Northumbrian Birding (1 Viewer)

[MH68]

Mark,
For someone with very limited mobility, what is the best access at Gosforth Park? We have a disabled disk for the car, but my husband can only walk short distances on the level, using his walking stick. But with all these sightings, it is a very tempting site and easily reached from Ponteland.
Many thanks for any tips or advice you can give us. We are RSPB and NWWT members.

Just got back from Hulne Park, and in dire need of 2 new feet!! (report to follow).Keith basically summed it up June. Even if you restricted your access to as far as the Pyle Hide you`d be covering the most productive areas of the reserve.The Red Squirrels can be most easily viewed from the members hut at the entrance, and the SE end of the reserve would give you most of the woodland bird species, especially during the winter.The Roe Deer can usually be seen along the South path to the hides.They also gather in large groups along the edge of the fields to the south of the reserve during the colder months(easily viewed from either the road or the south path).
Some of the paths do get flooded in very wet weather, but these are mostly along the North and East sides of the reserve, the path to the hides is usually fine.Most of the paths are level walking too which is a bonus.

Mark

 

[Keith Reeder]

Happy to help, June - for most of my life (from the age of 5 until just a couple of years ago when we just went our separate ways) I counted a guy with extremely limited walking ability due to Spina Bifida as my closest friend, so it's an issue I'm particularly sensitised to.

Mark, I am looking forward keenly to the report - I presume the fact that you haven't simply written "it was crap" is a good sign..!

 

[MH68]

Ok, just about recovered from the walk around Hulne Park with Gill (Osborne).First off, the place is huge!! We walked for miles and hardly scratched the surface of the place...
Lots of isolated pockets of small birds in the woods :- Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Long tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit,Coal Tit. Also had a good view of a Great Spotted Woodpecker not long after I`d commented on how surprised I was we hadn`t seen/heard one.
Same scenario with raptors....we must have walked about 3 or 4 miles without a sighting then over the course of a hundred yards spotted 8 Buzzards! 2 of which were engaged in either passing food in mid-air or a spot of grappling (distant view so unsure).
There were still numbers of Swallows and House Martins feeding over the fields, and Chiffchaff and Willow warbler were heard but not seen in the woods.
One Highlight was spotting a Fallow Deer feeding along a ridge- long time since I`ve seen one. Also found Otter signs along the river on several spots.
No sign of Hawfinches or Red squirrels unfortunately, but there`s always another time for those.Only downside is the fact we`re now sick of the sight of Pheasants....literally thousands of them, whenever movement was spotted on the ground it was invariably one of these.Bet the Foxes love the area though!!
2 Kestrels also noted on the way home.Overall a good day out and nice to meet Gill at long last.I`m sure if I`ve missed anything out Gill will put me right.
Attached 2 poor pics (low light) of the Fallow Deer.

Mark

 

[Keith Reeder]

Heh! The fallow deer is a bit of a surprise!

I know what you mean about the flamin' pheasants though...

I wonder if we should be thinking about a BF gathering at Hulne Park?

 

[MH68]

I`d be up for a meet at Hulne Keith :t: :t:

Mark

 

[Keith Reeder]

I spent a couple of hours on the sea front and dunes between Blyth and Seaton Sluice yesterday.

It was a bit quiet for passerines, with only odd pairs of stonechat showing.

On the sea, aside from the ubiquitous gulls were a few guillemots and razorbills, and I spent a while watching a juvenile gannet feeding quite close to shore.

There was also a couple of red throated divers - an adult and a juvenile, I think - and they were close in as well, making good views pretty easy.

I enjoyed watching a large female kestrel hunting over the dunes: in addition to doing the usual kestrel thing of hovering, it occasionally dropped down low and actively quartered the dunes in a most un-kestrelly way!

So all in all, though there was nothing surprising on the scene, I enjoyed the time - if nothing else, it helped clear out some of the fuzziness I was feeling because of this aaaful cold!

 

[rayl]

Nice pics Keith,especially the Kestrel, you can really see the concentration in the eye. Funnily enough I was watching Kestrel yesterday doing exactly the same thing only at about 1000 ft. more altitude. I expect to be PMing you tomorrow.

Ray

 

[Keith Reeder]

Hi Ray,

I was delighted with the kestrel pic, given that it was a good 30 or 40 yards away - the AF did a damn' fine job of getting the bird instead of the foliage all around.

I look forward to the PM.

 

[MH68]

Great Kestrel pic Keith, nice one!

Mark

 

[Keith Reeder]

More good luck than good management, mate - but ta!

 

[Brian Bullough]

More good luck than good management, mate - but ta!

Great pics keith, that Kestrel look is brilliant,anybody who thinks some luck does not come into photographing birds is deluded but you have used it to your advantage with good results.
I cycled along the dunes to St Mary's on Friday and saw about the same even the Juv Gannet very close inshore towards south harbour had a look on the old caravan ground it looks to have loads of potential for the winter.
Brian

 

[Keith Reeder]

Oh aye - the old caravan ground that's currently subject to a planning permission application for 227 dwellings!

GRRR!!!! Don't get me started on that..!



(As it happens, I believe that the application has been refused in its present form, so - hopefully - those low shrubs will be left as is for a while yet).

Very kind words about the kestrel, Brian - much appreciated.

 

[MH68]

Had an hours wander around the fields towards Brockwell this afternoon........
Stacks of finches along the hedgerows:
35 Goldfinch
10 Greenfinch
22 Chaffinch
50+ Blue Tit
19 Great Tit
Several Redwings
15 Song Thrush
Over 30 Robins
Stacks of Blackbirds(approx 50) feeding on berries.Great views of a Sparrowhawk chasing House Sparrows amongst the hawthorns.Attached pics of Goldfinch and Robin....

MarkH

 

[Keith Reeder]

Nice pics, Mark - I especially like the robin...

 

[MH68]

Cheers Keith, the Goldfinch was quite a distance away,so heavily cropped image.Pretty chuffed with the Robin pic.

Mark

 

[LSB]

Bluethroat rpt St Mary's Island btw dipping pond and sea in gully (17.30) also Yellow Browed Warbler in top willows

 

[Brian Bullough]

Bluethroat rpt St Mary's Island btw dipping pond and sea in gully (17.30) also Yellow Browed Warbler in top willows

Just got the message from Birdguides at 22.45 was it not reported and no mention re Yellow Browed.
Brian

 

[Brian Bullough]

Black Redstart

Called in at the QeII lake a few Pochard there fisherman opposite caught a huge Pike took him ages to sort out and release every time it moved he was scared of it but it did have a very large mouth and no doubt loads of sharp teeth,he's bound to put one of those hook removing tools ? (with a very long handle) on his Christmas list.Finally caught up with the Black Redstart at Cresswell yesterday the water level is still high,also went to Linton lane although here there is no wader edge as such 4 Snipe,a good range of duck,Pocard, Teal,Shoveller,Gadwall and seems to be the chosen bathing pool for the Herring Gulls feeding on the nearby tip, the other pool held 285 Canada Geese and 250 blackheaded. Gulls, 8 Bullfinch on the path photo of one but the light was fading fast its worth a visit
No sign this am of Bluethroat St mary's very quite there actually also checked meggies Burn area near Blyth which held 4 Stonechats.
Brian

 

[Keith Reeder]

Ack! People shouldn't fish for pike unless they know what they're doing or are with someone who does - big pike are pussycats to unhook if you know the trick...

Anyway, glad you caught up with the redstart Brian, they're one of my favourite LBJs (Little Black Jobs? ) and your pic certainly does him justice.

 

[MH68]

Nice B/Redstart pic Brian, echo Keith`s comments re the pike......same old story on that lake...

Mark