in and around south tyneside (1 Viewer)

[nellieberta]

An hour and a half in Wardley country park this morning produced 37 species (Ithink this is my highest count in one visit). There were large numbers of all the usual stuff, tits,finches,hirundines etc. I gave up counting Whitethroats after I reached the 20 mark.
Apart from the Spuggie Hawk being mobbed by Skylarks the real highlights were a pair of Grey Partridges with a brood (the under growth was too thick to get an accurate count) and a Grasshopper Warbler. I watched and listened to the Gropper for a good 10 mins, on three occasions I was within 10 ft of it and managed some great views, probably the best views I've ever had.
It just goes to show that you dont need to trek to places like Spurn to have some great birding experiences:t:. No 4FT MONSTER CATERPILLARS:-O either.

Regards

MICK

 

[echo24]

The beasts! from Spurn

Hi Steve/Mick

Sounds like you both had a canny day out:t: - don't suppose you know what type of caterpillars they are, do you?....been trying to find out myself with no luck...

Cheers, Dougie.

 

[nellieberta]

Hi Steve/Mick

Sounds like you both had a canny day out:t: - don't suppose you know what type of caterpillars they are, do you?....been trying to find out myself with no luck...

Cheers, Dougie.

Hi there Dougie,

The caterpillars are brown tailed moths. I could however think of a few better names to call them!!!

Regards

mick

 

[echo24]

Hi there Dougie,

The caterpillars are brown tailed moths. I could however think of a few better names to call them!!!

Regards

mick

Hahaha! Cheers Mick:t:

 

[seggs]

This pm

Well after the Birthday celebrations of last nightB (our lasses birthday yesterday mine today:t and the weather being the way it is i headed to Marsden bay to catch up on our sea bird colony and to blow the cob webs away..
Walked down to the beach from the north end of the bay, a pair of Stonechats were beside the steps here(could be the pair from the leas hedge), and a couple of Rock pipits flew by.
Plenty of the Kittiwakes with small young here now, could not see any young Razorbills yet from the visible nest ledges.
What did alarm me was the decline in the numbers of nesting Kittiwakes, seems to be fewer each year.
Gannets and a few Eiders out to sea.

 

[seggs]

Hi there Dougie,

The caterpillars are brown tailed moths. I could however think of a few better names to call them!!!

Regards

mick

Aye Mick i bet you could! lol..in fact you did on the day..
I thought they were called Brown tailed...but after a little research i found out they are called Brown tail moth, the web is full of warnings about them and loads of council notices.
one of the links..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-Tail_Moth

 

[seggs]

WWT next..

Down to the wader pool first, great to see the Avocets have managed a couple of chicks:t:, and the great parents that they are chased any birds that got close to the little "uns".:t:..they do not like the Shelducks especially.
A few Redshanks and 1 L.R.Plover..the Common terns are doing well also(except seems to be a dead one on the island)..still a few young Herons hanging about the pool here also.
A few Chiffchaffs tried their best to belt out the familar notes against the strong wind around the site.
Feeding station next, poor as i expected bird number wise, only a handfull of bullies,chaffies, blue and great tit,woodys and squirrels+brown rat.
Nice all the same to see young birds and try to get some pics. off.

 

[seggs]

A few more from today...
spot the Terns!..

 

[The gaffer]

A poor weekend weather wise so did not venture far apart from taking the dog out.

There have been lots of juvenile birds in my garden this weekend including sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, dunnocks and goldfinches. Good news for the local birds:t:

Brian

 

[rokermartin]

Have to say roll on the autumn think we are in the summer doldrums for birds at the moment.Barmston Pond very little about today the usual gulls etc,2 Blackcaps still singing,1Chiffchaff,1 WillowWarbler,1 Whitethroat.Very quiet on the South Tyneside coast at the moment.Hopefully in the next couple of weeks the first Roseate Terns will be seen at Shields and Whitburn something to look forward to.

 

[seggs]

This evening at Old Marsden Quarry

Not a fantasic amount of bird life about but nice walk all the same, started up by Marsden hall(only because of loads of kids in the main section of the quarry)- Green finchs,Swallows,House spuggs,Goldfinchs,House Martins,Wrens,Whitethroat,Linnet,Woodpigeons and Maggies
Headed west by the Gorse on the top of the Quarry, the single Yellowhammer male was belting out his "bread and cheese song" also spooked a couple of young Rabbits here and another wren and Whitethroat, 10+ Swifts and 2 sand martins feeding over the golf course.
Headed down the path along side the edge of the golf course, ive only just found this section of the Quarry lately!:eek!:, a hen Pheasant flew out of the grass, young blue and great tits amoung the taller trees here and a 3rd Whitethroat..
Headed back towards the main part of the Quarry when i reached the White horse pub path, a Willow warbler sang from one of the trees here also a robin,also a couple of med. pips on the barron parts of land.
In the main bit Quarry-
the kids had gone by now.
Another 2 Whitethroats(thats 5 in total now), more Linnets and Maggies,great tits and another wren, Kestrel put in a brief show, familys of Jackdaws and Carrion crows also.
Nice sunny night and great to just get out there and appreciate what we have:t:

 

[seggs]

Plants??

A couple from tonight, cannot find them in my book(not the best book) so more than likely Garden cast offs???

 

[dampflippers]

Yellow rattle and common spotted orchid.
(neither are garden cast offs).
Yellow rattle inhibits grass growth, so is very good in wildflower meadows. The name is from the seedheads.

 

[MalR]

My day off today and I decided to go "across the border" into South Tyneside for the first time in a few weeks. Stuck to the coast and worked my way south from Sandhaven Beach to Whitburn. Weather was glorious - warm and mainly sunny with virtually no wind.

Sandwich terns were fishing north and south of the pier and there was a group of 13 on the beach. A pair of ringed plovers were here too.

Trow was very quiet. A few swallows and house martins. One whitethroat singing. Usual stuff along the Leas, then a pair of stonechat at the north end of Marsden Bay, with the male being quite approachable.

The most interesting sighting was at Whitburn where I came across a sand martin "spread out" on the cliff-face. I presume it was sunning itself as some birds do. I've noticed in my garden blackbirds in particular seem to enjoy this. Certainly the sand martin was very relaxed and allowed me to get very close.

All in all, a great few hours. Nothing unusual, but good for the soul.:t:

Malcolm

 

[seggs]

Cheers Dampflipper for the plant i.d,s:t:, the Yellow rattle were all in the main part of the Quarry and loads of them.

 

[echo24]

Not a fantasic amount of bird life about but nice walk all the same, started up by Marsden hall(only because of loads of kids in the main section of the quarry)- Green finchs,Swallows,House spuggs,Goldfinchs,House Martins,Wrens,Whitethroat,Linnet,Woodpigeons and Maggies
Headed west by the Gorse on the top of the Quarry, the single Yellowhammer male was belting out his "bread and cheese song" also spooked a couple of young Rabbits here and another wren and Whitethroat, 10+ Swifts and 2 sand martins feeding over the golf course.
Headed down the path along side the edge of the golf course, ive only just found this section of the Quarry lately!:eek!:, a hen Pheasant flew out of the grass, young blue and great tits amoung the taller trees here and a 3rd Whitethroat..
Headed back towards the main part of the Quarry when i reached the White horse pub path, a Willow warbler sang from one of the trees here also a robin,also a couple of med. pips on the barron parts of land.
In the main bit Quarry-
the kids had gone by now.
Another 2 Whitethroats(thats 5 in total now), more Linnets and Maggies,great tits and another wren, Kestrel put in a brief show, familys of Jackdaws and Carrion crows also.
Nice sunny night and great to just get out there and appreciate what we have:t:

Sounds like a canny night Steve, :t: it's nice to know that you can always rely on the commoner species when things are a bit quiet

Popped into Trow tonight and was quite surprised to see a pair of Lapwings in there - most unusual.

Cheers, Dougie.

PS, a workmate told me today that he often sees "wild parrots" when walking his dog in and around Monkton village - just wondering if anyone else knows anymore about these birds? could they be ring necked parakeets? - just a thought........

 

[seggs]

My day off today and I decided to go "across the border" into South Tyneside for the first time in a few weeks. Stuck to the coast and worked my way south from Sandhaven Beach to Whitburn. Weather was glorious - warm and mainly sunny with virtually no wind.

Sandwich terns were fishing north and south of the pier and there was a group of 13 on the beach. A pair of ringed plovers were here too.

Trow was very quiet. A few swallows and house martins. One whitethroat singing. Usual stuff along the Leas, then a pair of stonechat at the north end of Marsden Bay, with the male being quite approachable.

The most interesting sighting was at Whitburn where I came across a sand martin "spread out" on the cliff-face. I presume it was sunning itself as some birds do. I've noticed in my garden blackbirds in particular seem to enjoy this. Certainly the sand martin was very relaxed and allowed me to get very close.

All in all, a great few hours. Nothing unusual, but good for the soul.:t:

Malcolm

Hello Mal
Nice to read your report and glad you had a canny day along the coast:t:
I think the Sand martin may be a not long fledged bird by the yellow to its beak and a little unsure about the big outside world, as most young birds are..
nice pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[seggs]

Sounds like a canny night Steve, :t: it's nice to know that you can always rely on the commoner species when things are a bit quiet

Popped into Trow tonight and was quite surprised to see a pair of Lapwings in there - most unusual.

Cheers, Dougie.

PS, a workmate told me today that he often sees "wild parrots" when walking his dog in and around Monkton village - just wondering if anyone else knows anymore about these birds? could they be ring necked parakeets? - just a thought........

Hello Dougie
Aye i really enjoyed the 2 hours out after tea and work, going out with no expectations, i do not get disappointed!.
Ive heard of a couple of escaped parrot type birds from a allotment near Hillpark area(from another birdwatcher) hanging about the Jarrow cem. area and towards the Robin Hood pub, along the Don,pretty sure the birds are not r.necks, i cannot remember the true i.d. i was told.
Good find with the Lapwings at trow:t:

 

[seggs]

Dougies last find in Trow brought a thought or two to me!
Whats the most unusal bird to turn up on your local patch?? not talking rare really.
I will start the ball rolling with-
Hen Pheasant and Barn owl at Trow Quarry, Woodcock(but thats seasonal), also had a couple of Golden plover feeding near the mound area late summer.

 

[The gaffer]

Yellow rattle and common spotted orchid.
(neither are garden cast offs).
Yellow rattle inhibits grass growth, so is very good in wildflower meadows. The name is from the seedheads.

Thanks for that, Cleadon Hills is covered with yellow rattle at the moment and I also wondered what it was.

Steve,

Talking about unusaul sightings on your local patch there was a pair of Lapwings on Cleadon Hills last week.

Brian