Northumbrian Birding (1 Viewer)

[marco b]

Great tits breeding again?

Hi,

We put up a nest box in the garden in Newcastle last autumn - and it was just about completely ignored by all and sundry. Maybe it felt a bit too new for them. Anyway, sitting in bed this morning having a late brekky, I've noticed a pair of great tits showing interest in it - popping in and out, staying in for a minute or two, fighting off interest from blue tits and coal tits. Just like a pair of newly weds inspecting a starter home...
Are they thinking of attempting a second brood? Seems a bit late in the year for that, but maybe the bad summer and an earlier failed brood is making them have another go? Is this normal?

 

[ukjesters]

2 1st's for me at cresswell pond!

Yo peeps,
As per the title, a pair of kingfishers and an otter being very active. Apparently there was a pair of otters seen there prior to my arrival.

Not bad for a sadda morning.

Oh and i'm mega excited cos its the first hockey home game of the season for the vipers tomorrow...and i'm off...WOOHOO! :king:

 

[Stewart J.]

Yo all,

17.00hrs today at 17.00hrs female Marsh Harrier observed hunting Plenmeller Common just to east of lay-by, watched for a while as it flew over road behind us hunting fell to and lost to sight toward Ramshaw Fell. One assumes same bird as seen yesterday at Edges Green?

At 18.00hrs an Osprey observed carrying a large fish over the moor thought to have been disturbed from wood around small private fishing lough just above Plenmeller Village (stocked with fish by landowner for personal use) a Common Buzzard flew up at it causing it to about turn flying north and diving into woodland on South Tyne near Unthank Hall with Buzzard still harrying it (opportunist or what?)

Several Wheatears on moor suggesting passage.

Good birding all,

Stewart

 

[The Liverbirder]

orange billed tern sp?

Yesterday's Birdmap showed a mega in the Lincolnshire-ish area. It was described as above which I interpret as meaning a species of tern with an orange bill. Good so far? Use the link on the map and there are many sightings of orange billed tern sp. and some photos. Yippee. Even a 'suggestion' of it being an Elegant Tern. My question - if we have many sightings and even some photos, are there so many possibles that the exact species cannot be identified? My question may appear smug or aloof, but I can assure that I am very much an amateur (it takes me a while to separate common tern species in flight) and I am genuinely intrigued.

 

[Vipers]

Oh and i'm mega excited cos its the first hockey home game of the season for the vipers tomorrow...and i'm off...WOOHOO! :king:

Me too Rick. I might see you there.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Yesterday's Birdmap showed a mega in the Lincolnshire-ish area. It was described as above which I interpret as meaning a species of tern with an orange bill. Good so far? Use the link on the map and there are many sightings of orange billed tern sp. and some photos. Yippee. Even a 'suggestion' of it being an Elegant Tern. My question - if we have many sightings and even some photos, are there so many possibles that the exact species cannot be identified? My question may appear smug or aloof, but I can assure that I am very much an amateur (it takes me a while to separate common tern species in flight) and I am genuinely intrigued.

There's a bird with loads of photographs on the site in this link that's been giving Spanish birders the run-around on identification. A "Yellow-billed tern" that they think could be an Elegant, a hybrid, or God knows what.

http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsr000.htm

 

[June Atkinson]

Northern Kitesd _ recent statistics

Here, attached is a jpeg of our statistics:

 

[seggs]

this pm..

first stop was east.chev..
2 spoonbills still present and the black tern..autumns on its way wigeon starting to return ..
loads of waterfowl..here and cresswell..
tried the sea from here..(stonechats on the way and a wheatear)
2 r.t.divers..1 artic skua..
duridge pools next..
the main pool quiet again ..1 redshank in trouble here..had to flap its wings to move around..then squat down to feed..:-C
run down hide-
2 greenshanks and 9 dunlin
cresswell-
waterfowl and lapwings numbers building..
5 knots on the north pool.. main pool-1 greenshank and 16 dunlin..6 wigeon..
look at the sea off cresswell-
lots of gannet movement..and eiders..1 artic skua..1 r.t.diver..

 

[craigthirlwell]

first stop was east.chev..
2 spoonbills still present and the black tern..autumns on its way wigeon starting to return ..
loads of waterfowl..here and cresswell..
tried the sea from here..(stonechats on the way and a wheatear)
2 r.t.divers..1 artic skua..
duridge pools next..
the main pool quiet again ..1 redshank in trouble here..had to flap its wings to move around..then squat down to feed..:-C
run down hide-
2 greenshanks and 9 dunlin
cresswell-
waterfowl and lapwings numbers building..
5 knots on the north pool.. main pool-1 greenshank and 16 dunlin..6 wigeon..
look at the sea off cresswell-
lots of gannet movement..and eiders..1 artic skua..1 r.t.diver..

I reckon by about 11 tonight i'll be in a similar state as that redshank. I too will have to sit down to feed (probably a kebab). I just i hope i also attract the attention of the odd fox!!

 

[DEREK.C.]

Holy Island all day yesterday, sat on the causeway for an hour watching the Arctic Skuas hammering the Terns, 100 Brent Geese also back. St Cuthberts Island was virtually covered in birds at high tide, around a thousand + Bar Tailed Godwit, Knot , Golden Plover with loads of Turnstone, Oystercatcher and 50 Grey Plover. Black Tailed Godwit in the harbour with several Guillemot only yards from the shore. Wheatears, Whinchat, Stonechat and a Merlin also seen.

 

[tallyn78]

Bird id northumberland

Hi guys, I'm just a casual birdwatcher and wonder if you cuold tell me what this is - I'm sure you'll know this bird as it has lived in the Lakside restaurant Lake area near Creswell for ages now!
Thanks!

 

[Keith Reeder]

Hi Tallyn, welcome on board.

What you've got there is a Muscovy duck.

 

[tony robb]

its a Muscovy duck or as we used to call the ones that resided in Northumberland Park, North Shields when i was a kid...Chinese Fighting Ducks...don`t ask me why....

 

[tallyn78]

Thanks for the info, have wondered for a long time what the bird was!

 

[DEREK.C.]

Simonside Hills

Had a few afternoons here during the week, loads of birds about, one huge flock feeding in larch consisted of around 100 Siskin, 50 Coal Tit, 15 Crossbill and Treecreepers plus a few Spotted Flycatchers dotting about.
The next day the Crossbills had moved onto Spruce, tried a few crappy pics, but gave up with a stiff neck .

 

[tony robb]

Hi,

We put up a nest box in the garden in Newcastle last autumn - and it was just about completely ignored by all and sundry. Maybe it felt a bit too new for them. Anyway, sitting in bed this morning having a late brekky, I've noticed a pair of great tits showing interest in it - popping in and out, staying in for a minute or two, fighting off interest from blue tits and coal tits. Just like a pair of newly weds inspecting a starter home...
Are they thinking of attempting a second brood? Seems a bit late in the year for that, but maybe the bad summer and an earlier failed brood is making them have another go? Is this normal?

just been watching a pair of house sparrows nest building in the eaves of my house...

 

[Keith Bradley]

Newbiggin Seawatching

Spent quite a while seawatching off Newbiggin today, from approx 08.00 to 14.00. Good numbers of Sooty and Manx Shearwater North, with a smaller number of the latter South, including two lingering close in the bay with what I presume was a shoal of Mackerel that also attracted Arctic Skua (both DP and LP) amongst all the Gulls and Auks. 10+ Arctic Skua was also noted in passage. By far the highlight was a Peregrine Falcon in off the Sea just North of Church Point being mobbed by Arctic Skua as it closed within sight of landfall (thanks to Richard Dunn for picking this one up :clap. Other birds noted in passage were the usual Gannet (good numbers of these), Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Kittiwake, Fulmar and also 8 Red Throated Diver. Guillemot and Razorbill were very numerous in the bay area. A single Puffin and Whimbrel passed North and South respectively. Calling Golden Plover overhead revealed what may have been accompanying Ruff but they eluded identification.

A very enjoyable day all in all, but as usual tinged with the frustration that both Balearic and Great Shearwater were seen off Whitburn! Can someone tell the Balearics that they are allowed in Northumberland at weekends within sight of land! || At least I had my first Minke Whale off Newbiggin yesterday! ||

Cresswell Pond in the wader stakes had two Greenshank, Common Redshank, Dunlin, Common Snipe and what was either two Bar Tailed or Black Tailed Godwit.

Keith
2007 Year List 234
2007 Northumerland Year List 201

 

[seggs]

I reckon by about 11 tonight i'll be in a similar state as that redshank. I too will have to sit down to feed (probably a kebab). I just i hope i also attract the attention of the odd fox!![/QUOTE.. lol

hi craig
hope the redshank experience has worn off..lol..
keebab!..so uncouth!..a indian at least!!! show a example
and the fox..dont let your lass know! lol..:-O

 

[jerkin]

Prestwick Carr

Hen Harrier,ringtail and Peregrine male at Carr 10/9 /07 at 1800 hours aprox

 

[tallyn78]

While in Humford woods nr. Plessey Woods, Bedlington today I was really surprised to see two firecrests (first time I've seen this bird) - in a flock with long-tailed tits, tree-creepers, and a great spotted woodpecker.
I'm just a novice birdwatcher but I thought firecrests didn't come this far north - am I just ignorant or is it a climate changing thing?!!