Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[DEREK.C.]

Weardale wander

Lovely day over the moors, not a breath of wind. Quiet at first apart from the Red Grouse, although there is still around 100 Brambling at Hunstanworth.
Stopped for a bite to eat and noticed , what i thought were two Buzzards on a distant ridge, luckily i had the scope in the car, and the birds turned out to be a Goshawk and Hen Harrier, a female Goshawk, because even at distance it was obviously larger than the harrier. The Goshawk made it clear it didnt want the Harrier around and lucky for me it sailed over my way , its hard to tell with the pics but it could be a young male.
A bonus on the way back with 3 Short Eared owls in an aerial display near Smiddyshaw Res. If anybody was in the Moorcock Inn, they would have had a grandstand view.

 

[Robert Hammond]

Kestrels and Starlings

Hi,

I'm a first timer here on BirdForum but I've been following your thread for a week or two now. I thought you may be interested in this photo (hopefully attached if I've done it right). The shot was taken on South Gare last Autumn and the Kestrel made several attempts to take a Starling from a large flock feeding on the ground. Using a Sparrowhawk technique and parked cars for cover, it eventually succeeded in knocking down a fleeing bird. Unfortunately it was not strong enough to carry off the still flapping Starling and was forced to drag it along the ground for about 20 yards into some long grass to eat it.

Cheers
Rob

Another bird behaviour question - numpty value = 5
Today (before the rain started) a male kestrel flew through new station about two foot off the ground, straight past me, over the wire fence and "crashed" into a flock of starlings on the ground.
Starlings scattered and then grouped and mobbed the kestrel (whose grab at a bird was unsucessful)
This is the third or fourth time I have watched a kestrel chasing birds around the feeding station (and I know its a kestrel cos it landed and I got shots on previous times)
I've always been under the impression (probably mistakenly) that on the whole kestrels hover looking for food below them whereas sparrowhawks never hover but chase food.
This got me to thinking about the way birds in the garden have adapted over the years. For example years ago hanging nut feeders, half coconut shells, fat balls etc seemed to be pretty much the domain of bue tits, great tits etc, but now everything from sparrows to magpies will hang from these food containers.
Birds like robins and sparrows are very adept at hovering next to a nut feeder and I don't recall seeing that years ago.
Could it be that kestrels are adapting the way they catch food or adding another arrow to their bow?
The above may be a ridicuously stupid but I wouln't ask if I knew that to be the case.

 

[JBee]

Thanks for that Robert. My bird knowledge is so feeble (hence the numpty values) that I often wonder if people think I just mistake what I see

 

[MalR]

The Black-throated Diver still at Jackson's Landing today - although a bit hit and miss. No sign of it when I arrived, but it eventually flew in and gave cracking views, so much so that I could even get a pic of it (attached) with my little super-zoom point and shoot camera. However, after 20 minutes a guy in a motor launch arrived and began sailing round and round in circles. The BTD flew off, as did the group of 10 Red-breasted Merganser. But it has obviously not deserted the site, so if anyone arrives and it isn't showing, it is worth hanging around for a while.

Malcolm

 

[MalR]

The Black-throated Diver still at Jackson's Landing today - although a bit hit and miss. No sign of it when I arrived, but it eventually flew in and gave cracking views, so much so that I could even get a pic of it (attached) with my little super-zoom point and shoot camera. However, after 20 minutes a guy in a motor launch arrived and began sailing round and round in circles. The BTD flew off, as did the group of 10 Red-breasted Merganser. But it has obviously not deserted the site, so if anyone arrives and it isn't showing, it is worth hanging around for a while.

Malcolm

For some reason the pic won't upload. Never mind. it wasn't quite up to the standard of JBee and IanF anyway!!!!

 

[StevieEvans]

Hi,

I'm a first timer here on BirdForum but I've been following your thread for a week or two now. I thought you may be interested in this photo (hopefully attached if I've done it right). The shot was taken on South Gare last Autumn and the Kestrel made several attempts to take a Starling from a large flock feeding on the ground. Using a Sparrowhawk technique and parked cars for cover, it eventually succeeded in knocking down a fleeing bird. Unfortunately it was not strong enough to carry off the still flapping Starling and was forced to drag it along the ground for about 20 yards into some long grass to eat it.

Cheers
Rob

Welcome to the forum Robert, an interesting account & image.
This summer we saw a Kes catch & dispatch a House Martin which had been drifting low & slowly into the breeze.
Wonder if this "sparrowhawk" technique is more regular than we think ?
Do you think your Kes was maybe a freshly arrived & hungry migrant ?
cheers
SE

 

[DEREK.C.]

I can at last confirm after 3 month, the presence of Water Rail at my little feeding station at Elemore. One seen well this morning, although i havent taught them to `heel ' yet, like the Hetton bogs rails.
I dont know if its creating a small pond and cutting back a few brambles has ticed it in, or if its just easier to see now, anyway it was great to see.

According to Harrier Olley it was probably a female Harrier seen yesterday.:t:

 

[StevieEvans]

I can at last confirm after 3 month, the presence of Water Rail at my little feeding station at Elemore. One seen well this morning, although i havent taught them to `heel ' yet, like the Hetton bogs rails.
I dont know if its creating a small pond and cutting back a few brambles has ticed it in, or if its just easier to see now, anyway it was great to see.

Nice to see another feeding station doing raily good :-]

3 on stream at sewage outlet area after a hard frost at Sedgeletch at NZ320508.
Initially a pair (1 short, the other long billed) feeding on the dry sloping bankside which was catching a bit of sun, beneath Hawthorns.
They then made their way down to the water, where a third bird was feeding on the waters edge (tail fanned at times & neck / bill lowered, as the other two approached). It hid behind overhanging grasses & sat motionless untill the other male had swim within a metre, then struck like a flash - chasing it on upstream.

www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=54.851&lon=-1.5032&scale=25000&icon=x

Excellent views of 2 Kingfisher, Green Sandpiper, 3Redshank, 2Grey Wag, 2Pied Wag, 360South Greylag, M/F Sparhawk, 2Willow tit 3Treecreeper, Male GSW, total of 35Siskin / Redpoll, 11Golfinch, 5Linnet 5ReedBunt
38Meadow pipit concentrated by the cold snap in a single group, feeding amongst the tree shelters on the south facing slope, on north side of scrapyard; also something (finch / bunting) shuffling amongst them which i couldnt get onto....

SE

 

[rokermartin]

Sunderland Harbour this pm ad Iceland Gull ,ad Yellow legged Gull, South Shields harbour mouth 1 RN Grebe, 1 RT Diver and a 1stw Glaucous Gull.

 

[JBee]

The Black-throated Diver still at Jackson's Landing today - although a bit hit and miss. No sign of it when I arrived, but it eventually flew in and gave cracking views, so much so that I could even get a pic of it (attached) with my little super-zoom point and shoot camera. However, after 20 minutes a guy in a motor launch arrived and began sailing round and round in circles. The BTD flew off, as did the group of 10 Red-breasted Merganser. But it has obviously not deserted the site, so if anyone arrives and it isn't showing, it is worth hanging around for a while.

Malcolm

Thats good news.
A white motor launch circled the marina yesterday and spooked the diver.
It looked a definitive departure as it seemed to be heading well out to sea and south.
Pleased it returned.

 

[IanF]

I came across two 2nd winter Med. Gull at Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park this morning - a first for me here - though I dare say they may be regulars. I've just never spent much time looking at gulls before! They were in amongst c.100 BH Gulls on the frozen main pond. Only other notables were Goldeneye m & f, Siskin c.80, Jay x2 and Mistle Thrush x7. Fieldfare in Cemetery down to c.40 now there's very few berries left.

This afternoon the BT Diver was still at Jacksons Landing. Two adult Med. Gull were at Newburn Bridge - a pair at least have been reported here for a while now.

On Seaton Common from Zinc Works Road the Merlin was back along the fence line this afternoon. Grey Partridge x5 as well.

 

[JBee]

On Seaton Common from Zinc Works Road the Merlin was back along the fence line this afternoon.

Ray and I stood there 2 hours yesterday - not a sniff of the merlin - has to be the Ray effect

 

[JBee]

I can at last confirm after 3 month, the presence of Water Rail at my little feeding station at Elemore.

Mmmmm - I wondered what that was wriggling in your rucksack as you left the Bogs the other day

 

[IanF]

Ray and I stood there 2 hours yesterday - not a sniff of the merlin - has to be the Ray effect

I've been finding most days 2:30-3:00pm on the fence by the ditch on Zinc Works Road. Mornings first thing it's often on the fence or earth mounds alongside North Gare access road - after that it's usually on the ridge of stones on the south side of the start of North Gare Pier. However it's sometimes hunting the Linnet flock that's by the tip opposite the entrance to North Gare and sometimes it's on Greenabella Marsh-Greatham Creek.

 

[harrier olley]

John there is a Merlin around Hurworth Burn Reservoir not seen it myself but local watchers say its regular during mornings.

 

[rokermartin]

Sunderland Harbour this pm ad Iceland Gull,ad Yellow legged Gull,Whitburn ad Med Gull ,5 Siskin.

 

[StevieEvans]

Gateshead

45mins at Kibblesworth landfill NZ2556

3 Tree Sparrow, 5 Song Thrush, 50 Redwing, 21 Meadow Pipit, 1 GSW, 40 Goldfinch, 11 Lesser Redpoll, 20 Siskin, 2 Kestrel

an obliging pair of Stonechat at the top end close to Clarty Lane NZ249 563

cheers
SE

 

[The Liverbirder]

45mins at Kibblesworth landfill NZ2556

3 Tree Sparrow, 5 Song Thrush, 50 Redwing, 21 Meadow Pipit, 1 GSW, 40 Goldfinch, 11 Lesser Redpoll, 20 Siskin, 2 Kestrel

an obliging pair of Stonechat at the top end close to Clarty Lane NZ249 563

cheers
SE

It never ceases to amaze me what people throw out!!!!!

 

[DEREK.C.]

Waldridge Fell

Had a look through for an hour this afternoon. 51 Redpoll in the birch, searched for a few Mealies but couldnt find any, although their constant movement and having to look into the sun didnt help.
Plenty about including 2 Woodcock, 2 Green Woodpecker, 10 Bullys, 2-3 Jay,Yellowhammers , Reed Buntings and 2 Deer.

 

[IanF]

I only got as far as my local patch today - Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park.

It was a toss up for the best find of the day - Med. Gull 2nd winter (also an adult this morning) versus Water Rail on the frozen ponds by the car park - maybe common as Blackbirds at further north, but seldom seen at this location. Maybe JBee's lost another one

I returned with peanuts but couldn't get it to show again |=(|