in and around south tyneside (1 Viewer)

[JBee]

I am glad that peace has broken out on the butterfly/moth debate I read somewhere, a good few years ago, that the definitive difference is the antennae. Moths have antennae have hairs on them but butterflies don't. I did read some time later that this has been rubbished but I just thought I would share it. Not wanting to add fuel to the fire..........:-O:-O

Brian

As there are only around 113 Primary and secondary species of butterfly in the whole of the UK (some of those now extinct or extremely rare and locally far fewer) and several thousand moths it doesn't take long to recognise the butterflies in your area - everything else is a moth
Whether moths stand on their heads singing 3 Blind mice and butterflies don't is irrelevant really

 

[gogsy]

Speaking of insects I have a few "Extatosoma Tiaratum" phasmids to give away , as I now have far too many.they feed on Bramble and rose and if anyone fancies keeping these from the South Tyneside area please pm me privately .................Laurence

 

[seggs]

Ahhh Coles cranes....i thought they were Common cranes, thanks for that Laurence and Brian:t:

 

[MalR]

Hope it's still okay to mention birds on this thread. I was on Sandhaven Beach early this afternoon, watching the terns, when I saw this wader at the water's edge. It was virtually a silhouette and I couldn't get close to it. Just had time to take one shot, which has had to be heavily Photoshopped to show anything at all.

I am right in saying it's a bar-tailed godwit, aren't I?

Malcolm

 

[rokermartin]

Hope it's still okay to mention birds on this thread. I was on Sandhaven Beach early this afternoon, watching the terns, when I saw this wader at the water's edge. It was virtually a silhouette and I couldn't get close to it. Just had time to take one shot, which has had to be heavily Photoshopped to show anything at all.

I am right in saying it's a bar-tailed godwit, aren't I?

Malcolm

Hi yes you are right a summer plumage Bar tailed Godwit

 

[MalR]

Hi yes you are right a summer plumage Bar tailed Godwit

Cheers for that, Martin:t:

 

[seggs]

Hope it's still okay to mention birds on this thread. I was on Sandhaven Beach early this afternoon, watching the terns, when I saw this wader at the water's edge. It was virtually a silhouette and I couldn't get close to it. Just had time to take one shot, which has had to be heavily Photoshopped to show anything at all.

I am right in saying it's a bar-tailed godwit, aren't I?

Malcolm

Nice one Mal:t: Finding a stunner in summer plumage on the big beach, I always think Black tailed godwits tend to look a bigger bird compared to Bar tailed, due to the bill looking longer and slightly thicker, and longer legged.
But the sure way of telling them apart is in flight! if you are not sure and see them on the wing..A large white wing bar is present on the Black tailed and also black tipped tail(must be how it got its name) a total contrast colour wise in wing pattern ...Bar tailed Godwit has a barring on the tip of the tail, hence the name.
Birds!!! on this thread!:eek!: all is welcome:t::-O:-O

 

[MalR]

Nice one Mal:t: Finding a stunner in summer plumage on the big beach, I always think Black tailed godwits tend to look a bigger bird compared to Bar tailed, due to the bill looking longer and slightly thicker, and longer legged.
But the sure way of telling them apart is in flight! if you are not sure and see them on the wing..A large white wing bar is present on the Black tailed and also black tipped tail(must be how it got its name) a total contrast colour wise in wing pattern ...Bar tailed Godwit has a barring on the tip of the tail, hence the name.
Birds!!! on this thread!:eek!: all is welcome:t::-O:-O

Thanks, Steve. I agree with what you say about flight ID of godwits. I'm usually OK with non-flying birds, too, but as I said, this one was virtually in silhouette and slightly "front on" which made structure etc harder to be sure of. There was just a slight doubt in my mind. I was more convinced after looking at my "improved" photo, which gave a much clearer view than the one I had in the field, but I just wondered what others thought. Thanks for the feedback.:t:

Malcolm

 

[rokermartin]

Roseate Tern numbers are now starting to build up,this afternoon 8 Roseate Terns all adults on the big beach next to the pier at South Shields also 3 Little Terns,6 summer plumage Sanderlings and the 1st summer Little Gull still there.

 

[rokermartin]

Just been having a look at my note book for when the Roseate Terns appeared at Shields last year.They are just over a week earlier than last year.I wonder if they are having a bad breeding season and are leaving Coquet Island earlier this year .I have noticed they are getting reported down the coast at Teeside,South Gare and the Yorks coast.I have'nt heard whether it is a good breeding season for the rest of the seabirds.Just hope they are finding plenty of food.

 

[seggs]

Half hour tonight

Quick visit to the big beach tonight at 5.30, after Martin text me today to let me know what he had seen today.:t:
Not so many terns about due to quite a few people on the beach, but did see 2 Adult Roseate terns among the commoner terns towards the pier end of the beach.:t:
Also 3 Sanderling 2 in summer plumage and the poor, damaged leg individual thats been around here for a while in winter plumage.
A few ringed plover along the beach including young birds.
Pic..1 Roseates on the right of the photo.
Pic..2 Roseate tern Adult.
Pic..3 Hop along Sanderling in winter plumage with damaged leg.
Pic..4 Young Ringed plover
and Pic 5..Not sure on this young birds id? At first i thought Roseate because the bill looks to big for Artic..but the legs are the wrong colour, but having said that the plumage on its back is further advanced.(bird on the right)
Or a adult bird in winter plumage early?

 

[rokermartin]

Quick visit to the big beach tonight at 5.30, after Martin text me today to let me know what he had seen today.:t:
Not so many terns about due to quite a few people on the beach, but did see 2 Adult Roseate terns among the commoner terns towards the pier end of the beach.:t:
Also 3 Sanderling 2 in summer plumage and the poor, damaged leg individual thats been around here for a while in winter plumage.
A few ringed plover along the beach including young birds.
Pic..1 Roseates on the right of the photo.
and Pic 5..Not sure on this young birds id? At first i thought Roseate because the bill looks to big for Artic..but the legs are the wrong colour, but having said that the plumage on its back is further advanced.(bird on the right)
Or a adult bird in winter plumage early?

Hi Steve pleased you managed to catch up with Roseate Tern .The terns in pic 5 the left hand bird is a juv Common Tern and the other one looks to me to be a 1st summer Common Tern.Sometimes a few 1st summer birds return with the adults

 

[seggs]

Hi Steve pleased you managed to catch up with Roseate Tern .The terns in pic 5 the left hand bird is a juv Common Tern and the other one looks to me to be a 1st summer Common Tern.Sometimes a few 1st summer birds return with the adults

Thanks for that Martin, i should have thought about the Common tern 1st summer birds...only watching one or two last week at the WWT.:-O
Great to see the Roseates again, its only this time of year normally for me and on this Beach:t: or at Whitburn or St. Marys, or the odd one around the Farnes....will have to have a trip around Coquet island next year.

 

[echo24]

Thanks for that Martin, i should have thought about the Common tern 1st summer birds...only watching one or two last week at the WWT.:-O
Great to see the Roseates again, its only this time of year normally for me and on this Beach:t: or at Whitburn or St. Marys, or the odd one around the Farnes....will have to have a trip around Couqet island next year.

Hi Steve, popped down tonight after work ( 7.30ish!!!:C ) and was confused by the very same bird, glad to have an id on it now though - thanks Martin:t:

No sign of the Little Gull or Little Terns, unfortunately, but did get Roseate and Common terns as well as Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover......

By the way Malcolm, well done with the Bar tailed Godwit:t:

Cheers, Dougie

 

[seggs]

Hi Steve, popped down tonight after work ( 7.30ish!!!:C ) and was confused by the very same bird, glad to have an id on it now though - thanks Martin:t:

No sign of the Little Gull or Little Terns, unfortunately, but did get Roseate and Common terns as well as Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover......

By the way Malcolm, well done with the Bar tailed Godwit:t:

Cheers, Dougie

Well done with what you got Dougie, by the time i got home the light and weather was getting worse by the minute!:C...great to see you managed a Roseate in flight in these conditions!:t:

 

[rokermartin]

Excellent flight pic of the Roseate Tern .

 

[rokermartin]

South Shields early pm excellent count of 10 RoseateTerns most of them feeding offshore plus a single Little Tern,4 Sanderling no sign of the Little Gull this pm..Whitburn 6 summer plumage Knot.

 

[rokermartin]

South Shields beach this afternoon 7 ad Roseate Terns showing very well two of them were displaying to each other,Common Terns 30+,Sandwich Tern 20,Arctic Tern 2.Lizard Point nothing much flying past apart from ad RoseateTern flew north a couple of Manx Shearwaters,3 Gannet,11 Common Scoter.

 

[seggs]

4.30 Today

As Martin has mentioned Roseates still on the big beach towards the pier, i had 5 here at this time along with Sandwich,Common and 3 Artics. About 50+ terns in total on the beach:t:, and 5 Kittiwakes,6 L.B.B.Gulls. but no Waders.
The Terns let me know when i was approaching too close to the roost by first being vocal and a couple of them flew low straight at me:eek!: and just pulling up in time to fly over my head! It was time to stop taking a step at time closer and back off!:t:...that was untill a couple of walkers put them up.
The Roseates ive seen on the 2 visits ive had here are either unringed,ringed on one leg or ringed on both legs.(metal rings)
Great to have our rarer Terns again on our doorstep :t:

 

[patmartin]

South Shields pier today,
Single whimbrel flew off to the south