Durham Birding (4 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

Little Owl perched openly on pile of rubbish in field north of 3 Horse Shoes Leamside at 8am & 6pm
Swallow over the Wear at Low Cocken

Houghton Gate
early evening visit.
3 Lapwings incubating, although number of pairs down drastically on last 2/3 years - very surprised to see so many corvids being tollerated around the pool.....usually they skirt around the edges to avoid the wrath of the peewits.
singles of Oystercatcher, Wigeon & Little Plover
single pairs of Teal, Mute Swan, Coot, Greylag, Canada, Grey Partridge
4 each of Redshank & Curlew
8? Pink footed Geese ( binocs views only, but isnt one of these a Bean Goose....? )

SE

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Local Patch

Houghton this morning:-

10 Whooper Swan N
1 Willow Warbler back on territory.

125 recorded on Houghton area local patch in 2008.

SE

 

[IanF]

Low Barns this morning for a couple of hours.

West Pond - Mute Swan x2, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard x5, Teal x2, Tufted Duck x7, Grey Heron x3. Green Woodpecker 'yaffling' in the trees on the north side moving back and forth amongst the trees giving brief glimpses. Hooded Crow hybrid, Common Crow and Magpie on the marsh plus Jackdaw collecting horse hair for nesting. Goldfinch c.12 in the reedmace. Several fly overs of Greylag and Canada Goose.

Nothing at all on the river - probably due to the on going tree felling on the far bank though another yaffling Green Woodpecker somewhere in the trees.

The larches where the path from West Pond meets the riverside path held Goldcrest x4, Redpoll x4, Long-tailed Tit x5, Chiffchaff x3. Robin, Wren, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit and Song Thrush.

The trees along the river side held another dozen or so Chiffchaff.

Marston Lake from the South Hide - Shoveler x2, Goldeneye (fem) x5, Cormorant x5, Little Grebe x1, Coot, Moorhen, Mallard. Greylag Goose on bankside by hide plus Jackdaw. Jay in trees of island flew off towards North Hide.

Alder Wood held very little - a few tits, Robin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Feeding station still on the go with nut feeders being replenished - Chaffinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit only.

 

[Ross Ahmed]

Had a look at Derwent Reservoir yesterday....cracking sight was 21 Whooper Swans at far western end. Oystercatchers were everywhere - at least 100, with 116 Wigeon still present. Drumming Snipe put in a good display in surrounding fields.

Old news from Monday, had a look up mid-Wear - fairly quiet but Pintail at Holywell Hall was less expected. Plenty of Chiffchaffs were about plus a single Sand Martin at McNeil Bottoms

 

[great bustard]

Little Owl perched openly on pile of rubbish in field north of 3 Horse Shoes Leamside at 8am & 6pm
Swallow over the Wear at Low Cocken

Houghton Gate
early evening visit.
3 Lapwings incubating, although number of pairs down drastically on last 2/3 years - very surprised to see so many corvids being tollerated around the pool.....usually they skirt around the edges to avoid the wrath of the peewits.
singles of Oystercatcher, Wigeon & Little Plover
single pairs of Teal, Mute Swan, Coot, Greylag, Canada, Grey Partridge
4 each of Redshank & Curlew
8? Pink footed Geese ( binocs views only, but isnt one of these a Bean Goose....? )

SE

I honestly thought, after checking my bird book that one of the geese looked a little different to the others, thought bean goose, however following my incorrect id of the MEADOW pipit was a little reluctant to speak and assumed it to be only to be a little different pinkie

 

[rokermartin]

I honestly thought, after checking my bird book that one of the geese looked a little different to the others, thought bean goose, however following my incorrect id of the MEADOW pipit was a little reluctant to speak and assumed it to be only to be a little different pinkie

Hi you should never be reluctant to speak out everyone has made a mistake in identifying a bird or not sure of the id even the experts have trouble identifying birds sometimes,it is just a part of birding.Marsden Quarry today 2 Wheatear,South Shields Leas 1 Wheatear.

 

[NeilF]

2 Little Ringed Plover reported today in the Lamesley hide logbook &
drake Red-breasted Merganser on the Wear just up river of Roker Marina this evening

 

[StevieEvans]

I honestly thought, after checking my bird book that one of the geese looked a little different to the others, thought bean goose, however following my incorrect id of the MEADOW pipit was a little reluctant to speak and assumed it to be only to be a little different pinkie

you must use same bird book as me Ian........... but looks like we're wrong
3 txts say 8 Pinks it is.
Little Owl sat in same spot at Leamside

 

[IanF]

North Gare - 5:30pm Northern Wheatear x3 still. Little Egret x1 and Short-eared Owl x1 on Seaton Common.
Greenabella Marsh - 6:30pm - Little Egret x1, Short-eared Owl x1, Black-tailed Godwit x5. Several Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Golden Plover and RB Merganser on Seal Sands as the tide dropped.
Tidal Pool - 7:30pm - Avocet x2 roosting. Possibly the same two that have been around Back Saltholme the last few days though could be another pair!!! Anyway it's the first time I've known of two pair in the County at the same time!

Also reports of Marsh Harrier at Dormans Pool for third day in a row.

 

[seggs]

North Gare - 5:30pm Northern Wheatear x3 still. Little Egret x1 and Short-eared Owl x1 on Seaton Common.
Greenabella Marsh - 6:30pm - Little Egret x1, Short-eared Owl x1, Black-tailed Godwit x5. Several Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Golden Plover and RB Merganser on Seal Sands as the tide dropped.
Tidal Pool - 7:30pm - Avocet x2 roosting. Possibly the same two that have been around Back Saltholme the last few days though could be another pair!!! Anyway it's the first time I've known of two pair in the County at the same time!

Also reports of Marsh Harrier at Dormans Pool for third day in a row.

fingers crossed for the avocets ian :t:

 

[IanF]

fingers crossed for the avocets ian :t:

Whilst it would be nice to see them breed down here as I'm sure the RSPB would love for the new reserve - as they nearly did on the Calor Gas Pool in the first year they eventually ended up at Washington - it would also be great if they ended up at Washington to help start building a proper colony.

 

[sharpy]

Whilst it would be nice to see them breed down here as I'm sure the RSPB would love for the new reserve - as they nearly did on the Calor Gas Pool in the first year they eventually ended up at Washington - it would also be great if they ended up at Washington to help start building a proper colony.

Ian... could there be any chance of them being the two that were raised at Washington last year?. Just a thought.
Regards Alan.

 

[seggs]

Whilst it would be nice to see them breed down here as I'm sure the RSPB would love for the new reserve - as they nearly did on the Calor Gas Pool in the first year they eventually ended up at Washington - it would also be great if they ended up at Washington to help start building a proper colony.

we all wish for that ian,.had hoped the offspring off the last two years would return with other birds and set up a breeding colony.. but the signs are good if other birds are within the boro-:t:... are being sighted. this time of year.

 

[IanF]

Ian... could there be any chance of them being the two that were raised at Washington last year?. Just a thought.
Regards Alan.

Could very well be though I don't know how long it takes them to reach full breeding plumage. These look full adult plumage. It would be great if the kids have found their way back as well

 

[great bustard]

I honestly thought, after checking my bird book that one of the geese looked a little different to the others, thought bean goose, however following my incorrect id of the MEADOW pipit was a little reluctant to speak and assumed it to be only to be a little different pinkie

i meant a larger pinkie|:$|

 

[matthall]

I see on the teesmouth bird club website , Will Robinson has submitted another rarity . In this case , a great northern diver at Seal Sands . Can anyone confirm these sightings ?

I thought great northern divers went back to Scandinavia around winter time because I read in a book that their mating display is only occasionaly seen in the UK.

 

[IanF]

I see on the teesmouth bird club website , Will Robinson has submitted another rarity . In this case , a great northern diver at Seal Sands . Can anyone confirm these sightings ?

I thought great northern divers went back to Scandinavia around winter time because I read in a book that their mating display is only occasionaly seen in the UK.

It did seem a little strange that one as I was down there myself at the time. I was on Greenabella mostly on the edge of the Creek and only saw RB Merganser, Shelduck and Cormorant on the water. The report came through on a friends pager plus another TBC member was in the said hide and didn't see it - though to be fair no time of the sighting was given just the time it went on the system. I guess we all felt a little 'lost in space' at the time

I've not seen one down there since last November myself though RT Diver have been regulars and in good numbers - one was even in Geatham Creek itself on Wednesday afternoon.

 

[StevieEvans]

Swallow through north at E.Lane this morning
Swallow at Lyons Pk, with LRP & White Wag too
Swallow at Shibdon with 103+ Sand Martin & a Single Willow Warbler
Noteworthy local record concerns Green Woodpecker at Herrington CPk this morning.
Weekend cold snap should see hirundines concentrated over more sheltered wetland sites.
SE

 

[IanF]

I had a look up to Hartlepool Headland again this afternoon. Arriving at 1:00pm the Red-necked Grebe was in the harbour again along with a dozen or so Eider, a couple of Cormorant, Red-breasted Merganser and one or two gulls.

On the way home I stopped off at the Reclamation Pond - most noticeable were Shelduck easily 200+ of which 43 were were sat on the point in the SE corner. Also Gadwall, Little Grebe, Northern Pintail, Coot. Mute Swan etc. On another pond in the area it was nice to see pair of Ruddy Duck still around.

 

[loppydog70]

fatfield riverside

had a walk along the river wear this afternoon. i started at james steel park 7x tufties 5xcoot c10 moorhens c20 mallards and a pair of mute swans on the pond.
headed along the river towards coxgreen - male bullfinch, chaffinch, robin, wren, greenfinch, 6 goldfinches, blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits, willow tit, only one chiffchaff seen but plenty heard, on the river a pair of teal a pair of gadwall in amongst c15 mallards and a single heron.
headed up to the golfcourse 2 mistle thrush in amongst 9 fieldfare and a male kestrel hovering in opposite field.
more of the same on the way back.