Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[vanellus]

Common Crane

At 12:45 today I am certain that I saw my first U.K. Common Crane.

I was driving north on the A19, just north of Boldon. A single bird was flying towards me low enough for me to get only a head on profile. Slightly deeper wing beats than a Heron and slightly staccato.

I only had a couple of seconds overhead view, as I was preoccupied by traffic and so could not see plumage detail against a bright sky. It clearly had a long neck and trailing legs. Its wings were rather goose-like terminating in a shaggy point.

Anyone else see a Crane in the vicinity? I cannot think of anything else that it could have been.

 

[dannyboy]

Rainton Meadows 17.30-18.30 3 Temminicks still there along with 1 Ringed Plover. Also 2 Shellduck, 1 Curlew 2 Great Crested Grebes 2 Oystercatctcher and all the other usual suspects. Away from the freezer Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl, 2 Jay 1 Blackcap and a young Kestrel in the owl box.

 

[Andy K]

Disturbing stories

Unfortunately it seems we have many out there that are hell bent on murdering precious wildlife presumably for their own financial gain. When will they realise that the ecological balance creates a fair animal society ? Clearly not as too many humans are greedy. On my soap box but really really annoys me. :C


http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2011/0...under-suspicious-circumstances-possibly-shot/

http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/2011/05/17/second-red-kite-from-the-2010-release-in-cumbria-found-shot/

 

[agamiheron]

Rainton Meadows

The 3 Temmincks Stints still in front of the hide at 7:30 tonight.

While sat in the hide yesterday while watching the 'Spell' of Stints someone sat next to me and said 'its usually sh!te here!!' :eek!:
So I thought i'd post a few photos from the last two weeks taken at Rainton Meadows (plus one that isn't)

Apologies for the (two) iphone photos:-




To be continued ....

 

[agamiheron]

 

[agamiheron]

Finally more Temminck's Stint photos

 

[JBee]

While sat in the hide yesterday while watching the 'Spell' of Stints someone sat next to me and said 'its usually sh!te here!!' :eek!:

I only managed to get these sh!te things in there today.

 

[JBee]

While sat in the hide yesterday while watching the 'Spell' of Stints someone sat next to me and said 'its usually sh!te here!!' :eek!:
So I thought i'd post a few photos from the last two weeks taken at Rainton

And it was hardly worth the walk to the hide for the green sandpiper, iceland gull, med gull, yellow legged gull or scaup.

 

[JBee]

And why did we even bother with the bittern, common sandpiper, dunlin, egyptian goose or golden plover.
It's so sh!te I'll not even mention the ruff, little stint, little ringed plover, ringed plover, buzzard, various warblers, white and yellow wagtail, leucistic herring gull, wood sandpiper or the redpolls on the hill.

 

[IanF]

Lots of Swifts, House Martin and Sand Martin around Tees Marshes last night.

Nightingale still at Cowpen Bewley though seems to have moved 50m to the east. It was in the hawthorns behind the hide yesterday morning, singing but not showing much.

 

[Dab-chick]

Rainton Meadows - Wood Sandpiper this morning.

Great reports guys. They reckon over 130 birds have been spotted there !!! Particularly like Garys Beaver photograph:t: - He's struck again with a Wooden Sandpaper in front of the hide this morning, at least i think thats what the message said.....:hippy:

 

[agamiheron]

Great reports guys. They reckon over 130 birds have been spotted there !!! Particularly like Garys Beaver photograph:t: - He's struck again with a Wooden Sandpaper in front of the hide this morning, at least i think thats what the message said.....:hippy:

Cheers Dab-chick - and that includes 20 species of Wader!!!!

As for the Weasel on steroids - that thing would eat any Beaver (does that sound wrong to anyone??)!!! :t:

 

[agamiheron]

And it was hardly worth the walk to the hide for the green sandpiper, iceland gull, med gull, yellow legged gull or scaup.

And John once again manages to grip me off (that sounds wrong too!!) - pesky Iceland Gull!!!:C

 

[richtweedy]

Here's a pic of the wood sandpiper in front of the Freezer at RMs this morning! Nice to meet agamiheron there and thanks for the id.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

And John once again manages to grip me off (that sounds wrong too!!) - pesky Iceland Gull!!!:C

John had sent me the email saying about how he had that leucistic Herring Gull again and then sent the photos. My heart sank a little:-O

 

[agamiheron]

Here's a pic of the wood sandpiper in front of the Freezer at RMs this morning! Nice to meet agamiheron there and thanks for the id.

Nice to meet you too Richard, and great find mate :t:

 

[JBee]

And John once again manages to grip me off

Anything that helps warm you up in the freezer works for me

 

[Dab-chick]

Rainton Meadows 2 Temincks Stint, 1 Ringed and 2 Little Ringed Plover in front of the Freezing hide at 17:30. o Another Temincks Stint was found at Houghton Gate this morning by Jimmy & Stevie.:hippy:

 

[Ray.Scott]

Teesside

Dormans Pool
Lots of white throat, sedge warblers, wren and a few swift, no sign of the grasshopper or cetti's, also reed warbler heard but not seen.

Saltholme hide
Ruff, wood sandpiper, common tern, yellow wagtail and distant garganey + the usual gulls geese and ducks.

Single BT godwit on the bottom tank.

 

[Ray.Scott]

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