Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[Ray.Scott]

A few from Znkwks and North Gare.
tried to get a different angled shot of the owl to post but difficult, with so many good shots already posted.
Nice shots Ian and Renton, I'm sure JBee will have getting some outstanding shots also.

Excellent day :t:.

 

[JBee]

I wasn't going to bore people with a 4th post showing shots of the SEO' s from yesterday but what the h*ll - someone had to put some decent shots up :t:

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

I wasn't going to bore people with a 4th post showing shots of the SEO' s from yesterday but what the h*ll - someone had to put some decent shots up :t:

The third Photo looks like the SEO's thinking. "He's seen me! Go, go!":-O
Good shots everyone.
Has anyone got any pictures of the Merlin from today?

 

[JBee]

Has anyone got any pictures of the Merlin from today?

What do you think we are - magicians?

The third Photo looks like the SEO's thinking. "He's seen me! Go, go!":-O

He was actually thinking - "That Kinghorn bloke isn't with Jaybee is he?"

 

[balvert]

Spent a quick but noisy 45 minutes at Hetton Bogs yesterday. Two pheasants were the first to make a din, as they exploded into the air as I approached the hide. At the hide, two high-pitched pips alerted me to the presence of a kingfisher, and I saw it flying through the bullrushes to the right.

Things quietened down as I watched five species of tit (blue, great, coal, long-tailed and the beautiful willow) on the feeders - very much an 'identifying tits' moment, minus marsh and crested varieties. A robin joined the tits, and a cautious reed bunting bobbed around in the shrubs but eventually flew off.

Moorhens were abundant, as were coots. Two mallard timidly surveyed the open water. As I was leaving the notorious kingfisher pipping started again, though I failed to see anything. All in all a lovely relaxing way to spend three quarters of an hour.

To any regulars at Hetton Bogs (namely JBee and Scuzz) has there been any sign of water rails this autumn?

 

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Spent a quick but noisy 45 minutes at Hetton Bogs yesterday. Two pheasants were the first to make a din, as they exploded into the air as I approached the hide. At the hide, two high-pitched pips alerted me to the presence of a kingfisher, and I saw it flying through the bullrushes to the right.

Things quietened down as I watched five species of tit (blue, great, coal, long-tailed and the beautiful willow) on the feeders - very much an 'identifying tits' moment, minus marsh and crested varieties. A robin joined the tits, and a cautious reed bunting bobbed around in the shrubs but eventually flew off.

Moorhens were abundant, as were coots. Two mallard timidly surveyed the open water. As I was leaving the notorious kingfisher pipping started again, though I failed to see anything. All in all a lovely relaxing way to spend three quarters of an hour.

To any regulars at Hetton Bogs (namely JBee and Scuzz) has there been any sign of water rails this autumn?

we were there today willow tits,jay no rails or kings :eek!:we filled the tray and table with hearts

 

[JBee]

To any regulars at Hetton Bogs (namely JBee and Scuzz) has there been any sign of water rails this autumn?

Quite worryingly no - not yet.
Very late compared to last year.
The station is very, very quiet at the moment and consensus of opinion is that the ever present sparrowhawk(s) are having a detrimental effect on the birds coming into the station to feed.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

What do you think we are - magicians?


He was actually thinking - "That Kinghorn bloke isn't with Jaybee is he?"

The Merlin was very good at hiding from me then 10 mins later after I left it appeared.:-O

 

[balvert]

we were there today willow tits,jay no rails or kings :eek!:we filled the tray and table with hearts

That reminds me. I was up at Hetton Bogs a good few weeks ago and I left a small bag of sunflower hearts. I put a few on the table and left the rest of the bag at the hide. Did you find them or did some critter swipe them? Ha.

 

[JBee]

The Merlin was very good at hiding from me then 10 mins later after I left it appeared.:-O

Remind me not to go birding with you :-O

That reminds me. I was up at Hetton Bogs a good few weeks ago and I left a small bag of sunflower hearts. I put a few on the table and left the rest of the bag at the hide. Did you find them or did some critter swipe them? Ha.

They were put to good use - thank you.

 

[balvert]

Quite worryingly no - not yet.
Very late compared to last year.
The station is very, very quiet at the moment and consensus of opinion is that the ever present sparrowhawk(s) are having a detrimental effect on the birds coming into the station to feed.

I noticed how quiet the feeding station was. Aside from the flurry of activity when I first arrived, I saw just three birds feeding over the 45 minutes. Didn't see a sparrowhawk (or any other raptor) though!

I wonder what reasons could be behind the non-appearance of the rails?

 

[rentoncharman]

Nice owl shots John. How do you guys get the bird to look at you, mine were all looking boringly straight ahead!

 

[StevieEvans]

I noticed how quiet the feeding station was. Aside from the flurry of activity when I first arrived, I saw just three birds feeding over the 45 minutes. Didn't see a sparrowhawk (or any other raptor) though!

I wonder what reasons could be behind the non-appearance of the rails?

Sorry to jump in fust JBee.
There are definitely Water Rails present, i heard 2 calling on my last visit. CW reports several, mostly on call.
I have a very small feeding area nr RM's & have a couple of birds there, one of which has been feeding under peanut feeders.
All i can suggest is that there is plenty of natural food on site ? - recently saw 100's of shiny blue beetles in another local Typha swamp...

The Rail is a breeding resident here - perhaps it was a poor breeding year & there simply arent as many about..?
The males are highly territorial - perhaps when we've had a cold snap & get some continental birds in, then we'll see an increase in activity ?

 

[balvert]

Sorry to jump in fust JBee.
There are definitely Water Rails present, i heard 2 calling on my last visit. CW reports several, mostly on call.
I have a very small feeding area nr RM's & have a couple of birds there, one of which has been feeding under peanut feeders.
All i can suggest is that there is plenty of natural food on site ? - recently saw 100's of shiny blue beetles in another local Typha swamp...

The Rail is a breeding resident here - perhaps it was a poor breeding year & there simply arent as many about..?
The males are highly territorial - perhaps when we've had a cold snap & get some continental birds in, then we'll see an increase in activity ?

Thanks Stevie. Rails are still an empty box on my life list, so I can't say I'm anything near an expert on their lifestyle! JBee or Scuzz are the people to tell us about natural food at HB... I await in anticipation!

 

[vivster]

can someone tell me where the Znkwks are to see the owl

 

[balvert]

I hope that these directions are understandable ...

The Zinc Works Road and North Gare car park are almost the same place. Make your way to Hartlepool, then Seaton Carew and then head south on the A178 (Tees Road). You will see the entrance to North Gare on your left, the first thing you'll notice will be two sandstone columns just at the entrance to the road leading to the carpark. A number of yards further along the A178 is the Zinc Works Road. You'll see the lefthand turnoff and a sign for Oxford Chemicals (or something similar).

 

[balvert]

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=54.644837,-1.184742&spn=0.006419,0.017509&t=h&z=16

Here's a map. North Gare road to the north, Zinc Works road to the south.

 

[IanF]

The Owls occasionally show at Zinc Works Road but mostly around the car park at North Gare. 3:30pm onwards is usually a pretty good time to visit though it was 4:20pm before three were out together.

Best views/numbers are seen from the car park looking 50-150 m back towards the main road on either side of the access road. Sometimes they're all around the car park itself.

That day the Merlin was sat along the fence line in the middle of the Common when I arrived at 3:20pm. It remained there at least an hour moving between posts but it was very distant and needed a scope for decent views. One owl was hunting when I arrived but it was almost an hour before another two joined it.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Thanks Stevie. Rails are still an empty box on my life list, so I can't say I'm anything near an expert on their lifestyle! JBee or Scuzz are the people to tell us about natural food at HB... I await in anticipation!

I really think that Steve and the other birding guys will have more knowledge about birds and there natural habitats than either myself or JBee, as our hobby revolves more around the photogrophy side than the birding side.
All I know is that the rails like, or used to like peanuts :t:.

OH! and JBee likes peaspudding :-O :-O.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Nice owl shots John. How do you guys get the bird to look at you, mine were all looking boringly straight ahead!

I think It's because, they can't believe what they are seeing, they've never seen anything that horrible :-O:-O.