Durham Birding (36 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

Houghton Non Motorised Local Patch 09

Houghton / Leamside area (12:00 -17:30)

Peregrine pair over town midday

Dairy Lane:
Little Owl sunning itself outside its treehouse & Kingfisher fishing beck.

West Rainton / Leamside area:
fem/imm Merlin perched for 10mins before launching attack, 1Reshank, 120Fieldfare, 4Tree Sparrow, 8N Skylark, 20Chaffinch, 10Yellowhammer, 1Reed Bunting, Willow Tit, 95Fieldfare, 40Redwing, 1Kestrel, 80Starling, 15N Curlew, 2Little Owl, 2Barn Owl at dusk, 1Woodcock

Joes Pond / RM's:
2Waxwings, Bullfinch singing, 80+Teal, 1Pochard, 3Willow Tit, 120Redpoll/Siskin pool 3, 1Ruddy Duck, 3Pink footed Goose ( one appeared larger . . . ) 420Greylag, 60Canada, 80Fieldfare, 1W.Rail, 51Golden Plover

67species noted on a perfect afternoon, especially pleased to catch up with the Merlin - it was the only bird on my year list that i'd used the motor to see

 

[durham giant]

Any one going to the dbc meeting tonight? my son will.

 

[DEREK.C.]

Any one going to the dbc meeting tonight? my son will.

Nobodies going because there isnt one on.

 

[ColinSev]

RSPB Saltholme

Had couple of hours at RSPB Saltholme today and very enjoyable it was too and met some nice people there too.
Red Throated Diver was on the lake outside the Centre from the hide we saw Pochard, Shoveller, Pintail, Pochard, Teal, and Tufted Duck, a Sparrowhawk flew low in front of the hide. A single Grey Wagtail was paddling in the mud outside the centre, goldfinch and reed bunting on the feeders.

 

[IanF]

Hartlepool Headland - pm - same as usual with quite a few waders inside the pier on the shore - Purple Sandpiper c.30, Knot c.30, Turnstone c.30, Oystercatcher c.30, Ringed Plover x5, Rock Pipit x3, Pied Wagtail x2, Med Gull x1.

Same range of species at Newburn Bridge plus Sanderling c.80.

Seaton Common from North Gare - Golden Plover c.50, Merlin female back near to the car park plus Kestrel, Curlew, Teal, Wigeon and Little Egret x1.

Zinc Works Road - Short-eared owl x2 giving very close views - one in flight and the other sat on a fence post. Also Stonechat x2.

Photos : 1. Med. Gull (Headland) - 2. Med Gull (Newburn Bridge) - 3. Sanderling - 4. Golden Plover - 5. Short-eared Owl

 

[durham giant]

Drek, there was on e last night. Durham Bird club had one about the birds fylingdales moor in north yorkshire. My son went, so there was one!

 

[durham giant]

sorry derek miss spelling- oops!

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple of hours at Clara Vale today:

Much the same birds with siskin, redpoll, goldfinch, chaffinch, greenfinch, bullfinch, robin, wren, pheasant, blue,great,coal,willow & LT tits, GS woodpecker, magpie, blackbird, wood pigeon, moorehen and a couple of grey squirels.

All very skitish due to Sphawk flying through at regular intervals, which at one stage, landed on a far branch for a few seconds.

 

[StevieEvans]

Ooops

Drek, there was on e last night. Durham Bird club had one about the birds fylingdales moor in north yorkshire. My son went, so there was one!

Oops, dont you mean Durham RSPB members group ? :t:

(Durham Bird Club had that same talk some months ago . . . )

Called at Cowpen Bewley this afternoon just as the sun came out
Very impressive feeding station down there , in excess of 100 birds
Best being 2 Treecreepers down to 4' - DC had netted & ringed a third earlier today
The Spotted Redshank gave close views at high tide on Greenabella.
Scoped 2 nest boxes here - both had pairs of Stock Doves at the entrances

 

[IanF]

Oops, dont you mean Durham RSPB members group ? :t:

(Durham Bird Club had that same talk some months ago . . . )

Called at Cowpen Bewley this afternoon just as the sun came out
Very impressive feeding station down there , in excess of 100 birds
Best being 2 Treecreepers down to 4' - DC had netted & ringed a third earlier today
The Spotted Redshank gave close views at high tide on Greenabella.
Scoped 2 nest boxes here - both had pairs of Stock Doves at the entrances

Must have just missed you Steve. Only one Spotshank on Greenabella when I was there - close views as well. Very little else around - Grey Plover x1, Teal, Mute Swan x2, RB Merganser x5, Shelduck c.30, Wigeon and Common Redshank.

No sign of any owls when I was there. I saw the pigeons on the box the Barn Owls were using. One was on top and one stood on the front yesterday as well so I wonder if the owls have moved on.

Seaton Common - Peregrine chasing waders. Kestrel m & f, Lapwing c.80, a few Teal, Wigeon and Curlew. No owls up to 4:45pm though the friendly fox was around again.

The feeding station at Cowpen Bewley has been pretty good throughout the winter - just not much else away from the feeding station. Though on my last visit yesterday a few more birds spreading along the cycleway bushes now towards Cloff Bridge.

 

[JBee]

Spotted redshank
Is there an idiots way of IDing a spotted redshank?
I took several shots of this bird 5 years ago in Scotland but have the images in with, and labelled with the rest of my redshank shots.
Have I had shots of the spotty variety without knowing??

 

[IanF]

Spotted redshank
Is there an idiots way of IDing a spotted redshank?
I took several shots of this bird 5 years ago in Scotland but have the images in with, and labelled with the rest of my redshank shots.
Have I had shots of the spotty variety without knowing??

A Common Redshank that one.

Spotted Redshank have longer narrower bills - this time of year part black and part orange. They also have a white patch infront of the eye rather than a white circle around the eye.

In summer they're much easier to tell apart - adults are all black!

 

[spuggy]

A few from Teesside

Had a trip south with SE yesterday and got a few photos from around Teesside, the feeding station at Cowpen bewley was full of birds but it was the Crossbills at Hurworth that made my day. I've added a Redshank montage shot

 

[DEREK.C.]

Durham Bird Club
Review of the Year + AGM

Thursday- February 19th- 7pm
Room CG91 at the Science Site, Durham University

There will be the important matter of the club AGM , followed by a picture slideshow of the Birding highlights from 2008.
Please make an effort to attend and support your local Bird Club.

Access to the Science site is from the south side of Stockton Road at the top of the hill where the A177 enters Durham from Shincliffe.

 

[Cyclops]

Lots of snowfall today,must be a few inches by now. Anyone out birding in weather like this?

 

[Shaggy2070]

Lots of snowfall today,must be a few inches by now. Anyone out birding in weather like this?

No but I've been out emptying bins in it all day:-C

 

[StevieEvans]

Durham Bird Club
Review of the Year + AGM
. . . < snip > . . .
Access to the Science site is from the south side of Stockton Road at the top of the hill where the A177 enters Durham from Shincliffe.

MAP - Secure parking beyond security barrier http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=NZ277416&countryCode=GB#map=54.76858,-1.57099|14|4&dp=os&bd=useful_information&loc=GB:54.76858:-1.57099:14|NZ277416|NZ277416

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Its near enough to post it!

Hello everyone.
Thought some of you may be interested to know the first white-tailed eagle for 200 years has been reported in cumbria!:t:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/7882040.stm
Click above to see the BBC article on it.
I know its not Durham but I thought people might be interested. Also I am white-tailed eagle mad, them being my favourite bird of all time! :-O
Andrew K

 

[vivster]

hi..can any of youse give me any information on this web site..im thinking of buying a lens of it...have you heard of it and has any of youse purchased anything of this site..thanks

http://www.electronicmegastore.co.uk/index.php

 

[AndyMc]

hi..can any of youse give me any information on this web site..im thinking of buying a lens of it...have you heard of it and has any of youse purchased anything of this site..thanks

http://www.electronicmegastore.co.uk/index.php

If you're talking about a camera lens:
Before going the totally mail order route, I would have a look at http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk. They have a branch shop in Newcastle, are reasonably priced, & will usually match internet prices should they not be in the first place. Also, importantly, you have somewhere to go locally, should anything go wrong with your purchase:-C. It's also good to get your hands on for a feel. Worth thinking about.:h?: