Durham Birding (8 Viewers)

[June Atkinson]

Spotted starling

There is a likeness............looking up Nutcracker in my Bird guide there are certain features - the striated spots which can confuse the issue. But I accept how rare this bird is, although it has occurred occasionally in the UK.

....and is it the same as the bird you saw in your garden??

 

[martin kitching]

There are two accepted records of Nutcracker for Northumberland - single birds in 1819 and 1958 |=)| Unless June's record was the one from 1958, it would seem that her photograph didn't clearly show a Nutcracker (at least not clearly enough to convince the CRC).

cheers
martin

Hi June,

Number 5 is a Starling. Nutcracker are exceptionally rare, I may be corrected by others but I'm not sure if there are any records in either Northumberland or Durham, birdguides certainly suggests not.

 

[June Atkinson]

Nutcracker records

Thanks for this clarification, Martin. 1958 is too early a date as we came north in 1964.
Even a professional photographer at a NWT meeting agreed that my sighting of the bird in our garden sounded like a nutcracker, from my detailed description, so one can be forgiven if it didn't turn out to be the real thing

There are two accepted records of Nutcracker for Northumberland - single birds in 1819 and 1958 |=)| Unless June's record was the one from 1958, it would seem that her photograph didn't clearly show a Nutcracker (at least not clearly enough to convince the CRC).

cheers
martin

 

[Michael A]

Lesser Redpoll

This bird has been visiting my garden near Shotley Bridge hospital.
It has a ring which partly reads:-
SEUM
SWT
29.
Does any forum member know if it's possible to trace where it was ringed?
Larger image:-http://trampsandhawkers.co.uk/gallery/details.php?image_id=1052

 

[degsy_safc]

This bird has been visiting my garden near Shotley Bridge hospital.
It has a ring which partly reads:-
SEUM
SWT
29.
Does any forum member know if it's possible to trace where it was ringed?
Larger image:-http://trampsandhawkers.co.uk/gallery/details.php?image_id=1052

Sorry Michael i don't know - but its a topper picture :t:

 

[LowellMills]

This bird has been visiting my garden near Shotley Bridge hospital.
It has a ring which partly reads:-
SEUM
SWT
29.
Does any forum member know if it's possible to trace where it was ringed?
Larger image:-http://trampsandhawkers.co.uk/gallery/details.php?image_id=1052

Sorry Michael it's not enough to get down to the individual other than that it's a British ring. This ring size is very hard to read without handling the bird.

SEUM = 'BTO British MuSEUM'
SW7 = 'Nat Hist London SW7'
29 = '_ _ _ _ _ 29 '

Many photos of this bird? More pieces of the unique code may be visible if you happened to capture multiple slight turns of the ring. Much appreciated that you're interested. Keep trying and if you can get most or all of the code, it can be reported with the 'Report a ringed bird' button on the BTrg homepage!

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hartlepool - Yesterday

Ward Jackson Park:
12 parakeets, pochard, fem goosander, grey heron, cormorant, mistle thrush and nuthatch.
Med gull at Newburn Bridge.
2 Kestrel, good number of curlew,teal, wigeon at North Gare road.
4 RB Merganser, cormorant and shag at the Marina.

 

[Ray.Scott]

South Shields today.
Good number of sanderling & ringed plover, 2 purple sandpiper, pied wagtail, oyster catchers and turnstones on the beach/rocks South of the pier. Also rock pipit, a few eider and cormorant North of the pier.
Nothing of note on the Leas, but nice to see a few Fulmar at Frenchmas Bay.

 

[duncan fraser]

Ron,
The fifth photo shows a bird remarkably reminiscent of a Nutcracker.
The spot pattern is quite different.

I had one in the garden some years ago, but this species isn't often seen or reported.

A Nutcracker is about the size of a Jay, so there is a considerable size difference. Definitely a Starling

 

[duncan fraser]

A Bewick's Swan and 3 Whoopers were reported flying north at Whitburn this morning. I assumed they were the Sadberge birds, but they were then reported this afternoon. Surely there are not two flocks in the county, or did they do a massive U-turn, or is there another explanation?

 

[duncan fraser]

Anyone know why the Black-bellied Dipper at Castle Eden is only a possible. Has it not been seen well, or are there doubts about it?

 

[John Malloy]

Bit of ibis action from Saturday:



http://youtu.be/wqxhXzJA89w

 

[Mark Newsome]

A Bewick's Swan and 3 Whoopers were reported flying north at Whitburn this morning. I assumed they were the Sadberge birds, but they were then reported this afternoon. Surely there are not two flocks in the county, or did they do a massive U-turn, or is there another explanation?

I think the simple explanation is that there are still 3 Whoopers and a Bewicks at Sadberge, and 3 Whoopers and a Bewicks migrated past Whitburn! The swans passing Whitburn appeared to be full adults (so not the Sadberge birds), and quite probably went out over the North Sea; they were purposefully flying north approx. 1km+ out at Whitburn and they were not seen to pass St Mary's Island or Seaton Sluice by seawatchers there late morning. Or maybe they did a big left turn and went down the Tyne towards Lancashire/SW Scotland?
I've seen (and photo'd) single Bewick's migrating with Whoopers previously at Whitburn (in late winter). The odd bird must latch onto Whooper herds and set off north with them.

Mark

 

[duncan fraser]

I went to see the Castle Eden Dipper today. Saw it about 11.30 in the rain. Although I have not seen many cinclus Dippers before (just two in Austria I think), I don't think this bird is a Black-bellied Dipper. Whilst most of the belly is black (about 90% plus) the top and sides of the belly appear reddish-brown. My understanding of cinclus is that any brown should be brownish-black, not reddish.
If you want to see for yourself, best approach is to park off the A181/A19 junction; take the road that says No Access to Weighbridge, pass the dead end sign and park opposite (bit muddy, enough for 2-3 cars) the caravan park near the No Entry gate. Walk 200 metres, turn right, go through the dark spooky tunnel (go in a group if you are of nervous disposition) and the bird favours the first 100 metres of the river east of the tunnel. Beyond that, the river gets fast, narrow and deep so is probably less Dipper-friendly. I waited about 50 minutes and even though the river was fast, high and muddy it still turned up. I suspect it spends most of its time west of the A19 - presumably the river is calmer and shallower there, but I am unsure as to whether there is any access there.

 

[Mark Newsome]

I went to see the Castle Eden Dipper today. Saw it about 11.30 in the rain. Although I have not seen many cinclus Dippers before (just two in Austria I think), I don't think this bird is a Black-bellied Dipper. Whilst most of the belly is black (about 90% plus) the top and sides of the belly appear reddish-brown. My understanding of cinclus is that any brown should be brownish-black, not reddish....

I think the Dippers you'll have seen in Austria will be aquaticus (which still have chestnut on the upper portion of the dark belly). Dippers are an interesting and complex subject. The well-seen bird at Thetford in the winter of 2012/13 was much discussed and apparently had some visible chestnut on the upper part of the dark. It was accepted by BBRC, who stated in the last rarities report, "...we shall not limit acceptance to those birds that show only a black lower breast and belly. A reasonable proportion of nominate cinclus show brown feathering, particularly on the border with the white breast..."
It'll be good to get more views of this bird in different light conditions and to examine good quality photos to see the true extent of the brown feathering.

Mark

 

[duncan fraser]

I have some photos - how do you attach them as Thumbnails?

 

[duncan fraser]

After looking through numerous photos on Iris (Birdguides photo gallery), I still think this is a British Dipper. The extent of reddish-brown is perhaps slightly less than usual, but is still fairly extensive along the margin and sides
The Norfolk and Shetland Black-bellied Dippers are much darker (very little reddish-brown along the border - mostly brownish-black) and the East Yorkshire bird had none.

 

[LowellMills]

Greenabella avocet chick just resighted as full-grown down my way in Devon. http://www.devonbirds.org/news/bird_news/devon_bird_sightings?blogEntry=4681

 

[Ray.Scott]

Cowpen Bewley:
Buzzard fly over, blackbird, reed bunting, greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, tree sparrow, bullfinch, yellow hammer, robin, blue,great,coal tits etc in the car park area.
Gadwall, little grebe, mute swan, golden eye, cormorants, tufties etc on the main pond.
Also 2 kestrel seen in the distance during our walk round the park.

Saltholme:
Single water rail seen at the Wildlife Watch Point Hide.

Shoveler, shell duck & teal at the Phil Stead Hide. Also Glosy Ibis reported earlier.

 

[June Atkinson]

Redpoll?

Am I correct in thinking that this is a Redpoll?

I've had one in the garden last year.

This bird has been visiting my garden near Shotley Bridge hospital.
It has a ring which partly reads:-
SEUM
SWT
29.
Does any forum member know if it's possible to trace where it was ringed?
Larger image:-http://trampsandhawkers.co.uk/gallery/details.php?image_id=1052