Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[harry eales]

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

I assume there was nothing humerous happening, hence the lack of Laughing Gulls. Sorry Stevie, I couldn't resist that.

Harry

 

[StevieEvans]

I assume there was nothing humerous happening, hence the lack of Laughing Gulls. Sorry Stevie, I couldn't resist that.
Harry

Harry, Hope it isnt going to turn out to be a Laughing at us Gull ..... & not be seen again...

Local Bird News

Blackhall
Common Scoter flock is round 350, there are 13 Velvet Scoter with them. Also 42 Eider, 4 RB Merganser, 4 RT Diver, 1 BT Diver, 5 GC Grebe.

Crimdon
3 Shag, 14 RB Merganser 12 Snow Bunting in the dunes.

Hartlepool
180+ Common Scoter close inshore with 5 Velvet Scoter ,150+ Eider, 8 Shag, 1 ad Mediterranean Gull.

 

[Mark Newsome]

I checked the South Shields gull roost last night in the hope of Laughing Gull - like you Steve, a zero count. However 2 adult Med gulls were present along with c1500 Common and c2000 Black-headed. I'm sure it'll still be lurking in our area somewhere...

 

[Mark Newsome]

5 Waxwings at Roker/Monkwearmouth today (for second day), just next to Allied Carpets.

 

[StevieEvans]

Mild today
2 Great Tit, Blackbird & Mistle Thrush singing around the gardens

 

[IanF]

An unexpected bright sunny day toady so I took a couple of hours off work and headed down to Seaton Snook. Timing was totally wrong as it was a very low low tide and next to no birds about - just a few Cormorants and Oystercatchers and the odd Redshank. High tide/incoming tide is definitely the best time for this location.

It was however nice to bump into Pauliev69. We had a further wander around but the best we could come up with was a Robin, Reed Bunting and three Stonechat which proved very camera shy.

As the sun disappeared behind the clouds at the onset of dusk we headed back towards Port Clarence hoping for a few Waxwing. Sure enough we found them in the trees by Calor Gas and on the berry bushes on the opposite side of the road. It was a bit too gloomy for decent photos but we gave it a go. After a few minutes a Kestrel came through and put them all up. A photo of the flock as the disappeared towards the east showed 66 Waxwing and two Pigeon.

 

[pauliev69]

Spent most of this morning at Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park feeding station hoping to see and photograph the Marsh Tits that IanF has shown in his gallery this week.
They did not dissapoint, I counted at least 4 different birds judging by the way they were feeding in seperate areas.
Moved on to Dormans Pool but it was very quite so drove up to Seaton Snook were I bumped into IanF which was a nice suprise. As Ian says there was not much about so it was a stroke of luck that we found the Waxwings giving me my very first chance to photograph these superb birds. The lateness of the day meant the lighting was poor so not the best pics in the world. All in all avery good day
Cowpen Bewley
Marsh Tit, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow
Seaton
Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare
Port Clarence
Waxwing 50+

 

[Mark Newsome]

A few Waxwings in South Tyneside area today - 5 in Whitburn CP, 6 by Allied Carpets at Monkwearmouth and 2 over South Marine Park, South Shields.

 

[StevieEvans]

Rainton Meadows (AM)
hundreds of Gulls including:-
1 ad Yellow Legged Gull
1 ad Mediterranean Gull
1 SEO
2 kestrel
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Redshank
Sparrowhawk chasing a Kestrel.

 

[Skelly]

Tawny Owl sitting on electricity pylon this evening, on road towards Cox Green, just off A183 past Herrington CP.

B

 

[StevieEvans]

Late Owl News
Unfortunately a dead Long-eared Owl was picked up at Follingsby, Gateshead Borough, after flying into a window on the Industrial Estate.
This was a young bird & was found at the end of the summer....... raising the possibility of it having been locally bred.......?

 

[StevieEvans]

Single Waxwing at Langley Moor today, Kwik Save car park

Great Norther Diver & Slavonian Grebe nr Hawthorn yesterday
500 Common Scoter in Hawthorn / Easington area
Barn Owl at Hetton Lyons on Monday evening.
Peregrine, Med Gull, 350 Greylags & 4 SEO at R.Medaz today.

SE

 

[IanF]

Port Clarence - Calor Gas - 14:00 hrs

Waxwing 80+
Fieldfare 9

Reclamation Pond

Slavonian Grebe
Red-necked Grebe (very distant)

 

[pauliev69]

Port Clarence - Calor Gas - 14:00 hrs

Waxwing 80+
Fieldfare 9

Reclamation Pond

Slavonian Grebe
Red-necked Grebe (very distant)

Three superb images Ian, same spot as yesterday? what a difference that lighting makes, well captured. Christine is extremley jealous, she says she might stake out the area on Saturday untill she sees one!
See you around

 

[IanF]

Same place Paul :t:

I checked out Sainsbury's mid morning but couldn't see any berry bushes let alone Waxwing so I returned here instead. Even at 14:00 hrs the sun was a little low in the sky, but at least they were there and sometimes posing well.

 

[StevieEvans]

Teeside today
Excellent views of 55+ Waxwing at Port Clarence, 20 Fieldfare with them.
2 Slavonian Grebe & 1 Red Necked Grebe on Rec Pond.
North Gare 1 Stonechat & 14 Snow Bunting.
Hartlepool 1 adult Med Gull and the Scoters are still around
SE

 

[john gardiner]

Salter's Gate this afternoon
pair Buzzard, Kestrel, GSW, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove, Lesser Redpoll, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Pheasant.
Buzzard being mobbed by 2 Carrion Crows in field at West Edmondsley it then flew off into Wardle's Wood.
Just been told today of what sounds like a Red Kite at Chester Moor on Monday.

 

[StevieEvans]

Little Owl on the neighbours roof, woke us up at 3AM
sounds like Buzzards are now realy getting a foothold.

 

[Skelly]

Laughing Gull seen at Sedgeletch, reported at 14:39.

Reports seem to indicate that it's a different bird to the one that was at Shibdon.

B

 

[StevieEvans]

Laughing Gull seen at Sedgeletch, reported at 14:39.
Reports seem to indicate that it's a different bird to the one that was at Shibdon.
B

So near yet so far...
Seen within 500metres of my house, but i was 2,000m away from it at the time..
Seems every other Laughing Gull in Uk coming to bread except ours.
2 moro maybe....?
off to corner shop to get some of the finest best buy sliced white
SE

Local Bird News
imm Peregrine, 2 SEO, 3 Shoveller & fem Scaup- R.Meadows