Northumbrian Birding (2 Viewers)

[Gill Osborne]

Very nice shots there guys of one of my fave birds :t:

And I don't know HOW I've managed it but I've yet to see a Kingfisher this year!!!!!!! :-C Planning to put that to rights in the next week or so.

 

[MH68]

Good luck Gill i`m sure you`ll manage to see one up where you are..... :t:


Mark

 

[seggs]

Very nice shots there guys of one of my fave birds :t:

And I don't know HOW I've managed it but I've yet to see a Kingfisher this year!!!!!!! :-C Planning to put that to rights in the next week or so.

HI GILL TRY COMING SOUTH OF THE BORDER TO THE RIVER DON.. just thro- the tunnel. from the tyne at st. bedes church follow the river path. you will be unlucky not to get one!!! :t:

 

[Mouldy]

Cheers mate, amazing the effect that lighting has on pictures as the lighting today was good but was poor on saturday morning, but yet, in my opinion, i managed to get a nicer picture down at claravale - g/head way.

Hope you don't mind if I butt in and disagree but I think the first picture you took is excellent, gives off a great atmosphere with the lighting, soft focus background and composition.
The Clara Vale pic might be a better shot of the bird itself but for me the first one captures the moment and what the Kingfisher is about much better.
(Sorry, the critique in me still comes out sometimes, I'll return to normal after a pint later) :scribe:

Cheers

 

[Vipers]

Just been up to Cresswell to see the Isabelline Shrike, what a cracking little bird! Its the fourth species of shrike I've seen in the uk this year. So I'm well pleased with that. I think Cresswell is going to be a busy place this weekend.

 

[Gill Osborne]

I'm off to Holy Island tomorrow with the North Nothumberland club but should be able to fit in a trip to Cresswell in the early afternoon.

Apparently there's a Slavonian Grebe at East Chevington too.

 

[Gill Osborne]

HI GILL TRY COMING SOUTH OF THE BORDER TO THE RIVER DON..

SOUTH!!!!!!!!!! :eek!: What passports/vaccinations will I need? :'D

 

[MH68]

Gosforth Park today, nothing of note but wasn`t there for that long.
3 different sightings of a Bittern this week on the lake on 24th/25th in the log book though...

Mark

 

[seggs]

hi has the isabeline shrike been seen today anyone know? if so wheres the best bet to see it?
american wigeon still at boldon flats and showing well today if anyone fancies crossing the border

 

[Keith Reeder]

Yep, it's been sighted throughout the day - most recent report being 1pm.

 

[Gill Osborne]

I didn't get a chance to check out the Shrike at Cresswell or the Grebe at East Chev as I was late getting back from Holy Island - anyone know if they are still around? I'll get along their way tomorrow after 1pm when I finish work.

Had fabulous weather on Holy Island with a very warm wind - hard to believe it's nearly November! There were even Dog Roses still in flower in hedges by Beal!!!
Nothing spectacularly rare on the Island today - Red-throated Diver just offshore at the white pyramid, male Pintail on the pond (apologies for descriptions - I don't yet know the correct names for the various areas LOL), 3 Snow Buntings coming in from the sea, Guillemot & Razorbill out to sea, a single Little Auk belting by ( which I dipped on grrr ), LOTS of Redwings & Blackbirds everywhere, a single Fieldfare, and a single Swallow flying around the village.

 

[level seven]

I went up to Cresswell this afternoon for the Isabelline Shrike. Lovely bird. I had my first-ever attempt at digiscoping, just holding the camera to the lens. Difficult, isn't it?! A lot were duds, but I did get one or two reasonable results.

 

[seggs]

I went up to Cresswell this afternoon for the Isabelline Shrike. Lovely bird. I had my first-ever attempt at digiscoping, just holding the camera to the lens. Difficult, isn't it?! A lot were duds, but I did get one or two reasonable results.

excellent photo... i am like you with photos and scopes.. i will try after seeing this photo.. missed the shirke tonight due to it going to roost 20 minutes earlier than i got there.. :-C but 6 whoopers on the pond.. bad light stopped play 5.00pm

 

[martin kitching]

Tystie Trek 18/11/06

I have organised a 3 hour pelagic trip departing from Seahouses, Northumberland, on Saturday 18th November at 10:00, cost £15 per person. The intention is to sail around the Farne Islands searching for Black Guillemots, other auks and seaduck.
PM me for further details if interested.

cheers
martin

 

[One Man and His Dog]

no sign of isabelline shrike today, it was last seen sunday late afternoon, eating a linnet.heres a photo from sunday along with a juv med gull at newbigging.

thanx

 

[stew the smew]

no sign of isabelline shrike today, it was last seen sunday late afternoon, eating a linnet.heres a photo from sunday along with a juv med gull at newbigging.

thanx

nice shots steve, although part of me had hoped there would have been one of the shrike eating the linnet.

 

[The Liverbirder]

All Quiet....

This morning;
Arcot Pond - two herons, one mallard, several teal and BH gulls, one greylag and some moorhens.
Bothal Pond - multitudes of lapwing, canada geese, wigeon (no Americans), teal, a few shoveler and a little grebe.
Longhirst Flash - a few mallard

The excitement never fails............

 

[The Liverbirder]

Cresswell Today

High winds hitting the front of the hide meant that with the windows open it was freezing, especially on the face and fingers! Still, good company was a compensation.

Plenty to see, Greylags, Canada, Pink Feet and PERHAPS a few Bean Geese. They were on the field north of the north pool (beyong the breakwater/footpath) and sometimes the features as per Collins were present, sometimes not clearly, affected by the light and the distance. I cannot be 100%.

Also Common Scoter, Wigeon, Golden Eye, Teal, Mallard and Mergansers. And Cormorant, BH/GBB/Common Gulls, LIttle Grebe, Redshank and a Sparrowhawk.

All in all, plenty to see, in good numbers, and worth braving the Arctic conditions!

 

[Gill Osborne]

Ditto Gordon's report on Cresswell :t:

I headed up to East Chevington afterwards. No sign of the Slavonian Grebe but there were a couple of Stonechat, eight Barnacle Geese in amongst a large flock of resting Greylags, three Whooper Swans, Red-breasted Mergansers, Little Grebe and, possibly, two/three drake Scaup on far side of larger pool ( chap with a scope pointed them out but I couldn't see 'em!). Also large flock c25+ Goldeneye flew in just before I left at 1.30pm.

 

[LSB]

Smew (redhead) and Common Scoter rpt on Cresswell Pond today...