Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[rokermartin]

Aye, you're right. I've heard recent reports of Gos in the northern green belt of newcastle!!
I guess it does look a bit daft. I'll explain...
I'm moved down to Sunderland about nine months ago. I'll be back in god's own land (where the sun always shines) in about a month or so. Although i don't really keep lists as such (just mental) i want to clock up as many species as i can before i return.

Right i see well hopefully you might get Goshawk displaying at Hamsterley. Next month is usually the best for seeing Gos displaying but they have been seen displaying in Northumberland in the last week which is quite early forecast is good for the weekend,bright and sunny but little wind.Gos prefer breezy sunny days.But you never know your luck.

 

[DEREK.C.]

Had a look to the Stang this morning, as expected in a Spruce Forest, loads of Chaffinch, Coal Tit plus lots of Goldcrest and Siskin. Eventually a few Crossbill showed, although all males, with the females possibly on eggs now.
Saw Dippers nest building on the River Greta on the way back.
Had a look to Teesdale in the afternoon with 9 Blackcocks showing well , and a female Merlin flying through.
A male Peregrine was spooking Lapwing near Smiddyshaw on the way back.

 

[Binocularface]

Hi,

I will be heading across for the Hume's tomorrow and I hoped someone could give me some on info on the Yellow-legged Gull at Stockton-on-Tees. Where is it best viewed from and how close are the views etc?
Also is the Iceland Gull still being seen in Sunderland Harbour?

Regards
Tristan

 

[IanF]

Hi,

I will be heading across for the Hume's tomorrow and I hoped someone could give me some on info on the Yellow-legged Gull at Stockton-on-Tees. Where is it best viewed from and how close are the views etc?
Also is the Iceland Gull still being seen in Sunderland Harbour?

Regards
Tristan

YL Gull usually sits on the end of the barrage itself on the downstream side nearest to the Durham side though it also favours the lamposts on the barrage and the Yorkshire side - in reality though it can be anywhere around there. Views can be 20'-40yds.

Kingfisher still around the canoe slalom though the small pools were frozen today. Red-head Smew still repsent on Portrack Marsh just down from the Barrage.

 

[Binocularface]

YL Gull usually sits on the end of the barrage itself on the downstream side nearest to the Durham side though it also favours the lamposts on the barrage and the Yorkshire side - in reality though it can be anywhere around there. Views can be 20'-40yds.

Kingfisher still around the canoe slalom though the small pools were frozen today. Red-head Smew still repsent on Portrack Marsh just down from the Barrage.

Thanks Ian, will report back with my sightings tomorrow!

 

[rokermartin]

Hi,

I will be heading across for the Hume's tomorrow and I hoped someone could give me some on info on the Yellow-legged Gull at Stockton-on-Tees. Where is it best viewed from and how close are the views etc?
Also is the Iceland Gull still being seen in Sunderland Harbour?

Regards
Tristan

Hi regarding the Iceland Gull i saw it a couple of days ago it is usually on the south pier in with the rest of the gulls.It has been present at the harbour since mid December.Best time to go to the Harbour is late afternoon when there is a good number of gulls there.

 

[great bustard]

Had a mooch around Brasside Pond Today:-
Loads of Black Headed Gull,Coot,Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins, Tufted Duck
10 Mute Swan, 50+ Redwing, 20 Cormarant, 3 Dabchick, 4 Goldeneye, 4 Pochard, Mallards, Few Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Couple of Nuthatch, Bullfinch, GSW, 4 Wren, Dunnocks, Long tail tits, Blackbirds and 3 Grey Squirrels.

Then looked into Rainton Meadows:-
One of those 'bleak' days and only coot and gulls on main pond. No Shorties in 2 hour stay. When i was on the hill, i spotted a large black dog(lab size) carrying some wildfowl away from lakeside(didnt see it actually catch it) and watched as it walked towards fence and tore its catch up, then it turned and sprinted along the shoreline, presumably after more kill? Perhaps this would explain the lack of bird activity. It walked off without a second bird, it didnt appear to have an owner with it

 

[StevieEvans]

Black Dog

.......<snip>........Then looked into Rainton Meadows:-..........i spotted a large black dog(lab size) carrying some wildfowl away from lakeside(didnt see it actually catch it) and watched as it walked towards fence and tore its catch up, then it turned and sprinted along the shoreline, presumably after more kill? Perhaps this would explain the lack of bird activity. It walked off without a second bird, it didnt appear to have an owner with it

Ian, seen it Thursday when it was at lakeside & Friday evening when carrying a fem pheasant..... with a bit of luck it'll chase off some of the large no's of sheep which are now grazing the nature reserve.
Looks like we need a dog catcher asap.
8 shorts rptd this morning (JWa). A distinctive pair again patrolling main hill during brief visit 16:00-17:00 (1 has RHS primary sticking up, other is a large individual with very buff underwing ). Also single Lesser Redpoll & pr Gadwall.

Another BO box up in Derwentside District thanks to JG; in a nice little spot. Lesser Redpolls, Bullfinch feeding on swelling Hawthorn buds, Linnets seen too.
Very little new to report from patch today - LBBGulls moving through & a Moorhen in an observers garden - well away from any water......
Steve

 

[IanF]

Pretty quiet at Hurworth Burn this afternoon though a good sighting was a Buzzard south east of the reservoir.

At the feeding station Willow Tit and a Marsh Tit as well as Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Long-tailed Tit. Also Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin and Greenfinch.

Ring-necked Parakeet x3 at Ward Jackson Park.

No sign of any owls at Zinc Works Road tonight at least until 5.40pm though a SEO flew over the A1185 by the entrance to Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park at 5.50pm.

 

[great bustard]

Ian, seen it Thursday when it was at lakeside & Friday evening when carrying a fem pheasant..... with a bit of luck it'll chase off some of the large no's of sheep which are now grazing the nature reserve.
Looks like we need a dog catcher asap.

The more i think about it, the more im beginning to believe i have seen a Black Panther!:eek!: The beast of Rainton Meadows!!! :cat:

:gn:

 

[degsy_safc]

The more i think about it, the more im beginning to believe i have seen a Black Panther!:eek!: The beast of Rainton Meadows!!! :cat:

:gn:

Now that is funny, really made me laugh :-O:-O:-O

 

[rokermartin]

The more i think about it, the more im beginning to believe i have seen a Black Panther!:eek!: The beast of Rainton Meadows!!! :cat:

:gn:

Hope it is a Black Pather if might start attacking the so called birders who are disturbing the Owls.That would be good.We can certainly do without IDIOT BIRDERS around .

 

[great bustard]

Hope it is a Black Pather if might start attacking the so called birders who are disturbing the Owls.That would be good.We can certainly do without IDIOT BIRDERS around .

There appears as much off track activity at rainton than on track at the moment. Seen locals with rifles on railway lines, people galloping on horses along lower railway line, and watched a photographer successfully flush 4 SEO on Friday, just to have his pics :C..........Enjoy while you can:-C

 

[NeilF]

Watergate Forest Park only had an hour here this morning but quite productive;
1 Jack Snipe flushed from waterside vegetation near the bridge at west end of pond
1 Little Grebe
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Sparrowhawk
50+ Lapwing over west
2 Teal
2 Bullfinch
1 Reed Bunting male
plus 4 Mute Swan, numerous Common Gull & Black-headed Gull; Mallard, Tufted Duck and singing Greenfinch.

Washington WWT another quick look
1 Reed Bunting male at the feeding station
1 Willow Tit in with flock of long-tailed Tit's
26 Shelduck next to a frozen Wader Lake


Neil

 

[StevieEvans]

Hawthorn Dene

very quiet untill the frost gave way.
3 GSW drumming ( including a female ? )
Many of the woodland species paired up & some in song.
Treecreeper & Marsh Tit both tuning up & inspecting cavities. The first time ive heard either singing this year.
Others included all six timice as usual (all in song, inc a single Willow tit) Kestrel pair, Fulmar roosting at nest site, Little owl, Sparrowhawk, Nuthatch, Grey Partridge, 4 Jay
Nothing ots, 2 RTDiver north & pr Oiks in Hive
Furry aminals inc 3 Roe Deer & a Hare deep in the wood also a large expanse of Snowdrops showing well along top path.
Steve

 

[rokermartin]

There appears as much off track activity at rainton than on track at the moment. Seen locals with rifles on railway lines, people galloping on horses along lower railway line, and watched a photographer successfully flush 4 SEO on Friday, just to have his pics :C..........Enjoy while you can:-C

Yes it is disgraceful especially when birders are involved flushing owls,and chucking things into bushes and trees.Seriously if any DBC member is seen behaving like that anywhere in Durham they should be kicked out of the club for life.You cannot do much about visiting birders but someone should report the situation to birdline Northeast or Birdguides to ask them to put a message on pagers etc for visiting birders to Rainton Meadows to keep to the paths at all times.Birdguides and Birdline often put things like that on for certain sites.So that might help.Also i thought their was a warden at Rainton Meadows now who should be keeping his eye on what is going on.

 

[Binocularface]

Thanks for the updates !
Managed really nice views of the Hume's Warbler at Norton, the Yellow-legged Gull on the Barrage and the Smew on Portack Marsh all after crashing my Car! Also made it back to Cumbria in time to see the Cattle Egret!

 

[ColinSev]

Upper Teesdale

2 seperate groups of Black Grouse - 1st at Langdon Beck comprised of 23 Male birds all busy feeding and standing on walls. The 2nd group was through Harwood -14 hen Black Grouse - Is it usual the sexes are seperate like this?
Also the approx 150 Lapwing and 60 Golden Plover - some in summer plumage.
Just outside Middleton in Teesdale - a field of approx 150 Fieldfares.
Didn`t see any buzzards at all today, but one Red Kite half way between Egglestone and Kinninvie on the Woodland road soaring.

 

[great bustard]

Rainton Meadows today:-

A bit more action there today... spent 5 hours mainly watching the shorties, 8 turned out today,a record for me!! 4 shelduck, 3 goldeneye and 3 teal on pool 2. ruddy's on pool 4. Several Kesteral, amongst others. 2 Jacksnipe overhead at 17:50. Nice to speak to loppydog and smitchel(?) amonst others. The big black dog paid two visits to far edge of pool 2 worrying all the foul again!

 

[spuggy]

Rainton Meadows

Had a late visit to RM this afternoon its not getting any better there are signs around the reserve asking for dogs to be kept on the lead yet every dog walker I saw had their dogs running loose, the black dog was showing well again and even settled for a sleep behind the large pool. The shorties showed well again without having to be coaxed out of their roost, other birds of interest were 4 Shielduck a single snipe, a quick Leo and a tawny heard but not seen
attached for steve