Durham Birding (6 Viewers)

[StevieEvans]

Nice pics Ray. A marked improvement on yesterdays rather grainy images.:smoke:[/QUOTE

Cheers Stevie, nice to hear you're joining the photography world, but watch out for JBee, he'll teach you bad habits .

Aye, i thought i'd give it a go - i was beginning to feel left out.:-C
I reckon i picked the wrong day to sit in the hide - All that other gadge did was try to force me to take a drink out of his flask.

In seriousness, i was incredibly disappointed with the results, despite plenty of coaching !- theres obviously a lot to it, especially catching them in flight.
Hats off to you photo guys.

 

[balvert]

Oh and it's not authoritarian whatsoever ... common sense in my view!

 

[StevieEvans]

Thanks very much Steve, I've got £20 going so, yes, why not!

Membership in the post first thing in the morning!

Thanks again, really grateful.

You're welcome Ben.
Good to see you're joining up. Its well worth the money, for the publications alone.

I see you have Willow Tit as your avatar.
Whilst we still have a healthy population, theres been a suggestion of a lack of birds this winter. Do you see them regularly ? and/or have you noticed any recent change ?
Perhaps its just the result of a poor breeding season, but well worth keeping tabs on.

DBC Members can submit their bird sightings / counts / notes in to the clubs electronic database, maintained by the County Recorder. These records serve not only to form an annual historical account, but they are shared with other agencies (eg. DBAP), who liase with the clubs Conservation Officer to target species with appropriate measures, should they be in need of help.
Recording & Conservation are two key functions of the County Club.

Cheers
SteveE

 

[JBee]

A few more from Teeside.
Unusual for me to have any shots Scuzz hasn't copied
Skylark was a disappointment being flushed twice in less than 30 seconds by two 4 wheel drive gas guzzlers that decided to drive down North Gare road just after us resulting in pretty shaky shots.

 

[balvert]

You're welcome Ben.
Good to see you're joining up. Its well worth the money, for the publications alone.

I see you have Willow Tit as your avatar.
Whilst we still have a healthy population, theres been a suggestion of a lack of birds this winter. Do you see them regularly ? and/or have you noticed any recent change ?
Perhaps its just the result of a poor breeding season, but well worth keeping tabs on.
DBC Members can submit their bird sightings / counts / notes in to the clubs electronic database. These records serve not only to form an annual historical account, but they are shared with other agencies (eg. DBAP) to target species in need of help with appropriate measures.

Later
SteveE

I only really started watching Willow Tits early in summer 2008, prior to that I spent most of my time at Castle Eden Dene hunting out Marsh Tits. I think that it's numbers of these birds that is a bigger worry in the county, mind you I only speak for one location. Castle Eden Dene is my main haunt and I only saw birds on three occasions throughout the whole of 2008!

While I've not been observing Willow Tits enough to comment with authority, I do think that Hetton Bogs is one of the strongest places in the county - I saw five birds together last Wednesday. Do you have any idea of historical numbers in the county?

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

A few more from Teeside.
Unusual for me to have any shots Scuzz hasn't copied
Skylark was a disappointment being flushed twice in less than 30 seconds by two 4 wheel drive gas guzzlers that decided to drive down North Gare road just after us resulting in pretty shaky shots.

Your Barn Owl picture is really fantastic! :eek!:
Great action shot!!!!

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

:-O
What an odd Med Gull:
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/Gallery_ShowSpecies.asp?galleryid=2993&page=1&sort=4&pos=3&


Update: 6.10 they changed it to Snow Bunting but it was Mediterranean Gull.

 

[smitsel]

Started the morning at Barmston Pond to top up the feeders. 2 Bullfinch, 5 Goldfinch, 2 Coal Tit and singles of Great Tit, Blue Tit and Robin. Nothing much on the pond 2 Gadwall, 5 Mute Swans, 1 Canada Goose and a Cormorant and the usual. Next stop was Timber Beach whilst cycling to here a mixed flock of about 40 to 60 Redwing and Fieldfare in a field just off the A1231.

At Timber Beach 2 Shelduck, 2 Curlew. 8 Cormorant and 17 Redshank on the rusty barge. Whilst taking a refreshment break a duck landed on the water initial thoughts was drake Goosander upon on closer inspection it turned out to be a drake Red Breasted Merganser moving on now a flock of 10 to 15 Long Tailed Tits in surrounding trees. As i cycled along the cycle path and just passed the football stadium i saw another group of about 40 Redshank and 2 Oystercatchers.

Roker Marina the next stop 1 Drake Eider Duck, 2 Turnstone, 2 Lbb and 3 Gbb Gulls and 5 Mute Swan.

 

[barnstormer]

Ah right but where and what is RM? I'm not a native to this area so...

Sounds like you could do with this book,it lists all the good sites in the north east.The birders bible apparently.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-Watch...=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235062738&sr=8-4

 

[vivster]

hi can you tell me where the Timber Beach beach is plz thanks

 

[smitsel]

hi can you tell me where the Timber Beach beach is plz thanks

There are two Timber Beach locations one on the River Tyne near Dunston NZ224628
The other the one that i visit is on the River Wear which is situated next to Hylton Riverside Retail Park. NZ3758.

 

[vivster]

thanks very much ..i learn something new everyday..cheers

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hetton Bogs this afternoon:

Blue, coal, great, willow & LT tits, chaffinch, pair bulfinch, robin, reed buntings, coots, moorehen, mallard and sphawk fly over.

Nice meeting Mick & Joanne again :t:, hope you had better luck at RM's.

 

[dmwwp]

I'm after looking for some Black Grouse soon and I don't know where to start. I've tried to access the site guide on the DBC site, but I can't access the page without DBC membership.

I don't mind joining up if I have to, but would it be possible for someone to point me in the right (or any!) direction?

Go to Rookhope in Weardale. Head out towards Hexham and take the right turn up the steep hill towards Blanchland. At the top of the hill there are several black grouse to be seen

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

I went to look for Waxwings at Chester-le-street today. But no sign at all around hospital.
Can anyone help?
Thanks
AK

 

[IanF]

Very quiet on the Headland this morning with nothing of note.

Med Gull on Seaton Common in amongst a large group of gulls.

Teal, Wigeon, Curlew in good numbers. Little Egret x2.

Kestrel landed on a fence post with prey but chucked it away after one bite - looks like it picked up a mole by mistake!

 

[Davethetrimdonian]

waxwings

I had luck near the samsung site on A689 near wolviston a couple of weeks ago. First time for me. Quite a large flock of about 40:t:

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton

A few more from Teeside.
Unusual for me to have any shots Scuzz hasn't copied
Skylark was a disappointment being flushed twice in less than 30 seconds by two 4 wheel drive gas guzzlers that decided to drive down North Gare road just after us resulting in pretty shaky shots.

Nice shot of the Cormorant et al . . . . :t:

The Barn Owl image would be a superb one to use, when it comes to publicising the DBC BO Survey this Summer :t:

Very little to report today, but we did have a walk up to post office & back through the Town park to feed the squirrels, noting 32 species. The most interesting were Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, GSW, Siskin & a pair of Nuthatch - hoping that they breed this year & if we're very lucky we might even fill that nuthatch gap on the Joes/RM's site list.

 

[StevieEvans]

I went to look for Waxwings at Chester-le-street today. But no sign at all around hospital.
Can anyone help?
Thanks
AK

Andrew, JohnG has detailed were he saw the Chester birds on the DBC forum.

 

[StevieEvans]

Quiz

Quick Quiz

How many bird species were recorded in Co.Durham in 2008 (ie - Vice County Tyne to Tees) . . . . . ?