will@bill
FATHER AND SON TEAM
yet another gripper from the master ...waxys is ok for monday and up till now we are too will pm you sunday night to confirm. that g w gull is still hanging about:t:
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Mouldy's Kingdom (Diary of a frustrated birder) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mouldy
- Start date
yet another gripper from the master ...waxys is ok for monday and up till now we are too will pm you sunday night to confirm. that g w gull is still hanging about:t:
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
every cloud has one......
A proposed visit to teeside didn’t come off :-C (hope you managed to fix the washing machine Will :t
so I made do with a consolation walk up to Thornley Woods feeding station early afternoon and spent a very enjoyable best part of an hour here watching the comings and goings.
Masses of chaffinches here ground-feeding to the left, right and centre. Next most abundant I’m pleased to say were the great and blue tits, mostly using the tables and hanging feeders, with a small number of coal tits darting quickly in and out now and again.
Half a dozen bullfinches spent long periods at the tables, the males looking particularly splendid on this sunny afternoon.
Nuthatches weren’t as conspicuous as usual with their favoured peanut feeder being empty, shame really as it‘s close to the hide and there’s a knot hole on top of it where they’ve learned to place their peanuts then hammer them into bits which is quite entertaining to watch, but today a couple of brief table visits is all I’m treated to.
Both male and female GS Woodpecker spend time at the far end tree feeders, then I clock a willow tit flitting through a tree before it pays a few fleeting visits to the table by the holly bush, a large bush which provides excellent cover from sparrowhawks whenever an alarm is raised. Everything just darts into it from all angles, and feeding below it today are a many a chaffinch, a few blackbirds, dunnocks and robins.
Grey squirrel numbers grow steadily during my stay, and only the woodpigeons don’t fly off when one drops onto a table, where the most ineffective squirrel guards ever seen (upside down hanging baskets places on each table) only really serve the purpose of keeping the fat woodpigeons from gorging all the seed, the squirrels just sit inside them and eat undisturbed (see below).
A scan of the ground below the centre tables reveals a nice surprise in a redpoll (lesser) drinking from a puddle, I have a look in the trees above where they often hang out at this time of year but no more to be seen, and this one soon flies off.
Next, I spot a brambling feeding with the chaffinches on the left embankment, a nice male but all too briefly as a blackbird alarm call results in 50-60 birds including the brambling, flying off over the treetops in a panic, but just a few minutes later a female comes to the same spot and hangs around a bit longer.
A couple of magpies scare the smaller birds off just by being there, they aren’t interested in food though, more concerned with chasing each other.
Other birds seen are a couple of crows just surveying the area from the centre trees, and a pair of noisy pheasants chase around the peripherals.
Jays can be heard screeching in the woods close by but don’t bother dropping in today, and just before I leave (nursery pick-up beckons), another alarm is raised and this time a sparrowhawk is seen dipping into the arena from above the hide, I watch it glide directly away from me and through a gap in the trees without making any attempt at a kill, unsure of the sex, brown upperparts but very small for a female.
As I walked back home, three red kites showed off their superb colouring above the main road, lit from below by the low winter sun, and I reflected on the abundance of blue and great tits I’d seen, and the puzzle of the absence of yellowhammers, there weren’t any last time I was here on new years day either, unusual to say the least.
A proposed visit to teeside didn’t come off :-C (hope you managed to fix the washing machine Will :t
so I made do with a consolation walk up to Thornley Woods feeding station early afternoon and spent a very enjoyable best part of an hour here watching the comings and goings.Masses of chaffinches here ground-feeding to the left, right and centre. Next most abundant I’m pleased to say were the great and blue tits, mostly using the tables and hanging feeders, with a small number of coal tits darting quickly in and out now and again.
Half a dozen bullfinches spent long periods at the tables, the males looking particularly splendid on this sunny afternoon.
Nuthatches weren’t as conspicuous as usual with their favoured peanut feeder being empty, shame really as it‘s close to the hide and there’s a knot hole on top of it where they’ve learned to place their peanuts then hammer them into bits which is quite entertaining to watch, but today a couple of brief table visits is all I’m treated to.
Both male and female GS Woodpecker spend time at the far end tree feeders, then I clock a willow tit flitting through a tree before it pays a few fleeting visits to the table by the holly bush, a large bush which provides excellent cover from sparrowhawks whenever an alarm is raised. Everything just darts into it from all angles, and feeding below it today are a many a chaffinch, a few blackbirds, dunnocks and robins.
Grey squirrel numbers grow steadily during my stay, and only the woodpigeons don’t fly off when one drops onto a table, where the most ineffective squirrel guards ever seen (upside down hanging baskets places on each table) only really serve the purpose of keeping the fat woodpigeons from gorging all the seed, the squirrels just sit inside them and eat undisturbed (see below).
A scan of the ground below the centre tables reveals a nice surprise in a redpoll (lesser) drinking from a puddle, I have a look in the trees above where they often hang out at this time of year but no more to be seen, and this one soon flies off.
Next, I spot a brambling feeding with the chaffinches on the left embankment, a nice male but all too briefly as a blackbird alarm call results in 50-60 birds including the brambling, flying off over the treetops in a panic, but just a few minutes later a female comes to the same spot and hangs around a bit longer.
A couple of magpies scare the smaller birds off just by being there, they aren’t interested in food though, more concerned with chasing each other.
Other birds seen are a couple of crows just surveying the area from the centre trees, and a pair of noisy pheasants chase around the peripherals.
Jays can be heard screeching in the woods close by but don’t bother dropping in today, and just before I leave (nursery pick-up beckons), another alarm is raised and this time a sparrowhawk is seen dipping into the arena from above the hide, I watch it glide directly away from me and through a gap in the trees without making any attempt at a kill, unsure of the sex, brown upperparts but very small for a female.
As I walked back home, three red kites showed off their superb colouring above the main road, lit from below by the low winter sun, and I reflected on the abundance of blue and great tits I’d seen, and the puzzle of the absence of yellowhammers, there weren’t any last time I was here on new years day either, unusual to say the least.
Attachments
Last edited:
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Just missed you!
Leonard and I were at Barlow and Sherburn Towers today, just after 2.30pm. We saw only one kite at Barlow. Your Panel looks good by the stile! Moving to Lockhaugh I got bogged down at the gate, and eventually had to ring Ken to come and rescue us - by dint of using some old carpet which had been fly-tipped in the hedge........... for once I was grateful.
We moved back to Sherburn Towers and saw four kites at pre-roost in the right-hand end tree of the farm copse. Another two came from the Gibside direction, and we had lovely close-up views of them against the sunset. Gibside appears to be the favourite place for roosting at the moment.
RSPB Birds magazine has a superb article by Irene Allen on the NK Project - p42. Very comprehensive and well-written. It's so good to have mass plaudits like this, for every aspect of the project.:t:
Leonard and I were at Barlow and Sherburn Towers today, just after 2.30pm. We saw only one kite at Barlow. Your Panel looks good by the stile! Moving to Lockhaugh I got bogged down at the gate, and eventually had to ring Ken to come and rescue us - by dint of using some old carpet which had been fly-tipped in the hedge........... for once I was grateful.
We moved back to Sherburn Towers and saw four kites at pre-roost in the right-hand end tree of the farm copse. Another two came from the Gibside direction, and we had lovely close-up views of them against the sunset. Gibside appears to be the favourite place for roosting at the moment.
RSPB Birds magazine has a superb article by Irene Allen on the NK Project - p42. Very comprehensive and well-written. It's so good to have mass plaudits like this, for every aspect of the project.:t:
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
I read this too, June. Like you say a comprehensive summary of the way the project has been developed bringing the people to the kites as well as the kites to the people.
Long may it continue to grow. :king:
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Jan 18 2009
With our proposed trip to Dumfries and Galloway postponed due to the inclement weather conditions overnight, :-C One Man and his Dog and me instead decided to go for the water pipit at Whitley bay, a potential lifer and small consolation for yours truly.
After a perilous beginning due to mucho invisible ice underfoot and my now customary mauling( in a friendly way ) by One Man’s excitable Dog (just imagine a Fred Flinstone and Dino situation ) we made our way to St. Mary’s island on a crisp but bright morning.
Arriving, the tide was up but on it’s way out, and waders galore fed busily along the shoreline in the north bay, with many a sanderling, turnstone and purple sandpiper giving excellent close views, and ringed plover, redshank, curlew, oystercatcher, dunlin and a swarm of fly around golden plover keeping us entertained too, (plus a pair of stonechats on the beach and some pied wags) while we sifted through the many but flighty pipits among them.
After a good while viewing we concluded there were nowt but rock pipits here (though many attempts were made to make them into the water variety ) I felt another dip was soon to be added to my growing list, but what the hell, fresh sea air, excellent views of loadsa birds I don’t see much of, marvellous!
But then a Eureka! moment as a passing birder informs Steve (One Man) that the water pipit is at the south end of the promenade, so up sticks and away we go, and just a few minutes later we’re staring down into another throng of waders, pipits, grey and pied wags and another stonechat but this time into the sun.
Scanning any movement, Steve announces he’s got the water pipit momentarily and at distance on the cliff face, I miss it. Steve gets on it again further down the cliff face. I miss it again and with it getting further away I think typical, it’s gonna disappear around the bend without me seeing it.
And indeed it goes missing for a while, but then I get on a pipit-like bird flying in and landing on a jutting boulder on the cliff face, still at distance but showing off a bright white belly in the sunshine which otherwise prevents a comfortable viewing. It’s quite different from the rock and meadow pipits also present, and when it jumps down onto the beach, Steve gets it in his scope as it sieves through the seaweed left by the outgoing tide.
Yip, one water pipit, we keep watch on it and eventually it flies up past us and feeds under the promenade wall, this time with the sun behind us we can see it’s features well, it keeps flying back and forth to either beach and eventually disappears over the cliff top, but we’ve seen it well so are happy birders, and my first lifer of the year.
On the way back we call in on Shibdon Pond at the north end of my patch, best birds today are a gadwall, at least 14 goldeneye and a couple of pochard close to the hide.
Many a gull includes one black-head already in summer plumage, and a chat with another birder mate puts us onto a nearby site for a barn and little owl…...but that’s for another time.
With our proposed trip to Dumfries and Galloway postponed due to the inclement weather conditions overnight, :-C One Man and his Dog and me instead decided to go for the water pipit at Whitley bay, a potential lifer and small consolation for yours truly.
After a perilous beginning due to mucho invisible ice underfoot and my now customary mauling( in a friendly way ) by One Man’s excitable Dog (just imagine a Fred Flinstone and Dino situation ) we made our way to St. Mary’s island on a crisp but bright morning.
Arriving, the tide was up but on it’s way out, and waders galore fed busily along the shoreline in the north bay, with many a sanderling, turnstone and purple sandpiper giving excellent close views, and ringed plover, redshank, curlew, oystercatcher, dunlin and a swarm of fly around golden plover keeping us entertained too, (plus a pair of stonechats on the beach and some pied wags) while we sifted through the many but flighty pipits among them.
After a good while viewing we concluded there were nowt but rock pipits here (though many attempts were made to make them into the water variety ) I felt another dip was soon to be added to my growing list, but what the hell, fresh sea air, excellent views of loadsa birds I don’t see much of, marvellous!
But then a Eureka! moment as a passing birder informs Steve (One Man) that the water pipit is at the south end of the promenade, so up sticks and away we go, and just a few minutes later we’re staring down into another throng of waders, pipits, grey and pied wags and another stonechat but this time into the sun.
Scanning any movement, Steve announces he’s got the water pipit momentarily and at distance on the cliff face, I miss it. Steve gets on it again further down the cliff face. I miss it again and with it getting further away I think typical, it’s gonna disappear around the bend without me seeing it.
And indeed it goes missing for a while, but then I get on a pipit-like bird flying in and landing on a jutting boulder on the cliff face, still at distance but showing off a bright white belly in the sunshine which otherwise prevents a comfortable viewing. It’s quite different from the rock and meadow pipits also present, and when it jumps down onto the beach, Steve gets it in his scope as it sieves through the seaweed left by the outgoing tide.
Yip, one water pipit, we keep watch on it and eventually it flies up past us and feeds under the promenade wall, this time with the sun behind us we can see it’s features well, it keeps flying back and forth to either beach and eventually disappears over the cliff top, but we’ve seen it well so are happy birders, and my first lifer of the year.
On the way back we call in on Shibdon Pond at the north end of my patch, best birds today are a gadwall, at least 14 goldeneye and a couple of pochard close to the hide.
Many a gull includes one black-head already in summer plumage, and a chat with another birder mate puts us onto a nearby site for a barn and little owl…...but that’s for another time.
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Tak the high road....
Well, the bad news is I didn’t get my garden birdwatch survey done this weekend. On Saturday morning I took my feeders down to give them a wash and scrub, and by the time they dried out and I got them back up I had other things to do so decided to leave it ‘til Sunday.
But then the good news, got a call from One man and his Dog, and our postponed trip to Dumfries and Galloway from last weekend was hastily arranged for Sunday (despite rather dodgy weather forecasts)
25 Jan 2009
So to Sunday, a 6am start from a cold and wet northeast England to apparently an even colder and wetter southwest Scotland, (basically a straight drive west.)
A few target species in mind but a day list record was the main target for OMahD, his previous best here being 76.
Events began well with a nice barn owl before we reached Gretna, and a second just into Scotland, otherwise first light saw us pick up just a few mixed corvids, gulls, the first common buzzards and a few unidentifiable silhouettes through the car windows.
The rains came as we made our way to Loch Ryan, our first stop, and with the winds picking up and roadside snow left over from during the night I was beginning to wonder whether it was all going to be worth it. (but of course it was, I’ve a sprog-free day ahead of me!)
Loch Ryan was reached after an approx. 3 hour drive. Bitter winds greeted us as we emerged from the warmth of our chariot, and a spot of rough sea-watching produced highlights of red breasted merganser, common scoter and shag, and away from the loch, a rock pipit and a small flock of redwing, but sadly none of the expected grebes or divers, nor black guillemot, our main target here.
We drove back to the ferry jetty and the wind and hard rain made any watching impossible, from the car there was nothing visible in the rough seas anyway so we pressed on to our next stop, a spit of flat shoreline with precious little cover.
The rain now ceased but the wind was as strong as ever, but sheltered behind a brick observation point we could scan the loch in relative comfort, picking up many a goldeneye among the eider, mergansers and scoter, a red throated diver and a few black guillemot, surprisingly in summer plumage already. Steve also picked up a slav grebe which I managed to miss, but with a selection of gulls and waders the day list was growing, though not quickly enough for Steve who had to be dissuaded from ticking the roast chicken he'd brought for the dog's dinner. :eek!:
Next, to Stranraer, the wind was settling down, the whole landscape was brightening up, and our target species here, scaup, were out in huge rafts all along the bay, maybe a thousand plus in total, and better still as we went into the town to refuel, there were many close in to the sea wall among other species for excellent and best ever views.
Time to head inland now to try for the star of the day, golden eagle, notching up a raven or three on the way, and a quick stop at the top end of Gatehouse of Fleet added dabchick, moorhen and most of the common tits and finches, plus goldcrest and a pair of great spotted woodpeckers.
Spectacular snow covered mountain scenery greeted us in the Galloway forest park, and with the day warming with the sun our hopes were high as on two previous visits the eagles had obliged with good sightings. Alas, it proved third time unlucky as a forty minute watch produced only flythrough crow, soaring buzzard and four passing greater black backed gulls.
A tight schedule meant we couldn’t hang around too long so disappointedly we hit the red kite trail which duly obliged with 7-8 quick sightings and almost as many common buzzards. (certainly well named here, common as muck with probably something approaching forty sightings during the day.)
At Loch Ken RSPB, fieldfare completed the set of thrushes, and our first ID’d geese with greylag, pinkfoot, Canada and white-front ( the target here), but the loch itself was almost devoid of birds, firsts for the day being only cormorant and great crested grebe.
Mid afternoon now and we still wanted to take in Caerlaverock, but a couple of wrong turnings made matters even worse and we rolled into the carpark there at about ten to four, just time enough to add a few species of wildfowl including whooper swan (pronounced hooper) and barnacle goose, plus a good flock of yellowhammer, reed bunting and a golden plover flock which meant Steve had beaten his old record.
A brief sighting of a male merlin as it went to ground was a good tick for yours truly (yip I’m claiming it Steve) and though we tried in vain to locate the long staying Cackling Canada Goose (No, I didn’t know what one was either) with darkness approaching we finally nailed todays elusive wren and dunnock outside the car park (er not literally I might add)
So the journey home, thinking that was probably it for the day we then proceeded to fluke a woodcock which flew across our path from a roadside woodland edge, then darkness hit and our only hope now was for a tawny owl to fly into our lights (again not literally) but it wasn’t to be, so a grand day out finished with 82 species, (not including a black swan we passed in a roadside flash pool) and with a few common and expected ones missed, the disappointment of the golden eagle, no peregrine or hen harrier either, and the adverse conditions spoiling the morning session, I think the new record will only stand ‘til about the same time next year, (drooling over the prospect already), so cheers Steve for a grand day out, marvellous day’s birding.
PS Didn’t do bad for mammals either, with many rabbits, brown hare and roe deer, and singles of red fox and grey seal. (I also tried to claim a Scottish Wildcat but then saw it had a collar and bell :-O)
Cheers
Well, the bad news is I didn’t get my garden birdwatch survey done this weekend. On Saturday morning I took my feeders down to give them a wash and scrub, and by the time they dried out and I got them back up I had other things to do so decided to leave it ‘til Sunday.
But then the good news, got a call from One man and his Dog, and our postponed trip to Dumfries and Galloway from last weekend was hastily arranged for Sunday (despite rather dodgy weather forecasts)
25 Jan 2009
So to Sunday, a 6am start from a cold and wet northeast England to apparently an even colder and wetter southwest Scotland, (basically a straight drive west.)
A few target species in mind but a day list record was the main target for OMahD, his previous best here being 76.
Events began well with a nice barn owl before we reached Gretna, and a second just into Scotland, otherwise first light saw us pick up just a few mixed corvids, gulls, the first common buzzards and a few unidentifiable silhouettes through the car windows.
The rains came as we made our way to Loch Ryan, our first stop, and with the winds picking up and roadside snow left over from during the night I was beginning to wonder whether it was all going to be worth it. (but of course it was, I’ve a sprog-free day ahead of me!)
Loch Ryan was reached after an approx. 3 hour drive. Bitter winds greeted us as we emerged from the warmth of our chariot, and a spot of rough sea-watching produced highlights of red breasted merganser, common scoter and shag, and away from the loch, a rock pipit and a small flock of redwing, but sadly none of the expected grebes or divers, nor black guillemot, our main target here.
We drove back to the ferry jetty and the wind and hard rain made any watching impossible, from the car there was nothing visible in the rough seas anyway so we pressed on to our next stop, a spit of flat shoreline with precious little cover.
The rain now ceased but the wind was as strong as ever, but sheltered behind a brick observation point we could scan the loch in relative comfort, picking up many a goldeneye among the eider, mergansers and scoter, a red throated diver and a few black guillemot, surprisingly in summer plumage already. Steve also picked up a slav grebe which I managed to miss, but with a selection of gulls and waders the day list was growing, though not quickly enough for Steve who had to be dissuaded from ticking the roast chicken he'd brought for the dog's dinner. :eek!:
Next, to Stranraer, the wind was settling down, the whole landscape was brightening up, and our target species here, scaup, were out in huge rafts all along the bay, maybe a thousand plus in total, and better still as we went into the town to refuel, there were many close in to the sea wall among other species for excellent and best ever views.
Time to head inland now to try for the star of the day, golden eagle, notching up a raven or three on the way, and a quick stop at the top end of Gatehouse of Fleet added dabchick, moorhen and most of the common tits and finches, plus goldcrest and a pair of great spotted woodpeckers.
Spectacular snow covered mountain scenery greeted us in the Galloway forest park, and with the day warming with the sun our hopes were high as on two previous visits the eagles had obliged with good sightings. Alas, it proved third time unlucky as a forty minute watch produced only flythrough crow, soaring buzzard and four passing greater black backed gulls.
A tight schedule meant we couldn’t hang around too long so disappointedly we hit the red kite trail which duly obliged with 7-8 quick sightings and almost as many common buzzards. (certainly well named here, common as muck with probably something approaching forty sightings during the day.)
At Loch Ken RSPB, fieldfare completed the set of thrushes, and our first ID’d geese with greylag, pinkfoot, Canada and white-front ( the target here), but the loch itself was almost devoid of birds, firsts for the day being only cormorant and great crested grebe.
Mid afternoon now and we still wanted to take in Caerlaverock, but a couple of wrong turnings made matters even worse and we rolled into the carpark there at about ten to four, just time enough to add a few species of wildfowl including whooper swan (pronounced hooper
) and barnacle goose, plus a good flock of yellowhammer, reed bunting and a golden plover flock which meant Steve had beaten his old record. A brief sighting of a male merlin as it went to ground was a good tick for yours truly (yip I’m claiming it Steve) and though we tried in vain to locate the long staying Cackling Canada Goose (No, I didn’t know what one was either) with darkness approaching we finally nailed todays elusive wren and dunnock outside the car park (er not literally I might add)
So the journey home, thinking that was probably it for the day we then proceeded to fluke a woodcock which flew across our path from a roadside woodland edge, then darkness hit and our only hope now was for a tawny owl to fly into our lights (again not literally) but it wasn’t to be, so a grand day out finished with 82 species, (not including a black swan we passed in a roadside flash pool) and with a few common and expected ones missed, the disappointment of the golden eagle, no peregrine or hen harrier either, and the adverse conditions spoiling the morning session, I think the new record will only stand ‘til about the same time next year, (drooling over the prospect already), so cheers Steve for a grand day out, marvellous day’s birding.
PS Didn’t do bad for mammals either, with many rabbits, brown hare and roe deer, and singles of red fox and grey seal. (I also tried to claim a Scottish Wildcat but then saw it had a collar and bell :-O)
Cheers
Last edited:
June Atkinson
Well-known member
Garden Bird watch and Galloway
You didn't miss much, Alan. I'm sure that 80% of my regular birds decided to stay in bed - we never, ever get good numbers over the GBW week-end!!
Glad you had a good time in Galloway; how lovely to get the Golden Eagle!!
The Red Kite Feeding Station at the farm had good numbers of people - four of our Kite Vols were over for the week-end.
I have so enjoyed your Twisted Nature Book! Each time I look through, I find something new to giggle at, and I honestly find it hard to say which of your excellent cartoons I like best. Here's hoping that your next run will sell like hot cakes!:t:
On the Northumbrian Birding thread, I report waxwings, with photos, just north of Ponteland - they were there most of Saturday.
You didn't miss much, Alan. I'm sure that 80% of my regular birds decided to stay in bed - we never, ever get good numbers over the GBW week-end!!
Glad you had a good time in Galloway; how lovely to get the Golden Eagle!!
The Red Kite Feeding Station at the farm had good numbers of people - four of our Kite Vols were over for the week-end.
I have so enjoyed your Twisted Nature Book! Each time I look through, I find something new to giggle at, and I honestly find it hard to say which of your excellent cartoons I like best. Here's hoping that your next run will sell like hot cakes!:t:
On the Northumbrian Birding thread, I report waxwings, with photos, just north of Ponteland - they were there most of Saturday.
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Aye June, strangely enough I always find the GBW weekend brings less birds than usual, maybe everyone puts food out to attract more for the count and dilutes the numbers.
Watching yesterday morning I had my first siskins of the year (4), and on Friday had a female brambling, would have liked both of those on my count sheet.
We didn't actually get the GE this year, a first dip in three attempts for me, but many a red kite despite the poisoners still plying their evil trade.
We did the feeding station on our last visit a couple of years back, spectacular sight but I couldn't help feeling it was all a bit false, so probably glad we don't have one here, but then again we don't really need much effort to spot them (opening the blinds on a morning usually does the trick for me :smoke
Saw your waxwing report and pics on the Northumberland thread, great birds always a treat to see, and even better when they turn up on your own doorstep, a flock of 25 was reported flying over Rowlands Gill on Friday, though not by me unfortunately, though I did get 16 kites together from the viaduct which made me late in picking the bairn up from nursery. oops.
And thanks for your kind comments re the book, glad you like it and the humour appeals, always nice to get good feedback.
Cheers June, keep up the good work with the kites.
Alan M
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
vivid memories
Here’s a memorable one from the diary three years ago yesterday :
Jan 28 2006
I don’t go out until mid-afternoon today, but my timing couldn’t be better for a couple of spectacular sights.
The sun is out nice and from Rowlands Gill viaduct I have great views of a kingfisher flitting about the riverside vegetation below, then catch sight of a sparrowhawk as it comes out of the trees to the left of me in a stealth glide, I get a fix on it as it zooms away from me at eye level and treetop height. In the distance I can see it’s target, a finch of sorts nonchalantly bounding away down river.
The sparrowhawk homes in on it like an exocet missile. Fast, direct, silent, and not a wing beat, the finch is plucked out of the air mid-bound just above the treetops. Poor little thing never stood a chance, is carried off to it’s grisly fate round the bend in the river, and I‘m lucky enough to have witnessed the whole episode from a brilliant viewpoint, brief, but a classic kill from a ruthless predator.
After that I stroll up to the Sherburn Towers kite roost. The sun is getting low but the light in a nigh on cloudless sky is still excellent. I can see quite a few birds already perched around the farm and a further five posing quite close in trees centre-field.
Another local arrives on the scene with his two kids, we chat as his youngsters chase each other around when suddenly one of his offspring (for reasons unknown) lets out an ear-piercing scream which carries in the still air and startles the red kites from their perches, but I’m very happy to count twenty one birds now in the sky above the farm.
Spooked they fly off in all directions but I keep watch and within a couple of minutes they’ve gathered in the skies above Gibside behind us, visible over the rooftops on the opposite side of the valley.
Yet more birds join them from below and I‘m thinking this is one large gathering, so I scan along the skyline over Gibside, count and recount to confirm an amazing thirty three red kites in the air (still the most I’ve ever seen together and as there had only been around 60 released at this stage, I doubt will ever be beaten, proportionally at least).
They all wheeled around the soft blue skies in perfect conditions (no wind, low sun giving a warm glow to the whole landscape and lighting the birds from below), and slowly most of these start to drift back over towards us, this time gliding back to the trees around the farm giving outstanding views, descending as they pass overhead before settling down to roost.
I've had some great Kite experiences since the project began, but the near perfect conditions and the sheer number of birds involved made this one a bit special. :t:
Here’s a memorable one from the diary three years ago yesterday :
Jan 28 2006
I don’t go out until mid-afternoon today, but my timing couldn’t be better for a couple of spectacular sights.
The sun is out nice and from Rowlands Gill viaduct I have great views of a kingfisher flitting about the riverside vegetation below, then catch sight of a sparrowhawk as it comes out of the trees to the left of me in a stealth glide, I get a fix on it as it zooms away from me at eye level and treetop height. In the distance I can see it’s target, a finch of sorts nonchalantly bounding away down river.
The sparrowhawk homes in on it like an exocet missile. Fast, direct, silent, and not a wing beat, the finch is plucked out of the air mid-bound just above the treetops. Poor little thing never stood a chance, is carried off to it’s grisly fate round the bend in the river, and I‘m lucky enough to have witnessed the whole episode from a brilliant viewpoint, brief, but a classic kill from a ruthless predator.
After that I stroll up to the Sherburn Towers kite roost. The sun is getting low but the light in a nigh on cloudless sky is still excellent. I can see quite a few birds already perched around the farm and a further five posing quite close in trees centre-field.
Another local arrives on the scene with his two kids, we chat as his youngsters chase each other around when suddenly one of his offspring (for reasons unknown) lets out an ear-piercing scream which carries in the still air and startles the red kites from their perches, but I’m very happy to count twenty one birds now in the sky above the farm.
Spooked they fly off in all directions but I keep watch and within a couple of minutes they’ve gathered in the skies above Gibside behind us, visible over the rooftops on the opposite side of the valley.
Yet more birds join them from below and I‘m thinking this is one large gathering, so I scan along the skyline over Gibside, count and recount to confirm an amazing thirty three red kites in the air (still the most I’ve ever seen together and as there had only been around 60 released at this stage, I doubt will ever be beaten, proportionally at least).
They all wheeled around the soft blue skies in perfect conditions (no wind, low sun giving a warm glow to the whole landscape and lighting the birds from below), and slowly most of these start to drift back over towards us, this time gliding back to the trees around the farm giving outstanding views, descending as they pass overhead before settling down to roost.
I've had some great Kite experiences since the project began, but the near perfect conditions and the sheer number of birds involved made this one a bit special. :t:
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
snippets
Brambling (f) in the garden yesterday, but once again all too briefly.
Early afternoon today walking up our road from the bus stop a calling red kite grabbed my attention as it flew overhead and I watched it swoop down in the adjacent school playing field, pick up a sizeable twig without landing and transfer it from talons to mouth as it flew back over and off to the nearby farmland.
Nest building already and not quite into Feb yet. :t:
Brambling (f) in the garden yesterday, but once again all too briefly.
Early afternoon today walking up our road from the bus stop a calling red kite grabbed my attention as it flew overhead and I watched it swoop down in the adjacent school playing field, pick up a sizeable twig without landing and transfer it from talons to mouth as it flew back over and off to the nearby farmland.
Nest building already and not quite into Feb yet. :t:
One Man and His Dog
GATESHEAD BIRDER
Great report Alan
Another cracking day out :t: got some good birds but a pitty i missed that merlin:-C, not to worry i managed to tick a roast chicken.:-O Until the next day's birding "adios" and a big8-P from tilly.
cheers steve
Another cracking day out :t: got some good birds but a pitty i missed that merlin:-C, not to worry i managed to tick a roast chicken.:-O Until the next day's birding "adios" and a big8-P from tilly.
cheers steve
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Owl with delight
Aye Steve, and not a bad little session this morning :
Another canny morning’s birding today as we went to check out the nearby barn owl site we were tipped off about a couple of weeks back.
Arriving about 9am I personally thought it a bit late, but patience was rewarded and we eventually got distant but lengthy views of the owl perched atop fenceposts in between a bit of hunting, one particular classic view standing on a post on the brow of the horizon, beautifully lit by the strong morning sunshine, and it was still flying about when we left it at 9.50am
Next we popped into the hide at Clara Vale for superb views of siskin and redpoll on the feeders close to the hide, beautiful winter finches.
We then tried a couple of lesser watched sites in the borough which didn’t really produce much before finishing off with the welcome sight of a small colony of tree sparrows which Steve had found earlier in the week. Haven’t seen any in a while so was a good find.
Only mammals seen were grey squirrels but on our travels we came across a fox's den and good clear tracks of roe deer and badger.
Just a single yellowhammer seen though around the same area as the sparrows, and none at Clara vale where they’ve always been a cert in the past, so where have all the Gateshead ‘hammers gone? Answers on a postcard please……
Aye Steve, and not a bad little session this morning :
Another canny morning’s birding today as we went to check out the nearby barn owl site we were tipped off about a couple of weeks back.
Arriving about 9am I personally thought it a bit late, but patience was rewarded and we eventually got distant but lengthy views of the owl perched atop fenceposts in between a bit of hunting, one particular classic view standing on a post on the brow of the horizon, beautifully lit by the strong morning sunshine, and it was still flying about when we left it at 9.50am
Next we popped into the hide at Clara Vale for superb views of siskin and redpoll on the feeders close to the hide, beautiful winter finches.
We then tried a couple of lesser watched sites in the borough which didn’t really produce much before finishing off with the welcome sight of a small colony of tree sparrows which Steve had found earlier in the week. Haven’t seen any in a while so was a good find.
Only mammals seen were grey squirrels but on our travels we came across a fox's den and good clear tracks of roe deer and badger.
Just a single yellowhammer seen though around the same area as the sparrows, and none at Clara vale where they’ve always been a cert in the past, so where have all the Gateshead ‘hammers gone? Answers on a postcard please……
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Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Snow joke
Snowfall has it's pro's and con's, on the plus side it has a beautifying effect on the landscape and brings loadsa birds into the garden for free nosh, but on the downside my better half got the motor stuck down the road and I had to go and dig it out (council gritters always seem to miss us out)
Haven't seen a good fall like today's in ages, brought back memories of a few years back......
12 March 2006
By mid-March we should be looking for the first signs of the approaching spring, but with a heavy snowfall in the midst of a cold snap, a visit to Far Pasture proved very atmospheric in a more wintery sense.
The frozen conditions brought the Snipe out in the open, 26 in all, and with many feeding close to the hide it was great to study the markings of these often shy birds up close.
A prowling fox was easy to keep a track of, standing out well in the snow covered ground as it crept along the wooded bank to the left, and a couple of roe deer sheltered under trees on the far bank in what was a very picturesque Christmas card type scene.
The heavy snow didn’t seem to put off the Red Kites either, with eight seen together, four of which came low over the ponds despite the blizzard.
All in all a very beautiful winter scene, a totally different experience from the norm and for once I’m glad my curiosity ( “hmmm, wonder what it’s like at Far Pasture in this weather” ) got the better of me.
With the rain tonight I doubt there'll be much snow left tomorrow, haven't had a prolonged covering in years. So looking back, whats the worst two winters you can remember?
No contest for me, has to be Mike and Bernie, they were abysmal :-O:-O:-O
on that note...........
Snowfall has it's pro's and con's, on the plus side it has a beautifying effect on the landscape and brings loadsa birds into the garden for free nosh, but on the downside my better half got the motor stuck down the road and I had to go and dig it out (council gritters always seem to miss us out)
Haven't seen a good fall like today's in ages, brought back memories of a few years back......
12 March 2006
By mid-March we should be looking for the first signs of the approaching spring, but with a heavy snowfall in the midst of a cold snap, a visit to Far Pasture proved very atmospheric in a more wintery sense.
The frozen conditions brought the Snipe out in the open, 26 in all, and with many feeding close to the hide it was great to study the markings of these often shy birds up close.
A prowling fox was easy to keep a track of, standing out well in the snow covered ground as it crept along the wooded bank to the left, and a couple of roe deer sheltered under trees on the far bank in what was a very picturesque Christmas card type scene.
The heavy snow didn’t seem to put off the Red Kites either, with eight seen together, four of which came low over the ponds despite the blizzard.
All in all a very beautiful winter scene, a totally different experience from the norm and for once I’m glad my curiosity ( “hmmm, wonder what it’s like at Far Pasture in this weather” ) got the better of me.
With the rain tonight I doubt there'll be much snow left tomorrow, haven't had a prolonged covering in years. So looking back, whats the worst two winters you can remember?
No contest for me, has to be Mike and Bernie, they were abysmal :-O:-O:-O
on that note...........
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
An apple a day....
Monday I scattered some chopped apples on the lawn but of course they were soon lost to a thick covering of snow. Today with the snow gradually melting, they reappeared, and I was delighted to find a fieldfare pecking away at them early this morning, only the second I've recorded in the garden, and it stuck around most of the morning so I could study it's cracking plumage and reel off a few snaps, only disturbed by my regular pair of magpies, a proper couple of bullies.
A decent morning in the garden all told with another irregular visitor, a nuthatch, making a brief appearance as well (in fact so brief I couldn't get my camera focussed on it).
Full list: 8-10 x greenfinch, chaffinch, 6 x starling, 5 x goldfinch, collared dove, 4 x house sparrow, blackbird, 2 x blue tit, magpie, 1 x coal tit, nuthatch, dunnock, wren, fieldfare, robin.
Monday I scattered some chopped apples on the lawn but of course they were soon lost to a thick covering of snow. Today with the snow gradually melting, they reappeared, and I was delighted to find a fieldfare pecking away at them early this morning, only the second I've recorded in the garden, and it stuck around most of the morning so I could study it's cracking plumage and reel off a few snaps, only disturbed by my regular pair of magpies, a proper couple of bullies.
A decent morning in the garden all told with another irregular visitor, a nuthatch, making a brief appearance as well (in fact so brief I couldn't get my camera focussed on it).
Full list: 8-10 x greenfinch, chaffinch, 6 x starling, 5 x goldfinch, collared dove, 4 x house sparrow, blackbird, 2 x blue tit, magpie, 1 x coal tit, nuthatch, dunnock, wren, fieldfare, robin.
Attachments
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Moraybirdlover
Well-known member
Haven't heard from you for a while Moldy! Hope all is well!
Hi Mouldy
Not spoken for a while so I hope all is well with you.
Nice report about your birds, and super pictures to match.
The Fieldfare and the Nuthatch pictures are beautiful. :t:
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Still about but not out
thanks for asking Susan (and Kathy), have had a few deadlines to meet plus the little fella has been playing up again at night so have been too braindead to jot anything down, having said that I haven't actually been out birding the last couple of weeks and hadn't realise it was so long since I posted anything, time is simply fleeing past, nearly spring. :eek!:
Will put it right shortly so watch this space...............
thanks for asking Susan (and Kathy), have had a few deadlines to meet plus the little fella has been playing up again at night so have been too braindead to jot anything down, having said that I haven't actually been out birding the last couple of weeks and hadn't realise it was so long since I posted anything, time is simply fleeing past, nearly spring. :eek!:
Will put it right shortly so watch this space...............
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
If you go down to the woods today.....
26 Feb 2009
With a couple of hours to spare I decided to start a bit of competitive birding and give myself an hour at Thornley woods feeding station to tot up how many species I could get in that time. A twenty minute walk, a quick chat in the centre and I took my seat in the hide at 1.35pm precisely, but I was a bit gutted to see only a single great tit after scanning the whole area, and it was like this for what seemed like a good few minutes, I reckon a sparrowhawk must have made a sortie just previous to my arrival, I’ve never seen the place so barren, and there was plenty of food out.
But little by little they came in, first a blue tit, then another, then a coal tit, a nuthatch appeared on the usual right-hand side nut feeder, then my attention was grabbed by a marshmallow tit, flitting on and off a nearby feeder. I tracked it to a branch above where for once it actually sat eating for a while so I could confirm a willow without too much trouble.
Looking to the ground now and normal service was resumed, chaffinches all around, a couple of blackbirds, dunnock and robin in amongst them.
I then spied a crackin’ yellowhammer on the far table, at last I‘ve seen one here, but only one so still disappointing, and on the nut feeder next to it was a male great spotted woodpecker, always a treat to watch, so in to double figures now but a lull in new species, and strangely not a bullfinch to be seen in the first twenty minutes.
A chatter of clicks and ticks gave away an incoming band of long-tailed tits, no more than eight but I love seeing these birds in close-up, proper cuties, and they didn’t disappoint as they all gathered on the same feeder, but soon left as suddenly as they had arrived.
Over half an hour into my time now and am gutted at some of the usual bankers missing from my list, though a striking male pheasant eventually makes an entrance with his harem of three females, but I have to make do with flyover carrion crow, wood pigeon and stock dove, and I don‘t count the cacophony of jackdaws I can hear tantalisingly close by.
A red kite entertains for a while, coming in low and calling to it’s probable mate over the trees to the right as it makes several passes, then I spot an irritated wren making its way through pondside vegetation.
Finally the first bullfinch is spotted, a beaut of a male on a centre table, well worth the wait but with only ten minutes left I’m disappointed I still haven’t yet made it to twenty.
There are a few more people in the hide now and a bloke to my right announces a treecreeper his side, but to which my view is obscured by a holly bush, so it’s brief appearance eludes my list, but then a lady pointing left asks “is that a brambling on the feeder there?” and sure enough it is, a nice male to bring up the twenty.
As the clock runs down I spot a tiny goldcrest flitting through one of the central trees, then a kestrel flies over the treetops and my hour is up, the nursery pick-up can’t wait I‘m afraid. My total of 22 is probably only average at best, with notable absentees in jay and magpie, a missed tree creeper, not a lot of flyovers and out of sight jackdaws (should I count heard only? dunno) among others.
But an enjoyable way to spend an hour all the same, by continually scanning the peripherals and looking skywards for any extras which might otherwise be missed it kept me focussed, a good little challenge, will keep a record and do it again soon. Probably have a go from the other local hides as well.
Just a damper on the day though, walking home my mood was blackened when I came across a dead fox just off the main road, a fresh kill and no sign of external injuries on an otherwise beautiful-looking creature, I guess been clipped by a car, a sad and needless end to a superb animal. :-C
26 Feb 2009
With a couple of hours to spare I decided to start a bit of competitive birding and give myself an hour at Thornley woods feeding station to tot up how many species I could get in that time. A twenty minute walk, a quick chat in the centre and I took my seat in the hide at 1.35pm precisely, but I was a bit gutted to see only a single great tit after scanning the whole area, and it was like this for what seemed like a good few minutes, I reckon a sparrowhawk must have made a sortie just previous to my arrival, I’ve never seen the place so barren, and there was plenty of food out.
But little by little they came in, first a blue tit, then another, then a coal tit, a nuthatch appeared on the usual right-hand side nut feeder, then my attention was grabbed by a marshmallow tit, flitting on and off a nearby feeder. I tracked it to a branch above where for once it actually sat eating for a while so I could confirm a willow without too much trouble.
Looking to the ground now and normal service was resumed, chaffinches all around, a couple of blackbirds, dunnock and robin in amongst them.
I then spied a crackin’ yellowhammer on the far table, at last I‘ve seen one here, but only one so still disappointing, and on the nut feeder next to it was a male great spotted woodpecker, always a treat to watch, so in to double figures now but a lull in new species, and strangely not a bullfinch to be seen in the first twenty minutes.
A chatter of clicks and ticks gave away an incoming band of long-tailed tits, no more than eight but I love seeing these birds in close-up, proper cuties, and they didn’t disappoint as they all gathered on the same feeder, but soon left as suddenly as they had arrived.
Over half an hour into my time now and am gutted at some of the usual bankers missing from my list, though a striking male pheasant eventually makes an entrance with his harem of three females, but I have to make do with flyover carrion crow, wood pigeon and stock dove, and I don‘t count the cacophony of jackdaws I can hear tantalisingly close by.
A red kite entertains for a while, coming in low and calling to it’s probable mate over the trees to the right as it makes several passes, then I spot an irritated wren making its way through pondside vegetation.
Finally the first bullfinch is spotted, a beaut of a male on a centre table, well worth the wait but with only ten minutes left I’m disappointed I still haven’t yet made it to twenty.
There are a few more people in the hide now and a bloke to my right announces a treecreeper his side, but to which my view is obscured by a holly bush, so it’s brief appearance eludes my list, but then a lady pointing left asks “is that a brambling on the feeder there?” and sure enough it is, a nice male to bring up the twenty.
As the clock runs down I spot a tiny goldcrest flitting through one of the central trees, then a kestrel flies over the treetops and my hour is up, the nursery pick-up can’t wait I‘m afraid. My total of 22 is probably only average at best, with notable absentees in jay and magpie, a missed tree creeper, not a lot of flyovers and out of sight jackdaws (should I count heard only? dunno) among others.
But an enjoyable way to spend an hour all the same, by continually scanning the peripherals and looking skywards for any extras which might otherwise be missed it kept me focussed, a good little challenge, will keep a record and do it again soon. Probably have a go from the other local hides as well.
Just a damper on the day though, walking home my mood was blackened when I came across a dead fox just off the main road, a fresh kill and no sign of external injuries on an otherwise beautiful-looking creature, I guess been clipped by a car, a sad and needless end to a superb animal. :-C
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
The Unforgettable Fire....
When we set off this morning to do the rounds of some local sites, One Man and his Dog and myself could hardly expect to be adding such a star bird as a firecrest to our Gateshead borough lists but that’s exactly how it panned out.
Our first stop was to have a look at yet another little colony of tree sparrows Steve had discovered, and on the way his pager went off to say one had been seen at Lamesley on the east side of the borough.
We checked on the tree sparrows (at least eight or nine) and had a walk round a stubble field which had contained a large mixed flock a couple of weeks back, but has since been half ploughed but still a good amount of reed buntings here and a few yellowhammers, with skylarks in good voice and a few fieldfare perched in a tree nearby then off we went, arriving at Lamesley about 10.30am to be told that said crest hadn’t been seen since the initial sighting about 9 ‘o, so not even sure it was still around we waited, a few false alarms with flighty gold crests, but not much else on a chill-windy day to keep us warm, though one of the now locally resident common buzzards made a distant soaring appearance.
Not convinced we would have any joy I walked over to the reed beds opposite to see if I could get the wintering chiffchaff, got sidetracked by more flitting gold crests along the path which took an age to pin down in the thickets only to be eliminated from the enquiry, then witnessed a kickboxing three way tussle between some coots on the open water before hearing the chiffchaff in full song from across the reeds, though I couldn’t locate it visually it was certainly in good voice.
Having been ‘off-site’ for about twenty minutes I made my way back with the news that all was still quiet, but just a few minutes later we heard the high pitched call and out it jumped from a channel between dense growth and into the open perch of a small hawthorn. I got on it straight away to confirm it as a firecrest as it flitted about the hawthorn just in front of us, Steve could see it but couldn’t get his bins on it though it was close enough for him to see ok anyway, we called to the only other bloke out looking but by the time he made his way to where we were it had disappeared back into the undergrowth.
High fives all round then Steve put out the news it was still here. And what a little beauty, only the second I've seen and one of those birds well worth standing around in the cold for. We stuck around hoping for more views but half an hour on with now another eight or so birders searching fruitlessly we called it a day, and satisfied with an excellent borough tick we took in another couple of eventless sites before heading off home.
Have since learned that this was only the third recorded firecrest in Gateshead borough, the last being 2001 at Gibside in the derwent valley (before I lived there).
Iinformation from www.gatesheadbirders.co.uk which also has a nice record shot of the ‘crest from today by one of the original finders.
When we set off this morning to do the rounds of some local sites, One Man and his Dog and myself could hardly expect to be adding such a star bird as a firecrest to our Gateshead borough lists but that’s exactly how it panned out.
Our first stop was to have a look at yet another little colony of tree sparrows Steve had discovered, and on the way his pager went off to say one had been seen at Lamesley on the east side of the borough.
We checked on the tree sparrows (at least eight or nine) and had a walk round a stubble field which had contained a large mixed flock a couple of weeks back, but has since been half ploughed but still a good amount of reed buntings here and a few yellowhammers, with skylarks in good voice and a few fieldfare perched in a tree nearby then off we went, arriving at Lamesley about 10.30am to be told that said crest hadn’t been seen since the initial sighting about 9 ‘o, so not even sure it was still around we waited, a few false alarms with flighty gold crests, but not much else on a chill-windy day to keep us warm, though one of the now locally resident common buzzards made a distant soaring appearance.
Not convinced we would have any joy I walked over to the reed beds opposite to see if I could get the wintering chiffchaff, got sidetracked by more flitting gold crests along the path which took an age to pin down in the thickets only to be eliminated from the enquiry, then witnessed a kickboxing three way tussle between some coots on the open water before hearing the chiffchaff in full song from across the reeds, though I couldn’t locate it visually it was certainly in good voice.
Having been ‘off-site’ for about twenty minutes I made my way back with the news that all was still quiet, but just a few minutes later we heard the high pitched call and out it jumped from a channel between dense growth and into the open perch of a small hawthorn. I got on it straight away to confirm it as a firecrest as it flitted about the hawthorn just in front of us, Steve could see it but couldn’t get his bins on it though it was close enough for him to see ok anyway, we called to the only other bloke out looking but by the time he made his way to where we were it had disappeared back into the undergrowth.
High fives all round then Steve put out the news it was still here. And what a little beauty, only the second I've seen and one of those birds well worth standing around in the cold for. We stuck around hoping for more views but half an hour on with now another eight or so birders searching fruitlessly we called it a day, and satisfied with an excellent borough tick we took in another couple of eventless sites before heading off home.
Have since learned that this was only the third recorded firecrest in Gateshead borough, the last being 2001 at Gibside in the derwent valley (before I lived there).
Iinformation from www.gatesheadbirders.co.uk which also has a nice record shot of the ‘crest from today by one of the original finders.
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Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
Nice one. Funnily enough, I was fantasising about finding a Firecrest when I found the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker yesterday. Maybe if I'd been just a fraction better behaved during the week I might have managed both of them.
