Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[IanF]

Waxwings are back - I came across seven in Billingham Cemetery this morning :t:

Also present were - Fieldfare 60+, Redwing 40+, Mistle Thrush x4. In Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park alongside the cemetery - Siskin 80+ with one flock of c.40 with Redpoll c.7. In the Feeding Station Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellowhammer x6, Treesparrow c.12, Willow Tit x1 plus the normal species

 

[DEREK.C.]

Youll be glad to hear, as your unofficial Atlas Tetrad Sub-Contactor i didnt mind hiking across all those fields to confirm Barn & Little in that quarry for you, while you were off ticking free-range parrots & the like
cheers
SE

Thanks Steve, what do i owe you, a slab of your favourite Dairy Milk, or perhaps a Terrys Chocolate Orange will tickle your fancy.

 

[DEREK.C.]

Just the usual at my Feeding Station this afternoon, although 2 female Sparrowhawks were having a good old scrap when i first got there.
At least 10 Willow Tits about still, interesting to watch one take a peanut and drop it in the water for a few seconds before carrying it off.
A group of 30 Siskin keep coming to the pool for a drink, although there is to much Alder about to tempt them down to feed on the seed.
50 Goldfinch also in Alder today, with a Woodcock sometimes nearby, although proving impossible to see, until he flies up .

 

[great bustard]

driving between West Rainton and Finchale Abbey Buzzards X2 in field to left and another large raptor which i believe to be a female Goshawk? About the same size as the Buzzard but the wing didnt seem as "straight" and " fingered" as Buzzard.

 

[thorin]

Can anyone tell me where Jacksons Landing is at Hartlepool Harbour and if the BT diver is still around.

cheers Nick

 

[IanF]

Can anyone tell me where Jacksons Landing is at Hartlepool Harbour and if the BT diver is still around.

cheers Nick

Yep! It's still around - at least it still was this morning.

Here's a multimap link - Jacksons Landing - the Diver is in the bay above the word 'Mus' - it can be viewed from three sides - parking at each - though the south side is best if you want photos as the sun is behind you. If not in sight when you arrive wait 1-2 minutes as it spends a lot of time under water when feeding.

 

[IanF]

No sign of the Waxwing at Billingham Cemetery this morning. Still 40+ Fieldfare and a few Redwing and Mistle Thrush.

 

[The Chairman]

A decent turn out this morning for the first DBC Identification workshop despite the rain later in the morning. Everyone enjoyed excellent views of many of the waders with Knot and Purple Sandpiper performing admirably. Also opportunities to seperate Shag and Cormorant, Red throated and Black throated Diver - the latter in Jackson's landing showing exceptionally well. Several species of gulls in various plumages also seen although we missed the Glaucous Gull at Hartlepool those who travelled on to the outfall at Newburn on the south side of Hartlepool Bay enjoyed sensational close views of 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls only feet away - a rather more distant Slavonian Grebe was also sighted. All in all very enjoyable.

 

[The Chairman]

Durham Bird Club - Christmas Social Evening and Quiz

Not to be missed judging from the comments of the 2006 participants members and guests (ie future members are cordially invited to spend an evening discussing all things birdy over a festive beer or three and also taking part in not overly serious annual quiz. A moderate buffet will be available and hopefully prizes as well but its primarily about enjoying yourselves with like minded birding folk.

The location is the Tap & Spile PH in Framwellgate Moor

The date Thursday 13 December 2007 at 7.30pm but it might pay to come early to ensure a seat!

Look forward to your company.

Further details on the DBC Website and on page 32 of the Autumn 2007 issue of The Lek.

 

[IanF]

The only chance I got for any birding today was on the way back from the recylcing centre. I called in at Billingham Cemetery again where I found around 100 birds. Just a single Waxwing today, but at least we had some decent sunny weather for a while. Others included Fieldfare 60+, Redwing c.20, Mistle Thrush x6, Great Spotted Woodpecker x1 and Blackbird x9. The large flcok of Siskin 60+ was around as well.

 

[rokermartin]

Sunderland Harbour 1 ad YL Gull and a Peregrine ,Whitburn 1 ad Med Gull this pm.

 

[dln424]

Hello guys. I live in Birmingham but i am visiting my sister in Sadberge for the weekend. I was hoping to escape from the nephews for an hour or two, but was wondering if you could recommend anywhere for me to go that is close to Sadberge (Darlington) and would be worth spending a few hours at. I am a new birder so any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[IanF]

Hello guys. I live in Birmingham but i am visiting my sister in Sadberge for the weekend. I was hoping to escape from the nephews for an hour or two, but was wondering if you could recommend anywhere for me to go that is close to Sadberge (Darlington) and would be worth spending a few hours at. I am a new birder so any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Not many birding locations around Sadberge itself. Coatham Wood is pretty close by at Longnewton but I'm not sure what's around at present as I don't often visit there. Usually the area attracts several Short-eared Owl in winter but they may not have arrived yet.

To the north near Bishop Auckland is Low Barns Reserve still probably the best reserve in the County. It at least has a few hides, if the weather is not too good and is a pleasant walk around the reserve of only about a mile. Plus it has a feeding station.

If you're heading east at all then my area around North Tees Marshes is pretty good - check out the Teesmouth Bird Club website in my signature for details of locations and sightings. My local patch of Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park always has plenty of birds to see.

Any of these areas are 20 minutes from Sadberge though Coatham Wood is only ten minutes at most.

 

[IanF]

White-letter Hairstreak Butterfly recording project

Possibly of interest to some members especially as there are three areas in County Durham.

A request for details to be posted from Andrew Middleton, Butterfly Conservation Herts & Middx Branch.

White-letter Hairstreak Recording Project

Durham and the NE seems to have a good population of WLH, and it
would be fantastic were any interested people able to look for elm and WLH in the Durham random targets or beyond.

NZ2946 between Durham and Chester-le-Street
NZ3746 between Murton and Easington Lane
NZ3610 south-east of Darlington
NZ1315 west of Darlington near Ovington / R.Tees
plus two higher altitude targets in West Durham.

It's much easier than it sounds and really quite enjoyable. Why not
take a winter or spring walk around one of the squares and take a look at
a new area you may never have visited before - test your tree
identification skills - pull down a branch or two and there's a good chance you will find an egg (checking it's the right kind ofcourse). If no eggs can be
found,then you, or perhaps someone else, can return in early July to see
if the adults are zipping around over the tree-tops.
Any help with this project would be much appreciated, and hopefully
anyone taking part will enjoy perhaps finding out a little more
about White-letter Hairstreaks.

 

[JBee]

Decided to take advantage of the sun and have a ride to Jacksons Landing for the black throated diver. Unfortunately it never ventured too close. The 7 red breasted merganser (3 male + 4 female) did come slightly closer, though a few more brave yards would have been welcomed.
Finished day at Ward Jackson Park as a guy told me he had just had 9 ring necked parakeets.
High up in the trees against an ever darkening sky wasnt ideal but it was good enough to make a tally of three new species photographed.
Another visit to both venues is in order I think.

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Hi JBee,

Nice pictures! Are you sure you haven't turned into a birder yet?

Cheers,

Decided to take advantage of the sun and have a ride to Jacksons Landing for the black throated diver. Unfortunately it never ventured too close. The 7 red breasted merganser (3 male + 4 female) did come slightly closer, though a few more brave yards would have been welcomed.
Finished day at Ward Jackson Park as a guy told me he had just had 9 ring necked parakeets.
High up in the trees against an ever darkening sky wasnt ideal but it was good enough to make a tally of three new species photographed.
Another visit to both venues is in order I think.

 

[malcolm hobbs]

Billingham Cemetry

Single Waxwing still with Fieldfares, occassionally visiting the trees that line the entrance road.

Black-throated Diver still at Jacksons Landing.

Malcolm.

 

[dln424]

Not many birding locations around Sadberge itself. Coatham Wood is pretty close by at Longnewton but I'm not sure what's around at present as I don't often visit there. Usually the area attracts several Short-eared Owl in winter but they may not have arrived yet.

To the north near Bishop Auckland is Low Barns Reserve still probably the best reserve in the County. It at least has a few hides, if the weather is not too good and is a pleasant walk around the reserve of only about a mile. Plus it has a feeding station.

If you're heading east at all then my area around North Tees Marshes is pretty good - check out the Teesmouth Bird Club website in my signature for details of locations and sightings. My local patch of Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park always has plenty of birds to see.

Any of these areas are 20 minutes from Sadberge though Coatham Wood is only ten minutes at most.

Thanks for this, if i get time i'll try some out.

Regards

 

[Paul Mc]

Waxwings

Finished work in M.boro by lunchtime (and they agreed my invoice!), in high spirits I went in search of Billingham cemetary...for the waxwing. There is obviously more than one cemetary in Billingham...the one near Haverton Hill is not the one I wanted(?) so missed the waxwing!
Least I had my bins today, on firday I had a gorgous walk around Hurworth Burn with the sun shining and loads of birds about but no bins...or wellies!
Think I need to buy some compacts I can leave in the car - the wellies are now there.
Sadly work has got in the way of birding lately & not had much free time. Magpies are mobbing my modest feed station...trying hard to resist offering them pellets of the lead kind! Tree sparrows et al doing well tho.
Any more sightings of the croxdale hawfinch? About a mile from me along our lane.

Paul Mc

 

[Ray.Scott]

Also went to Jacksons Landing on Monday to photograph Black throated diver. Jaybee arrived shortly after me, as soon as he arrived the sun went in and the bird life went to the other side of the landing.
Does he always carry this luck !!
Birds seen were 7 x R.B. Meganser, 3 x Cormorant, B.T. Diver & Flock of Lapwings.
Continued up to Jackson Park for Ring Necked Parakeet.

Thanks to Ian F. for info on location of Diver.