The birds & wildlife of Gateshead (8 Viewers)

[One Man and His Dog]

As the last gateshead thread has died, i thought id bring back to life whats happening in gateshead and my local area of the lower derwent valley. I do 99% of my birding in gateshead with my border collie (tilly), unless a rarity turns up elsewhere?. so i thought id revive a gateshead thread for somewhere to make my reports, and hopefully for any readers to post there reports and photos. My first report is of dipping on a reported coues artic redpoll on the derwent country park, although i had a possible two sightings of a artic? but not a tickable view. I did have 5 mealys with a small flock of of lesser redpolls, also in area 4 dipper,20+siskin,red kite,buzzard,green woodpecker. A rare visit to far pastures produced 15 reed buntings from hide, thornley woods treecreeper performing well with 2 lesser redpolls drinking from pool, also yellowhammer,brambling and fox showing. heres a few photos from my day out. Out on bike again tomorrow with tilly, so fingers crossed for that coues artic redpoll???
cheers
steve

 

[Marmot]

Well done and congratulations to Tilly who is a dog that actually appreciates Birds.

 

[Mark Newsome]

I think your photo above captioned as Mealy Redpoll is actually a Lesser. Not the best of angles to see the full wing structure, but it does appear to have relatively short wings and little primary projection. Compare it to the wing structure on the attached photo (one of Ray Scotts - hope you're OK with me attaching it to illustrate a point mate!) - very long primaries as benefits a bird which migrates great distances. The ground colour to the lower flanks is also a bit buffy and the wing bar is not as clean as you'd hope for a Mealy.

I'm not too convinced on the possible Arctic Redpoll photographed (on the Gateshead Birders website). It looks to have a long spikey bill, and the flank streaks are quite prominent and extend well down the flanks. A pale rump is only part way to being an Arctic... However, photos don't always tell the full story - maybe the undertail and other features noted may be more promising.

Mark

 

[One Man and His Dog]

I think your photo above captioned as Mealy Redpoll is actually a Lesser. Not the best of angles to see the full wing structure, but it does appear to have relatively short wings and little primary projection. Compare it to the wing structure on the attached photo (one of Ray Scotts - hope you're OK with me attaching it to illustrate a point mate!) - very long primaries as benefits a bird which migrates great distances. The ground colour to the lower flanks is also a bit buffy and the wing bar is not as clean as you'd hope for a Mealy.

I'm not too convinced on the possible Arctic Redpoll photographed (on the Gateshead Birders website). It looks to have a long spikey bill, and the flank streaks are quite prominent and extend well down the flanks. A pale rump is only part way to being an Arctic... However, photos don't always tell the full story - maybe the undertail and other features noted may be more promising.

Mark

Thanks for your input mark, its all about learning! i'll get back in touch with birdguides as they displayed it as a mealy, tricky ones redpolls?
cheers
steve

 

[StevieEvans]

Thanks for your input mark, its all about learning! i'll get back in touch with birdguides as they displayed it as a mealy, tricky ones redpolls?
cheers
steve

Hello Steve
Look forward to reading how you get on through the year - Gateshead as an area seems to be realy well geared up for birders, wildlife & nature enthusiasts.

Had a look round Birtley Swg area before Xmas - superb selection of habo round there..... - Bittern on those ice free pools is surely long overdue...

Enjoyed watching you piling them onto that Surfbirds garden list last year :t:

See you again in about 3 year or so


PS: - whats a Coues Arctic Warbler ;-)

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Hello Steve
Look forward to reading how you get on through the year - Gateshead as an area seems to be realy well geared up for birders, wildlife & nature enthusiasts.

Had a look round Birtley Swg area before Xmas - superb selection of habo round there..... - Bittern on those ice free pools is surely long overdue...

Enjoyed watching you piling them onto that Surfbirds garden list last year :t:

See you again in about 3 year or so


PS: - whats a Coues Arctic Warbler ;-)

cheers stevie
your right about a bittern overdue at birtley reed beds, cracking area and its had a few goodies already. Not doing so much from garden this year it seemed to take over my life last year, found myself rushing home from a days birding :-O. Had some cracking ticks yourself from garden, ive noticed your going for it again. Probably bump into you at shibdon some time in the next few years? :t:


cheers
steve

PS: whats a coue's artic redpoll? spelling error corrected, i'll post a few more of them. cheers :-O:-O:-O

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Mealy or Lesser outcome?

I think your photo above captioned as Mealy Redpoll is actually a Lesser. Not the best of angles to see the full wing structure, but it does appear to have relatively short wings and little primary projection. Compare it to the wing structure on the attached photo (one of Ray Scotts - hope you're OK with me attaching it to illustrate a point mate!) - very long primaries as benefits a bird which migrates great distances. The ground colour to the lower flanks is also a bit buffy and the wing bar is not as clean as you'd hope for a Mealy.

I'm not too convinced on the possible Arctic Redpoll photographed (on the Gateshead Birders website). It looks to have a long spikey bill, and the flank streaks are quite prominent and extend well down the flanks. A pale rump is only part way to being an Arctic... However, photos don't always tell the full story - maybe the undertail and other features noted may be more promising.

Mark

Hi mark
regarding the id of the redpoll in photo, im going to have to stand my ground on it been a mealy. Recieved email from birdguides to confirm id as a mealy, also confirmed by other birders. As for the arctic redpoll (possible) on gatesheadbirders website, i believe it didnt show any undertail coverts? but i couldnt comment any further on id, as i didnt see the bird in question. Back to mealy redpoll photo, feel free to add photo to id thread for any feed back if your still not convinced.
cheers
steve

 

[Mark Newsome]

Hi mark
regarding the id of the redpoll in photo, im going to have to stand my ground on it been a mealy. Recieved email from birdguides to confirm id as a mealy, also confirmed by other birders. As for the arctic redpoll (possible) on gatesheadbirders website, i believe it didnt show any undertail coverts? but i couldnt comment any further on id, as i didnt see the bird in question. Back to mealy redpoll photo, feel free to add photo to id thread for any feed back if your still not convinced.
cheers
steve

Hi Steve,

No problem! ID'ing birds from a single photo is never easy, and especially so with Redpolls. To me, the primary projection still looks rather short for a Mealy, but I've been getting a bit weary looking at Redpolls lately. Redpolls are all just blurring into one (which is maybe the best way!).

As for the possible Arctic, again one 'record shot' photo doesn't always tell the full story. Hopefully it'll be refound. I hope it did have some undertail coverts - it'll get a cold bum in this weather without them!

Mark

 

[StevieEvans]

cheers stevie
your right about a bittern overdue at birtley reed beds, cracking area and its had a few goodies already. Not doing so much from garden this year it seemed to take over my life last year, found myself rushing home from a days birding :-O. Had some cracking ticks yourself from garden, ive noticed your going for it again. Probably bump into you at shibdon some time in the next few years? :t:


cheers
steve

PS: whats a coue's artic redpoll? spelling error corrected, i'll post a few more of them. cheers :-O:-O:-O

Hey One Man,
have a look at your totals at the bottom of your posts.... thats the Coues arctic Warbler i was refering to :king:

Im looking to confirm breeding for LSW this year, so i'll be making 1 or 2 visits up your way (amongst other places) come late Feb / early March....
you'll probably end up with a one in your monster garden :-O

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Hey One Man,
have a look at your totals at the bottom of your posts.... thats the Coues arctic Warbler i was refering to :king:

Im looking to confirm breeding for LSW this year, so i'll be making 1 or 2 visits up your way (amongst other places) come late Feb / early March....
you'll probably end up with a one in your monster garden :-O

Cheers stevie
just realised what you meant "warbler" where did i get that one from? :-O
love a LSW in garden! cracking one that would be, always keeping an eye out for one in the derwent valley but no luck as yet. Keep you informed of any sightings. :t:

Out on daily bike ride to give tilly her exersise and had 3 singing dippers and a singing song thrush, 12 lesser redpolls and one mealy redpoll in the derwent cp today. Female goldeneye still on the derwent near the tennis courts and 2 siskins flew over, no big flocks of siskin today? Morning off work tomorrow, so will be having a run out somewhere in the borough.
cheers
steve

 

[One Man and His Dog]

usual rounds

Started off in the ravensworth fell area where i had 2 little owls, 1 common buzzard, 58 golden plover fly over and 2 kestrel,96 fildfare,3 red-legged partridge. next stop was birtley reed beds where i had 1 woodcock,1 goldcrest,1 buzzard, 1 kestrel, 12 lesser redpolls and a host of commener birds along the way, tilly had a great time jumping and playing in the streams as you can tell by the attached photo! :t:
cheers
steve

 

[ICee]

Sparrow hawk

Sparrow hawk from last week, I had a good 20mins with this bird at thronley.

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Sparrowhawk with kill by iain.clyne, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[One Man and His Dog]

cracking shot

hi Iain
you've got to be happy with that one :t:
i've been a bit under the weather of recent, that's why i have'nt posted anything. on the mend now though?
cheers
steve

 

[ICee]

hi Iain
you've got to be happy with that one :t:
i've been a bit under the weather of recent, that's why i have'nt posted anything. on the mend now though?
cheers
steve

Hi Steve,
I am happy with that one, it was a case of being in the right place at the right time.

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Back to birding!!!

Out and about once again!
a bit late news first of all-late feb produced 100+flock of redpolls in the derwent cp, 30+ birds were mealys but no artics with them, also 2 pink-footed geese at lamsley. Late feb also seen the return of oystercatcher~chiffchaff~kittiwake.
Todays outing took me to shibdon pond~derwenthaugh staithes~costco tyne~timber beach~dunstan staithes~gateshead quayside~lamsley water meadows~birtley reed beds~bishops pool~burdon moor. It turned out to be a quite day, highlight of the day was at the tyne bridge watching the kittiwakes. Heres a few photos from today and lets hope tomorrows outing produces a few more sightings (hawfinch hunting) :eek!:, fingers crossed?
cheers
steve :t:

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Photos of previous sightings!

Late feb birds-
curlew at derwenthaugh meadows
dunlin at derwenthaugh staithes
1 of 30+ mealys at derwent cp
oystercatchers at coalhouse pool
pink feet at lamsley
cheers
steve :t:

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Hawfinch hunting! as if!!!

Yes you guessed it (no hawfinch), you did'nt really think i'd get one did you?
anyway back to the serious birding, sites visited today - victoria garesfield ~ derwent walk cp (raptor watch) ~ shibdon pond
birds seen 51-
garden whilst getting ready:
pheasant
chaffinch
blackbird
stock dove
blue tit
robin
great tit
wood pigeon
grey heron
carrion crow
siskin
nuthatch
dunnock
wren
collard dove
Victoria Garesfield:
jackdaw
starling
bhgull
magpie
mistle thrush
bullfinch
coal tit
lttit
treecreeper
gswoodpecker
tawny owl (calling)
goldcrest
redwing
Derwent Walk cp (raptor watch): 4 1/2 hours
7 x buzzard
9 x red kite
3 x sparrowhawk
2 x kestrel
jay
lapwing
common gull
greenfinch
curlew
Shibdon Pond:
mute swan
canada goose
shelduck
moorhen
mallard
coot
cormorant
teal
goldfinch
19 x snipe
gbbgull
herring gull
oystercatcher
lbbgull
and that's it for today's outing, back on bike in morning to give tilly her run and another chance to do a bit of birding.
cheers :t:
steve

 

[StevieEvans]

Yes you guessed it (no hawfinch), you did'nt really think i'd get one did you?
<snip>

garden whilst getting ready:

cheers :t:
steve

Logged on especially to read about a hat-full of Hawfinch....
nice day for it - love your getting ready list.

doesnt anbody try R'worth nowadays ?




http://s-evans.blogspot.com/

 

[One Man and His Dog]

hi stevie
i dont think ravensworth gets the coverage it deserves, i only give a 1/2 hour scan from behind the pub when im doing my rounds,even though ive had a few good birds from there. I usually just stick with the derwent valley for my raptor watching, its usually kind to me? fingers crossed it is this year!
cheers
steve

 

[StevieEvans]

hi stevie
i dont think ravensworth gets the coverage it deserves, i only give a 1/2 hour scan from behind the pub when im doing my rounds,even though ive had a few good birds from there. I usually just stick with the derwent valley for my raptor watching, its usually kind to me? fingers crossed it is this year!
cheers
steve

Yes, you dont do too badly up that valley. :t:

are you doing any travelling this year or mostly G'head area ? - other than the half inch, what else is "missing" off your Ghead 2011 list ?