Gateshead birding (2 Viewers)

[nellieberta]

Cheers Mick, where is Far Pastures car park?

Hi Cartman,

Sorry I assumed you knew. Far Pature is a small pond / reed bed further up the derwent valley than the via duct. Your best bet is to either pop into the Thornley Woodland Centre and they'll give you directions or check out this linkhttp://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Leisure%20and%20Culture/countryside/sites/derwent.aspx.
If you want to use hide you'll need a key (purchased from Thornley) so you may as well pop in and they will give you a comprehensive map.

Hope this helps

Mick

 

[One Man and His Dog]

firecrest

Good bird for the borough at birtley reed beds a single firecrest calling and seen, but very elusive. The bird can be located in hawthorns opposite the entrance to birtley reed beds, just off greenford lane.
cheers
steve

 

[seggs]

Good bird for the borough at birtley reed beds a single firecrest calling and seen, but very elusive. The bird can be located in hawthorns opposite the entrance to birtley reed beds, just off greenford lane.
cheers
steve

Hi Steve our pathes crossed today i think, were you with another lad and of cause your dog at about 9.30 today at the Firecrest site?
I was with our lass(dumb blonde:-O) and in a camo. coat. walking along with M.L.
We dipped on two visits today both a hour or so in length.
But did have a wintering Chiffchaff in full song between the Reed beds:t: and a Kingfisher in flight.

 

[seggs]

Hi June
We visited Barlow today and had great views of 2 Red Kites, both hovering around meat placed in the field west of the pub here.
Did,nt realise the birds were still being fed here, i know rabbit carcases etc. a while ago were left on the hedgerows.
Great to see the Kites so close.:t:

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Hi Steve our pathes crossed today i think, were you with another lad and of cause your dog at about 9.30 today at the Firecrest site?
I was with our lass(dumb blonde:-O) and in a camo. coat. walking along with M.L.
We dipped on two visits today both a hour or so in length.
But did have a wintering Chiffchaff in full song between the Reed beds:t: and a Kingfisher in flight.

hi seggs
that was me with the dog today, mouldy was the other guy. shame you didnt get on to he firecrest, its still in the area as i had it calling this am but couldnt see it. hope you have better luck next time!
cheers
steve

 

[One Man and His Dog]

thornley woodland centre

common crossbill viewed from hide today.
cheers
steve

 

[Quacker]

common crossbill viewed from hide today.
cheers
steve

Tremendous find that - never in 5 years have I seen one there or even in the woods and surrounding walks!

 

[June Atkinson]

Friends of Red Kites

As the Northern Kites Project is due to end in July, a group is being formed, called the Friends of Red Kites, in the North-east of England.

Attached is a flyer. We hope that Bird Forum members will support the work which will continue under the auspices of this group, in collaboration with other agencies.

Please - join us and become a guardian of our majestic kites!

 

[salty]

im spending some time down the derwent recently, walks with the little one and bike rides, great to see them so common down there.

 

[rentoncharman]

common crossbill viewed from hide today.
cheers
steve

Apologies Steve, for some reason I thought your name was Frank - you pointed out the crossbill to me on wednesday. I posted on the other thread for your region (In and around South Tyneside) with a photograph.

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Nice find mouldy!!!!!!!

RED RUMPED SWALLOW at far pastures today, showing well on wires 4 times before weather improved and most birds started to fly high! If im right its a first for gateshead!!!!!!
cheers
steve

 

[dampflippers]

While you are out birding, please watch out for hares. If you see a brown hare (not a rabbit) in the Durham area (between the Tyne and Tees), please fill in a survey form and submit it to Durham Wildlife Trust / Durham Biodiversity Partnership. South Tyneside, Sunderland and Gateshead are also included.
You will need to record number of hares seen, the address/ name of the location, a description of habitat and what they were doing, and grid ref or postcode of where you saw them.

http://www.durhambiodiversity.org.uk/brownharesurvey.htm
http://www.durhambiodiversity.org.uk/brownharesurveyform.htm

http://www.durhambiodiversity.org.uk/surveys.htm

 

[June Atkinson]

Kitewatch 2009

Gateshead Council has now taken over the running of Kitewatch.

Here are the details so far:

Kitewatch
Location: Derwent Walk Country Park, Gateshead,
Join Rangers and kite volunteers as they are on hand to point out red kites nesting and visible from Kite Hill.

Directions from Winlaton Mill car park to Kite Hill.

Dates of Kitewatch Events
07/06/2009 - 07/06/2009 11am - 3pm
13/06/2009 - 13/06/2009 11am - 3pm
28/06/2009 - 28/06/2009 11am- 3pm
11/07/2009 - 11/07/2009 11am - 3pm

Free - Open to all, just turn up
Contact Details: Thornley Woods Visitor Centre
Tel: 01207 545212

Be sure to take your camera and binoculars - viewing can be superb!:t:

 

[June Atkinson]

Kite Safari


Red Kite Safari

19/07/09 - 19/07/09 1pm - 4pm
A 5 mile walk looking for red kites and learning about their reintroduction to the North East. Watch these magnificent birds soar above the Derwent Valley.

Family event, book in advance
Contact Details
Tel: 01207 545212
Email: [email protected]

Price Details
£1 - Family event, book in advance

Further Details
Location: Thornley Woodlands Centre, Derwent Walk Country Park, Rowlands Gill, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE39 1AU

 

[June Atkinson]

Rolling Launch of Friends of Red Kites in the North East of England Friday, 10th July


Friday, 10th July 2009
Go Northeast has generously given FoRK a bus for our Launch!
The "kite bus" will leave the Metro Centre bus station at 10.00a.m. and make its way to Lintzford Garden Centre with at least eight Friends of Red Kites Volunteers on board, arriving just before 10.45a.m. There will be an information table in the car park next to the bus. FoRK volunteers will present information to the public and will talk to them about red kites, what FoRK are doing and promoting membership.

The bus will leave Lintzford Garden Centre just after mid-day and make its way to the National Trust Gibside car park for 12.30p.m. and do the same thing there. It is scheduled to leave the Gibside car park at approx.13.45hrs to head back to the Metro Centre.
Come along to support us, and help us to launch the Friends of Red Kites. We shall soon be creating a new thread for our group.
June Atkinson
Press & Publicity Officer, FoRK in the North East of England.

 

[June Atkinson]

Red kites a-flying

Ken Sanderson, our FoRK Chairman was in the area near the Nine Arches Viaduct yesterday, and counted 35 - yes, 35 red kites in the air at the same time. This is even more than we saw on the recent Safari!

Our website is now up and running. There is a feed-back facility, so please send any info about our kites, or any questions you have, and we'll do our very best to respond.

http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk:t:

 

[deansmith]

hi there looking for red kite info i have managed to swindle a driver this coming friday weather permitting to chauffeur me around and visit the red kite area, unsure yet weather were going to walk the full trail or just part of it. if only going to visit a part of it is there an area thats got a better chance of seeing the kites at this time of year, also is there any other places worth checking out in the area or towards durham where we'l be heading too afterwards - the kind driver who is driving for the day is keen to see some owls but i dont know any good patches in the area

any info would help

cheers

DS

 

[June Atkinson]

Looking for red kites

Hello!
Have a look at the FoRK thread on the Birds of Prey forum - it gives you a commentary on the last few months since it was set up.
and have a look at our website on [URL="http://www.friendsofredkites.org.uk"]www.friendsofredkites.org.uk[/URL]
At present anywhere from the Derwent Country Park - Nine Arches Viaduct towards Gibside is a good place.
If you're there during the working day, call in at Thornley Woods Centre, where they'll be happy to help.

Happy kiting!
June
Press & Publicity Officer
Friends of Red Kites
in the North East of England

hi there looking for red kite info i have managed to swindle a driver this coming friday weather permitting to chauffeur me around and visit the red kite area, unsure yet weather were going to walk the full trail or just part of it. if only going to visit a part of it is there an area thats got a better chance of seeing the kites at this time of year, also is there any other places worth checking out in the area or towards durham where we'l be heading too afterwards - the kind driver who is driving for the day is keen to see some owls but i dont know any good patches in the area

any info would help

cheers

DS