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Durham Birding (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Skelly
- Start date
dannyboy
Well-known member
Adam he's from Coventry, you have obvoiusly not met many Brummies before. Coventronians especially have a complex mainly because of Birmingham and Aston Villa
Adam W
Well-known member
Adam he's from Coventry, you have obvoiusly not met many Brummies before. Coventronians especially have a complex mainly because of Birmingham and Aston Villa
:-O good point Danny
birding maniac
Michael M
Listen, some of us don't know where some sites are. No need for having a go at me, and I have tried to find Ouzels in my area, but to no avail.
Agreed. No need to be harsh!
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ColinSev
Well-known member
Hurworth Burn
What a blustery cold day - typical bank hol. I managed to find the Channel Wagtail at Hurworth Burn but it was very flighty, saw Hilary there who also managed to get a photo of it I think. Its a fine bird, plenty of Yellow Wagtails there too. Spent some time down at Saltholme but apart from the Yellow Wags it was fairly quiet - everything keeping their heads down.
What a blustery cold day - typical bank hol. I managed to find the Channel Wagtail at Hurworth Burn but it was very flighty, saw Hilary there who also managed to get a photo of it I think. Its a fine bird, plenty of Yellow Wagtails there too. Spent some time down at Saltholme but apart from the Yellow Wags it was fairly quiet - everything keeping their heads down.
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FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
I hope the Ring Ou.....I mean "The blackbird" hasn't put you off using this thread to ask questions birding maniac. I would just ignore stupid nonsense posts like that if I were you.:t:
EDIT: I have PM'd you the info birding maniac.
Cheers,
EDIT: I have PM'd you the info birding maniac.
Cheers,
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FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
Nice to see the House Martins back in my housing estate today. I got my first House Martins today at Lamesley Meadows along with a cracking Wood Sandpiper.
I go all this time without seeing a House Martin and then I get about 10 in one go! House Martin takes the year list up to 171.
I go all this time without seeing a House Martin and then I get about 10 in one go! House Martin takes the year list up to 171.
FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
Cracking pics Derek. I will be back for round 3 with the Pied Flycatchers before the summer has gone!
IanF
Moderator
Hoopoe heard calling several times at Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park this morning. I was in a cereal crop on the north side of Claxton Beck but despite spending most of the morning looking I never did see it.
Hurworth Burn Reseveroir this afternoon - Channel Wagtail still present along with a Blue-headed Wagtail and several Yellow Wagtail. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Linnet, Goldfinch, Dunnock and Chaffinch in bushes along cycleway.
First Cuckoo I've heard this year was calling from a wood to the west.
Quite a few geese around including three Pink-footed Geese on the north-east arm. Lots of Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin
BTW - If anyone picked up a radio there on Sunday please let me know as I have contact details of the loser. It was lost between the car park and the picnic benches on the cycleway near the top of the reservoir.
Hurworth Burn Reseveroir this afternoon - Channel Wagtail still present along with a Blue-headed Wagtail and several Yellow Wagtail. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Linnet, Goldfinch, Dunnock and Chaffinch in bushes along cycleway.
First Cuckoo I've heard this year was calling from a wood to the west.
Quite a few geese around including three Pink-footed Geese on the north-east arm. Lots of Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin
BTW - If anyone picked up a radio there on Sunday please let me know as I have contact details of the loser. It was lost between the car park and the picnic benches on the cycleway near the top of the reservoir.
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IanF
Moderator
Sanderlings and Purple Sandpiper - there's still an odd one or two on the Headland at Hartlepool.
Adam W
Well-known member
Its a Purple Sandpiper and yes i think the others are Sanderling.
IanF
Moderator
Hurworth Burn this afternoon - Lesser Whitethroat by bridge over road (thanks Andrew), Garden Warbler x2 by platform feeding station, Channel Wagtail still in same spot, several Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer and Yellow Wagtail along the cycleway.
Common Tern x1 on NE arm of reservoir and resting on half-submerged tern raft along with Pied Wagtail and an Oystercatcher. Only one Pink-footed Goose in view today. Buzzard over wood to east and Cuckoo again calling from same area.
I'm not sure how regular they are here due to lack of habitat but a Sedge Warbler was calling from the waters edge by the lower bench facing east over the arm by the most northerly picnic benches.
Not so many Swallow, Swift, Sand Martin or House Martin today but still a few around. Grey Heron, Shelduck, Cormorant and Great Crested Grebe on the reservoir itself plus a few Mallard, Tufted Duck and Moorhen.
Common Tern x1 on NE arm of reservoir and resting on half-submerged tern raft along with Pied Wagtail and an Oystercatcher. Only one Pink-footed Goose in view today. Buzzard over wood to east and Cuckoo again calling from same area.
I'm not sure how regular they are here due to lack of habitat but a Sedge Warbler was calling from the waters edge by the lower bench facing east over the arm by the most northerly picnic benches.
Not so many Swallow, Swift, Sand Martin or House Martin today but still a few around. Grey Heron, Shelduck, Cormorant and Great Crested Grebe on the reservoir itself plus a few Mallard, Tufted Duck and Moorhen.
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IanF
Moderator
Tunstall Reservoir this morning covering the dam wall and Backstone Bank Wood. A little windy and downright cold but bright and sunny on and off.
Starting off the Common Sandpiper was in it's usual place along the dam wall. Lots of Sand Martin and a few Swallows House Martin were feeding over the grassy bank of the dam plus around dozen Goldfinch in the grass.
Half way up the track on the far side of the dam a Wood Warbler was sporadically calling directly above me. There's been one in the same place the last two years. On reaching the top of the hairpin bend where the upper path forks left through the wood a Wood Warbler was calling 60-70m up the slope which may have been the same bird relocated though one was later calling from the original spot again. A pair of Nuthatch were in the same area and a Treecreeper.
Finding birds was very hard going mostly spotted by sight rather than calls. The only birds notably singing as I made my way along the path through the wood were Willow Warbler and occasionally a Chaffinch. I saw very little starting off as I made my way along the path to where it begins to rise. I came across Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, a male Pied Flycatcher and at the furthest point a Redstart. The Redstart began to sing and from then on it never stopped.
Heading back down the path I came across another three Pied Flycatchers (2m,1f) of which the males were chasing each other around. One called occasionally but never very much or for very long. I saw no indication of nesting.
Back where the path ends another three Redstart had appeared comprising two males and a female. The males seemed to be competing as they sang for 30-40 minutes before stopping again.
As I left the wood once again only the Willow Warblers could be heard. Maybe it was the cold temperatures that put them off as usually when I visit in May the woods are alive with bird song. At least there's still very few leaves on the trees so visibility is still pretty good for spotting stuff.
I then popped over to Muggleswick but there was little to see. One distant Redstart and a distant male and female Pied Flycatcher. The Redstart briefly sang.
Starting off the Common Sandpiper was in it's usual place along the dam wall. Lots of Sand Martin and a few Swallows House Martin were feeding over the grassy bank of the dam plus around dozen Goldfinch in the grass.
Half way up the track on the far side of the dam a Wood Warbler was sporadically calling directly above me. There's been one in the same place the last two years. On reaching the top of the hairpin bend where the upper path forks left through the wood a Wood Warbler was calling 60-70m up the slope which may have been the same bird relocated though one was later calling from the original spot again. A pair of Nuthatch were in the same area and a Treecreeper.
Finding birds was very hard going mostly spotted by sight rather than calls. The only birds notably singing as I made my way along the path through the wood were Willow Warbler and occasionally a Chaffinch. I saw very little starting off as I made my way along the path to where it begins to rise. I came across Robin, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, a male Pied Flycatcher and at the furthest point a Redstart. The Redstart began to sing and from then on it never stopped.
Heading back down the path I came across another three Pied Flycatchers (2m,1f) of which the males were chasing each other around. One called occasionally but never very much or for very long. I saw no indication of nesting.
Back where the path ends another three Redstart had appeared comprising two males and a female. The males seemed to be competing as they sang for 30-40 minutes before stopping again.
As I left the wood once again only the Willow Warblers could be heard. Maybe it was the cold temperatures that put them off as usually when I visit in May the woods are alive with bird song. At least there's still very few leaves on the trees so visibility is still pretty good for spotting stuff.
I then popped over to Muggleswick but there was little to see. One distant Redstart and a distant male and female Pied Flycatcher. The Redstart briefly sang.
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geordie graham
Well-known member
Spent nearly 3 years in Spain and saw and heard plenty of these.Beautiful bird and didn`t expect one to turn up in Teesside.
Graham
IanF
Moderator
Hi Graham,
They do every turn up locally every couple of years. I remember one was found on the golf course at Seaton Carew 4-5 years ago.
A shame this one didn't show itself. It's not been seen/heard again since. I was hoping it may turn up somewhere else locally.
