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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Durham Birding (2 Viewers)

Thanks to Colin Wilson who pointed out this common gull (4 in total) at Rainton Meadows on Lake 2.
Also nice to see so many at the solar eclipse.
 

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Couple from Teesside today, plenty Chiff Chaff about, but high in the trees.
 

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Does anyone have any useful info on the WT Eagle at Eastgate? Any thoughts on where it might be roosting or best viewed from? Which quarry are the reports talking about, as there are several quarries in the Eastgate area?
DBC site seems to be down, and there is no forum on it anyway.
 
Does anyone have any useful info on the WT Eagle at Eastgate? Any thoughts on where it might be roosting or best viewed from? Which quarry are the reports talking about, as there are several quarries in the Eastgate area?
DBC site seems to be down, and there is no forum on it anyway.

As far as I can ascertain it has now been seen three times in all and twice recently in the Eastgate to Bollihope area but both times moving through so is likely to be fairly wide ranging but at least is still in the area. Perhaps the best bet is to concentrate on this area although unless it is flying the chances of seeing it are slim. However the more eyes on the sky there are over the weekend will increase the chances of someone finding it and maybe something else.
DBC website is hoped to be back on line very soon (fingers crossed).
As an aside anyone going for the Stanhope Great Grey Shrike is asked to view only from public footpaths or rights of way.
 
I am going to try tomorrow, though the weather doesn't look promising.
I saw one in mid-Lincolnshire a few years ago: trying to see it down in the valley where it was roosting was impossible (unless you knew the exact tree it was roosting in) but once I got onto higher ground I eventually saw it soaring over the valley.
There seem to be few obvious high viewpoints near Eastgate - possibly the road up to Rookhope
 
WtE

As far as I can ascertain it has now been seen three times in all and twice recently in the Eastgate to Bollihope area but both times moving through so is likely to be fairly wide ranging but at least is still in the area. Perhaps the best bet is to concentrate on this area although unless it is flying the chances of seeing it are slim. However the more eyes on the sky there are over the weekend will increase the chances of someone finding it and maybe something else.
DBC website is hoped to be back on line very soon (fingers crossed).
As an aside anyone going for the Stanhope Great Grey Shrike is asked to view only from public footpaths or rights of way.

Hi everyone,
The Wte isn’t soaring around much at all favouring the high moor’s, I spend a lot of time looking for Hen Harrier around the Teesdale/Weardale area, and yesterday was the first time I picked up the 2nd winter Wte. This bird is bound to attract unwelcome attention, if anyone dos happen to find where the Wte is roosting, there’s a good chance they will be observed and approached.
Good luck
 
The Dales

Cheers Derek :t:.

Ride over the Dales yesterday:
Plenty lapwing and small flocks of golden plovers, couple of kestrels, meadow pipits, common and RL partridge, gold crest the usual red & black grouse and dippers.
Quite a gathering as we passed through the Bollihope area, obviously looking for the Eagle.

Few picks and short video of the Dippers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uthYUP0HxbM&feature=youtu.be
 

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The immature WTE was present just to the east of Westgate at 5.45 this evening, but was mobbed by crows, jackdaws and a buzzard and then flew east over Eastgate. Almost flew over our heads at one point. I met some locals at Stanhope who believe the bird roosts elsewhere (best not to say where), but on most days heads towards Eastgate mid-morning and then spends the rest of the day in that area - probably returning late evening.
I spent some time at Stanhope Quarry looking for the GGS. Close to the railway line by an abandoned brick building I found some Goldfinches and a Chaffinch making a fuss about something in the hawthorn bushes. I thought I had found the GGS, but put the bins on something actually rarer (these days) - a male Hawfinch which spent a few minutes eating hawthorn berries and then flew off. Also a White Wagtail by the quarry lake.
Also saw Little Owl and male Ring Ouzel at Bollihope Quarry - not a bad day on the moors!
 
Hi everyone,
The Wte isn’t soaring around much at all favouring the high moor’s, I spend a lot of time looking for Hen Harrier around the Teesdale/Weardale area, and yesterday was the first time I picked up the 2nd winter Wte. This bird is bound to attract unwelcome attention, if anyone dos happen to find where the Wte is roosting, there’s a good chance they will be observed and approached.
Good luck

I hope the White-tailed eagle is well publicised because you can bet your life that every game keeper in the area knows about it. The best chance this will have of survival is if people are watching it. The same goes for any possible Osprey activity at Derwent Reservoir. Last year we had an Osprey all summer and I was lucky enough to see it. Hopefully we can get people out of the towns watching them because that will give them more protection than anything. People pretending that they aren't about doesn't help them in the slightest in my opinion.

People watching White-tailed eagles or Osprey also offer other Birds of Prey protection because the Game Keepers will have to be more careful than they will have to be if nobody is about.

My first though was this may have been the bird sighted in Norfolk and heading North but it probably isn't as they have both been sighted on the same day within 3 hours of each other.

Here's a list of sightings:

https://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=30039
 
I hope the White-tailed eagle is well publicised because you can bet your life that every game keeper in the area knows about it. The best chance this will have of survival is if people are watching it. The same goes for any possible Osprey activity at Derwent Reservoir. Last year we had an Osprey all summer and I was lucky enough to see it. Hopefully we can get people out of the towns watching them because that will give them more protection than anything. People pretending that they aren't about doesn't help them in the slightest in my opinion.

People watching White-tailed eagles or Osprey also offer other Birds of Prey protection because the Game Keepers will have to be more careful than they will have to be if nobody is about.

My first though was this may have been the bird sighted in Norfolk and heading North but it probably isn't as they have both been sighted on the same day within 3 hours of each other.

Here's a list of sightings:

https://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=30039

Birders have families, homes and job to return to after a day’s birding. keepers are on the job 24-7. The monitoring of nest sites costs £ and isn’t always effective, It’s sad but true, they have the upper hand and they are wining, best thing we can do as birders in my opinion is to call RSPB investigations as soon as you find anything that is not wanted on a Grouse moor, keep out of the way and let infestations do their job. Let the SOB hang themselves!
 
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Birders have families, homes and job to return to after a day’s birding. keepers are on the job 24-7. The monitoring of nest sites costs £ and isn’t always effective, It’s sad but true, they have the upper hand and they are wining, best thing we can do as birders in my opinion is to call RSPB investigations as soon as you find anything that is not wanted on a Grouse moor, keep out of the way and let infestations do their job. Let the SOB hang themselves!

Unfortunately I don't think that the SOB's will hang themselves, at least not in high enough numbers to make a difference. I agree with you about contacting the RSPB as soon as you find anything, I would probably also call 101 and log it with the police.

I once found a rabbit on a Grouse Moor at Muggleswick Common which had been gutted and left in a square hole which was about 400mm square and 150mm deep, the turf was left folded away from the hole. I can't for the life of me think of a reason why the rabbit would have been left like that without being suspicious.
 
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/

Visited a woodland near Muggleswick today where i've been watching a pair of Tawny Owls nesting. I have watched Tawny's at this site over a number of years and observed young fledging. I last visited on Thursday 3rd April saw Female at nest and heard Male calling occassionally. Today as i entered the wood i past a Carrion Crows nest which i had seen an adult sitting on. I looked underneath the nest site and saw a dead crow which looked as if it had been shot (Pic 1). I have witnessed several years ago a gamekeeper shooting through nests of Crows to destroy Eggs, Young or Sitting adult so was not surprised seeing dead bird. Approx 25-30 metres into woodland i looked through bins to see if Female Tawny was on nest (she was nesting in an old Crow or Buzzard nest) i thought i could see her so moved a little closer but what i could see was a part of the nest about a metre down from main nest.Don't know why but had a sickly feeling something wasn't right. I walked up to base of Tree and found (Pic 2) Female Tawny looking just like the Crow as if it had been shot through its nest. The only person who knows actually what happened is the one who did the deed. Gamekeepers shoot corvids in this area as do others with permission off landowners/farmers.
As i came away cursing whoever carried this out i heard the Male Tawny calling soulfully.
It may have been an accident by someone not realising Tawnys don't just nest in tree holes but i suppose i'll never know. Hopefully the Male will find another mate for next Winter/Spring.
 

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Visited a woodland near Muggleswick today where i've been watching a pair of Tawny Owls nesting. I have watched Tawny's at this site over a number of years and observed young fledging. I last visited on Thursday 3rd April saw Female at nest and heard Male calling occassionally. Today as i entered the wood i past a Carrion Crows nest which i had seen an adult sitting on. I looked underneath the nest site and saw a dead crow which looked as if it had been shot (Pic 1). I have witnessed several years ago a gamekeeper shooting through nests of Crows to destroy Eggs, Young or Sitting adult so was not surprised seeing dead bird. Approx 25-30 metres into woodland i looked through bins to see if Female Tawny was on nest (she was nesting in an old Crow or Buzzard nest) i thought i could see her so moved a little closer but what i could see was a part of the nest about a metre down from main nest.Don't know why but had a sickly feeling something wasn't right. I walked up to base of Tree and found (Pic 2) Female Tawny looking just like the Crow as if it had been shot through its nest. The only person who knows actually what happened is the one who did the deed. Gamekeepers shoot corvids in this area as do others with permission off landowners/farmers.
As i came away cursing whoever carried this out i heard the Male Tawny calling soulfully.
It may have been an accident by someone not realising Tawnys don't just nest in tree holes but i suppose i'll never know. Hopefully the Male will find another mate for next Winter/Spring.
Indeed a very sad tail Michael, fingers X for next year.
 
[

What a shame!!!

This is a good site with guidance for reporting wildlife crimes:

http://birdersagainst.org/

Although there's probably not a lot that can be done.





QUOTE=Michael A;3197384]Visited a woodland near Muggleswick today where i've been watching a pair of Tawny Owls nesting. I have watched Tawny's at this site over a number of years and observed young fledging. I last visited on Thursday 3rd April saw Female at nest and heard Male calling occassionally. Today as i entered the wood i past a Carrion Crows nest which i had seen an adult sitting on. I looked underneath the nest site and saw a dead crow which looked as if it had been shot (Pic 1). I have witnessed several years ago a gamekeeper shooting through nests of Crows to destroy Eggs, Young or Sitting adult so was not surprised seeing dead bird. Approx 25-30 metres into woodland i looked through bins to see if Female Tawny was on nest (she was nesting in an old Crow or Buzzard nest) i thought i could see her so moved a little closer but what i could see was a part of the nest about a metre down from main nest.Don't know why but had a sickly feeling something wasn't right. I walked up to base of Tree and found (Pic 2) Female Tawny looking just like the Crow as if it had been shot through its nest. The only person who knows actually what happened is the one who did the deed. Gamekeepers shoot corvids in this area as do others with permission off landowners/farmers.
As i came away cursing whoever carried this out i heard the Male Tawny calling soulfully.
It may have been an accident by someone not realising Tawnys don't just nest in tree holes but i suppose i'll never know. Hopefully the Male will find another mate for next Winter/Spring.[/QUOTE]
 
Visited a woodland near Muggleswick today where i've been watching a pair of Tawny Owls nesting. I have watched Tawny's at this site over a number of years and observed young fledging. I last visited on Thursday 3rd April saw Female at nest and heard Male calling occassionally. Today as i entered the wood i past a Carrion Crows nest which i had seen an adult sitting on. I looked underneath the nest site and saw a dead crow which looked as if it had been shot (Pic 1). I have witnessed several years ago a gamekeeper shooting through nests of Crows to destroy Eggs, Young or Sitting adult so was not surprised seeing dead bird. Approx 25-30 metres into woodland i looked through bins to see if Female Tawny was on nest (she was nesting in an old Crow or Buzzard nest) i thought i could see her so moved a little closer but what i could see was a part of the nest about a metre down from main nest.Don't know why but had a sickly feeling something wasn't right. I walked up to base of Tree and found (Pic 2) Female Tawny looking just like the Crow as if it had been shot through its nest. The only person who knows actually what happened is the one who did the deed. Gamekeepers shoot corvids in this area as do others with permission off landowners/farmers.
As i came away cursing whoever carried this out i heard the Male Tawny calling soulfully.
It may have been an accident by someone not realising Tawnys don't just nest in tree holes but i suppose i'll never know. Hopefully the Male will find another mate for next Winter/Spring.

Please report this by ringing 101, you can pm me where this is if you don't want to and I will find the dead bird and will report it. Not reporting it means that the police will not do anything about it.
 
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