Durham Birding (2 Viewers)

[matthall]

Went to local patch sunday evening .

Plenty of woodpigeons , blue tits , great tits , a willow warbler , chiffchaffs , a jay that was a patch tick , heard a little owl , seen a male kestrel hunting , robins , long tailed tits , a greenfinch and many others that would go on forever.

 

[The Liverbirder]

had the shock of my life when watching the 9 o clock news last night when a barn owl suddenly flew into view twisting and turning flying erratically .
my dad who has seen BO's before said it was one .
Chuffed to bits because I've never seen one before .

I saw the same news but did not make out the owl. Perhaps it was Camera One you were viewing and mine was Camera 2. Did the news reader have to duck out of the way? 3

 

[Wig131]

The Stang

Paid a visit to the Stang this afternoon. Able to see a pair of Siskin, Chaffinchs, Mistle Thrush and flock of approx 20 Crossbills before rain and hail stones put an end to watching

 

[Wig131]

Barnacle Goose

this one:t:

Yes thats the one. Do you think he knows that he is lost?

 

[Skelly]

Cuckoo at Waldridge Fell this evening.

3 Wheatear at Charlaw Fell, along with good numbers of Skylark

B

 

[StevieEvans]

3 Wheatear at Charlaw Fell, along with good numbers of Skylark
B

there was a Tree spug pr inspecting the missing roof tiles on the "moon-base" building a few wks back.
---------------------------------------------
flock of @20 Linnets, mostly cock birds feeding at edge of our street on an old all-weather surface which has weeded over. Presumed these were from up on the Escarpment, but one's, now made two quick in/out visits into my neighbours huge Laurel.

 

[will@bill]

almost a joke

my neighbours huge Laurel.

was he not the skinny one
linnet building nest near the ravensworth arms about 6 inches off the path:eek!:

 

[matthall]

I saw the same news but did not make out the owl. Perhaps it was Camera One you were viewing and mine was Camera 2. Did the news reader have to duck out of the way? 3

I'm sorry . I don't appear to have explained too well . I saw the BO flying in my garden while I was watching the 9 o clock news .

 

[will@bill]

shes got her figure back!

18 days since last picture and hasn’t she lost some weight..good on her :t:
Halle Berry never got hers back that quick:-O

 

[rokermartin]

Hurworth Burn today more summer migrants have arrived 3 Swifts,6 Whitethroats,Sedge Warbler and also had excellent views of a Lesser Whitethroat.Good number of Swallows,Sand Martins and a few House Martins.Good views of Sedge and Reed Warbler at Joe's Pond also Lesser Whitethroat singing at Rainton Meadows.

 

[Ross Ahmed]

Earlier today I saw a Willow Warbler. Nothing unusual I here you think but this one had greyish upperparts, a white supercilium & pale underparts with very little yellow.
I believe this is the nominate Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus race and its the first time I've encountered one.
How common is this sub-species in our region?
I mistakenly assumed that if you've seen one Willow Warbler you've seen them all!
Any assistance greatly appreciated.

Hi Neil,

As other's have said, there's uncertainty surrounding pale Willow Warblers - nobody seems to know where they originate from.

Part of the reason a bird is labelled as a 'sub-species' is to highlight where it originates from, but because we don't where pale Willow Warblers originate from, your best bet is labelling it as just that - a pale Willow Warbler.

 

[JBee]

It's been a week or two since I posted a few photos so here are a few from today.

 

[The gaffer]

Ring Ouzels

Is it my imagination or are they fewer reported ring ouzels than last year? Yes there have been reports of sightings but last year they seemed to be turning up everywhere - I even saw one in my neighbours back garden. I have not seen one yet this year. Was 2006 a bumper year for breeding pairs?

Brian

 

[will@bill]

lamesley

at least 4 blackcap 2 whitethroat and green woody at lamesley

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Local Patch

last two days
Common Terns back , Yellow Wags 3 sites , 5 Swift Houghton Gate , Lapwing chicks hatched at Sedgeletch ,Garden Warbler back on territory nr New Lambton with additional Lesser Whitethroat rattling non stop from spindly Privet hedging. Still 2 Redwings yesterday, very late for them & several small groups of Siskins darting about in all directions.
male Sparrowhawk broke off from bathing in puddle on woodland path to strike at perched Kingfisher, which evaded capture by diving underwater.
Moorhen getting agitated half way up a mature Willow, closer inspection revealed a Little owl inside the canopy & the Moorhens mate incubating lower down on a large horizontal stem.
SE

 

[matthall]

male Sparrowhawk broke off from bathing in puddle on woodland path to strike at perched Kingfisher, which evaded capture by diving underwater.

I'm sure I read kingfishers didn't get attacked because they were so bright . I've forgotten the special word for it .
I'll have a look for the book and edit this post.

 

[JBee]

ID question (numpty value = 1)
I never know if thrushes are mistle or song.
I am guessing this is mistle (given that they are much more common)

 

[rokermartin]

ID question (numpty value = 1)
I never know if thrushes are mistle or song.
I am guessing this is mistle (given that they are much more common)

Its a Song Thrush ,i would say Song Thrushes are more common than Mistle Thrushes , personally i see more Song Thrushes than Mistle.

 

[rokermartin]

Mistle Thrush are much bigger birds than Song .The spots on Mistle Thrush are round and spots on Song Thrush are arrow head shape.

 

[JBee]

Thanks RM.
I mentioned mistle thrushes being more common as I think I saw on the RSPB site that song thrushes were in decline and of Red status.
But maybe song thrush numbers were much larger than mistle anyway.