in and around south tyneside (1 Viewer)

[The gaffer]

Marsden Old Quarry

Took the dog for a walk for an hour around the old quarry and up by the golf courses. Whitethroats x 4, wren, swifts x 4, blackbird, linnets x 6 dunnock and a yellowhammer.

The whole place has a feeling of summer!! Oh to be in England now that summer is here.................

Brian

 

[seggs]

Had a trip back to the academy pools about dinner time today, no sign of the Marsh warbler while we were here, loads of swifts and martins still.
Went along to the Tilesheds next, at least 3 pair of Reed buntings here and 1 Blackcap,2 Willow warblers,Goldfinchs,Chaffinchs,robins,blue and great tits,Linnets all along the Linnet way
We were surprised not to see any Mute Swans on the pond at the Tile sheds.

 

[nellieberta]

2 spaces in the car for a trip 2 Spurn (weather dependant) this coming saturday, if anyone is interested. Another early start, but it'll be a great days birding.

Regards

MICK

 

[dampflippers]

Seggs- those reed buntings come to my bird tables.
Last year both swans were killed ( believe one by a fox and one was shot).

My bluetits all died before fledging, but the great tits were still in the box yesterday.

 

[echo24]

Hi Folks, had a couple of hours out on Saturday morning starting in marsden old quarry and finishing off at the academy pools via whitburn churchyard……

Marsden Quarry – produced all the usual including little owl (pr) these birds are very ‘brown’ and similar looking to the ‘new’ bird in trow (maybe one of last years young?)

Whitburn Churchyard, Coal tit, Wren, Mistle thrush and GSW feeding young (apologies for the poor photo but the light wasn’t too good under the canopy and I didn’t want to get too close and disturb them)

Academy pools, no luck with the Marsh warbler ( nice one Steve:t or Hen harrier that were reported but plenty of the more expected species, so a nice day all the same…. Here’s a few photos.

Cheers, Dougie.

PS, nice to meet Barry again (B+PC) hope you got you jobs done mate - my missus had loads lined up for me when i got home:C also, well done with your garden fledglings Brian, just wondering though could your unidentified raptor from Friday have been the Hen harrier? Just a thought.

 

[seggs]

Seggs- those reed buntings come to my bird tables.
Last year both swans were killed ( believe one by a fox and one was shot).

My bluetits all died before fledging, but the great tits were still in the box yesterday.

Hi
Sure i posted about one of the Swans being shot here last year(on the Durham thread) it was reported in the Gazette.
We were just surprised no other Swans had taken up residense here, maybe in time another pair may do so.

 

[seggs]

A Hour or so at Whitburn

Had a look down here this evening, not expecting too much as the weather was nice(loads of people as i suspected) and the wrong time of year for waders, also the tide was well out.
After getting over the funny looks as i walked along the beach still in my work gear and armed with my camera and bins:-O:eek!:
I started to enjoy what was on offer, the Sand Martins were busy as ever feeding young now by the look of it,a couple of Herons floated over and Terns ( mainly Sandwich) were feeding off the rocks, also the odd Eider.
Also 20+ Oystercatchers on the rocks with a few Turnstones, these must be failed or non breeding birds.
A couple of Grey Seals bobbed about off the rocks.
ps.
I would be interested to hear if any other Sand Martins have gone back to the normal nest sites this year or any new ones found along our coastline.
either with pm or on here.

 

[seggs]

Hi Folks, had a couple of hours out on Saturday morning starting in marsden old quarry and finishing off at the academy pools via whitburn churchyard……

Marsden Quarry – produced all the usual including little owl (pr) these birds are very ‘brown’ and similar looking to the ‘new’ bird in trow (maybe one of last years young?)

Whitburn Churchyard, Coal tit, Wren, Mistle thrush and GSW feeding young (apologies for the poor photo but the light wasn’t too good under the canopy and I didn’t want to get too close and disturb them)

Academy pools, no luck with the Marsh warbler ( nice one Steve:t or Hen harrier that were reported but plenty of the more expected species, so a nice day all the same…. Here’s a few photos.

Cheers, Dougie.

PS, nice to meet Barry again (B+PC) hope you got you jobs done mate - my missus had loads lined up for me when i got home:C also, well done with your garden fledglings Brian, just wondering though could your unidentified raptor from Friday have been the Hen harrier? Just a thought.

Nice day by the sounds of it Dougie:t:
Pity you missed out on the Marsh warbler and h.h.
That Little Owl pic. from Marsden, what a serious looking bird:-O
Just goes to show with these birds, they all have there own expressions.

 

[B&PC]

Hi Folks, had a couple of hours out on Saturday morning starting in marsden old quarry and finishing off at the academy pools via whitburn churchyard……

Marsden Quarry – produced all the usual including little owl (pr) these birds are very ‘brown’ and similar looking to the ‘new’ bird in trow (maybe one of last years young?)

Whitburn Churchyard, Coal tit, Wren, Mistle thrush and GSW feeding young (apologies for the poor photo but the light wasn’t too good under the canopy and I didn’t want to get too close and disturb them)

Academy pools, no luck with the Marsh warbler ( nice one Steve:t or Hen harrier that were reported but plenty of the more expected species, so a nice day all the same…. Here’s a few photos.

Cheers, Dougie.

PS, nice to meet Barry again (B+PC) hope you got you jobs done mate - my missus had loads lined up for me when i got home:C also, well done with your garden fledglings Brian, just wondering though could your unidentified raptor from Friday have been the Hen harrier? Just a thought.

Nice to see you again Dougie. Yep I got the usual domestic chores out of the way. I paid a visit to Whitburn and saw one of the young GSW looking out. We had a chat with the vicar as he was coming out of church and he said that he hadnt noticed the birds/noise. He seemed very agreeable to bird boxes being put up in the church yard. I am not sure if any one can in ST can do that? There seemed plenty of bird activity in the church yard.

I've had an early walk round Tilesheds before work this morning. It was fairly quiet apart from several willow warblers and meadow pipit. However I did hear a grasshopper warbler reeling near the Holder House allotments. Was unable to spot it but will try again tomorrow morning.

 

[The gaffer]

Cleadon Hills

Good views of a female sparrowhawk this evening as it headed in from Whitburn and landed on a small tree. I had my camera but as luck would have it I only had a macro lens. It is not very often that I have seen a sparrowhawk on the hills more often the kestrels use it for hunting. All of the usual residents present and accounted for.

Also saw two small blacks moths (?) which I believe could be chimney sweepers according to one website. Tried to get a photo but they disappeared into the grass - they don't half blend well!!!

Brian

 

[Ray.Scott]

Academy pools

Managed to hobble round the Academy pools today with the missus.

I thought It only fitting to post on this site as Mr Seggs recently gave me the directions to the pools. Many thanks Steve :t:.

Anyway along the walkway were linnets, golfinch, sedge warbler, blackbirds, starling, chaffinch, robin and blue tit. There was one other unidentified which looked like a chiffchaff but couldn't get on it long enough to Ide, It.

Around the pools were swallows, house and sand martins, 2 swift, coot with young, mallard with young, tufted duck, moorhen, 1 little grebe and a bunch of heron gulls.

Will no doubt visit again.

 

[johnsulli]

Cleadon Hills

A quick walk over the Hills today with the dogs and one of them flushed a pair of Partridge (Grey) just below the Mill. Lots of Swift around along with House Martin. There were plenty of Linnet, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 Blackcap, Crow in abundance, Magpie x2, and Mippits.

Several species of butterflies are turning up now but I.D.ing many of them is another thing.

 

[JBee]

John the butterfly in your post is a Wall brown - Lasiommata megera

 

[CrimsonTopaz]

Seggs- those reed buntings come to my bird tables.
Last year both swans were killed ( believe one by a fox and one was shot).

My bluetits all died before fledging, but the great tits were still in the box yesterday.

That was terrible when i herd that news, it made me feel sick because i used to go and feed thoses swans. Tilesheds pond seems so empty now:-C
I hope more swans will take up residents there.

 

[johnsulli]

John the butterfly in your post is a Wall brown - Lasiommata megera

Thanks JB i guessed it was a "Brown" of somekind either Wall or Meadow but wasn't sure. Looked as though this one had a narrow escape with its tail being nipped.

 

[JBee]

Thanks JB i guessed it was a "Brown" of somekind either Wall or Meadow but wasn't sure. Looked as though this one had a narrow escape with its tail being nipped.

They can get quite tatty over the season.
Meadow brown and wall are noticeably different
Left x 2 - meadow brown, Right x 2 - wall brown

 

[seggs]

Managed to hobble round the Academy pools today with the missus.

I thought It only fitting to post on this site as Mr Seggs recently gave me the directions to the pools. Many thanks Steve :t:.

Anyway along the walkway were linnets, golfinch, sedge warbler, blackbirds, starling, chaffinch, robin and blue tit. There was one other unidentified which looked like a chiffchaff but couldn't get on it long enough to Ide, It.

Around the pools were swallows, house and sand martins, 2 swift, coot with young, mallard with young, tufted duck, moorhen, 1 little grebe and a bunch of heron gulls.

Will no doubt visit again.

Sorry Scuzz
Forgot to tell you about the fence/gate at the bottom of the path to gain access to the pools:eek!:, hope this did not cause too much trouble for you,sure there are other access routes to here but this is the only one i know.

And glad you have found another one of our limited sites.
..........................................................
On a different note
Big clear out going on in the Seggs household(the other half has put her foot down due to the bed rising off the floor:-O)nearly!..
This is due to at least 60 BIRDWATCHING magazines and a few BIRDWATCH mags.
They have to go, Free to a good home.
Loads of great info. and places to visit, anyone interested and having the space to store PM. me(first to do so gets them).
Would be good to see them go to a school or community org.or anyone who could make use of them before Middlefields village(tip) does.
Will arrange collection
..........
Stop press
Mags have found a good home now.

 

[rokermartin]

I decided to do a seawatch this pm at Lizard Point there were plenty of Manxies flying past some were close inshore and a couple of Arctic Skua a light and a dark phase bird flew north.Plenty of the usual seabirds but nothing unusual flying passed.Yesterday a Leach's and Storm Petrels were seen flying past the Whitburn obs also a Pom Skua.Winds are still from the North over the weekend so might be worth doing some seawatching over the weekend.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Sorry Scuzz
Forgot to tell you about the fence/gate at the bottom of the path to gain access to the pools:eek!:, hope this did not cause too much trouble for you,sure there are other access routes to here but this is the only one i know.

And glad you have found another one of our limited sites.

No problem Steve I always carry a pair of wire cutters for these occassions .

Many Thanks :t:.

 

[echo24]

Hi Folks, topped my garden feeders up at lunchtime and then nipped out for an hour or so, seems like I missed a female sparrowhawk paying a visit as when i returned there were wood pigeon feathers everywhere, like someone had burst a pillow on the lawn:eek!:, the downside to that is the wood pigeons currently have young in a nest accross the road from me, but then i suppose the upside is there's a nest of very well fed young Sparrowhawks somewhere locally......


Had a wander through trow tonight, nothing unusual but a canny night for photos. L to R...... Mippit, Common blue, Wall brown, male Kes, Whitethroat

Nice weekend all:t:
Cheers, Dougie.

PS, Scuzz, just checked out the photos you posted from your visit south - great shots mate!