Durham Birding (1 Viewer)

[StevieEvans]

Nr Langleydale yesterday evening

Another new Little Owl territory for the map. A pair at their Ash tree nest hole, although not doing much...local Magpies were too thick on the ground for them to venture out!

Also a Spotted Flycatcher, a Garden Warbler, pr Stock Dove, Long-tailed Tits, a group of 20+ Mistle Thrush, a Kestrel & a Common Buzzard sat calling on top of a telegraph pole.
Small post breeding flocks of Lapwings on cleared Hay fields, noisy Curlew & Oystercatcher still on territories.

Close by we had a Roe Deer & several Hares in fields.
Several Tawny owls in different woods, including a Tawny fly by overhead. One pair had 2 juvs.

2 Noctule Bats went over while we watched BHGulls (pretending to be Barn Owls again!) hawking over standing hay fields. We watched these closely as it got darker activity intensified & the birds were taking items off the grass stalks (insects ? moths ?). This seems a very labour intensive way of feeding... not to mention it being dark.

Woodcocks were still very active with at least 3 still roding, including 2 males side by side realy going for it in a territorial battle.

The night was absolutely calm & we could hear a Barn Owl, or could we ..........possibly a long way off in the distance it seemed ...... getting closer the sound became clear (rather embarrasingly).... it was " bovine methane expulsion" !!! :h?: 3

The laughter was cut short though, as we walked back cutting across fields, in the darkness my right foot located probably Co.Durhams deepest ever cow pat....

SteveE

 

[headlander]

Stevie,
Have to agree about the quality at Brasside. It has gone down a fair bit.
Was there for an hour around 8am on Tues ( tend to get over there about once a month).
In addition to your list also noted Oystercatcher,Little Grebe,Heron,Pheasant, Pair of Great Spotted Woodies plus various numbers of Hirundines.
Not much else at the moment.

An hour at a nowadays very poor Brasside Pond, late afternoon.

No broods of Mallard only 16 adults
No Tufted, only about 10 adults
No Ruddy Ducks seen.
No Canada geese
1 pair of GCGrebe (7pairs in early '90's).
Very few Coots <30 birds in total (30+ breeding pairs in early 90's)
Pr Swans with 4.
7 Greylags.
7 Cormorant.
only thing on the water out of the ordinary was a fem Gadwall.


30+ Longtail Tits & 2 seperate family groups of Willow tit, 1 adult Jay.
Several Garden Warblers, Blackcaps & Reed Buntings singing.
Several Butterflys including Small Heath, Small Skipper & a surprise in the form of a Speckled Wood.

Steve

 

[StevieEvans]

Stevie,
Have to agree about the quality at Brasside. It has gone down a fair bit.
Was there for an hour around 8am on Tues ( tend to get over there about once a month).

Hi headlander

checked back on some Brasside records.
In 1993 it was one of the most important County sites for breeding waterbirds.
We mapped all the breeding waterbird nests- 46 pairs of Coots reared 118 chicks. 7 pr GCGrebe, 12pr Dabchick - as you say, theres nothing like that now.
Why so poor now ?
Water quality is way down, Mink on site 2005, 40% loss of Reedmace, egg collecting still occurs there......
SteveE

Birds
Hobby over the main lake at Hetton Lyons this morning
Grey Wagtail went south west over Sunderland Civic centre.
Stonechat family plus a second pair & a male on mid section of coast.
Ruddy Duck with a brood at Rainton M's, where 6 adults appeared from out of the reeds (perhaps there becomming extra wary after a winter of being shot at .....?)

 

[patmartin]

boat trip from the Tyne

Had a trip out in the boat this afternoon, :bounce: :bounce: ,the fishing was average for the time of the year but the birds more than made up for it.A flock(20 birds) of Manx Shearwater's were rafted up about 3oo metres offshore from Marsden bay,50-60 Common Scoter in the same area,numerous Gannets,Puffins,Guillemots and Razorbills and a superb low level flypast by a Red Throated Diver.Pat

 

[IanF]

We paid a visit to Washington WWT today on what turned out to be a glorious summer day. In the captive birds area after completion of the earthworks things are continuing to improve. Still a ways to go yet though before the vegetation returns and the birds can settle down.

As we entered the wild bird area a Sparrowhawk flew overhead towards th river. Still plenty of Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Willow Warbler calling down by the river and loads of young birds around.

We spent a couple of hours in the hides by the river watching good numbers of birds. Three Green Sandpiper present but no sign of the Wood Sandpiper reported earlier. It was nice to spend a while chatting with JWTodd by the wader pools. No sign of the LRP while we were there but plenty of Heron, Coot, Moorhen, Shelduck, Canada and Greylag Goose, Common Tern with chicks, Shelduck with young and Lapwing. A family of Grey Wagtail were feeding on the mud margins and Swallow flitting about. A few Oystercatcher amde brief appearences.

Hawthorn Wood feeding station was quite active at times. Still plenty of Bullfinch visiting the feeders and it was nice to see a Willow Tit coming regularly. An adult male Great Spotted Woodpecker with two young made infrequent visits as well. Two Treecreeper made several fleeting visits as did a Nuthatch. There were plenty of young Great Tit and Blue Tit and several Coal Tit. Likewise Dunnock, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Chaffinch.

It was our first visit ever that no Pheasant were on the paths. usually they can be seen on most path in the wild area.

 

[Mark Newsome]

A local evening session was quite interesting. No owls along the old railway between Usworth and Follingsby Lane, but 5 Grasshopper Warblers were reeling and good numbers of Swifts and Swallows were coming low over the marsh. There's been at least 3 Groppers reported around Barmston/Nissan recently too, so there must be an excellent breeding population in this area.
Near West Boldon, a Long-eared Owl was hunting at 22.30 and another Grasshopper Warbler was reeling. Sorry Steve, couldn't find any young owls calling this time - I'll settle for a 'B-, must try harder' grade...

 

[Mark Newsome]

In case anyone hadn't seen todays bird news yet, there's a Semi-palmated Sandpiper at Back Saltholme. It has been present since yesterday and is still there at lunchtime today. It's only the 3rd Durham record, the others also being in the Dorman's/Saltholme area in May and July 1989 (presumed by BBRC to relate to the same bird) and July 2002. A good start to the autumn for the Teesmouth wader watchers.

 

[Ross Ahmed]

In case anyone hadn't seen todays bird news yet, there's a Semi-palmated Sandpiper at Back Saltholme. It has been present since yesterday and is still there at lunchtime today. It's only the 3rd Durham record, the others also being in the Dorman's/Saltholme area in May and July 1989 (presumed by BBRC to relate to the same bird) and July 2002. A good start to the autumn for the Teesmouth wader watchers.

What a find!

I'll be down on weekend if it hangs about...hope it does

 

[IanF]

I spent a couple of hours at Bishop Middleham this morning having a wander around. I think the birds must have been taking shelter from the sun which was pretty hot as there weren't that many in the open.

Stoneybeck lake has dried up quite a bit since my last visit. I ticked off Coot, Moorhen, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Shelduck, Mallard, and Pied Wagtail. No sign of any Corn Bunting but there were quite a few Yellow Wagtail by the east end and at least six Grey Partridge skulking in the grass on the far side from the road.

I wandered over to Island Farm and down to Castle Lake. Most numerous in the fields birds were Swallow, Goldfinch, Linnet and Meadow Pipit. There were plenty of birds on Castle Lake but nothing remarkable.

On the way back home I called down at Back Saltholme - in case you haven't heard there's a Semipalmated Sandpiper I think Birdguides have been reporting it just about every hour during the day! Don't expect too much though - it was very distant and very blurred through the scope with all the heat haze. Maybe early mornings would have given a better view. Needless to say it's proving a big attraction down there.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Historic news!

The Avocets at Washington WWT have been successful! The first egg hatched in the very early hours of this morning and a second chick appeared around 07.30. There's no news either way yet on the 3rd egg/chick, but hopefully it'll be good news very shortly.
This is the first ever nesting in the county and the most northerly in the UK. With a bit of luck, they'll be back next year. Maybe next year will also be the start of the RSPB Saltholme reserve colony? (But give it a few more years, DEFRA will be issuing licences to shoot them )
A huge THANK YOU to all those who gave up their days (and nights!) in watching the nest and ensuring no egg collecting disaster occurred. The WWT and DBC have worked well together and this will hopefully make for a better future relationship.
And many thanks to the BirdForum members who were very sensible and responsible in not discussing the nesting attempt - I know news was sort of out, but there's no point in shouting it to every local egg collector. :t:

 

[Quacker]

The Avocets at Washington WWT have been successful! The first egg hatched in the very early hours of this morning and a second chick appeared around 07.30. There's no news either way yet on the 3rd egg/chick, but hopefully it'll be good news very shortly.
This is the first ever nesting in the county and the most northerly in the UK. With a bit of luck, they'll be back next year. Maybe next year will also be the start of the RSPB Saltholme reserve colony? (But give it a few more years, DEFRA will be issuing licences to shoot them )
A huge THANK YOU to all those who gave up their days (and nights!) in watching the nest and ensuring no egg collecting disaster occurred. The WWT and DBC have worked well together and this will hopefully make for a better future relationship.
And many thanks to the BirdForum members who were very sensible and responsible in not discussing the nesting attempt - I know news was sort of out, but there's no point in shouting it to every local egg collector. :t:

Not forgetting the local RSPB members (Durham and Newcastle) who also took part in watches as well :clap:

Hopefully now it is out at last, the WWT will get some much needed revenue - form an orderly queue and head for the Diageo Hide (adjacent to the river) - look out for Green Sand, Greenshank & LRP while you're there

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Hi All,

I was very lucky to be watching the Avocets at 4.10am this morning when the female stood up and picked up a hollow egg shell and chucked it in the water. A second later I saw the first chick pop its head up! Great to hear there are two now and hope the third one appears soon. I'm off to bed !

Well done to all the Avocet wardens :clap: :clap: :clap: and the WWWT.

Cheers,

 

[Quacker]

Hi Mark, was it you that put it out on the pager? and have you been to see them today?

I'm stuck here until 4pm and just grabbing a few minutes from work. I assume IanF's at work as no photo posted yet

Anyone been or confirm a 3rd hatched egg please update thread so I can check it out later.

 

[Marmot]

Glad that we can finally say something about this happy couple and their new additions. A great :clap: to everyone that has given their time to keep an eye on these. It was good meeting BF member John Todd who was on guard duty on Wednesday.

 

[IanF]

Great news that they have made it :t:

Hi Mark, was it you that put it out on the pager? and have you been to see them today?

I'm stuck here until 4pm and just grabbing a few minutes from work. I assume IanF's at work as no photo posted yet

Anyone been or confirm a 3rd hatched egg please update thread so I can check it out later.

Lol! It will be a week today before I can make it back - I'm sure someone will be able to provide a photo of the first Avocet chicks in the County!

 

[StevieEvans]

The Avocets at Washington WWT have been successful!

Great News !
& a big thank you to all volunteers!
feels like theyve been incubating those eggs for months!
Im sure we'll be snowed under with pic's over the wk-end....
SteveE

Wood Sandpiper at Hetton today with a pr Little Owls with 2 chicks.
passage ducks at Seaton includes singles of Teal & Shoveller

 

[Keith Reeder]

Funnily enough, I was at Washington myself today, ignorant of the avocet situation - but sure enough, it's all true!

I've got some very so-so (long distance) shots of the male, but mam was sitting tight on the little 'uns, so no shots of them.

It's hard to get my head round though - breeding avocets in the north east! Amazing!!!

Oh aye - two green sands and two black-tailed godwits there too.

 

[PABLO HUGELIST]

Hi Mark, was it you that put it out on the pager? and have you been to see them today?

I'm stuck here until 4pm and just grabbing a few minutes from work. I assume IanF's at work as no photo posted yet

Anyone been or confirm a 3rd hatched egg please update thread so I can check it out later.

I managed to get some video of the two chicks this afternoon one of them ventured into the water probably for the first time, I could see one egg left and the female was sitting
I have taken some stills from the video and Im sure whitburnmarc will put them on the site later

 

[Mark Newsome]

Here's a couple of Pablo's videograbs of the chicks, not even a day old. Like Steve said, I'm sure there'll be more photos to come over the weekend.

 

[StevieEvans]

Durhams first breeding Avocets !

Here's a couple of Pablo's videograbs of the chicks, not even a day old. Like Steve said, I'm sure there'll be more photos to come over the weekend.

Had a look through this afternoon, plenty going on.

Chicks are excellently camouflaged, they melted into the ground almost disappearing when a brave tern harrassed mam & dad.

Pity help those who come too close though.... appearances are deceptive - the male realy is a bit of a thug! It was amazing to see him attacking much larger birds & feeding / flying so close to the hide.

3rd egg still being incubated at 18:00....

also there 5 Teal, GreenSand, Blkwit & a Common Sand on the river

Steve