Durham Birding (7 Viewers)

[Jumpin 4 Joy]

Daisy Hill Local Area:

Skylark population doing very well. Lots of singing males.

 

[ian hamilton]

female sparrowhawk soaring above the stadium of light at 0930

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Waldridge Fell:
1 Green Woodpecker same place as last week.:t:
Few Stonechat, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 or 2 Kestrel.

 

[jason-t-71]

Redhead Smew at Crookfoot Res this lunchtime but distant (in the channel). Great to see the Great Crested Grebes showing off to each other as well!

 

[jason-t-71]

Also had first singing Chiffchaff at Cox Green today but still no Mandarin.

 

[AndyMc]

Spent a couple of hours in Teesdale today. Plenty of noisy lapwings, a few Curlew & Oystercatchers. A farmers field with a fair flock of Fieldfare :eat:,about 40 odd together with a couple of corn buntings. The best view I've had of some yet (had time to get my book out :-O).

_______________________
:t:Andy

 

[will@bill]

few pics from today bollihope area:t:

 

[vivster]

bollihope

few pics from today bollihope area:t:

hi there can you tell me where is bollihope is it near a placw called hill end..if so i know where that is....would love to see some of the birds in your photos..

thanks..

 

[Lapland mull]

New to the forum.

Hi -everyone, have been watching the forum for some time now, I thought it was about time I joined in. Some of you may have seen me or the wife on your travels. We are based in the Tees Valley but occassionaly make incursions into the Durham area. Hope to see you around.

www.laplandmull.blogspot.com

 

[IanF]

Hi -everyone, have been watching the forum for some time now, I thought it was about time I joined in. Some of you may have seen me or the wife on your travels. We are based in the Tees Valley but occassionaly make incursions into the Durham area. Hope to see you around.

www.laplandmull.blogspot.com

Welcome aboard :t:

You've been finding some great birds locally and taking some great photos of them :t:

 

[balvert]

Hi -everyone, have been watching the forum for some time now, I thought it was about time I joined in. Some of you may have seen me or the wife on your travels. We are based in the Tees Valley but occassionaly make incursions into the Durham area. Hope to see you around.

www.laplandmull.blogspot.com

Nice to meet you Lapland mull (albeit through black letters on a screen!)

Great photos, lovely Avocet!

 

[StevieEvans]

Black Grouse - Emblem of the DBC

I have 2 recent reports of bird watchers leaving cars when visiting Black Grouse Leks in Co.Durham.
Its disappointing to hear their presence caused some of the cocks to break off from display.......

The RSPB gives advise on its website :t: :-
a link to a code can be found on this page:-
http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/watchingbirds/grouse/blackgrouse.asp

DBC members should aim to follow the Clubs voluntary code - contained within the Black Grouse Site Guide on the website.

-----------------------------------------------

A quiet weekend on the Houghton Patch
A couple of White Wagtails & Green Sandpipers passing through

 

[StevieEvans]

Hi -everyone, have been watching the forum for some time now, I thought it was about time I joined in. Some of you may have seen me or the wife on your travels. We are based in the Tees Valley but occassionaly make incursions into the Durham area. Hope to see you around.

www.laplandmull.blogspot.com

Good to see another keen birder joining in.:t:
Think i spoke to you & the Mrs at the raised car park at Dormans - you'd just had one of the Barn Owls sail close by.

 

[will@bill]

hi there can you tell me where is bollihope is it near a placw called hill end..if so i know where that is....would love to see some of the birds in your photos..

thanks..

yeah bollihope is just west of hill end. just try in the quarry:t:

 

[AndyMc]

Hi -everyone, have been watching the forum for some time now, I thought it was about time I joined in. Some of you may have seen me or the wife on your travels. We are based in the Tees Valley but occassionaly make incursions into the Durham area. Hope to see you around.

www.laplandmull.blogspot.com

Welcome :hi:

Good to see the photo spectrum opening up.
Some nice photos on your blog as well. Have you met the friendly farmer yet?

Husband & wife team aay, can't be bad - keeping warm in the cold:kiss:, someone to make your sarnies up:eat:, someone to listen to when all's quiet, no need for passouts & justifying optical expenses :storm:.................


Look forward to seeing some more from you:t:
_______________________
:t:Andy

 

[AndyMc]

I have 2 recent reports of bird watchers leaving cars when visiting Black Grouse Leks in Co.Durham.

There's no wonder birders get a bad name in other fraterneties. Only just recently I've heard a few accounts of nest disturbance, Bittern beating, & now this.:C
Looks like the Pareto principle applies to this pastime as well - 80% responsible & respectful, 10% learning but with caution & respect, the remaining 10% being damnright selfish morons who haven't got the sense to look through the narrow end of their binochulars for a closer look. Very dissappointing.

Its disappointing to hear their presence caused some of the cocks to break off from display.......

Had the subject not been serious, I wouldn't have been able to contain myself. In this case I've manged to refrain.:-C
_________________________
:eek!:Andy (Sorry for the slight rant)

 

[NeilF]

local patch

Lamesley/Kibblesworth areas

5 Little Grebe, 1 Whooper Swan (over North @09:25 following the River Team), 3pr Shelduck, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 1pr Oystercatcher, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Snipe, 11 LBB Gull, 5 Sand Martin, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 GS Woodpecker, 1 Wheatear, 12+ Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Tit, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Jay, 4 Tree Sparrow.

Washington WWT Website reports the return of the Avocet's for the fourth consecutive year :t:

 

[StevieEvans]

There's no wonder birders get a bad name in other fraterneties. Only just recently I've heard a few accounts of nest disturbance, Bittern beating, & now this.:C
Looks like the Pareto principle applies to this pastime as well - 80% responsible & respectful, 10% learning but with caution & respect, the remaining 10% being damnright selfish morons who haven't got the sense to look through the narrow end of their binochulars for a closer look. Very dissappointing.


Had the subject not been serious, I wouldn't have been able to contain myself. In this case I've manged to refrain.:-C
_________________________
:eek!:Andy (Sorry for the slight rant)

Andy
This "Black Grouse Lek" topic, is a bit more subtle in nature than some of the previous blunderings we've read about.....

Hopefully by bringing up these issues & by pointing people to relevant information, then they can make informed & responsible decisions.

(someone else sent me a message about things breaking off up Teesdale - i know its cold but surely not that cold !:eek!: )

----------------------------------

Again very little migrant activity round Houghton.
A Buzzard moved north, presumably on passage & a couple of pairs of Gadwall fresh in.
I also had a parakeet flash by our garden while i had a bustard on the phone... just not quick enough to get to the bins....

Lamesley/Kibblesworth areas
. . . < snip > . . .
Washington WWT Website reports the return of the Avocet's for the fourth consecutive year

Nice patch you've got there Neil...
Hard to believe its 4 year - i have a cunning plan in store to get those black & white beauties on my Houghton Patch list.......:smoke:

 

[NeilF]

Hard to believe its 4 year - i have a cunning plan in store to get those black & white beauties on my Houghton Patch list.......:smoke:

Walk up to Penshaw Monument and scope the WWWT birds? does that count?
I (very) recently extended my 3 mile local patch to 5 kilometres just to keep the EU happy, complete coincidence that it now includes Herrington CP and a certain flock of big white birds
What became of the rumour that one of RM's pool's was to have its water level lowered to attract more waders? It's not being pumped into wader lake by any chance :-O

 

[StevieEvans]

Walk up to Penshaw Monument and scope the WWWT birds? does that count?

Guessed it in one :smoke:

I (very) recently extended my 3 mile local patch to 5 kilometres just to keep the EU happy, complete coincidence that it now includes Herrington CP and a certain flock of big white birds

5km does seem a popular limit

What became of the rumour that one of RM's pool's was to have its water level lowered to attract more waders? It's not being pumped into wader lake by any chance :-O

Just wish that place had as many birds as it had rumours...
ps - if want want the full SP on the water, just check CW's wellies & 25litre flask next time you see him at WWWWWT.
:flyaway: