The Chairman
The Chairman
Only thing Snowyround these parts is the weather:-O Unless you meant the Hawk Owl:eek!:
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Durham Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Skelly
- Start date
Only thing Snowyround these parts is the weather:-O Unless you meant the Hawk Owl:eek!:
StevieEvans
Well-known member
No, i was thinking about a slightly more obvious, if somewhat contentious species.
Certainly didnt have either of your very optimistic long shots in mind
Meadow Pipit pushed into the Bogs feeding station by the weather, with 10 LTTit, 5 Willow tit & 2 Water Rails feeding openly during a blizzard.
Male Kestrel straight up & hoverring as soon as the snow stopped.... caught mammal prey within 30 seconds.
Sparrowhawk female circling low over a large aviary at Hetton
cheers
SE
JBee
Well-known member
A first for the station.
malcolm hobbs
Mind the G.A.P......
Bubo bubo
Let us know when you find one; if you havn't already.
Malcolm.
No, i was thinking about a slightly more obvious, if somewhat contentious species.
Certainly didnt have either of your very optimistic long shots in mind
Meadow Pipit pushed into the Bogs feeding station by the weather, with 10 LTTit, 5 Willow tit & 2 Water Rails feeding openly during a blizzard.
Male Kestrel straight up & hoverring as soon as the snow stopped.... caught mammal prey within 30 seconds.
Sparrowhawk female circling low over a large aviary at Hetton
cheers
SE
Let us know when you find one; if you havn't already.
Malcolm.
The Chairman
The Chairman
No, i was thinking about a slightly more obvious, if somewhat contentious species.
Certainly didnt have either of your very optimistic long shots in mind
Meadow Pipit pushed into the Bogs feeding station by the weather, with 10 LTTit, 5 Willow tit & 2 Water Rails feeding openly during a blizzard.
Male Kestrel straight up & hoverring as soon as the snow stopped.... caught mammal prey within 30 seconds.
Sparrowhawk female circling low over a large aviary at Hetton
cheers
SE
have you noticed a shortage of cats in the Houghton area recently?
craigthirlwell
Well-known member
Ringtail Harrier at Rainton Meadow 1.30 this afternoon.
3 SEO roosting near railway line, keeping out of the worst of the weather.
3 SEO roosting near railway line, keeping out of the worst of the weather.
great bustard
Well-known member
Has the harrier been a regular to Rainton Meadows recently?
Winter wonderland
Just back from a walk that took me past the old racecourse site at High Shincliffe (nz 39277 39119). Its a spot where I used to regularly see two large owls in the trees looking out but not into birding or carrying bins. This afternoon I had good views of a barn owl, GSW, kestral, fieldfare and usual suspects.
Last night the barn owl screetching had my dogs going crazy!
Cheers
Paul Mc
Just back from a walk that took me past the old racecourse site at High Shincliffe (nz 39277 39119). Its a spot where I used to regularly see two large owls in the trees looking out but not into birding or carrying bins. This afternoon I had good views of a barn owl, GSW, kestral, fieldfare and usual suspects.
Last night the barn owl screetching had my dogs going crazy!
Cheers
Paul Mc
harrier olley
Well-known member
Hi paul good records of Barn Owl i presume you have not had the barn owl box replaced. I would like to have a visit to the farm although the weather is poor at present i am free tomorrow if your not too busy.
John.
John.
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craigthirlwell
Well-known member
It's the first time I've seen one there. It didn't hang around very long, headed south being persude by two carrion crows.
harrier olley
Well-known member
Hi craig did you get any age sex details of the harrier you saw at Rainton im just trying to quantify the number of birds in the county at present we certainly have a number of birds around ie Seaton and the upland areas, certainly this weather will have moved birds around.
John.
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will@bill
FATHER AND SON TEAM
snow snow and more snow
Bolted the snow plough onto the car and headed to Derwent reservoir for snowball fights and giant snowball making (don’t forget kids are still off school)Plenty of redwings and fieldfares
Snipe red grouse at Powhill we were going to head for Blanchland to see if the brambling were still around but a blizzard came down and I lost my bottle and went to Muggleswick instead stopped for a cupper on the edge of town two houses and a barn most have been 100 birds hanging around(about 99 more then my house)blue/great/ coal tit chaffinch robin collared doves g/s/woody wren blackbird yellowhammer bullfinch goldfinch what a great way to have a cup of coffee. it started snowing again so we headed home as we forgot the team of husky’s
Bolted the snow plough onto the car and headed to Derwent reservoir for snowball fights and giant snowball making (don’t forget kids are still off school)Plenty of redwings and fieldfares
Snipe red grouse at Powhill we were going to head for Blanchland to see if the brambling were still around but a blizzard came down and I lost my bottle and went to Muggleswick instead stopped for a cupper on the edge of town two houses and a barn most have been 100 birds hanging around(about 99 more then my house)blue/great/ coal tit chaffinch robin collared doves g/s/woody wren blackbird yellowhammer bullfinch goldfinch what a great way to have a cup of coffee. it started snowing again so we headed home as we forgot the team of husky’s
craigthirlwell
Well-known member
Hi John,
Wings and tail length in relation to its body would suggest adult female. I'll be back tomorrow with the camera. It'll be interesting to see if she is still there.
Craig
The Chairman
The Chairman
Sounds like it may be the Seaton Pond bird as RA suggested that was an adult female. I was at Seaton freezing my brazils/hazel/cashews/pea/almonds (delete as appropriate*) off 3
from 2.30-4 pm and no sign of any harriers thereStevieEvans
Well-known member
Of course, that goes without saying Malcolm, unless..... it has a mate with it.MalcolmHobbs said:
John, Replaced with 1 of the MV project boxes ( this time nowhere near 5-bar gates that double as ladders / also double, doubled wired on just to be safe
)SE
seggs
Alrite!
bird race prep.
had a bit of a run around today...dodging the worst of the weather..
and the results were`nt good ahead of sundays race,unless the birds had more sense than me in these conditions!
lizard point-bleak...poor visibilty..plenty of fulmars..one scoter.. a few kittiwakes..(in 30 mins.)
trow- no owls showing..2 stonechats..song thrush
the leas- 1 skylark,2 med. pips..
boldon flats-no gadwall or pintail..:C
tile sheds-did have a sparrowhawk:eathope it shows on sunday)
then beaten back into retirement for the day at whitburn coastal park..:C
hope the birds come out to play sunday better than today!:-O
ps..just seen a report of 33 waxwings on the main dbc site for yesterday..
same place i reported them on sunday..nice one.
returned home and found i think one of the largest groups of redwing at the moment in south tyneside on the doorstep..
had a bit of a run around today...dodging the worst of the weather..
and the results were`nt good ahead of sundays race,unless the birds had more sense than me in these conditions!
lizard point-bleak...poor visibilty..plenty of fulmars..one scoter.. a few kittiwakes..(in 30 mins.)
trow- no owls showing..2 stonechats..song thrush
the leas- 1 skylark,2 med. pips..
boldon flats-no gadwall or pintail..:C
tile sheds-did have a sparrowhawk:eat
hope it shows on sunday)then beaten back into retirement for the day at whitburn coastal park..:C
hope the birds come out to play sunday better than today!:-O
ps..just seen a report of 33 waxwings on the main dbc site for yesterday..
same place i reported them on sunday..nice one.
returned home and found i think one of the largest groups of redwing at the moment in south tyneside on the doorstep..
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StevieEvans
Well-known member
Right place, wrong time
Coln had single Jack snipe & a Jay close by.
---
Sedgeletch
Unusual combo of Green Sandpiper & Dipper almost side by side, 1Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, 70 Golden Plover etc
RM's
min of 8 SEOs at dusk - only 1 hunting, the rest all too busy fighting! Surprise Tawny Owl mobbed in Willow/Alders by Magpies at pool 3 . Single Long-eared hunting at pool 1, showing up well against the snow & Barn owl heard close to car park 10 mins later at 17:00.
Pair Shelduck freshly in roosting on pool2 were also unexpected.
92 species in Houghton area for 2008 (all records).
I see "it" was as far north as Sharpley fishing lakes on New Year day... covering a large area.... maybe more than one...?
cheers
SE
Our lass likes the seats John, but she wants to know wheres the roof ?
Coln had single Jack snipe & a Jay close by.
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Ouch! left the house at 1pm.. but deceided at last moment not to drive to RMs (4mins), but walk over via Sedgeletch ( got there at 15:30 )CraigThirlwell said:
Sedgeletch
Unusual combo of Green Sandpiper & Dipper almost side by side, 1Water Rail, 2 Kingfisher, 70 Golden Plover etc
RM's
min of 8 SEOs at dusk - only 1 hunting, the rest all too busy fighting! Surprise Tawny Owl mobbed in Willow/Alders by Magpies at pool 3 . Single Long-eared hunting at pool 1, showing up well against the snow & Barn owl heard close to car park 10 mins later at 17:00.
Pair Shelduck freshly in roosting on pool2 were also unexpected.
92 species in Houghton area for 2008 (all records).
Paul, a lot less snow down at RM's compared to surrounding hilltops - so Seaton bird may have moved down. (theres obviously plenty of prey items)Chairman said:
I see "it" was as far north as Sharpley fishing lakes on New Year day... covering a large area.... maybe more than one...?
cheers
SE
Ross Ahmed
Well-known member
I was freezing my selection of nuts off down at Whitburn Obs this am. A juv Pom Skua N was highlight and an adult Little Gull also headed in the same direction. Ducks were down on yesterday's mini-fest thought with only two species (Eider and Common Scoter).
Frustrating was a 'grey goose' sp seen disappearing inland behind Shearwater Estate - either Pinkfoot or Whitefront.
Frustrating was a 'grey goose' sp seen disappearing inland behind Shearwater Estate - either Pinkfoot or Whitefront.
JBee
Well-known member
This may seem a really stupid (or hard to answer) question but what is the easiest/quickest way to gain knowledge about birds at 58 years old and starting with an empty tank.
Most on here have gained their knowledge over years and years but those early years have long past me by.
Is there an easy way to learn bird calls for example or recognise one gull from another easily?
Is there a way of easily grouping a bird into a "family" or species.
Do flight patterns offer anything (for example I can spot a woodpecker by the way it flies)
Most on here have gained their knowledge over years and years but those early years have long past me by.
Is there an easy way to learn bird calls for example or recognise one gull from another easily?
Is there a way of easily grouping a bird into a "family" or species.
Do flight patterns offer anything (for example I can spot a woodpecker by the way it flies)
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