Durham Birding (27 Viewers)

[durham giant]

Merry Xmas too all hope it is a good one

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few from RM's today:

Very quiet on all the ponds with small numbers of the regular mallard, coots etc.
Large flock chaffinch near Joe's pond and small flock willow & LT tits in the surrounding bushes.

Merry Xmas to all :king:.

 

[IanF]

Cowpen Bewley WP - pm - same birds as usual including several visits from the Treecreeper, GSW and Long-tailed-Tits. A nice surprise was a weasel leisurely checking out all the log piles.

Greenabella Marsh - Twite x44, SEO x2, RB Merganser x16, Little Egret x2, kestrel x1, Sparrowhawk x1. Loads of Teal, Wigeon, Lapwing, Curlew and Redshank - around 50 of each. Black-tailed Godwit x6. Greylag Goose x9 with one Pink-footed Goose on south side of Creek.

 

[loppydog70]

Barmston Pond 2pm - 7 Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 2 Fem Pochard, 1 Grey Heron, 1 GBB Gull, 12 Goldfinch, 6 Chaffinch, singles of Dunnock, Robin, Wren.


Merry Xmas everybody B .

 

[IanF]

Now there's a first!

Currently listening to a Tawny Owl screeching somewhere out back of the house!

I had a wander around my local patch again this morning whilst waiting for the turkey to cook. Nothing new seen. If anything pretty quiet compared to yesterday. The weasel was back in the feeding station but only very briefly.

I think this Sparrowhawk must have smelt the turkey. Just as it was about to come out the oven it turned up in the garden! First time I've seen it actually sat clinging onto a tube feeder perch! It moved onto the fence though before I got hold of the camera.

 

[Auntystatic]

More great shots Ian, but can you do a "save as" instead of a "save for web" as it will retain the exif data in your pictures, useful for those of us who are interested and keeps your copyright info in too.

I'm not going to make it out over the next few days, on Tuesday the doc ordered bed rest for a week, too much sitting around in the snow photographing the critters at foxglove covert LNR, with a fever and temp of 102deg, thought I could push through it but it's back fired and I'm now in trouble.

So no visit to the bogs or anywhere else as I had planned, but as canon have sent me a diary for 2009 I'll start making plans for next years visits.

The seasons best to you all.

 

[IanF]

More great shots Ian, but can you do a "save as" instead of a "save for web" as it will retain the exif data in your pictures, useful for those of us who are interested and keeps your copyright info in too...................

I only ever use 'save as' but I also use noise filtration which is the culprit for stripping the exif. Apart from reducing noise it reduces the file size dramatically without increasing pixelation. I find doing so is ideal for web use. Leaving exif in place has nothing to do with proving copyright - it's too easy to alter or remove. The orginals all have exif in place which is where it matters.

Settings are pretty standard anyway. I almost always use AV mode, ISO400 and f5,6. Partial metering with just the centre focus spot selected.

Shutter speed varies quite a bit but mostly I aim for 1/400 and over in the open and 1/1000 for flight captures. In a hide or feeding station especially this tme of the year it's often down to 1/80 if not below but with something to rest on it's eaiser to keep everything steady.

I tend to rely on EV compensation for exposure adjustment. Standard EV for birds on the ground is -0.3 to help retain details in the whites but obviously varies depending on how bright the background is.

I'm not going to make it out over the next few days, on Tuesday the doc ordered bed rest for a week, too much sitting around in the snow photographing the critters at foxglove covert LNR, with a fever and temp of 102deg, thought I could push through it but it's back fired and I'm now in trouble.

So no visit to the bogs or anywhere else as I had planned, but as canon have sent me a diary for 2009 I'll start making plans for next years visits.

The seasons best to you all.

Hopefully you'll get over it quickly and be back out and about, espcially now with the sun creeping higher in the sky giving a better quality to the light and of course the lengthening days :t:

 

[IanF]

A different Sparrowhawk in the garden this morning. The one yesterday afternoon had orange eyes and this one has pale yellow eyes.

 

[russ1610]

Had a nice drive round today, Off up the A68 to Derwent water Saw flock of 500-600 Geese, Mainly Canada but some others mixed in there type unknown. Up to Blanchland and over the moors to Weardale, Pheasant, 10+Partridge, 30+Red Grouse, 2 Kestrel, 1 Red Kite near Rookhope, Again over the tops to Teesdale further Red Grouse and then at Langdon beck a group of 23 Black Grouse all in one field just to the left of the Cow Green Road. Looked all day for them then find 23 all together!. Down to Eggleston looked for more Kites no trace then 1 buzzard near Woodland also small flock mixed Fieldfair and Redwing.

 

[Jonny Rankin]

Been walking between Sherburn House, Shincliffe Wood and Butterby, plenty about over the last couple days:

Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Greater Spotted, Yellowhammer, Fieldfare, Reed Bunting, Redpoll, Grey Partridge and Bullfinch - lots of Bullfinch!

Saw at around 20 individual birds over a few miles yesterday.

The Redpoll is defo treat of today - watched 3 feeding for ages, think it was Silver Birth with them 'Catkin' things on. Lovely views, they was Lesser as opposed to Mealy.

Gonna have a walk over that Croxdale estate next week & see if I can get a view of them Hawfinch:t:

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Non-Motorised Local Patch


Day started well with a dozen flyover Waxwings from the living room, moments later a call from IS to tell me they were at RMs car park:t:. Quick text allowed CW, MH, CR, SM to connect

Site A
5 more Waxwing
1Sparrowhawk, 2Kingfisher, 100Redwing
1Grey Wagtail, 35House Sparrow, 9Moorhen, 2Heron
Mistle & Song Thrush singing, 136 Golden Plover
Little Owl in a kids treehouse at the farm(SE/MH)

Site B
1Crossbill Sth late PM, 68Greenfinch going to roost, Treecreeper, Little Owl in a scrapyard.(MH)

Site C
2Little Owl, 1Woodcock, 1Snipe, 2Willow Tit, 9LTTit

Site D
10+Snipe, 1Water Rail, 1Kingfisher, 1Redshank, 70nCurlew, 2Sparrowhawk
1 Tawny Owl, Siskin70w, 23Fieldfare, 100+redpoll, 1Pink footed Goose, mRuddy Duck,
18Waxwing went NE at 15:10
1Long-eared Owl hunting in perfect light at 15:55
2Little Owl calling at dusk, 3Jack Snipe at dusk
3+Woodcock at dusk.
distant Barn Owl high SW at 16:40(SE)

 

[Jonny Rankin]

Day started well with a dozen flyover Waxwings from the living room, moments later a call from IS to tell me they were at RMs car park:t:. Quick text allowed CW, MH, CR, SM to connect

Site A
5 more Waxwing
1Sparrowhawk, 2Kingfisher, 100Redwing
1Grey Wagtail, 35House Sparrow, 9Moorhen, 2Heron
Mistle & Song Thrush singing, 136 Golden Plover
Little Owl in a kids treehouse at the farm(SE/MH)

Site B
1Crossbill Sth late PM, 68Greenfinch going to roost, Treecreeper, Little Owl in a scrapyard.(MH)

Site C
2Little Owl, 1Woodcock, 1Snipe, 2Willow Tit, 9LTTit

Site D
10+Snipe, 1Water Rail, 1Kingfisher, 1Redshank, 70nCurlew, 2Sparrowhawk
1 Tawny Owl, Siskin70w, 23Fieldfare, 100+redpoll, 1Pink footed Goose, mRuddy Duck,
18Waxwing went NE at 15:10
1Long-eared Owl hunting in perfect light at 15:55
2Little Owl calling at dusk, 3Jack Snipe at dusk
3+Woodcock at dusk.
distant Barn Owl high SW at 16:40(SE)

What is site A, B, C and D?! Is it like segments of Rainton Meadows?

 

[StevieEvans]

What is site A, B, C and D?! Is it like segments of Rainton Meadows?

Hi - PM if you want any specific info on species

Did you see Dipper on the beck between Sherburn House & Schincliffe Mill ? Used to spend countless hours down there when we were kids

 

[IanF]

Hi - PM if you want any specific info on species .............

Hm! Not sure there's much point in posting sightings on a public forum if codes are being used for locations! If everyone did the same thing no one would know where anything had been seen! 8-P

I dare some members have an idea of the locations but not everyone is aware of sites around the county.

A general location given with the codes included would do - such as 'Low Barns', 'Tuntall Reservoir', 'Rainton Meadows', 'Hetton Lyons', 'Houghton area', etc.

 

[StevieEvans]

Hm! Not sure there's much point in posting sightings on a public forum if codes are being used for locations! If everyone did the same thing no one would know where anything had been seen! 8-P

Say Houghton in bold in the title :t:

I Suppose it depends what your reasons for posting on here are.... ?
You inform & enthuse other Local Patchers your way & i'll do it mine thanks Ian.

If you're a Local Patcher, then you might want to use the thread to share with others in the highs & lows of others who are also "Local Patchers" ? or is that asking too much ?

I dare some members have an idea of the locations but not everyone is aware of sites around the county.

This thread isnt a bird information service, as far as i know.
If genuine bird watchers want specific detailed info, or are "not aware" then they can send PM for info as stated, especially visitors on their holidays
( Mr JonnyCrossbill is already well aware why specific site info is with-held from experience on his own local patch)

A general location given with the codes included would do - such as 'Low Barns', 'Tuntall Reservoir', 'Rainton Meadows', 'Hetton Lyons', 'Houghton area', etc.

says

Houghton area

in the title in bold letters - play the post Ian & not the poster.


12 Waxwings in the GNForest at Lyons Park - hope thats specific enough.... :-O

 

[IanF]

Suppose it depends what your reasons for posting on here are.... ?
You inform & enthuse others your way & i'll do it mine thanks Ian.

If you're a Local Patcher, then you might want to use the thread to share with others in the highs & lows of others who are also "Local Patchers" ? or is that asking too much ?



This thread isnt a bird information service, as far as i know.
If genuine bird watchers want specific detailed info, or are "not aware" then they can send PM for info as stated, especially visitors on their holidays



says in the title in bold letters - play the post Ian & not the poster.

12 Waxwings in the GNForest at Lyons Park - hope thats specific enough.... :-O

Just clarification of being in Houghton area would suffice Steve!

It certainly wasn't clear to me or to others from your post that these locations were in that area - though I guess the thread title was a big clue 8-P

 

[StevieEvans]

Just clarification of being in Houghton area would suffice Steve!

It certainly wasn't clear to me or to others from your post that these locations were in that area - though I guess the thread title was a big clue 8-P

Yip,
Subtle Clues in the title
Houghton area Non-Motorised Local Patch - ie Walking distance from Houghton

Happy New Year Ian.

in addition to the Lyons birds, 16 Waxwings still present on site in Houghton area as per yesterday

 

[Auntystatic]

I only ever use 'save as' but I also use noise filtration which is the culprit for stripping the exif.

Thanks for the info Ian it is most usefull to those of us trying ti improve our bird photography.

 

[Auntystatic]

New wetlands area nearly complete

I know this isn't strictly in Durham, but it's just over the border. The new wetlands area at my local haunt of foxglove covert LNR in Catterick is nearing completion.

The hide and such like are still to be sorted but most of the excavation work has been done and the water course layed.

http://www.foxglovecovert.org.uk/

Hopfully soon I will be organising some new kingfisher perches around the reserve, ready for spring.

:news:

And I don't have a clue what site A, B, C and D are either, very cryptic

 

[loppydog70]

Usworth Hall Washington

Had a walk around the Usworth Hall area this afternoon. Birds seen were - at least 50 House Sparrows in the trees next to the Manor, 6 LTT, 18 Blackbird, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Willow Tit, 7 Blue Tit, 5 Goldcrest, singles of Dunnock and Robin. Will have a better look in the next few days armed with my binos.