Durham Birding (2 Viewers)

[hutch]

shocked and stunned it was dark when we left so no dout it will still be around as for loads of people flocking can only be good for the place might add they are out with the chainsaws again planning to remove all the spruse trees the whole place just seems so open and lacking so many of the usual birds for this time of year

 

[will@bill]

firecrest

did anyone barr seggs see it today..i went back at 1.30 till 3 with no luck

 

[The Chairman]

Identification workshop

Final reminder that woodland birds are on the agenda tomorrow morning. Meet at Thornley Woodland Centre at 9am.

Don't expect to see Bittern or Firecrest but Red Kite is a possibility if the weather isn't too bad and there have been Waxwings not too far away in recent days so you never know!

 

[seggs]

did anyone barr seggs see it today..i went back at 1.30 till 3 with no luck

hi lads
sorry you missed the elusive bird again..
the 2 lads we met this morning from the north side had the bird the same time as me, i was on the power station side and they were on the small muddy path.. like to hear if anyone else today had it also..

 

[will@bill]

next time!

asked my son liam to get a good pic of the firecrest and came back with this one
maybe next time

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Local Patch


Rainton
pairs of Coots disputing territories on pool4
resident thrushes going into overdrive singing this morning - deafening!
much Kestrel activity all day, with male calling from nest box & 3pairs flying together + additional imm singles.
Great tits chiming away loudly at Joes - Treecreeper pair in Hawthorns (probably wondering why their nesting trees have been clear felled....?)
nothing out of the ordinary on ponds other than 2 Ruddies, 2 Shoveller & a sinensis Cormorant.
8-10 Short-eareds out hunting mid/late aftnoon - again one trying to take a dancing Stoat.

Amazed to see x4 Moto-X/ Trail bikes come through the reserve..... one acknowledged us with a wave & thanks, as i moved the pushchair back off the track.....
i was slightly taken aback by this, even more so when they reached the dead end up at the top of pool4 - they simply took out wire cutters & snipped through the stock fence before driving through !

NB:RM's
There is an A4 sized Sightings / Note Book on the coffee shop counter
Please remember to fill in a full description & accompanying field notes for all makes of motorbike :- /


Herrington CPk
No Jacks despite a burn up, but a Woodcock sitting till the last moment
Steve

 

[echo24]

the 3 owls showed well giving walkers and myself excellent views

Steve, pity about the Firecrest but well done with the SEO - great photos mate! )

Spent the whole day in Gateshead, Clara vale, Chopwell & Thornley woods then finished off at Shibdon pond - here's a snippet!

Cheers,
Dougie.

 

[Keith Bradley]

hi lads
sorry you missed the elusive bird again..
the 2 lads we met this morning from the north side had the bird the same time as me, i was on the power station side and they were on the small muddy path.. like to hear if anyone else today had it also..

Hopefully the bird came back if only to roost. Gave up after 4 hours (yes 4 hrs!) and left at 13.00 to try for a 3rd time in 3 days for the Teams Waxwings - you guessed it, no Waxwings! - couldn't even locate any trees with berries. Found the shop though!

Keith

 

[NeilF]

Made a spur of the moment decision to visit Low Barns this morning, hoping for a glimpse of the Bittern reported yesterday, but no such luck for me or the handful of other birders about.
Highlight was a pair of Water Rail having a disagreement over who was trespassing who's territory.
Best of the rest were 6 Goldeneye, 2 each of Great-spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest & Jay, a flock of Long-tailed Tit, small numbers of Treecreeper, Bullfinch & Siskin, a single Nuthatch and a probable Marsh Tit.
A second lap to try and miss the same birds I missed on the first lap found a pair of Goosander on the Wear.
Another birder had a 'Mealy' Redpoll.

A quick pit stop at Sunderland Bridge produced 5 Grey Partridge in a field beside the River Browney.

Got home to find the garden a frenzy of Siskin activity, with about 20 individuals taking advantage of the 'as much as you can eat for free' offer, with another 30 in trees nearby.

 

[Wig131]

Weekend Birding

Spent yesterday up at the Gateshead sites with my wife. Started at Lamsley Pastures which was full of Lapwings, but also had 3 x Curlew, 1 x Whimbel and a couple of Redwings. Next Shibdon Pond with 1 x Barnacle Goose and ? 1 x Snow Goose with large group of Canadian geese aslo had large numbers of Goldeneye. Then onto Clara Vale with Yellowhammers, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, and Siskins. At Thornly Wood found much the same as Clara Vale but also G.S. Woodpeckers. Last stop Far Pastures which had one each of both Jack snipe and Snipe.
Today tried Rainton Medows. We were lucky enough to see 2 Short-eared Owls on the reserve side of the railway bridge. One gave good views in a tree just off the main path. Checked out all of the ponds for Shovler reported yesterday but no luck. Did not see either of the Barn Owls that have been loged on the board inside the visiter centre. Where is the best place to try and spot them?
Said hello to a gentleman in passing on the way to Joe's Pond do not know if this was JBee? Bulges in coat pockets may have been tame water rails

Steve Clarke

 

[StevieEvans]

RMs BIGBY

Finally, eventually, at long last! - after 5 years! found my Rainton meadows bogey bird - a Stonechat!

others of interest included Stoat in ermine & a pair of Long-eared Owls vocal at dusk (16:45) - what with the early Tawny already on eggs, it looks like its gonna be an early breeding season..... all owl flushers please take note !

....Barn owl pair....

if you went home before the barrier got locked than you have literally no chance.

Steve

 

[JBee]

Said hello to a gentleman in passing on the way to Joe's Pond do not know if this was JBee? Bulges in coat pockets may have been tame water rails

Steve Clarke

I was either on my way to or from photographing Candle snuff fungus and Dead Mans Fingers along the main path running past Joes Pond Hide.

 

[barnstormer]

Hi guys,does anyone have any knowledge of, or reckied the area behind bedes world in jarrow next to the nissan car compound and the river don ?.i've seen the odd heron,kestrel,curlew and some waders but not sure what they are. Just thought i'd pick some brains to see what else to expect before i go for a few hours.

 

[jerkin]

Hi guys,does anyone have any knowledge of, or reckied the area behind bedes world in jarrow next to the nissan car compound and the river don ?.i've seen the odd heron,kestrel,curlew and some waders but not sure what they are. Just thought i'd pick some brains to see what else to expect before i go for a few hours.

Used to go down that area over 20 years ago great spot loads of waders Finch flocks Sort-eared Owls and Merlin. probably ruined now

 

[CrimsonTopaz]

Hi all, just wondered if anyone has seen Kingfishers along the Station burn at all?. I've got a pamphlet from South Tyneside council that says Kingfishers live along the burn, but i've never seen one!
Still there's plenty of Reed Buntings there and loads of Herons for anyone whose interested in visiting the place (just thought i'd stick-up for me local patch, its a good place to be). :t:

 

[Ray.Scott]

Woodpecker Question

Just wondering If anyone can explain what the pictures below show in the woodpeckers mouth!. I realise the pink part is the tounge, but what is the silver part on the end of the tounge, or is this also part of the tounge.

Maybe woodpeckers carry a tol kit and this is a small chissel for making nest holes in the trees

 

[Brian Bullough]

Just wondering If anyone can explain what the pictures below show in the woodpeckers mouth!. I realise the pink part is the tounge, but what is the silver part on the end of the tounge, or is this also part of the tounge.

Maybe woodpeckers carry a tol kit and this is a small chissel for making nest holes in the trees

If I remember correctly woodpeckers tongues are barbed and sticky on the tip. there was a book in the past "A YEAR WITH THE WOODPECKERS " by H Sielman that had photo's of the tongue coming through he wood looking for grubs.
Brian
Sorry forgot to add what fantastic photos !!!!

 

[barnstormer]

Where exactly is the station burn in shields ? , i'm not from the area but work at the port of tyne so i've got my bearings a little bit.
On another note i've ordered a hide from www.cabelas.com. Its the doghouse blind made by ameristep has anyone heard of anyone using any of these hides and at $99 + $40 delivery i think it's a bargain at about £70.
http://www.cabelas.com

 

[NeilF]

I think the sun's gone in!

A shopping trip this morning was a good excuse to spend half an hour at Boldon Flats though the weather prevented much from being seen, only c150Lapwing, 20 GBB Gull, 4 Canada Geese, numerous Wigeon & Teal and single Redshank & Snipe.
The feeding station appeared to be completely occupied by House Sparrow's.

This afternoon managed only 29 species and a soaking at Washington WWT. Shelduck numbers slowly creeping up with 15 on Wader Lake and 70 Redshank waiting for low tide.
Personal highlight was seeing the Nuthatch at the feeding station, something I failed to do on 27 seperate visits last year!

Recent purchase of waterproof overtrousers totally justified :-O

 

[NickPatel92]

Just wondering If anyone can explain what the pictures below show in the woodpeckers mouth!. I realise the pink part is the tounge, but what is the silver part on the end of the tounge, or is this also part of the tounge.

Maybe woodpeckers carry a tol kit and this is a small chissel for making nest holes in the trees

No.5 is a Cracker :t: