Lovely set Ray, Linnet and Yellowhammer top class :t:Couple from Teesside today, plenty Chiff Chaff about, but high in the trees.
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.
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
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!
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/
Indeed a very sad tail Michael, fingers X for next year.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.
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.