in and around south tyneside (1 Viewer)

[seggs]

Great set of shots Ray:clap:
Waders are a hard subject to ID. at times, especially in flight when you are not too experienced. But you did well with the one,s you did pick out:t:
Happy the pointing out/swinging the camera in the right direction:-O of the Little stint payed off! .. Well done the best ive seen from our feast!
Please pay a visit more often you and John

 

[degsy_safc]

Hi Guy's,

Had a mixed day today - Started off at Thornley Woods and saw all of the usual suspects along with a treecreeper and a goldcrest in the trees far side of the pond - also heard a Green Woodpecker laughing at me as it passed from left of hide to right (didn't see it though). Got the first photo here - not sure if its a Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler (it wasn't chiffing or chaffing)..

Moved on to Far Pasture and sat for 20 mins watching absolutely nowt apart from one Moorhen, so packed up and went to Lamesley - brief sighting of Kingfisher at far end of stream, 3 Snipe in grass at far end of stream, lots of Greylags in next field, 2 moorhens (one on nest outside hide) plus a nice view of a Common Darter Dragonfly.

Then had a ride across to Trow - Little Owl in usual tree, (Steve he must be feeling sorry for me as he hung around for a bit again today :-O), 3 Wheatear on grass approaching Little Owl tree, 4 Whinchat in rough grass and 3 Meadow Pipits...

 

[[email protected]]

Hi Guy's,

Had a mixed day today - Started off at Thornley Woods and saw all of the usual suspects along with a treecreeper and a goldcrest in the trees far side of the pond - also heard a Green Woodpecker laughing at me as it passed from left of hide to right (didn't see it though). Got the first photo here - not sure if its a Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler (it wasn't chiffing or chaffing)..

Moved on to Far Pasture and sat for 20 mins watching absolutely nowt apart from one Moorhen, so packed up and went to Lamesley - brief sighting of Kingfisher at far end of stream, 3 Snipe in grass at far end of stream, lots of Greylags in next field, 2 moorhens (one on nest outside hide) plus a nice view of a Common Darter Dragonfly.

Then had a ride across to Trow - Little Owl in usual tree, (Steve he must be feeling sorry for me as he hung around for a bit again today :-O), 3 Wheatear on grass approaching Little Owl tree, 4 Whinchat in rough grass and 3 Meadow Pipits...

looks like a chiffchaff to me but i have being known to be wrong on a daily basis:-O

 

[degsy_safc]

looks like a chiffchaff to me but i have being known to be wrong on a daily basis:-O

:-O Thanks Will or Bill?? - i thought it was a Chiffchaff myself, because of the dark legs - but as it didn't chiff or chaff i wasn't quite sure :-O

 

[Ray.Scott]

Called in to try and see the Barn Owl yesterday morning around 6.45, no sign of it until a dog walker must've flushed It and I saw it fly between the buildings. That was the only sighting of It, but the moon looked O.K, clear sky for a change.
Moved on to Trow for 8ish, not much about, 2 wheatear, 1 whinchat, small flock of goldfinch and a few mipits apart from the regular crows etc.
On the way back to the car, noticed something on the quary side thats fenced off, It turned out to be a male kestrel eating it's breakfast, what looked like a biggish bird. It was difficult to make the kill out as the sun was against us, yes you herd me right, THE SUN :-O.
Is it normal for kestrel to take other birds ?, I thought that they fed on Voles/mice.
Just the regulars at Souter with only a few Gulls, starlings and a couple of cormorant on the stack.

 

[[email protected]]

It turned out to be a male kestrel eating it's breakfast, what looked like a biggish bird. It was difficult to make the kill out as the sun was against us, yes you herd me right, THE SUN :-O.
Is it normal for kestrel to take other birds ?, I thought that they fed on Voles/mice.

seen a few kesys taking med pips and goldies:t: maybe if voles are thin on the ground:t:

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few other shots from yesterday, well we'd do badly without the moon, It plays a big part in bird watching aspec, coastal.

The flock of Ruff with a couple of lapwings was taken near B Flats.

 

[seggs]

Highlights from today-
3 Chiffchaffs in Station burn
2 parties of 6+ L.t.tits,3 Bullfinch around the Newton Garth farm area, along with better numbers of Blue tits here and in Station burn than my last visit.
1 Greenshank and 30+ Ruff at Boldon flats(dipped on the Wood sands here today)
2-4 White wagtails on the muddy pitch at the Academy.
1 Little stint at Cleadon lane flash(bird flew in as we were standing here), no other waders here except the odd Redshank/Lapwing.
............................
The water is fast disappearing at Boldon flats, also the Cleadon lane flash is shrinking back slowly.

 

[seggs]

Only had a hour to spare at the Barn owl hotspot tonight, no luck whilst i was here.But did have a Spotted Flycatcher.
Hope the lad deep in cover gets lucky:-O:t:
Sure he will let us know.

 

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a belter

Brian - i absolutely love your signature, its a cracker :-O

best one i ever seen on here went something like this
nobody on their death bed ever wished they had spend more time at work :t:

 

[loppydog70]

Only had a hour to spare at the Barn owl hotspot tonight, no luck whilst i was here.But did have a Spotted Flycatcher.
Hope the lad deep in cover gets lucky:-O:t:
Sure he will let us know.

Must have just missed you steve as we got there about 6:30ish, barn owl showed about 7:20 giving great views until bad light stopped play. Tawny owl also heard.

 

[echo24]

Must have just missed you steve as we got there about 6:30ish, barn owl showed about 7:20 giving great views until bad light stopped play. Tawny owl also heard.

Hi Phil, I was up there myself from 4pm until last light tonight but unfortunately missed the Barn owl(s):-C..... my aim was to get in a position to photograph these birds at a regular perch of thiers without spooking them, which meant that my veiws of the whole site were very limited - three and a half hours in a hawthorn bush for nothing lol!:-O

My sanity has been questioned more than once in our house!:-O

Well done with the birds though:t:

Cheers, Dougie.

 

[echo24]

Hi Phil, I was up there myself from 4pm until last light tonight but unfortunately missed the Barn owl(s):-C..... my aim was to get in a position to photograph these birds at a regular perch of thiers without spooking them, which meant that my veiws of the whole site were very limited - three and a half hours in a hawthorn bush for nothing lol!:-O

My sanity has been questioned more than once in our house!:-O

Well done with the birds though:t:

Cheers, Dougie.

I also spent three hours there this morning, great close ups (as always) but too dark for photos - I tried though!

Here's the good ones, lol!!!:-O

 

[seggs]

Must have just missed you steve as we got there about 6:30ish, barn owl showed about 7:20 giving great views until bad light stopped play. Tawny owl also heard.

Hi Phil
Yes must have just missed you! Just sent your brother a email for further directions, glad you found the spot:t:, nice to hear about a Tawny.

 

[echo24]

Only had a hour to spare at the Barn owl hotspot tonight, no luck whilst i was here.But did have a Spotted Flycatcher.
Hope the lad deep in cover gets lucky:-O:t:
Sure he will let us know.

That's what the Army does for you mate! Hahaha!............ but seriously, no luck Steve, I'll try again though from the very same place

Cheers, Dougie.:t:

 

[degsy_safc]

best one i ever seen on here went something like this
nobody on their death bed ever wished they had spend more time at work :t:

hehehehehehehehe :t:

 

[seggs]

Hi Phil, I was up there myself from 4pm until last light tonight but unfortunately missed the Barn owl(s):-C..... my aim was to get in a position to photograph these birds at a regular perch of thiers without spooking them, which meant that my veiws of the whole site were very limited - three and a half hours in a hawthorn bush for nothing lol!:-O

My sanity has been questioned more than once in our house!:-O

Well done with the birds though:t:

Cheers, Dougie.

Great plan Dougie:t:
Shame after all the effort and time you put into the stake out and no show, but thats birding!..hope they do soon.
Must admit we(me and our lass) were taken fully by surprise when you text me about your position!:eek!::-O...
10 out off 10.
The thought of us joining you in this stake out position, would have looked dodgy to say the least!:-O

 

[craigthirlwell]

A bit of bad news. (I've heard this second hand so the details are a bit patchy) The RSPCA were called to rescue a Honey Buzzard from South Tyneside the other day. They then passed it on to a local falconer who can't get the thing to eat.

Does anybody know anything more than me?

 

[degsy_safc]

Had a ride up the coast into Northumberland today, first to Low Hauxley, not a lot to report apart from some good views of a Heron - thought i was gonna get the Egret but it flew across the other side of the pond before it made it in front of the hide.

Then went to Cresswell - plenty of action there, loads of Lapwing, Golden Plover, Greenshank, Curlew, Dunlin, Snipe, Bar Tailed Godwit and a Little Stint - so for me that was 3 birds i've never seen before :t:

There was also a visit from a Peregrine and then later a Sparrowhawk which put all of the birds up simultaneously - very spectacular.

 

[echo24]

A bit of bad news. (I've heard this second hand so the details are a bit patchy) The RSPCA were called to rescue a Honey Buzzard from South Tyneside the other day. They then passed it on to a local falconer who can't get the thing to eat.

Does anybody know anything more than me?

Hi Craig, that is bad news, this is the first i've heard of it, let's hope this story has a happy ending..

Cheers, Dougie.

PS, will you be crossing the river for next years bird race?