Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[Wig131]

Where to park/walk

Beautiful morning in Teesdale again, pair of buzzards that were interupted by a 3rd buzzard which after some displaying got chased of by the regular pair. Heard an unusual bird sound from the wood and and went to investigate, and surprised to see 5 crossbills, managed a couple of pics before they flew and went further up the wood - didnt find them again tho. Also a Green Woodpecker was present in the wood all morning, although I only managed a quick glimpse. Also GS woodpecker, siskin, plenty of wrens - but still no Spotted Flycatchers - very strange.

Hi Colin,
Can you please advise the best place to park in Kinninvie, and also where to walk in that area.

Thanks Steve Clarke

 

[NeilF]

Spent the best part of three hours this morning on Waldridge Fell and in particular Daisy Hill Local Nature Reserve where the following were noted;-
Mallard, Kestrel, Grey Partridge, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer & Reed Bunting.
As is to be expected at this time of year many of the smaller birds were either taking food back to nests or were feeding recently fledged individuals. The Linnet's appear to have abandoned the gorse area in the south-west corner where they nested last year.

This afternoon I did a favourite walk of mine from High Forge near Beamish up to Pockerley Pond SSSI & back noting the following;-
Woodpigeon, Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Kingfisher, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch & Reed Bunting.
The Kingfisher was observed leaving a small pond and flew along the Beamish Burn, first time I've seen one on this stretch. Pockerley Pond was pretty quiet, only 2 pair of Coot both with young and a departing Grey Heron.

 

[ColinSev]

Steve I have private messaged you.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Recent Vacation

Due to being laid up for the minute I've sorted a few pics from my recent vacation to Suffolk/Minsmere.
If anyone Is interested follow the below link.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1218438#post1218438

 

[great bustard]

Due to being laid up for the minute I've sorted a few pics from my recent vacation to Suffolk/Minsmere.
If anyone Is interested follow the below link.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1218438#post1218438

Looks like you had quite a time down there! :t:

Due to Holidays, work and work at home have not had much spare time to watch the birds, however hoping this will change soon!!

 

[Shaggy2070]

Tree Sparrow in Shotton

I got home today to find we had been visited by a pair of Bullfinch, the first ones we have seen in our garden for over ten years|=)|.

Then while was watching the Wrens nest box we had a visit from a Tree Sparrow:eek!:. I've never seen a Tree Sparrow near Shotton before, are there many nearby??? the closest I've seen was Cowpen Bewley.

 

[IanF]

I got home today to find we had been visited by a pair of Bullfinch, the first ones we have seen in our garden for over ten years|=)|.

Then while was watching the Wrens nest box we had a visit from a Tree Sparrow:eek!:. I've never seen a Tree Sparrow near Shotton before, are there many nearby??? the closest I've seen was Cowpen Bewley.

I suppose they can pop up anywhere with sutiable habitat. Cowpen Bewley still has a good population as does Summerhill at Hartlepool and Hurworth Burn. Mind you we've never had any in the garden nor Bullfinch - loads of House Sparrows though!

Two good garden ticks :t:

 

[spuggy]

Working up the Wear valley so just a quick lunchtime opportunity to watch a few birds with young, including Redshank, Red Grouse, Dippers, Common Sandpiper, Pied Wagtail, and Stonechat, and without chicks Buzzard, GSW and the usual Crows, Magpies, Starlings and Jackaws etc

 

[IanF]

First chance to get out in a couple of days and it had to be dull and cloudy!

Skies were brighter on the coast so I ended up on the beach at Crimdon Dene.

It was appraoching high tide with little of the beach uncovered. Loads of Little Terns about with quite a few on the thin strip of beach and the odd one battling against the strong northerly winds as they headed out to sea. Not that many bringing in food though.

Also quite a few Ringed Plover scooting about with Swallow and House Martin over the stream. Just a few Linnet, Meadow Pipit and Yellowhammer on the gorse bushes.

With a squally shower coming my way down the coast I headed back to the car - only getting slightly wet

Instead of returning back down the coast I headed over to Hart Village for a wander around the back roads. A marvellous find was seven pairs of Yellow Wagtail making use of a dung heap for food to take back to the nestlings. Also a faimily of Pied Wagtail. Plenty of Whitethroat and Linnet with young and the odd Yellowhammer. A cuckoo was calling on and off for over an hour gradually getting closer but didn't come into view. Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were overhead hunting. Best find though was a Red Kite and a pair of Buzzard frolicking about the sky above the tree line. A little worrying that shotguns were going off close by though the birds didn't seem overly bothered.

Photos: 1. Little Tern - 2. Common Whitethroat - 3. Sparrowhawk - 4. Yellow Wagtail - 5. Common Buzzard.

 

[Shaggy2070]

Quick update.........After seeing the first ever Tree Sparrow in the garden yesterday, there has been at least three in today including a young fluffy one:t:

 

[Ram One]

Spent a very enjoyable day out in the Stang forest and surrounding areas today, with the following birds seen :-

5 Buzzard plus single Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.
A few Pheasant and lots of Lapwing with chicks.
Several Curlew and 2 Snipe standing on roadside fenceposts.
About 20 Common Gull on the drive up.
Plenty of Wood Pigeon and a calling Collared Dove.
Good numbers of Swift and Swallow.
A single Skylark singing at the moorland edge plus several Meadow Pips and Pied Wag. Several Wren, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Robin plus a single Dunnock.
10-20 each of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler plus a Blackcap and a pair of Garden Warbler. Goldcrest, Blue Tit and Coal Tit around but often hard to see amongst the pines.
2 Jay plus Crow and Jackdaw.
Goldfinch, Greenfinch plus Chaffinch everywhere, never being out of earshot of a singing male.
Good numbers of Siskin at least 30 birds seen plus more heard calling.

However the highlight of the day was Crossbill, groups of 20+ birds seen on 8 occassions plus lots of instances of smaller groups around either feeding or in flight. Their presence was normally given away by their calls or the sound of crunching pine cones. The biggest flock seen was 90 birds around the bottom car park, with 60 of them gathered in one tree! Even allowing for having seen the same birds more than once, I reckon at least 150 birds were seen, with views of males, females and juveniles all as close as 8 ft away at times.

In addition I saw 3 Roe Deer (1 stag), a stoat and a brown hare.

On leaving the Stang I went over to Sleightholme where the following additional species were seen :-
A pair of wigeon with 5 young.
2 Red Grouse with 4 chicks.
Several Oystercatcher and Redshank (including 1 chick.)
Great Tit and a flock of Starling.
A pair of Spotted Flycatcher.
And a site tick for me - a pair of Pied Fly taking food to a nest site.

All in all a great few hours out.

john Cooper

 

[DenBee]

Touring Bullfinch

I got home today to find we had been visited by a pair of Bullfinch, the first ones we have seen in our garden for over ten years|=)|.

Hi Shaggy
Like you I have had two Bullfinch in my garden for the past two days, first visit for over two year.
I wonder if they are touring the Seaham, Peterlee and Murton garden area's this year.:t:

 

[DenBee]

Barnie Castle

On the way back from Center Parcs (Whinfell Forest) Monday stopped off at Barnie, for a refreshment stop after being stuck behind four Romany Caravans from Appleby Horse Fair,for eight miles in very hot sunshine "PHEW". spotted what appeared to be a female Goosander on a nest with young in the middle of the river just under the footbridge, this was a first for me to actually see Goosander on nest with young therefore a suppose a first tick is in order
As I did not have my usual camera handy had to rely on the betterhalves digital compact, hope the pics turn out ok

 

[DenBee]

Attaching Thumbnails

Hi can anyone out there give me some advice as to the best way to attach thumbnails to posts, as you may have noticed in my last post I don't seem to be able to set them in a thumbnail attachment box

 

[IanF]

Hi can anyone out there give me some advice as to the best way to attach thumbnails to posts, as you may have noticed in my last post I don't seem to be able to set them in a thumbnail attachment box

I've straightened them up a little

Best way to attach photos is to use the 'post reply' button and then bleow the text box that appears select 'manage attachments' and just upload from your hard drive.

 

[DenBee]

Thx Ian for yoiur quick reply

Denbee

 

[DenBee]

Don't Ring My Bell

Came across these two nests today, hope there is not a fire before the Blackbird successfully raises her family, the female Chaffinch is only eight feet away in the opposite corner tucked up against a roof joist

 

[markh606]

East Durham Bullfinches

there are a few bullfinches flitting around gardens in peterlee, not mine though because i live in a flat and don't have one!.... also plenty of little tern activity on crimdon beach yesterday afternoon.

 

[loppydog70]

barmston pond

Spent an hour or so at barmston pond yesterday afternoon, a pair of bullfinches starting the afternoon off nicely. Had a quick look on the main pond 2 little grebes, 1 common tern, 1 heron as well as all the usual birds. Then cycled round to the screen hide to have a look on the smaller pond but its to overgrown now to see anything. Cycling my way round to the marsh area next to the seven houses 1 common whitethroat, 1 male blackcap, chaffinches and goldfinches were seen. The marsh area saw more common whitethroats with at least 4 seen, loads of reed buntings 2 mistle thrushes, more goldfinches, chaffinches and swallows. sedge and grasshopper warblers heard.

 

[IanF]

Another look around the Hart area this afternoon. Much better weather - sunny with a nice cooling breeze. Not so many birds this time but still managed - Red-legged Partridge x1, Buzzard x1, Yellow Wagtail x4, Yellowhammer x2, Pied Wagtail x5. Numerous Skylark, Linnet, Whitethroat.

Not a lot at Hartlepool Headland over high tide - Turnstone x1, Common Tern x1, Shag x2, Eider c.12. Several House Martin and Sand Martin feeding along the sea wall.