in and around south tyneside (1 Viewer)

[echo24]

Two sand martins hunting for insects above the hills this evening. No sign of the whinchat:-C

Brian

Hi Brian, not sure if this will be of any help now mate, but the Winchat was in the south west corner of the golf course on the dry stone walling... you'll get there by leaving the public area near the water tower and entering the golf course (through the shrubs area)... it was perched on the wall just south of the first green you come to - the one separating the golf course from the farmland - hope this helps

Cheers, Dougie.

 

[The gaffer]

Hi Brian, not sure if this will be of any help now mate, but the Winchat was in the south west corner of the golf course on the dry stone walling... you'll get there by leaving the public area near the water tower and entering the golf course (through the shrubs area)... it was perched on the wall just south of the first green you come to - the one separating the golf course from the farmland - hope this helps

Cheers, Dougie.

Thanks for that Dougie. I checked up to the iron gate but did not actually go onto the golf course. Was that you on the hills on Monday around 4.00 pm with a female companion?

Brian

 

[The gaffer]

Cleadon Hills

Whitethroats very vocal and displaying. Two mistle thrushes beside the mill which flew off in opposite directions - I think it was a male chasing off an intruder.

Yellowhammers very vocal.

A flock of about 12 goldfinches on the path up to hill flying only a few feet in front so very close views.

Brian

 

[johnsulli]

Cleadon Hills 09:00

Whitethroats, Yellowhammer, Linnet in good numbers this morning and a Heron being mobbed by a Crow over by the farmhouse.

 

[echo24]

Thanks for that Dougie. I checked up to the iron gate but did not actually go onto the golf course. Was that you on the hills on Monday around 4.00 pm with a female companion?

Brian

Unfortunately not, Brian. My good lady thinks i'm a bit potty when it comes to long walks, birding & the great outdoors - she prefers shopping at the metro centre - i'll let you decide who's the potty one

Cheers, Dougie.

 

[gogsy]

Garden Warbler singing in the tree in my garden 2.15 this afternoon,thats a first for me!

 

[seggs]

:t:great to see the thread being reported on well..its up too all in the area to respond..like most have...:clap:
we are all limited at times to get out there and enjoy our local patches..
but its great to hear..what people find!.:t:
either the normal ..or the different.
keep the good work up..everyone..its a pleasure to see.
.......................
if anyones keeping a eye on breeding numbers in the area ..even better.

 

[johnsulli]

Leas 08:00

Morning walk along the Leas produced a Stonechat on the shrubs adjacent to Blackberry Hills and a single Wheatear on the cliff tops south of Frenchmans Bay. Several Cormorant on the north cliff tops of Marsden Bay collecting nesting material.

 

[seggs]

quick visit to marsden quarrry 5ish..
typical i bunk off work early and the sea haze closes in...:C
pretty quiet really... kes. hanging about..linnets very flightey(15+)..
they seem to be favouring the lower gorse this year(apart from a few on the top nearer the houses)..
whitethroat at the east end (small bowl area) and a few swifts/swallows about...a local told me about a kes. that had been killed and the remains lying near the graffti-ed rock area..investigated..turned out to be the pheasant kill, earlier reported on here ..phew!..
another pile of feathers(woodpigeon) on the top near the houses.
and she also reported a woody heard here in her early morn. visits??:news::
....stopped at the horse paddock, top of lizard lane..single wheatear and a large female spuggyhawk.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

Great read and supa pics.Thankyou for sharing.:t:

 

[seggs]

as i have little idea with plants..(ok birds sometimes also..lol)
2 more from marsden..more than likely to be garden cast offs..
one of them seemed to be like the harebells(?) growing here..but pink.
very few butterflies this evening.

 

[The gaffer]

as i have little idea with plants..(ok birds sometimes also..lol)
2 more from marsden..more than likely to be garden cast offs..
one of them seemed to be like the harebells(?) growing here..but pink.
very few butterflies this evening.

Steve,

The first one is Centaurea. There are both wild and cultivated verisons but that one looks like the one I have in my garden. The wild version is common knapweed. The second one I don't have a clue but definitely not harebells.

A walk around the quarry this morning but had the kids and the dog so getting close to anything was not easy. Usual linnets, great tit, robin, dunnock and plenty of magpies and pigeons. One thing of note is that there is a chiff chaff calling from the path that runs behind Beaconside from White Horse pub along to the caravan site. I hear it most mornings and it has been there for a couple of weeks now.

Brian

 

[Mary Evelyn]

I think second pic is Spanish bluebells.

 

[seggs]

thanks brian and mary...will continue to test the local knowledge with plants etc...as i know little..

 

[echo24]

quick visit to marsden quarrry 5ish..
typical i bunk off work early and the sea haze closes in...:C
pretty quiet really... kes. hanging about..linnets very flightey(15+)..
they seem to be favouring the lower gorse this year(apart from a few on the top nearer the houses)..
whitethroat at the east end (small bowl area) and a few swifts/swallows about...a local told me about a kes. that had been killed and the remains lying near the graffti-ed rock area..investigated..turned out to be the pheasant kill, earlier reported on here ..phew!..
another pile of feathers(woodpigeon) on the top near the houses.
and she also reported a woody heard here in her early morn. visits??:news::
....stopped at the horse paddock, top of lizard lane..single wheatear and a large female spuggyhawk.

Hi Steve, things much the same today mate, spent a couple of hours up there early afternoon - sun beating down & surrounded by birdsong - superb! ... seen the feathers on the top (woodpigeon cert) probably victim of fem sparrowhawk, also witnessed the male sparrowhawk getting scattered out of the quarry...Then it all went t*ts up:C ...didn't spend too much time in there after that as the young local knobheads were gathering with their cans and bottles - tommorows litter and broken glass....

Anyway here's a few photos.

Cheers, Dougie.

 

[seggs]

the hills were alive with...bird song!

a excellent visit to cleadon hills area..with my other half..
its been a bit over due a visit here..and we went in a reverse pattern to the normal route..
parked the car in lane before the farm as normal ..but walked north..along side the water tower and around the back up onto the gorse/edge of golf coarse..area..then along side the mill...small bowl area and short way along the hawthorn before returning to the car via .. the south side of the hill above the gorse here..
the important bits..-
bird song everywhere!!magical..
totals..
1 chiffcaff and willow warbler(north end of tower)
a pair of l.t.tits same area as above..
3 song thrushs
7 male yellowhammers..(best number i know of in our area)
8 whitethroats..
6 pair of linnets(at least)
5 pair of goldfinch.
greenfinch,chaffs,blue and great tits as normal around the garden areas.
and a heron flew over the rape field northwards..latter on.(don,t know where that was going!)
.......
brian you have to get over to the south of the mill mate..2 whinchats here, between the small bowl area(they favoured this area) and the gorse to the south of the hill.
great hour and half:t:

 

[seggs]

Hi Steve, things much the same today mate, spent a couple of hours up there early afternoon - sun beating down & surrounded by birdsong - superb! ... seen the feathers on the top (woodpigeon cert) probably victim of fem sparrowhawk, also witnessed the male sparrowhawk getting scattered out of the quarry...Then it all went t*ts up:C ...didn't spend too much time in there after that as the young local knobheads were gathering with their cans and bottles - tommorows litter and broken glass....

Anyway here's a few photos.

Cheers, Dougie.

aye the place has loads of them dougie as we know...(not the tits we like to see)....a few there yesterday..lighter nights and all that..
and a few latter today at the top of cleadon hills..just before the gorse..about to start a bonti.!..before you get to the burnt out car.(mid way along the outer wall of the tower)..:C
btw...cracking kes. shots!...

 

[seahawk]

Great Kestrel pics Dougie.

________________

Les.

 

[The gaffer]

.......
brian you have to get over to the south of the mill mate..2 whinchats here, between the small bowl area(they favoured this area) and the gorse to the south of the hill.
great hour and half:t:[/QUOTE]

Steve,

I was there and I think I saw you and the better half. I was walking the dog and it was my black lab that started barking at you - apologies for that. She only barks when she gets nervous but honestly wouldn't hurt a fly!!! I didn't have my bins with me so I was just enjoying the sunshine and the birdsong.

I saw the pigeon kill at the top of the quarry yesterday and it was a strange one as there were no bones. I initially thought fox but the feathers had been plucked. I think it might have been a sparrowhawk kill and then a fox has carried a bit further and devoured the carcase - hence the second pile of feathers.

With reference to the heron there are a couple of private ponds nearby one being next to the farm just north of the mill. I heard that this is to attract ducks/wildfowl for 'sport' purposes:-C

Brian

 

[seggs]

.......
brian you have to get over to the south of the mill mate..2 whinchats here, between the small bowl area(they favoured this area) and the gorse to the south of the hill.
great hour and half:t:

Steve,

I was there and I think I saw you and the better half. I was walking the dog and it was my black lab that started barking at you - apologies for that. She only barks when she gets nervous but honestly wouldn't hurt a fly!!! I didn't have my bins with me so I was just enjoying the sunshine and the birdsong.

I saw the pigeon kill at the top of the quarry yesterday and it was a strange one as there were no bones. I initially thought fox but the feathers had been plucked. I think it might have been a sparrowhawk kill and then a fox has carried a bit further and devoured the carcase - hence the second pile of feathers.

With reference to the heron there are a couple of private ponds nearby one being next to the farm just north of the mill. I heard that this is to attract ducks/wildfowl for 'sport' purposes:-C

Brian[/QUOTE]
hi brian
yes that was me and (the scared of her own shadow!) other half "jan"...
she loves dogs but only if they are the size of yorkshire terriers!..lol..:'D
you should have came over brian..the whinchats were moving along the tree tops/ fence here..
hope to meet you again soon..