the time I'd set the scope up it had moved off again!

 

[StevieEvans]

Was at Shibdon Pond today doing WeBS count. Gull I couldn't identify at the time turned out to be a 2nd winter Laughing Gull. It was there from when I arrived at 11.50am till I departed at 1.10pm. Reported (with pics) on Gatesheadbirders website (www.gatesheadbirders.com) as having flown off at 2pm.

Hi Mouldy,
Great find there ! Nice 1.
(hope its seen all its relatives down our way......)
Steve

Just goes to show how wrong all those folks are, who think survey work is all "Long Hours, No Flowers"
The previous Shibdon bird was found during fieldwork for BTO winter Atlas 22/01/1984 & was enjoyed by many ! returning to winter on Tyneside for the next 3 years....
Hope yours sticks too Mouldy !

 

[DaveB]

Found and reported a very dirty Whooper Swan at Escomb this afternoon. Birdguides told me of the Laughing Gull, so I decided to check out a gull roost near Newfield.

No gulls present at the time, but there was up to 40 Lapwing in the field were they normally bathe and rest. Checked the tip and there must have been 300 - 400 gulls there. I gave it a good scan, which was ended when the little one said, 'can we go now'?

100+ Fieldfare on wires close to Shaftos Pub.

 

[Mouldy]

Hi Mouldy,
Great find there ! Nice 1.
(hope its seen all its relatives down our way......)
Steve

Just goes to show how wrong all those folks are, who think survey work is all "Long Hours, No Flowers"
The previous Shibdon bird was found during fieldwork for BTO winter Atlas 22/01/1984 & was enjoyed by many ! returning to winter on Tyneside for the next 3 years....
Hope yours sticks too Mouldy !

Must admit I wouldn't have got it if it weren't for the survey, the biggest reason I volunteered was because I know how lazy I am in the winter (I don't do cold) and it would 'encourage' me to get out, especially to Shibdon where I don't go regularly anyway. I'm also pleased someone else saw and photographed it 'cos even from my notes I don't know whether I would have made a definite ID and would have ended up in my probables list. But then again it might be back at Shibdon even as I type....

Cheers

 

[StevieEvans]

Must admit I wouldn't have got it if it weren't for the survey, the biggest reason I volunteered was because I know how lazy I am in the winter (I don't do cold) and it would 'encourage' me to get out, especially to Shibdon where I don't go regularly anyway. I'm also pleased someone else saw and photographed it 'cos even from my notes I don't know whether I would have made a definite ID and would have ended up in my probables list.
Cheers

Dont know about you, but when doing the webs (& having to count every water bird..) i find it does keep me on my toes so to speak.
Im sure someone in Cornwall found one last month on Webs too !

But then again it might be back at Shibdon even as I type....

Hope so, (hope it likes white bread...)
Steve

 

[StevieEvans]

Red Kites
17 Barlow Burn late afternoon, including 15 roosting together in a single isolated Sycamore tree.
MAP: www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=54.9488&lon=-1.7533&scale=25000&icon=x
With these wing-tagged birds noted:-

15 being harrassed by a Magpie, trying to pull its tail.
16
21
24 left roost tree & headed to tip in direct line, appeared to flush all the gulls on purpose, flying 6' above ground - didnt get mobbed once. After flying right across the tip it returned to the roost tree.
38
41 feeding on worms below roost tree
44 feeding on worms below roost tree
50
53 feeding on worms below roost tree
55
56
60.
(The 2 others perched the whole time on huge metal pylon)

As the light was fading, the whole 15 left this pre-roost & travelled a few hundred metres up the valley into sheltered woodland below the Pub.

Approx 3,500 mixed gulls on the 2 tips nr Greenside & a GSW over.

Shibdon Pond
female Kingfisher fishing, favouring the SWest corner.
13 Snipe
2 Redshank
1 Water Rail
37 Moorhen
68 Teal
2 Jay
Male Siskin
Male GSW
ad fem Sparrowhawk
pr Mistle Thrush
2pr Bullfinch
zero Laughing Gulls