Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[Mark Newsome]

I'm thinking of going over to Derwent Resevoir at the weekend, is there any part in particular to go to or is it even worth going to. any advice would be appreciated
Thanks
Paul

Derwent Res is definitely worth visiting. This weekend looks like it'll be decent weather too, so you should have a decent time. The east end (dam end) is generally the quietest - lots of open water and not many birds. The west end can be viewed from a few different points and this is the end where wildfowl and waders tend to gather. The best view points are from the laybys on the north side; coming from Edmundbyers, drive past the res then take the right turn past the Carricks picnic area. Follow the road around until you see the res again. Stop in the laybys to scan. Carricks itself is a good spot to see Dippers too.
On the south side, the Pow Hill CP area can be good for Crossbills at this time of year. Nice area for a ramble around.
The whole Derwent Res/Blanchland/Edmundbyers area is good for raptors. Several pairs of Red Kite are in the area, Peregrine is regular, Buzzards are fairly common and there are several pairs of Goshawks too. Find a viewpoint late morning and have a good scan around.

Mark

 

[birding maniac]

Where in the county is the best site for black Grouse and displaying Goshawks?

 

[StevieEvans]

Where in the county is the best site for black Grouse and displaying Goshawks?

Locations for both these species can be found in the public domain.

But imho i think we should perhaps be cautious about asking for info on sensitive & protective species on an open forum.

http://s-evans.blogspot.com/

 

[dannyboy]

Derwent Res is definitely worth visiting. This weekend looks like it'll be decent weather too, so you should have a decent time. The east end (dam end) is generally the quietest - lots of open water and not many birds. The west end can be viewed from a few different points and this is the end where wildfowl and waders tend to gather. The best view points are from the laybys on the north side; coming from Edmundbyers, drive past the res then take the right turn past the Carricks picnic area. Follow the road around until you see the res again. Stop in the laybys to scan. Carricks itself is a good spot to see Dippers too.
On the south side, the Pow Hill CP area can be good for Crossbills at this time of year. Nice area for a ramble around.
The whole Derwent Res/Blanchland/Edmundbyers area is good for raptors. Several pairs of Red Kite are in the area, Peregrine is regular, Buzzards are fairly common and there are several pairs of Goshawks too. Find a viewpoint late morning and have a good scan around.




Mark

Thanks Mark that's made my mind up I'll go over at the weekend

Paul

 

[Ray.Scott]

Washington WWT

The usual bullfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, blue, great, coal, LT tits, robin, pheasant etc at and around the Hawthorn Hide.

The Wader Lake:
30+ shellduck, 2 LBB gulls, BH & common gulls, teal, wigeon, redshank, oyster catcher, lapwings, greylag & canada geese and plenty grey heron, busy collecting nesting material.

 

[IanF]

I had a ride though to Upper Teesdale today. A lovely sunny day to be out especially with so much snow around on the fells.

Black Grouse cock x15 seen though only distant views this visit. Several hundred Lapwing around with Golden Plover c.80 in mixed in with Lapwing and Fieldfare at two locations between Egglestone Common and Langdon Beck. Quite a few Mistle Thrush throughout the area and of course Pheasants everywhere!

The fells themselves were mostly snow covered with the birds in the fields below.

Red Grouse 30-40 were dotted about on Egglestone Common with several perched along the wall tops.

Nearby Goshawk x3 displaying (4 seen earlier by others) along with several Buzzard including a pair watched mating in the top of small scrubby tree. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Crossbill, Mistle Thrush and a flock of Pink-footed Goose c.50 seen heading north.

 

[yukonite]

the lapwings great

 

[StevieEvans]

I'm thinking of going over to Derwent Resevoir at the weekend, is there any part in particular to go to or is it even worth going to. any advice would be appreciated

Thanks

Paul

Paul
you can get a key for the spacious hide ( on the North'd side of the water) from Durham Wildlife Trust.
Still a handful of Red Squirrel in that area.

Steve

http://s-evans.blogspot.com/

 

[dannyboy]

Paul
you can get a key for the spacious hide ( on the North'd side of the water) from Durham Wildlife Trust.
Still a handful of Red Squirrel in that area.

Steve

Cheers Steve I'll try and pick one up before I go.

Paul

 

[Ray.Scott]

Rainton Meadows

Called into the Freezer Hide today, and It lived up to It's name, managed 3 hours before frost bite forced me home:eek!::-O.

GBB, common, BH and herring gulls, cormorant, lapwing, redshank, oyster catchers, 1/2 dozen shellducks, goldeneye, teal, greylag & canada geese, tufties, coot, mallard, mute swans, cock pheasant, brief view of single water rail which appeared from the right hand reeds, also 3 common snipe on the far side of the pond.
Bird of prey flew over a couple of times, flushing everything, but to far away to identify - possible sparrow hawk!.

 

[IanF]

A Sparrowhawk was back in the garden this afternoon after an absence of about a week. It spent the whole aftenoon perched on the fence. Despite shooing it away several times so the other birds could come in to feed it always returned within a couple of minutes. It never caught anything.

 

[birding maniac]

A good day today. Upper teesdale produced Balck grouse and Red grouse, Goshawk, Pink footed goose among others.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Weardale / Teesdale today:

The quietest I've known It, bird wise.
Red grouse, lapwing, thrush, pheasant, 1/2 dozen black grouse near Langdon Beck, small flock golden plover and buzzard on the return journey, which was being mobbed by crows.
Still some snow over the dales and Cow Green still frozen.
Great day, weather wise, but very poor as far as birds and wildlife in general.

 

[DEREK.C.]

A few pics I have managed on my travels over the past month or so.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

A few pics I have managed on my travels over the past month or so.

Nice Morlin pic mate. Did I tell you about the one I had?

 

[Ray.Scott]

Rainton Meadows yesterday:

Pretty much the same as the other day, with the addition of LBB Gull and more snipe, between 20 & 30.
Also, no geese present apart from the canada with the gammy wing.

 

[Ray.Scott]

A couple of Mating pics and a Snipe from yesterday.

 

[ian hamilton]

timber beach.
1 grey heron
4 shelduck
12 teal
3 mallard
42 dunlin
61 curlew
64 redshank
male chaffinch singing

 

[Andy K]

Called into Houghton Gate today on way back from Marley Hill, where I saw as usual a Red kite circling above, at HG 6 pairs of shelduck. pair of teal, 40 or so curlew,2 snipe and a dozen or so lapwings.

 

[NeilF]

Avocet arrival gets earlier every year, single on Wader Lake, WWWT this morning.