Durham Birding (17 Viewers)

[echo24]

Kestrel Food Stash?

Hi folks, I took these photos at the back end of last year on South Shields leas..... I watched a Kestrel make a kill (field vole i think) it then headed towards the cliff top to presumably eat it, when i caught up with it a minute or so later it wasn't eating at all, but seemed to be making an effort to hide its prey in the grass? is this usual behaviour for raptors or have i witnessed a 'one off'??
Cheers
Dougie

 

[The Chairman]

Thx One man
Although did not appear to have the typical barring of the breast, could have been imature

Denbee

Looks like an immature male (unless its a really HUGE fence3

 

[The Chairman]

:clap: 13 is some count , i can remember 7 there in mid - November.
I wonder what the biggest Winter Roost of SEOS is, in the county ?

Hopefully Steve choccy Evans will be on shortly to let us know.

13???? Not bad by today's standards but I well remember the very cold and equally snowy winter of 1979 when there were at least 20 at a roost in Washington. It was amazing to look along a fence line and see a SEO on 12 successive posts - Happy Days!B

 

[rokermartin]

North Tees Marshes in Jan 1989 had up to 13 SE Owls,and in Jan 1998 had 10 SE Owls.

 

[The Chairman]

Managed to get an absolutely stunning close view of the Firecrest at West Boldon this afternoon, came within two feet of us! no need for bins!
As Martin & Jason say, listen for the frequent calls and be patient and you should connect, although it is of course quite 'flighty'. We found it on the track closest to the electricity sub station past the intersection with the parallel path.

Wintering Firecrests are certainly about Britain this winter in decent numbers - they are regular winter birds in the far south and south west but this year there are several inland birds and besides the Mount Pleasant bird there is also one on the east coast of Scotland. Both of the latter probably arrived in November at the time of the Firecrest at Roker and the Pallas's at Marsden and have been waiting to be found since settling down for the winter.

Which of course begs the question.....what else is out there as yet undiscovered????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[rokermartin]

If anyone whats to see big roosts of SE Owls and LE Owls and huge numbers of Cranes i would recommend a autumn or early winter trip to Hungary.I was there a few years and saw 100 LE Owls roosting in a hedge.Also 45+SE Owls flying over a grassland area.Our guide told me he has seen roosts up to 500 LE Owls before, that must have been amazing sight.

 

[The Chairman]

:clap: 13 is some count , i can remember 7 there in mid - November.
I wonder what the biggest Winter Roost of SEOS is, in the county ?

Hopefully Steve choccy Evans will be on shortly to let us know.

Good job Shorties don't feed on choccy Derek else they would be extinct whereever the "chocolate monster" that is StevieE wanders:eat:

 

[The Chairman]

If anyone whats to see big roosts of SE Owls and LE Owls and huge numbers of Cranes i would recommend a autumn or early winter trip to Hungary.I was there a few years and saw 100 LE Owls roosting in a hedge.Also 45+SE Owls flying over a grassland area.Our guide told me he has seen roosts up to 500 LE Owls before, that must have been amazing sight.

Amazing for us...yes... but TERRIFYING if you're a Short-tailed vole

 

[DenBee]

Looks like an immature male (unless its a really HUGE fence3

Thnx
I will accept immature male Sparrowhawk, as for the fence is that a male or female judgement ???????333

 

[StevieEvans]

Bakers dozen

Will thanks for giving me a buzz & inviting me down to see your dozen

total of 31 asio owls, 2 Barn & 4-5 Tawnies around the site....
together with 8+ Kestrel & an intermittent Hen Harrier..........

masses & masses of prey items, so wheres the Rough-legged Buzzard then ? if we're not getting one then we'll settle for a long overdue GGShrike

there have been larger nos (need to check number) of Seos here in the past, when the pit heaps were still there.
As per usual, Leo roost of 11 birds has been flushed into submission - roost now empty...

-

County max for Seo roost ....? sorry dont know much prior to '91
look forward to hearing from someone older & wiser

Did once inadvertently walk into a ground roost of 24 or so Seos with 2 Leos amongst them.:eek!:

Thnx
I will accept immature male Sparrowhawk,

Phew, thats a relief !
Yes, some of these brownish garden birds can be tricky...... you dont have any hesitation whatsoever in identifying active Barn owl sites! :smoke:
Hope to catch you & get a box or two up later in week
Steve

 

[Ray.Scott]

Identification Required

Called in at Cowpen bewley on the way back from Middlesborough, weather was not good but managed a couple of distance shots of what I thought was the Scaup, but when I've cropped them, I'm not sure what they are. They kept to the middle of the pond and were diving very regular. Can one of you birders out there Identify, these please.

Thanks in advance:t:

 

[IanF]

Called in at Cowpen bewley on the way back from Middlesborough, weather was not good but managed a couple of distance shots of what I thought was the Scaup, but when I've cropped them, I'm not sure what they are. They kept to the middle of the pond and were diving very regular. Can one of you birders out there Identify, these please.

Thanks in advance:t:

The first ones are Gadwall and BH Gull - there's usually 6-8 Gadwall around.

The second one is a female Pochard.

The Scaup that are present look to me more like hybrids with Tufted Duck. They look like female Tufties. One even has an obvious tuft but the other one is quite well marked juv fem Scaup.

 

[johnsulli]

SEO on the Leas Mound this morning at 09:00 hrs possibly two as one flew off, another bird took to the air some distance away from it and as it was an awful morning i didn't have my bins with me so i could'nt ID the second bird.

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Green Local Patch

The Oracle reports...
Adult Yellow legged Gull again on pool II at Rainton
4 Water Rails at Bogs station

if theres anyone visiting RM's who hasnt already seen enough Short-eared owls to last them a lifetime, then please- do the locals a favour, keep the landowners happy & keep to the paths..... even if it means you cant get that all important photo...

 

[rokermartin]

Sunderland Harbour ad Yellow legged Gull ,2 RT Diver,1 Mute Swan,Roker beach 1 ad Med Gull.

 

[The Chairman]

Firecrest still at Mount Pleasant this lunchtime showing down to a few feet at times and calling frequently which is the easiest way to pick it up. Very few other passerines about indismal weather.

 

[IanF]

With the dull conditions I didn't get far today.

Jacksons Landing - BT Diver still present.

Newburn Bridge - Med Gull still present.

Zinc Works Road - Merlin and Pink-footed Goose x3 still present though all very distant. Greylag Goose x31 were a good deal closer as were a pair of Kestrels pouncing on worms from the roadside wires!

 

[Paul Mc]

Coatham marshes

I know its south of the region but I was working in Redcar today and managed a walk round Coatham marshes (thanks again Ian).
Wind and rain, this time remembered my bins but forgot the wellies! Highlights were grey heron and close encounter with a sparrowhawk. Great place and I hope to return when its not quite so wet.
On the way back, on a roundabout there were several greylag (I think) geese.
Hoping to do Hurworth Burn tomorrow pm on the way back from Hartlepool - well there has to be some compensations when trying to scratch a living from this cruel earth!

Paul Mc

 

[Skelly]

Eagle Owl

I know it's probably an escapee but it's still nice to see one from your bedroom window.

The bird has been calling constantly since half five this morning and was last seen on a telegraph pole in Valley View, Sacriston.

B

 

[harrier olley]

Eagle Owl

It will not be surprising to most on the bird forum that Eagle Owls are breeding regularly in parts of the country originally or a high percentage being from escapes thus the bird at Sacriston has a good chance of attracting a mate?