Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[[email protected]]

castle lake

a few of my dodgey shots from today. sitting in car waiting for the rain to stop at castle lake. rain stopped about 11.30 plenty of yellowhammers reed buntings redshank curlew skylark and a 2 big hares in the crop field
think thats a willow tit it did not sing?so could not id.
the grey partridge was at the side of road
almost got l.t.tit pic it was about 3ft from me i switch my camera on which was already switch on from the redwing shot so it went off! and so did the tit (thats the bird not me)

 

[Paul Mc]

Not a lot of reports from me lately but been fairly active.
Occasional views of the Barn Owl and regular little owl. Also hearing tawney's lots. Interesting to see a good flock of tree sparrows around my feeders last few days, seem to come over in sudden bursts then not seen for ages?
GSW, kestral & usual suspects all seem to be doing well.
Could be interested in doing a paragraph on some of the walks from here round the Croxdale estate for the lec...I walk round here at least twice a day?

Paul Mc

 

[The gaffer]

Cleadon Hills

Walk around Cleadon Hills this evening and it was nice to hear the yellowhammers calling again. Also grey partidges very noisy in the surrounding fields.

On the way back I saw a bat beside Sunniside Farm unfortunately my bat I.D. is not good but it was about the size of a blue tit. Is this early for a bat or are they common at this time of year?

Brian

 

[NeilF]

Spent the best part of my day birding in the Gateshead area starting with a very wet, cold & windy Lamesley Pastures;
1 Grey Heron, 2 Greylag Geese, 10+ Teal, 4 Mallard, 5+ Moorhen, 2 Coot, 1 Oystercatcher, 15+ Lapwing, 6 Snipe & 3 Redshank

After an early lunch the sun had come out and the wind fell calm so a visit to Shibdon Pond was next on the agenda;
3 Little Grebe, 4 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Mute Swan, 24 Canada Geese, 10 Goldeneye (6 drakes), 1 Kestrel, 1 Water Rail (near the end of the boardwalk), 4 Long-tailed Tit, 8 Reed Bunting and a distant call from a Green Woodpecker.

Next port of call was Watergate Forest Park;
3 Little Grebe, 4 Mute Swan, 1 Buzzard (soaring to the south over Ravensworth), 2 LBB Gull, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Reed Bunting and another calling but unseen Green Woodpecker.

Green lights all the way home so a spur of the moment decision to check Houghton Gate, a bit more activity than my last visit and hopefully a sign of things to come;
1 Grey Heron (low fly-thru), 2 Canada Geese, 2 Shelduck, 12 Wigeon, 17 Mallard, c60 Lapwing & 5 Redshank.

Neil

 

[IanF]

Firestation Pool - 2:00pm - Green Sandpiper (first of the year for me) and Redshank.
Seaton Channel from Seaton Snook - Long-tailed Duck x1 by power station outfall feeding on crabs, Red-throated Diver x3, Red-breasted Merganser c.12, Wigeon c.20, Shelduck x5. Waders c.300 on beach prior to high tide mostly Dunlin, Knot, Redshank, Ringed Plover and Grey Plover.
Zinc Works Road - 4:00pm - SEO x1 headed off north over Seaton Common, Little Egret x2, Grey Partridge and Snipe. Pair of Skylark feeding together in North Gare car park from where SEO relocated on golf course.
Further Little Egret at Greatham Creek.

 

[DEREK.C.]

Gave Steve a hand with his erections again today.
A Barn Owl box at Elemore last week, this week a Kestrel box near Leamside .
Loads of Short Eareds about today with about 8 hunting at 2-30pm, including one which almost flew through the open window of the truck. Steve also managed to fight his way into a Hawthorn Bush to put up a Long Eared Owl basket, as another pair of SEOS watched nearby.
After a box erection we always have our customary Snipe count . 27 Common and a single Jack at Elemore last week, today 18 Common and 3 Jack Snipe at a little known wetland..

 

[StevieEvans]

Gave Steve a hand with his erections again today.
A Barn Owl box at Elemore last week, this week a Kestrel box near Leamside .
Loads of Short Eareds about today with about 8 hunting at 2-30pm, including one which almost flew through the open window of the truck. Steve also managed to fight his way into a Hawthorn Bush to put up a Long Eared Owl basket, as another pair of SEOS watched nearby.
After a box erection we always have our customary Snipe count . 27 Common and a single Jack at Elemore last week, today 18 Common and 3 Jack Snipe at a little known wetland..

Cheers Derek, the erection was certainly in safe hands - i must say i was pleasantly surprised to see so much splash in that crotch on the way up
But, the question is....... Which will we run out of first ? :- plywood & nails OR Jack Snipe sites......:smoke:

--------------------------

First Stonechat (cock bird) of the year at Sedgeletch today, with Chiffer still at Scrapyard.

Loads of Short Eareds about today.....

First Short Eared Owl of the year at Sedgeletch today, with another nearby at Burnside, Houghton. One at Rainton Bridge Ind Estate & Three more near Fencehouses with a minimum 10+ others as detailed by DC above.
Birds seen across the whole area between Leamside north to Sedgeletch(3km's away) today.....at least 16 seen.

Steve

 

[gogsy]

Walk around Cleadon Hills this evening and it was nice to hear the yellowhammers calling again. Also grey partidges very noisy in the surrounding fields.

On the way back I saw a bat beside Sunniside Farm unfortunately my bat I.D. is not good but it was about the size of a blue tit. Is this early for a bat or are they common at this time of year?

Brian

Hello Brian,
The Bat you saw would probably have been a Pipistrelle,there are quite a few around Cleadon hills and the old quarry.
Bats just start coming out of hibernation if it is warm about this time of year,but will go back if it gets too cold............. Laurence.

 

[shark attack]

dead swan in marine park today, with a ring on..anyone know where to report it to and find info on the birds history?

Berwick swan sanctuary have been informed which monitor the swans.

Swan has been taken away not long after reported.

 

[StevieEvans]

The Swan Lady

Berwick swan sanctuary have been informed which monitor the swans..........

That'll be the Berwick Swan and Wildlife Trust .
www.swan-trust.org
Phone number of one of their local rescuers is in DBC's Summer 2007 LEK.
Cheers
Steve

 

[StevieEvans]

Darlo

Hopefully not too common an occurrence nowadays, but who knows........?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7290065.stm

Cheers
Steve

 

[jason-t-71]

Awww, Steve mate I had no idea you had problems "down there"!!! You know I work in a pharmacy, we've got tonnes of tablets for that kind of thing!

 

[The gaffer]

Hello Brian,
The Bat you saw would probably have been a Pipistrelle,there are quite a few around Cleadon hills and the old quarry.
Bats just start coming out of hibernation if it is warm about this time of year,but will go back if it gets too cold............. Laurence.

Thanks for the information Laurence.Just a thought, can I add this to my 2008 list?

 

[rokermartin]

Awww, Steve mate I had no idea you had problems "down there"!!! You know I work in a pharmacy, we've got tonnes of tablets for that kind of thing!

Jas you will have to send him some tablets cannot be very nice having erection problems.Steve needs his tool in good shape to put the Owl and Kestrel boxes up

 

[DEREK.C.]

Had a look down Teesmouth this morning with Mr Chairman. A visit spoilt somewhat by the strong winds. Decided to go for the Green Sandpiper first and just as we were about to pull into the Firestation pool it flew across the road right in front of us.
Twite were pretty sheltered from the wind at Greenabella ,hard to count but probably around 28 present, with the usual Bar and Black Tailed Godwits , Grey plover etc on Seal Sands..
After his recent exploits at Loch Ken, couldnt believe Paul had gone nearly 5 hours without feed by early afternoon.
A quick rummage through his car boot for his crate of Pasta, revealed nothing:eek!:

 

[IanF]

Had a look down Teesmouth this morning with Mr Chairman. A visit spoilt somewhat by the strong winds. Decided to go for the Green Sandpiper first and just as we were about to pull into the Firestation pool it flew across the road right in front of us.
Twite were pretty sheltered from the wind at Greenabella ,hard to count but probably around 28 present, with the usual Bar and Black Tailed Godwits , Grey plover etc on Seal Sands..
After his recent exploits at Loch Ken, couldnt believe Paul had gone nearly 5 hours without feed by early afternoon.
A quick rummage through his car boot for his crate of Pasta, revealed nothing:eek!:

Lol! The Green Sandpiper was back in place this afternoon at 3:00pm with a Redshank and still present at 5:00pm. It seems to flit from one side of the A178 to the other on a frequent basis.

3:30pm the SEO was already out hunting at Zinc Works Road. Seaton Common birds included - Stonechat pair x2, Golden Plover c.500, Kestrel x2, Grey Partridge x2, Snipe c.8, Greylag Goose x2, Lapwing and Curlew.

 

[StevieEvans]

RMs

Had a look down Teesmouth this morning with Mr Chairman. A visit spoilt somewhat by the strong winds.......

Well, if you choose to go birding with folks who eat crate fulls of pasta - then you have to accept the consequences............:eek!:

Jase, I think its refreshing to keep lowering the tone as much as possible & its certainly a great leveler to have all these personal problems out in the open
(ps have you got the 100mg ones?)


CW reports 11 Oystercatcher, 2 Jack Snipe, 2Seo & a Kingfisher.

SE

 

[rokermartin]

Well, if you choose to go birding with folks who eat crate fulls of pasta - then you have to accept the consequences............:eek!:

Jase, I think its refreshing to keep lowering the tone as much as possible & its certainly a great leveler to have all these personal problems out in the open
(ps have you got the 100mg ones?)


CW reports 11 Oystercatcher, 2 Jack Snipe, 2Seo & a Kingfisher.

SE

Hi Steve is your tool alright now or
do you want some of Jas tablets,Dont what you struggerling putting boxes up.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Clara Vale

A few shots from Clara Vale today.
Busy at the feeding station, all the normal including squirel, rat, Rabbits and the Sphawk crashed in twice but failed to capture anything.

 

[jason-t-71]

Steve, I'm sure you'll get arrested if you get it out in the open! The last thing you want to be seeing is a policemans helmet!!!