Durham Birding (4 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

disturbing news

Not getting sentimental or anything but the Chester-le-street Park Dipper is now called Dave. ....

You're better off having a ride through Gateshead (or for that matter Suoth TineSide) & stroke a few Robins, rather get getting too familiar with Dippers...

They're susceptible to disturbance at nest building time (ie - Now)
- best give "Dave" a wide berth or theres every chance that there'll be another County Durham Dipper pair that end up deserting their nest this year.:eek!:
:flyaway:

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

They're susceptible to disturbance at nest building time (ie - Now)
- best give "Dave" a wide berth or theres every chance that there'll be another County Durham Dipper pair that end up deserting their nest this year.:eek!:
:flyaway:

Hmmm never thought about that. Yeah I shall leave the Dipper to it. I didn't get that close it was quite a distant bird.

 

[StevieEvans]

Hmmm never thought about that. Yeah I shall leave the Dipper to it.

I didn't get that close it was quite a distant bird.

Andrew, I had no doubt whatsoever that you would put the welfare of the bird first...

But sadly at least one Dipper pair have been pressured into abandoning their nest.
This was due to a stream of photographers camping out on the bankside in very close proximity....

Nice pics.... but at what cost ?

 

[rokermartin]

Andrew, I had no doubt whatsoever that you would put the welfare of the bird first...

But sadly at least one Dipper pair have been pressured into abandoning their nest.
This was due to a stream of photographers camping out on the bankside in very close proximity....

Nice pics.... but at what cost ?

Hi Steve some of these so called photographers have a lot to answer for disturbing breeding birds and rarities they want a good kicking up there backsides.

 

[degsy_safc]

Hi Steve some of these so called photographers have a lot to answer for disturbing breeding birds and rarities they want a good kicking up there backsides.

Hmmmmm - i think it works both ways, some so called birders are also irresponsible in their behaviour. For instance only today i passed a car full of bird watchers half parked on the bridge (Seal Sands / Greatham Creek) area clearly scoping birds on the mud - a complete danger to passing motorists.

Secondly if you think photographers are solely responsible for birds migrating from nest sites you need to seriously investigate your own brethren - as it is almost certain that unscrupulous birders with pagers will have trodden a similar path to get their year, patch, life "tick" long before the photographer has arrived. (i remember seeing a gazillion birders in Mowbray Park, Sunderland a good while back trying to - what is it you call it "twitch" a rare bird) In the end the council had to 'tape off' the pond to keep you lot out!!!!!!

Thirdly i find it completely unbelievable that Stevie Evans himself has posted to this forum regularly in the past about numbers of Owl chicks in nests - well i guess on some instances that he has had to be very invasive to reveal this detail.

Finally certain photographers who frequent this thread also have photographic proof of "well respected" birders acting totally irresponsibly with respect to birds. For instance: people tramping over Greenabella off the known footpaths & people flushing Owls at Rainton Meadows (this year).... you know who you are!!

I think you need to get you own glass house in order before you start throwing stones - otherwise i think the photographers will start publishing pictures to name and shame birders who don't play by the rules :t:

 

[barnstormer]

Couldn't agree with you more degsy and i witnessed the owl flushers last year at rainton.

 

[DEREK.C.]

!!!!!!

Thirdly i find it completely unbelievable that Stevie Evans himself has posted to this forum regularly in the past about numbers of Owl chicks in nests - well i guess on some instances that he has had to be very invasive to reveal this detail.

If it wasnt for Steve Evans knowledge/dedication and hard work , the County records / Durham Bird Club database for Owl population/distribution and habits would be virtually nil.
This man has done more for conservation and protection of Wildlife in County Durham than any Photographer sitting on his backside taking pictures for his own benefit has ever done..:t:

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Andrew, I had no doubt whatsoever that you would put the welfare of the bird first...

But sadly at least one Dipper pair have been pressured into abandoning their nest.
This was due to a stream of photographers camping out on the bankside in very close proximity....

Nice pics.... but at what cost ?

"Andrew, I had no doubt whatsoever that you would put the welfare of the bird first..." Thank you :t:

"But sadly at least one Dipper pair have been pressured into abandoning their nest." :-C That's sad news.

"Nice pics.... but at what cost?" I agree. There is just no need to disturb nesting birds for a photo. See: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/874888?UserKey=

 

[StevieEvans]

"Andrew, I had no doubt whatsoever that you would put the welfare of the bird first..." Thank you :t:

"But sadly at least one Dipper pair have been pressured into abandoning their nest." :-C That's sad news.

"Nice pics.... but at what cost?" I agree.


There is just no need to disturb nesting birds for a photo.

See: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/874888?UserKey=

That pretty much sums it up Andrew. :t:

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I dont know who degsy safc is, so i wont reply to his "Us" & "Them" rant, as nothing in it has anything to do with birds being disturbed at the nest building stage - which is the topic in question........ regardless of whose doing it !

& i certainly wont post a personal comment, other than to say - its often only a minority who spoil it for the majority and......

Thirdly i find it completely unbelievable that Stevie Evans himself has posted to this forum regularly in the past about numbers of Owl chicks in nests - well i guess on some instances that he has had to be very invasive to reveal this detail.

regarding

very invasive

checking of nests please see:-
http://www.bto.org/survey/nest_records/index.htm


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Whoopers, Siskin & Dunlin passing through today
Nice to see a pair of Corn Buntings on territory :t:

 

[Alan Tilmouth]

Nice to see a pair of Corn Buntings on territory :t:

We used to have Corn Bunting in Northumberland, sadly almost extinct.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Green Woodpecker Story

If you like storys enjoy:
Started of the day with a walk down to the wooded area mentioned by NeilF. I heard a Green Woodpecker here but didn't see it. Chiffchaff's heard while looking for Green Woodpecker which was nice, but no Green Woody! I had a Great Spotted Woodpecker fly over the trees but still no Green Woodpecker! After about 2 hours or so looking I gave in and rang Dad to pick me up (I'm lazy) from Waldridge fell.

On the way back to the car. I took a detour and it was about 200-300 meteres from the car park, this detour was not deliberate. Then I heard a Green Woodpecker lound and clear. Headed toward where I heard, looked up on the telegrph pole and there it was my first Green Woodpecker. I kept my Dad waiting for about 10 mins becuase I watched it for 2 minutes!:-O

 

[NeilF]

If you like storys enjoy:
Started of the day with a walk down to the wooded area mentioned by NeilF. I heard a Green Woodpecker here but didn't see it. Chiffchaff's heard while looking for Green Woodpecker which was nice, but no Green Woody! I had a Great Spotted Woodpecker fly over the trees but still no Green Woodpecker! After about 2 hours or so looking I gave in and rang Dad to pick me up (I'm lazy) from Waldridge fell.

On the way back to the car. I took a detour and it was about 200-300 meteres from the car park, this detour was not deliberate. Then I heard a Green Woodpecker lound and clear. Headed toward where I heard, looked up on the telegrph pole and there it was my first Green Woodpecker. I kept my Dad waiting for about 10 mins becuase I watched it for 2 minutes!:-O

Way to go Andrew :t:
You did'nt even need my rubbish directions, you found the bird yourself!
As you live quite close you should consider making the Fell your local patch, there's always something to see and most of the warblers hav'nt returned yet.

 

[degsy_safc]

If it wasnt for Steve Evans knowledge/dedication and hard work , the County records / Durham Bird Club database for Owl population/distribution and habits would be virtually nil.
This man has done more for conservation and protection of Wildlife in County Durham than any Photographer sitting on his backside taking pictures for his own benefit has ever done..:t:

Not denying that at all and it is clear that Steve does a lot of good, but how can you criticise one group of people when others are doing exactly the same thing.

There is undoubtedly double standards going on, i.e. it is always the photographers who are tagged as the wrongdoers - yet there is clear photographic evidence of supposed respected people doing things they vocally criticise here.

 

[degsy_safc]

That pretty much sums it up Andrew. :t:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I dont know who degsy safc is, so i wont reply to his "Us" & "Them" rant, as nothing in it has anything to do with birds being disturbed at the nest building stage - which is the topic in question........ regardless of whose doing it !

& i certainly wont post a personal comment, other than to say - its often only a minority who spoil it for the majority and......

Hi Steve - i don't condone people disturbing the birds at nest building stage and i totally agree with you on that point. However you started the topic by labelling photographers as the cause for the Dippers to move on - is it not a combination of birders and photographers? Why single out one group of people?

Personally i don't have an us and them issue, i like taking pictures of wildlife and have met some really helpful friendly birders along the way - but i find it difficult to take when one set of people are singled out for criticism.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Way to go Andrew :t:
You did'nt even need my rubbish directions, you found the bird yourself!
As you live quite close you should consider making the Fell your local patch, there's always something to see and most of the warblers hav'nt returned yet.

Your directions where fine. I managed to find Daisy Hill reserve. However when you come out of the gate do you turn left or right. If you turn right there is an old rusty bridge. If you turn left there is a little wooden bridge and a big bridge. Do I turn left or right when I come out of the kissing gate from Daisy Hill nature reserve?

If I didn't get a Green Woodpecker I could have always poped along to the nearest shop to the beer part and see a Green Woodpecker there, but its not quite the same.:smoke:

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few local birds from today.

 

[StevieEvans]

We used to have Corn Bunting in Northumberland, sadly almost extinct.

Fragmented, patchy distribution down here- nine times out of ten associated with Barley.
They more or less vanish over the winter, so its always a sense of relief when we get to see & hear the first of the 3 or 4 on our Houghton patch.
CW reports an extra isolated bird at Eppleton, where it hasnt bred for a few years now.
Our Clubs Conservation team works with several farmers, with our members bird records & info from the club database being shared with various bodies to target funding to farms holding populations of these declining birds.

.....<snip>......there it was my first Green Woodpecker

good going Andrew, well done. You can guarantee that you'll be tripping over them from now on

.....<snip>......you should consider making the Fell your local patch

superb range of habitat types & "sites" within 4-5kms of his home village - Ho'Gate, RM's, Brasside Pond, D'Hill / Waldridge, R.Wear Valley etc etc...........

 

[rokermartin]

Hmmmmm - i think it works both ways, some so called birders are also irresponsible in their behaviour. For instance only today i passed a car full of bird watchers half parked on the bridge (Seal Sands / Greatham Creek) area clearly scoping birds on the mud - a complete danger to passing motorists.

Secondly if you think photographers are solely responsible for birds migrating from nest sites you need to seriously investigate your own brethren - as it is almost certain that unscrupulous birders with pagers will have trodden a similar path to get their year, patch, life "tick" long before the photographer has arrived. (i remember seeing a gazillion birders in Mowbray Park, Sunderland a good while back trying to - what is it you call it "twitch" a rare bird) In the end the council had to 'tape off' the pond to keep you lot out!!!!!!

Thirdly i find it completely unbelievable that Stevie Evans himself has posted to this forum regularly in the past about numbers of Owl chicks in nests - well i guess on some instances that he has had to be very invasive to reveal this detail.

Finally certain photographers who frequent this thread also have photographic proof of "well respected" birders acting totally irresponsibly with respect to birds. For instance: people tramping over Greenabella off the known footpaths & people flushing Owls at Rainton Meadows (this year).... you know who you are!!

I think you need to get you own glass house in order before you start throwing stones - otherwise i think the photographers will start publishing pictures to name and shame birders who don't play by the rules :t:

Hi Derek i agree with you totally that some birders behave irresponsibly regarding the welfare of the birds while they are birding.I have witnessed several times over the years birders going on private land,destroying farmers crops,flushing birds, blocking roads and entrances etc.When the Glaucous -winged Gull was at Teeside on its second day it was seen in a field close to Cowpen Bewley Tip.In order to get better views of the gull a few birders decided to climbed over the fence and walk into the field.On the fence there were several signs saying keep out.I noticed one of the birders who climbed over the fence was a very prominent DBC member which i was a bit shocked about seeing him doing such a thing.On the subject of photographers most are well behaved but you do get a few which do disturb birds and cause stress for them.There has been trouble down in Cornwall this year with photographers flushing a Snowy Owl to get flight shots of it.I cannot understand why they want to get close up to the birds because most photograghers have zoom lenses on there cams.

 

[degsy_safc]

Hi Derek i agree with you totally that some birders behave irresponsibly regarding the welfare of the birds while they are birding.I have witnessed several times over the years birders going on private land,destroying farmers crops,flushing birds, blocking roads and entrances etc.When the Glaucous -winged Gull was at Teeside the second day when it was seen it was in a field close to Cowpen Bewley Tip.In order to get better views of the gull a few birders decided to climbed over the fence and walk into the field.On the fence there were several signs saying keep out.I noticed one of the birders who climbed over the fence was a very prominent DBC member which i was a bit shocked about seeing him doing such a thing.On the subject of photographers most are well behaved but you do get a few which do disturb birds and cause stress for them.There has been trouble down in Cornwall this year with photographers flushing a Snowy Owl to get flight shots of it.I cannot understand why they want to get close up to the birds because most photograghers have zoom lenses on there cams.

Hiya Martin - i totally agree with your points. Hopefully we are talking about a minority who act irresponsibly - unfortunately the way the posts came across was as though every photographer could be grouped into the same band. Hopefully these few posts will serve to raise awareness of the stress that some have caused :t:

 

[great bustard]

If it wasnt for Steve Evans knowledge/dedication and hard work , the County records / Durham Bird Club database for Owl population/distribution and habits would be virtually nil.
This man has done more for conservation and protection of Wildlife in County Durham than any Photographer sitting on his backside taking pictures for his own benefit has ever done..:t:

HERE HERE!!!

Keep up the good work Mr Evans.....:t:

7 Waxwings motoring south over my drive at 09:00 this morning

PS....is there a photography thread on this forum...............................?