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Durham Birding (15 Viewers)

snowy conditions have brought good numbers of birds into the Vicarage garden feeding station over the last 2 days - all the usual suspects - Sparrowhawk (M) + (F) Wood Pigeon - Collared Dove - Great Spotted Woodpecker - Starling - Magpie - Jackdaw - Carrion Crow - Wren - Dunnock - Robin - Blackbird - Song Thrush - Mistle Thrush - Fieldfare (x 5) Blue Tit - Coal Tit - Great Tit - long-tailed tit - House Sparrow - Chaffinch - Bullfinch - Greenfinch - Goldfinch - Redwing (x2) - snow has brought yeasterday x 2 Tree Sparrows which we don't get too often and also this morning x 1 (M) Reed Bunting feeding from the bird table! up untill the other day when the pond froze over we had a Gray Wagtail visiting everday!
perhaps it would be good over these next few days if everyone posted what was visiting there gardens whilst the weather is bad!
all the very best to everyone - David A
 
Hartlepool / Teesside today:

Jacksons landing:
3 cormorant and 11 RB Mergansers which took off as I arrived.

Huge number of mixed BH, GBB & herring gulls, sanderling, turnstone and oyster catchers on the beach between Newburn Bridge & Seaton Carew.

Very little up North Gare, other than a couple of curlew,mallards and 1 kestrel.

Zinkwks Road:
Pheasnt, mallard, moorehen, magpies, crows and 6 snipe near the factory end of the road.

Ended the day at Ward Jackson Park where we bumped into JBee:
Pond was mostly frozen with the usual canada geese, coots, moorehen, tufties, gulls and muscovey duck.
Parakeets were well spread out throughout the park, also, according to JBee, a flock of about 14 redwing, which he had be photographing near the entrance to the park.
 

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A few from the Park.
 

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snowy conditions have brought good numbers of birds into the Vicarage garden feeding station over the last 2 days - all the usual suspects - Sparrowhawk (M) + (F) Wood Pigeon - Collared Dove - Great Spotted Woodpecker - Starling - Magpie - Jackdaw - Carrion Crow - Wren - Dunnock - Robin - Blackbird - Song Thrush - Mistle Thrush - Fieldfare (x 5) Blue Tit - Coal Tit - Great Tit - long-tailed tit - House Sparrow - Chaffinch - Bullfinch - Greenfinch - Goldfinch - Redwing (x2) - snow has brought yeasterday x 2 Tree Sparrows which we don't get too often and also this morning x 1 (M) Reed Bunting feeding from the bird table! up untill the other day when the pond froze over we had a Gray Wagtail visiting everday!
perhaps it would be good over these next few days if everyone posted what was visiting there gardens whilst the weather is bad!
all the very best to everyone - David A

That must be some garden. Even my terraced back yard has had an unusually large number of blackbirds and house sparrows visiting the bird table.

The most amusing thing has been a roving flock of house sparrows that gate crash the bird table every few minutes intimidating the regulars before flying off who knows where before returning half hour later. If there was an avian version of an ASBO they deserve it. One of the blackbirds clearly got fed up with this juvenile behaviour and stood its ground munching the berries on the cotoneaster while making threatening darts at any cheeky sparrow that came to close.
 
Is that it? And they have the gaul to appeal?

I noticed that - how can you appeal after pleading guilty :h?:?!?

It doesn't seem like much but I remember from many previous wildlife cases (e.g. egg collectors etc.) that they rarely get a custodial sentence.
 
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Hi ajabee, its not quite the 'norm' garden - its not that big but it does boarder the Cemetery in Pelton Chester Le Street (which is always good for Tawny Owl and very occasionally Little Owl too) and the bottom of the garden backs on to the old Consett to Sunderland railways line now a cycle path. After moving here we have spent a good bit of time over the past 2 years making the garden more wildlife friendly mainly for birds and butterflys etc with a very shallow pond and serveral bird feeders and tables etc. There seems to be a bit of movement of bird's up and down the old railway line as it is a bit of a green corridor so different things often come and go - i dont post as often as i should (Mainly because i have dyslexia and my spelling can be way out at times) and dont get out too often in search of anything different in the way of Birds, but get alot of pleasure simply watching when i can from the window to see if anything new drops by the garden - I have a garden list of 45 different species and another 18 as flyovers totaling 63 so far and a butterfly list of 15 to plus all sorts of others - so I am quite blessed with where we live! (well i would say that living in a vicarage!) I also have more than normal ammounts of blackbirds in the garden whilst the snow is still here - i opened the curtains yesterday and counted 25 which if they spent as much time feeding as they do squabling i'm sure they will all servive quite nicely!
anyway thats me - all the best - David A
 
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Durham Bird Club

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our members- and non members

2009 was an unforgettable year for birdwatchers between the Tyne and the Tees. The Eastern Crowned Warbler being the highlight from around 265 species recorded throughout the year; over 50,000 records were sent to our County Recorder.
2010 will see the club continue with several conservation projects, ranging from: Maintaining and improving habitat at Hurworth and Castle Lake, Barn Owl box erection and RSPB led Corn Bunting conservation work.

None of this would be possible without our members so thankyou for your continued support.
 
Jacksons Landing, Hartlepool - am - Great Northern Diver x1, Red-breasted Merganser c.20, Cormorant c.12, Little Grebe x1 and Coot x1. Kestrel overhead.

A real thrushy day in the garden with Mistle Thrush x2, Song Thrush x2, Fieldfare x11, Redwing x5, Blackbird 12-15! All apart from the Fieldfare and Mistle Thrush were taking turns feeding on pyracantha berries and chopped apples.

A male Bullfinch was back in the garden as well plus still lots of Chaffinch, Goldfinch and House Sparrows visiting the feeders. Also a few Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, Starling, Collared Dove, pigeons, Great Tit, Blue Tit and a Wren.
 

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Back to Hartlepool today:

Started at W.J. Park with the hope of redwing but failed to find any:C.
Should've popped along to IanF's garden ;):-O.
Other birds at the park, 2 pied wagtail, 1 grey wagtail, nuthatch, 2 mistle thrush, blackbirds, the usual coots etc on the pond and parakeets spread out around the park.

Called at Jacksons landing on the afternoon:

G.N. Diver still present, a few cormorants and at least 15 mergansers.
 

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A few from Jacksons Landing:
 

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Redwing x3 in the garden again this morning though the berries are all gone now.

A nice surprise feeding below the feeders was a female Brambling - the first I've seen this winter.
 

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Best of the garden visitors today here in Washington;
 

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Garden list now standing at 46 with the addition of Woodcock - a single bird first thing this morning - have had the odd flyover but never had any ventured this close to the house before - looked great in the snow - and very easy to spot!
David A
 
A female Brambling back in the garden this morning.

Also Blackbird x21, Chaffinch x15, Greenfinch x3, Goldfinch x9, House Sparrow x20, Robin x2, Dunnock x3, Blue Tit x3, Great Tit x1, Starling x6, Feral Pigeon x2, Redwing x1, Song Thrush x1.

We've never previously had so many Blackbirds in the garden together.
 

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A female Brambling back in the garden this morning.

Also Blackbird x21, Chaffinch x15, Greenfinch x3, Goldfinch x9, House Sparrow x20, Robin x2, Dunnock x3, Blue Tit x3, Great Tit x1, Starling x6, Feral Pigeon x2, Redwing x1, Song Thrush x1.

We've never previously had so many Blackbirds in the garden together.


Same here, Ian, although our numbers aren't quite as high as yours. 16 blackbirds is our highest total so far, but that is a record for our garden. Do you think this just a result of the prolonged wintry spell or a sign that there has been a bigger influx than normal from the continent this year?

We haven't had any bramblings or redwings, though.:-C

Malcolm
 
Same here, Ian, although our numbers aren't quite as high as yours. 16 blackbirds is our highest total so far, but that is a record for our garden. Do you think this just a result of the prolonged wintry spell or a sign that there has been a bigger influx than normal from the continent this year?

We haven't had any bramblings or redwings, though.:-C

Malcolm

I think it's down to the recent snow. The ground feeders like Blackbirds and winter thrushes are probably struggling in the countryside. There are very few if any berries left either which is probably why the Thrushes are coming to the garden taking the ornamental berries and the fruit we put out. Redwing and Fieldfare were coming to some rotting apples we left where they fell so we've been putting a few more out for them.

A Redwing has just been back as well as a return visit from the Brambling along with a Coal Tit.

Personally I don't think there's been much of an influx at all this year other than a lot of Blackbirds late September. I see a few Redwing and Feildfare on my local patch each visit but it is only ever a handful. Certainly the lowest numbers for a few years.
 

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Same here, Ian, although our numbers aren't quite as high as yours. 16 blackbirds is our highest total so far, but that is a record for our garden. Do you think this just a result of the prolonged wintry spell or a sign that there has been a bigger influx than normal from the continent this year?



Malcolm

There was a glut of food in the countryside - berries, nuts, fruits etc. - this autumn which will have allowed a larger number of birds to survive than usual. This, followed by a sudden cold snap with snow will explain why there are large numbers of birds in gardens now - mine's busier than it has been for years with good numbers of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Starlings, House Sparrows, Goldfinches and Chaffinches with single Blackcap, Bullfinch and Brambling.
 
From the warden at RSPB Saltholme

The hides at Saltholme Reserve will unfortunately be closed today due to a thick layer of ice on the trails making access dangerous. The centre will remain open. If you can let anyone know that may be coming to Bird watch that would be much appreciated, sorry for any inconvenience.
 
Around my local patch of Langley Park yesterday there seemed to be an unusually large number of Bullfinches along the Lanchester Valley Railway Path. 5 pairs in one flock. Pretty obvious bird to pick out even for a relative novice like me but don't think I've seen so many around before.

Up at West House Farm above the village there was a flock of 20-30 yellowhammers feeding around the farm buildings and alighting briefly on surrounding trees. A tree full of yellowhammers in the bright snow and sunshine was a great sight. Large flock of chaffinches mixing with them as well.

Since the recent floods Haven't seen any dippers along the R. Browney which runs by the village.
Can usually guarantee to see one or two patrolling their stretch. Made up for by a male Goosander upstream of the road bridge.

I've had two bullfinches in my garden in Bearpark on a regular basis over the last two weeks.I've never sen them here before so they seem to be enjoying the area. Where do you usually see the dippers? I often see a couple at Croxdale/Sunderland Bridge but haven't seen any closer to home.
 
Where do you usually see the dippers? I often see a couple at Croxdale/Sunderland Bridge but haven't seen any closer to home.

right on your doorstep on the Browney; Downstream stretch from Aldin Grange to Baxter Wood or upstream at the first iron bridge up river from Witton Chapel (Wtn Gilbert).
Forget the car & find out whats on your Local Patch :t: -
the Bearpark area is superb:- Green Wpkr, Barn Owl, Little, Long-eared, Tawny, Kingfisher, Water Rail, Jack Snipe, Willow Tit, Tree Sparrow, Stock Dove, Kestrel, Grey Partridge, Jay, Goldcrest, GSW, Heron, etc etc
ATB Steve
 
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