Durham Birding (44 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Local Patch

Houghton area:
min of 3,000+ Wood Pigeons heading SE between 8 & 9am.

Hetton Bogs:
Kingfisher, 37LTTit (2flocks), Sparhawk, 1Snipe, 13Bullfinch(3 at feeders), 3Goldcrest, 5RBunting(2 at feeders), 1GSW, 3Jay, 2Treecreeper, 4Willow Tit(1 at feeders).

Rainton Bridge area:
11Waxwings at the roundabout East of A690 junction.
(still berries on Ind Estate nr the TNT depot)

Site A
1Woodcock, 3Meadow Pipit, 2Pied Wagtail, 1Lapwing, 3Willow Tit, 14Lesser Redpoll, 6Song Thrush, 2swan sp nth, 1Skylark sth.

Site B
1Chiffchaff, 1Woodcock, 40+redpolls, 7Siskin, 23Fieldfare, 9Bullfinch, 3Reed Bunting, 6 Teal

Site C
118 Teal, mRuddy, fGoldeneye, 2Kingfisher, 190Lapwing, 900Starling, 1 calling Water Rail, 2nCurlew, 100+redpoll, 30+Magpie, 10Stock Dove, 90+Linnet, 5Grey Partridge, 30+Pheasant, 2Meadow Pipit, 45Fieldfare, 17Snipe, 3Jack Snipe, 3Jay, 1Grey Wagtail, 3+Sparrowhawks including a pair hunting together.

Site D
2Grey Wagtail, 1Kingfisher, 8Moorhen, 3Heron, 300BHGull, 350Starling, 400Jackdaw.
(SE)

CW reports 1st Dabchick of the year at Lyons Pk.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

I am away over Christmas I am going away on Tuesday the 23rd and won't be back until the New Year (I should try and make the effort to get out birding more in the new year).

In the words of Harry Hill of TB burp: "Which brings us to".....my bird highlight of the year! A great year overall, made a few birder friends, SE, DK, CW, DC, and others. Which overall helped me to tick of birds for my list, its hard picking a favourite bird of the year. So many contenders: hen harrier, hobby, honey buzzard, wryneck, Rc Pochard, bittern, waxwing............... The winners:
Durham bird of the year for me: (Drum roll) WRYNECK! A real winner and worthy of the tile of the best bird for me in 2008. Great little bird that I got close to and got a cracking view through SE’s scope!!! :t:
The UK as a whole: Honey Buzzard! As if seeing my long awaited Hobby on the club trip to Potteric Carr wasn’t enough I got an additional and sighting of Honey Buzzard eventually ID’d by DC’s photo. Great BOP, one more of my list. 2 new BOP’s in one day, what more could I ask for!
And thanks to all people on the forum here and on the DBC forum for helping me with my birding and giving me directions to see great birds. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas.
Andrew K
ps. Hope you make a speedy recovery JBee.

 

[Auntystatic]

Hetton Bogs:
Kingfisher, 37LTTit (2flocks), Sparhawk, 1Snipe, 13Bullfinch(3 at feeders), 3Goldcrest, 5RBunting(2 at feeders), 1GSW, 3Jay, 2Treecreeper, 4Willow Tit(1 at feeders).

Hi Stevie
Can you tell me what condition the boggs are in, do I need wellies or will walking boots do, with JB being out of action I thought I would go and feed the water rails for him.

:t:

 

[DEREK.C.]

Hi Stevie
I thought I would go and feed the water rails for him.
:t:

The bogs feeding station is well stocked up by Durham Bird club member and keen local patcher Mr Wilson , according to him the Rails are keeping a low profile for some reason..:h?:

 

[DEREK.C.]

Bird Spotters to Report Starlings

Durham Bird Club would welcome any bird sightings , even common garden birds . Simply use Birdtrack on the BTO website , a few minutes of your time will help to paint a bigger picture of bird populations and distribution, and could help with future conservation efforts.:t:

 

[JBee]

The bogs feeding station is well stocked up by Durham Bird club member and keen local patcher Mr Wilson , according to him the Rails are keeping a low profile for some reason..:h?:

Colin popped in to see me the other day and was quite despondent about the Bogs station and the almost total lack of birds visiting. We both wondered if some of the rails being spotted at RM had migrated acoss from the Bogs?
It could be that the station has come to a natural end as a viable feeding station.
That would be a great pity but on the upside it has given lots of pleasure to a lot of people over the last few years.
Perhaps it just needs a month or ten to rebuild new populations?

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Waxwing - 20-30 showing very well! Vigo Lane, Washinghton. Near the school entrance in trees.

 

[DenBee]

Birdtrack Records

Bird Spotters to Report Starlings

Durham Bird Club would welcome any bird sightings , even common garden birds . Simply use Birdtrack on the BTO website , a few minutes of your time will help to paint a bigger picture of bird populations and distribution, and could help with future conservation efforts.:t:

Hi Derek
I have been forwarding local sightings of the common garden birds for a number of years now, as it also keeps track of your own Life List etc.
It also allows you to keep Mark informed of any common bird omissions from your monthly sighting records to the Club

 

[IanF]

Pretty quiet at Seaton Snook this morning an hour after high tide.

RB Merganser x9, Wigeon x5, Grey Plover x1, Redshank x6, Oystercatcher x8.

Dredging still ongoing which may or may not be related to the lack of divers and grebes here so far this winter. I've not seen anything in the press but I've heard that an aircraft carrier will be arriving on Monday to join the ghosts ships at Able UK - hence the dredging. High tide is around noon.

Zinc Works Road - Kestrel x1.

Seaton Common from North Gare Road - Teal x8, Wigeon c.12, Gulls c.500!


Beck Valley Woodland Park - 11.30 am - Siskin x23 in larches alongside A19 with Goldfinch x3. Also present Bullfinch, Wren and Dunnock.

 

[Auntystatic]

I saw rails at the feeding station in june and july, they were making quite a din. It doesn't matter how much seed food is put out there as they are omnivorous, eating mainly small fish, snails and insects.

But what I'm after is a ground report to see wether wellies or just walking boots are required, I'll take along some mealworms or casters as I usually do and my now famous kingfisher whistle :t:

 

[barnstormer]

I was at the bogs on wednesday and wellies is the best option and we've had rain today so it could be a bit more moist underfoot.

 

[StevieEvans]

Flip - flops & a Parasol

Colin popped in to see me the other day and was quite despondent about the Bogs station and the almost total lack of birds visiting.

Was only at the screen 3 or 4 mins John, still a good selection of species visiting, although no's do seem down.

We both wondered if some of the rails being spotted at RM had migrated across from the Bogs?

Very unlikely, both sites annually hold breeding (presumably) resident birds.
There are WR's at the Bogs... they simply arent ambling about in front of the screen.
There is no reason to suggest WR's are at RM's in any greater no's than in previous winters.

It could be that the station has come to a natural end as a viable feeding station.

I would disagree. Golden rule with wild bird feeding stations is to keep them going through winter..... regardless of whether the "star attraction" is posing for photographs or not...........
Think there be a few disappointed birds & folks in it was mothballed

It would be interesting to see if the no's of Moorhens visible from the Bogs screen have also declined - airgunning could be to blame ?

:cat::smoke::t: (not my smilies !)

 

[JBee]

It would be interesting to see if the no's of Moorhens visible from the Bogs screen have also declined - airgunning could be to blame ?

:cat::smoke::t: (not my smilies !)

Colin did mention that moorhen numbers were well down.
Considering they got to almost plague numbers during mid 2008 with lots of young (covering at least 4 brood ages) they are probably the most surprising drop. Could it be possible that the area was/is just too small to hold a large population?
I'm doubtful about the airgun theory as you would expect to see at least some visible signs - dead bird, pellets lying around etc. I don't think any evidence has been found to support that but who knows.
I think the ever present sparrowhawk(s) were factor earlier in the autumn.
Weasels/stoats have been seen but not on a daily or regular basis but could account for some bird losses I suppose.
There is no intention to let the station go but what to do for the best seems to be the problem. 2007 simply saw the birds numbers drop dramatically till August when everything reappeared naturally, including the rails, that hasn't been the case this year and to my knowledge not a single rail has been spotted (other than a couple of brief views amongst reeds)
I only mention the rails as they are the "star attraction" for lots of people but other species such as the very large numbers of reed buntings that visited daily also have been reduced to often just a single or pair of birds.

 

[StevieEvans]

Colin did mention that moorhen numbers were well down.
Considering they got to almost plague numbers during mid 2008 with lots of young (covering at least 4 brood ages) they are probably the most surprising drop. Could it be possible that the area was/is just too small to hold a large population?
I'm doubtful about the airgun theory as you would expect to see at least some visible signs - dead bird, pellets lying around etc. I don't think any evidence has been found to support that but who knows.
I think the ever present sparrowhawk(s) were factor earlier in the autumn.
Weasels/stoats have been seen but not on a daily or regular basis but could account for some bird losses I suppose.
There is no intention to let the station go but what to do for the best seems to be the problem. 2007 simply saw the birds numbers drop dramatically till August when everything reappeared naturally, including the rails, that hasn't been the case this year and to my knowledge not a single rail has been spotted (other than a couple of brief views amongst reeds)
I only mention the rails as they are the "star attraction" for lots of people but other species such as the very large numbers of reed buntings that visited daily also have been reduced to often just a single or pair of birds.

its certainly a strange one John, certain to keep us humming & harring for a good while yet.
i might try a few visits late in the day over Xmas period & try & work out (from sharming / contact calls)how many (or how few) WR's are down there...
ATB
Steve

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hetton Lyons:

Apart from the usual coots, mallards etc, on approaching the boating pond, single goosander flew off also little grebe, cormorant, single wigeon on the water, distant kestrel hunting and kingfisher flew accross the pond.
Not much in the surrounding trees/bushes other than robin, blackbirds, small flock LT Tits and a single redpoll which was in the trees/bushes near the allotments.
Well I think It's a redpoll, I only managed one distant shot, image 5.

 

[deansmith]

Pretty quiet at Seaton Snook this morning an hour after high tide.

RB Merganser x9, Wigeon x5, Grey Plover x1, Redshank x6, Oystercatcher x8.

Dredging still ongoing which may or may not be related to the lack of divers and grebes here so far this winter. I've not seen anything in the press but I've heard that an aircraft carrier will be arriving on Monday to join the ghosts ships at Able UK - hence the dredging. High tide is around noon.

Zinc Works Road - Kestrel x1.

Seaton Common from North Gare Road - Teal x8, Wigeon c.12, Gulls c.500!


Beck Valley Woodland Park - 11.30 am - Siskin x23 in larches alongside A19 with Goldfinch x3. Also present Bullfinch, Wren and Dunnock.

i see mr able got his way an the dredging is apparently complete ready for the arrival of the french warship in the hartlepool mail today it said that initial plans were to bring the ship on christmas day but the timescale was too tight

the ship is now due to arrive on one of the following days 8/9/25/26th of january

a very unwanted christmas present from the greedy *******

ive been working everyday so havent been down there but had a couple of hours last week and the new spoil pile next too the road of the tip is discusting, since this adition i see theres alot more plastics blowing across the road onto seaton common

did no local authorites put in an objection ?

 

[Jumpin 4 Joy]

Ray, it is a redpoll.

Has anyone ever seen redpolls there before ?

 

[ColinSev]

Darlington Waxwings

Flock of approx 20 waxwings on Whifield Road opposite Kingsway. The trees are in the back gardens of the new housing estate on the left going towards ASDA from north road.
I was driving at the time so didnt get a good count of them.
I saw 3 in this exact location 2 years ago. So it looks as though those 3 brought some pals back with them.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Ray, it is a redpoll.
Has anyone ever seen redpolls there before ?

Redpolls are quite regular birds in the Hetton/Rainton area in the winter.

The bird photographed looks a good candidate for a Common Redpoll (not a Lesser Redpoll, our breeding Redpoll species). It looks quite bull-necked, with fairly pale underparts, minimal undertail streaking and the breast-side streaking isn't that heavy. However I wouldn't like to commit to the ID without seeing the back/wings. Shame you didn't manage any other shots Ray, but maybe try again in the coming days, as they often stick to an area with good feeding.

A good few Redpolls were still in the finch flock at Rainton Meadows today: 2-3 Common Redpolls with 40-50 Lessers and 40 Siskins.

 

[DenBee]

Rainton Meadows / Joe's Pond

Poppeed over this am to try and gain year tick for Redpol, no such luck. However while in hide at pond 2 group of Whooper Swan x 5 flew over in a North Easterly Direction poss over to Herrington CP.
Pond 2
Not a great deal about apart from Female Rudworth Duck,Teal x 50, Lapwing x c170, GBBG x 3.
Large group of Greylag Geese x 100+ flew into entrance field of Reserve, in their midst was 1 Solitary Barnacle Goose this is not the first time I have noted this Goose amongst Greylag at this site ie the past two or three years.
Also the same birds at remote feeding station as noted yesterday by IanGB.