Durham Birding (3 Viewers)

[Ray.Scott]

South Shields

I Collin, I've had a few health issues, but starting to pull round now :t:.

South Shields today, only birds of note were a flock of approx, 21 snow buntings, but nice to see, even in the crap weather.

 

[Mark Harper]

As everyone else seems to like them, I bought a Canon SX50 and the Grey Phalarope at South Shields pier provided a good opportunity to try it out this afternoon. Fairly pleased with the results, just need a bit more practice at playing around with the settings.

 

[degsy_safc]

Firstly i've got to say a big thanks to Steve Egglestone for the tip off about the Grey Phalarope at South Shields - its a first for me - cheers mate :t:

Anyway - over this weekend i decided to try a few of the Black Grouse sites i've become aware of in both Teesdale / Weardale over the last couple of years.

Got to say i wasn't that hopeful as i've never had any luck previously with this bird. My spirits were pretty much dampened when i went up over the moors and climbed into pretty poor weather / visibility due to snow..

So into Teesdale via Weardale, after a short stop off to photograph Golden Plover (approx 200 in one field). I found my target species - but only the female bird. Found loads of males in one of the distant fields around the Langdon Beck area - but too far off for pictures..

Anyway decided to give it another go today in the hope of the male bird - Teesdale didn't produce photo opportunities apart from very distant views - so headed back to Weardale and hit lucky for a change..

After that called into a Red Squirrel site near Blanchland and then headed across to South Shields for the Phalarope - great day :t:

Pictures of F&M Black Grouse, Red Squirrel, Grey Phalarope & moorland weather..

 

[2slo]

Pictures of F&M Black Grouse, Red Squirrel, Grey Phalarope & moorland weather..

Very good bird shots but I really like the last one of the moorland weather, you've caught the light nicely there.

 

[Ron Hindhaugh]

I have to agree with Mark you have some great shots there Derek. Really like the Grouse shots and the moorland weather shot is fantastic.

 

[barnstormer]

I Collin, I've had a few health issues, but starting to pull round now :t:.

South Shields today, only birds of note were a flock of approx, 21 snow buntings, but nice to see, even in the crap weather.

Pleased to hear you are getting better,I see you have sold your 500mm f4 what is your setup now.I only saw your post 2 days after I decided I wanted that lens myself and now I'm struggling to get one local-typical. Where were the snow buntings exactly ?.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Pleased to hear you are getting better,I see you have sold your 500mm f4 what is your setup now.I only saw your post 2 days after I decided I wanted that lens myself and now I'm struggling to get one local-typical. Where were the snow buntings exactly ?.

The Snow Buntings were just on the beach/dunes on the South Side of the pier behind the fairground. Sometimes flying onto te pier to drink then back to the beach area.
I have a 300mm F2.8, which is a lot lighter & takes either of the converters.
It's also manageable to hand hold. I also sold the tripod & Head and purchased a lot lighter one.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hartlepool/Teesside

The Headland: Curlew, med gull, ringed plover, knot, oyster catchers, rock pipit, pied wagtails, turnstone and the usual gulls, cormorants.
Much the same at Newburn Bridge including sanderling and looked like a couple of dunlin.
North Gare & Zinkworks Road: good numbers of starling, lapwing, curlew, teal, wigeon and the highlight was watching two peregrines accross the field from Zinkworks Road, although very distant, was nice to watch, also a rook was trying to mob them.

 

[Andy Atkinson]

Sand extraction at Druridge Bay

Hi all
I know a lot of you birdwatch at Druridge Bay so I thought I should let you know about this .......

Heard Steve Lowe (NWT) on the radio this morning condemning a new sand extraction application at Hemscott Hill at Druridge Bay (right between Cresswell and Druridge Pools). William Bell of Bell's Farm is proposing to extract 70,000 tonnes a year (24 lorry journeys per day).

More info at:
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/sand-extraction-plans-druridge-bay-6314102

The roads are prone to flooding around there at the best of times and any long-term sand extraction can't be good for the Bay. Also factor in the increased heavy traffic and disturbance to the bird life.

The decision is made by 1st Jan. The planner responsible, Phil McCarthy, said they would still take comments on board right up to the decision.

Email AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO: [email protected]

I'll be complaining by email.
Cheers, Andy

 

[IanF]

North Gare area pm - Snow Bunting c50. One was on it's own north side of the pier. Also present on the beach was a Shorelark.

Last two photos and video taken with Canon SX50 HS

Shorelark video - http://t.co/qT6Rt5qHcm

Shorelark feeding - http://t.co/n3tzDTcCfb

 

[degsy_safc]

North Gare area pm - Snow Bunting c50. One was on it's own north side of the pier. Also present on the beach was a Shorelark.

Topper Shorelark pictures Ian :t:

 

[Ray.Scott]

The Dales

Good number of Black grouse over the Dales today, but still a good distance away, apart from one male, which flew into a tree in the Langdon Beck car park, just after lunch, but no camera to hand :eek!:.
The usual red grouse, pheasants etc and a couple of kestrel, not much else of note.

 

[degsy_safc]

Decided to turn left at the A19 round-about and head towards Saltholme and the surrounding area. Didn't think today was going to produce much due to the lack of reports, but had a canny day nevertheless..

Dorman's and Phil Stead Hide to start with produced nothing of note, so went along to Holme Fleet and managed to see a nice group of Grey Partridge and a Sparrowhawk landed on a distant fence post..

Zinc Works and North Gare - held pretty much the usual - loads of Starlings, Gulls, Curlew, Lapwing, Widgeon, Teal & Mallards..

Back to Saltholme and saw a nice Fox opposite Tioxide. 5 mins in Wildlife Watchpoint produced Mute Swans, Gadwall and Water Rail.. Bumped into IanF on the way to Saltholme Pools Hide, Ian advised a distinct lack of close birds so we retreated back to Phil Stead Hide and enjoyed a nice natter - although we didn't have much in the way of birds - a young Little Grebe gave a pretty good flying display (i missed focus completely Ian :-O )

Headed out to Seaton Snook and managed to connect with a decent flock of Twite, finished the day on Greenabella / Greatham Creek - again pretty much the usual with Little Egret, Redshank, Grey Plover, Lapwings, Wigeon, Teal & Mallard the main species..

Couple of pictures from the day..

 

[IanF]

Good meeting up with you again Derek. My attempts with the juvenile Little Grebe weren't great either.

Certainly lots of Sparrowhawks around today with two sightings from Phil Stead Hide and three from Saltholme Hide.

Sightings from this morning -

Saltholme east pond - am - Long-tailed Duck female, Goldeneye x2 females, Great Crested Grebe x6.

Phil Stead Hide - Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Snipe, Kestrel, Little Egret, Little Grebe.

Saltholme west - Pintail x8, Goldeneye x2 females, Little Egret, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Golden Plover c.30, several sightings of Sparrowhawk, Snipe x2.

Barnacle Geese c.60 along path to Saltholme Hide.

Cowpen Marsh - Woodcock x2, Common Buzzard.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple of shots from Rowlands Gill area today.
Called at Far Pastures for half hour, buzzard, red kites and the usual tits, dunnock etc from the car park. Also little grebes, moorhens etc from the hide with a good number of snipe on the far island.

 

[Shaggy2070]

Had a walk around Hardwick Park, Sedgefeild yesterday. Along with the usual Mallards, Tufties, Pochard, Gulls and Swans on the lake there were quite a few Canada Geese, 8 Goosander, one Goldeneye, and a Male Pintail resting on the far bank with a couple of other ducks.
Also two large flocks of Redwing picking the berries from the yew trees.

 

[byegad]

Hardwick Hall small lake. Goosander. Main lake Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Mallard Moorhen, Coot Black Headed Gull and one lone Pochard.

 

[super-silly-um]

Reported juv Ivory Gull flew north over the beach at Seaburn yesterday ! Nothing since.


Richard

 

[vanellus]

A belated catch up with the forum. Twites are among my favorite tweets and that's a brilliant photo Derek.

 

[June Atkinson]

Red Kite photos

Lovely photos, Ray. Hope it's okay for me to add them to your folder in our FoRK archive and use them.

I hope you will enter our Photo competition - rules and dates on our website
www.friendsofredkites.org.uk 10th anniversary page.

Couple of shots from Rowlands Gill area today.
Called at Far Pastures for half hour, buzzard, red kites and the usual tits, dunnock etc from the car park. Also little grebes, moorhens etc from the hide with a good number of snipe on the far island.