Durham Birding (9 Viewers)

[Boro Birder]

A few shots from Hartlepool / Teesside today + short video of the Mergansers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bceE1-HOKGA&feature=youtu.be

Excellent shots of the Mergansers Ray, haven't caught up with any yet this year. Hopefully when I'm up there on Friday they will be around.

Damian

 

[Ray.Scott]

Excellent shots of the Mergansers Ray, haven't caught up with any yet this year. Hopefully when I'm up there on Friday they will be around.

Damian

Cheers Damian, there were 1/2 dozen or so in the marina, but most flew off when disturbed by a boat, however these two remained, think they've been here a while as every one has photographed the female with the rope or whatever stuck in Its bill :eek!:. Hope It somehow manages to free Itself, you'd think the Male might help, somehow !.

 

[Jameswl]

I haven't seen any Mergansers this year either, but I have only been to the sea twice. Your photos of them are fab as ever Ray.

I walked along the Wear from Shincliffe Hall to where the woods start earlier. It was very windy, but on the edge of the wood there were loads of tits feeding, I followed a treecreeper for a while and there were 6 shelduck which flew upstream. Robins, Chaffinches, Moorhens, Pigeons and corvids too. Still hoping to see that Dipper

Best of all, I was alone the whole time. Bliss.

 

[Ray.Scott]

A couple of hours or so up Barlow area today:
At least 5 buzzards and 7 kites seen, kingfisher at Far Pastures, but keeping it's distance due to Sparrow Hawk sitting in one of the bushes

Short video of the Kites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1rh6nEkGQg&feature=youtu.be

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few from South Shields today:
Much the same as our last visit other than single female snow bunting on the sand dunes.

 

[frankiex]

I haven't seen any Mergansers this year either, but I have only been to the sea twice. Your photos of them are fab as ever Ray.

I walked along the Wear from Shincliffe Hall to where the woods start earlier. It was very windy, but on the edge of the wood there were loads of tits feeding, I followed a treecreeper for a while and there were 6 shelduck which flew upstream. Robins, Chaffinches, Moorhens, Pigeons and corvids too. Still hoping to see that Dipper

Best of all, I was alone the whole time. Bliss.

james ive found a nice site for seeing the dippers..go from the dragonville area of gilesgate down benthouse lane(known localy as the black trodd) go to the very bottom there is a sort of wooden bridge over old durham beck,last year they nested under neath the bridge..i just sit on the nearby pipes and watch with my flask of soup at the ready.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Teesside

Few shots from today:
11 Avocets on Greenabella, 2 Barnacle geese in with Canada geese at Saltholme. water rail seen from Phil Stead hide.

 

[super-silly-um]

Few shots from today:
11 Avocets on Greenabella, 2 Barnacle geese in with Canada geese at Saltholme. water rail seen from Phil Stead hide.

Great photos Ray :t:

Richard.

 

[Boro Birder]

Few shots from today:
11 Avocets on Greenabella, 2 Barnacle geese in with Canada geese at Saltholme. water rail seen from Phil Stead hide.

Great photos Ray, must be one of the earliest arrival dates for the Avocets.

Damian

 

[Jameswl]

james ive found a nice site for seeing the dippers..go from the dragonville area of gilesgate down benthouse lane(known localy as the black trodd) go to the very bottom there is a sort of wooden bridge over old durham beck,last year they nested under neath the bridge..i just sit on the nearby pipes and watch with my flask of soup at the ready.

I go that way to get to Shincliffe. I never knew the local name. thank you.

I saw a female kestrel actually land on the railing of Baths Bridge. only there for a couple of seconds but great to see!

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few shots of the Dipper from near Wolsingham. also red squirrel from near Derwent Res,

Couple of short videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU3r7vGf08Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDBdbi0sMmQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8IPBTJ3hgU

 

[Boro Birder]

PORTRACK MARSH. TEESSIDE.

Had a great evening birding at dusk last night with highlights being, Kingfisherx1, Snipex5, Sparrowhawkx1, M, Bullfinchx5, 3f, 2m, murmaration of around 1000 Starlings which is always a pleasure to watch. Great Crested Grebes have returned the earliest date in the 3 years since I discover them breeding. Also Cootx27, Pochardx1, m, Gadwall, largest amount I've seen on there 11+pairs, got too dark in the end. Tealx4, 2 pr, BHG, summer plumage, around 20 Cormarants flying in a v formation and common birds, Wrenx2, Songthrushx1, BBirdx2. Mammals. Roe Deerx1, doe, Grey Sealx2
Cracking evening.

Damian

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple of shots from Low Barnes today:
Weather was pretty dismal for photos, but plenty of birds seen, including, tree creeper, song thrush, distant king fisher on main pond, golden eye, nuthatch, couple of GC grebe which were displaying, coal,blue,great,willow & LT tits, pheasant, Canada & greylag geese, GS woodpecker coot, moorehen etc, to name but a few of the twenty odd species seen.
Also a few grey squirrels.

 

[Jameswl]

I went down earlier to see the dippers. They are wonderful and very settled building a nest. Thank you Frankie. :king:

Also saw two Grey Wags on the beck.
My photos aren't as good as Ray's Wolsingham dippers, but I might post one or two later on.

 

[Jameswl]

The Dipper photos from yesterday.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Clara Vale - Yesterday

Only one sighting of the kingfisher which was very distant, but all in all a pleasant visit. Other birds included, GS woodpecker, stock dove, bullfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch, goldfinch, blue,great,coal,willow and LT tits, tree sparrow, grey heron, pheasant, dunnock, blackbird, wren, mallard, coot, moorhen & magpie etc.
Also green woodpecker heard.
Grey squirrels, rat and rabbit, which looked like it had a touch of mix.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Far Pastures - Yesterday

Sighting of very distant kingfisher, grey heron, common snipe and the usual ducks, teal etc. The usual stuff in the car park including the bank vole, also Common buzzard and couple of red kites overhead.

 

[degsy_safc]

Nice to see a couple of the local Co Durham residents getting a bit of fresh air today :t:

 

[Michael A]

Tawny Owl

A visit to a wood in the Derwent Valley found this Tawny Owl using an old Corvids or Grey Squirrel dray/nest for nesting.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trampsandhawkers/

 

[Jameswl]

Checked up on the Dippers again today. They are still hard at work on their nest. Also didn't realise there were tree sparrows in Gilesgate until today!