FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
Hi are you the chap I was talking to today? I came in and asked you about the Wood Sandpiper. I saw it when I went to have a look:t:
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RSPB Saltholme (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Boy Wonder
- Start date
Hi are you the chap I was talking to today? I came in and asked you about the Wood Sandpiper. I saw it when I went to have a look:t:
Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
April 28th sightings
Cracking wagtail day today. Black-headed Wagtail type on the way down to Saltholme Pools Hide today, though may be a very dark Grey-headed. Blue-headed Wagtail also present and over a dozen Yellow Wagtails. 3 Little Terns flew onto Back Saltholme and joined 9 Common Tern, though there was a little trickle of them throughout the day. A female Marsh Harrier flew high over Saltholme Pools Hide and 2 drake Garganey were on Back Saltholme. The Grasshopper Warbler was reeling near Haverton and a female Wheater was around all day on the Dragonfly Path.
Cracking wagtail day today. Black-headed Wagtail type on the way down to Saltholme Pools Hide today, though may be a very dark Grey-headed. Blue-headed Wagtail also present and over a dozen Yellow Wagtails. 3 Little Terns flew onto Back Saltholme and joined 9 Common Tern, though there was a little trickle of them throughout the day. A female Marsh Harrier flew high over Saltholme Pools Hide and 2 drake Garganey were on Back Saltholme. The Grasshopper Warbler was reeling near Haverton and a female Wheater was around all day on the Dragonfly Path.
Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
Late opening 28th April
RSPB Saltholme will be staying open till 8pm this evening so everyone can get chance to see the wagtail. Access will be the path to Saltholme Pools Hide and the hide itself only. You will be directed after arrival on site. Please be aware that the front gate will be locked at 8pm.
RSPB Saltholme will be staying open till 8pm this evening so everyone can get chance to see the wagtail. Access will be the path to Saltholme Pools Hide and the hide itself only. You will be directed after arrival on site. Please be aware that the front gate will be locked at 8pm.
IanF
Moderator
Certainly plenty of people came to view it today and quite a few still there when I left at 5pm.
All credit to the RSPB for keeping the reserve open.
Around 20 Black-tailed Godwit giving close views on the Bottom Tank at 5.00pm plus a Whimbrel and a pair of LRP.
All credit to the RSPB for keeping the reserve open.
Around 20 Black-tailed Godwit giving close views on the Bottom Tank at 5.00pm plus a Whimbrel and a pair of LRP.
Attachments
Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
April 29th sightings
The Wood Sandpiper remained on Fleet Flash where it was joined by 3 Greenshank as the day went on. 12 Ringed Plover were also on Fleet Flash with 6 Black-tailed Godwits after the majority , 39, relocated to Bottom Tank. A Common Sandpiper and 24 Dunlin were on Back Saltholme while a Whimbrel was seen flying west. Over a dozen Wheatear were spread out through the site and a Marsh Harrier flew over the Wildlife Watchpoint in the afternoon.
Due to their being no confirmed sightings since the report at lunchtime the reserve will be closing at 17:00 as usual.
The Wood Sandpiper remained on Fleet Flash where it was joined by 3 Greenshank as the day went on. 12 Ringed Plover were also on Fleet Flash with 6 Black-tailed Godwits after the majority , 39, relocated to Bottom Tank. A Common Sandpiper and 24 Dunlin were on Back Saltholme while a Whimbrel was seen flying west. Over a dozen Wheatear were spread out through the site and a Marsh Harrier flew over the Wildlife Watchpoint in the afternoon.
Due to their being no confirmed sightings since the report at lunchtime the reserve will be closing at 17:00 as usual.
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rokermartin
Well-known member
I was the person who refound the Black -headed Wagtail at dinner time one other birder managed to get a brief view of it.
Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
April 30th sightings
The 2 drake Garganey that had been seen on Fleet Flash earlier in the week were joined by a third male this morning. The Wood Sandpiper was still present as well as 2 Greenshank and 6 Ringed Plover. A Little Ringed Plover showed on and off in front of the Visitor Centre and 22 Black-tailed Godwits were on Bottom Tank. A Greenshank was also out on the Wet Grassland but that was seen later in the morning and may have been one of the two seen earlier, though there were a trio on Tuesday so could well be a seperate individual. Wheatears continue to be evident with 8 spread throughout the reserve and the 4 Pink-footed Geese remained on Back Saltholme. At close down around a hundred swifts circled together over Saltholme Pools Hide.
The 2 drake Garganey that had been seen on Fleet Flash earlier in the week were joined by a third male this morning. The Wood Sandpiper was still present as well as 2 Greenshank and 6 Ringed Plover. A Little Ringed Plover showed on and off in front of the Visitor Centre and 22 Black-tailed Godwits were on Bottom Tank. A Greenshank was also out on the Wet Grassland but that was seen later in the morning and may have been one of the two seen earlier, though there were a trio on Tuesday so could well be a seperate individual. Wheatears continue to be evident with 8 spread throughout the reserve and the 4 Pink-footed Geese remained on Back Saltholme. At close down around a hundred swifts circled together over Saltholme Pools Hide.
Marmot
Well-known member
You did say visitor comments and this niggle is starting to annoy me....Is there any chance of ID charts getting put up in the hides as to me were one of the first things that should have been put up to help visitors both old and young. Surely the RSPB must have some.
A prime example of the need was last week, no staff or volunteers in the hide and a man stating he was looking at Little Grebes...they were in fact both Moorhens and Coots. We did put him right on this.
A few weeks ago we were at RSPB Kinnordy which has 3 hides and in each were id charts. [This reserve was a credit to Hannah and the volunteers] and even Loch of Lintrathern [not RSPB] had ID charts in the hide.
In fact out of all the RSPB and non that we have visited yours must be the only one that does not have them.
A prime example of the need was last week, no staff or volunteers in the hide and a man stating he was looking at Little Grebes...they were in fact both Moorhens and Coots. We did put him right on this.
A few weeks ago we were at RSPB Kinnordy which has 3 hides and in each were id charts. [This reserve was a credit to Hannah and the volunteers] and even Loch of Lintrathern [not RSPB] had ID charts in the hide.
In fact out of all the RSPB and non that we have visited yours must be the only one that does not have them.
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Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
I did indeed say visitor comments and thank you for raising your concerns.
We are currently getting id charts developed for use in the hides but there's no guarantee that the gentleman in question would have been able to identify the bird from a book or chart. I'm sure many misidentifications have occurred on the reserve even with the use of a field guide. This is not an excuse or a reason for not getting the charts but more a reason for the hide guide system we run at Saltholme.
Unofficially you were a hide guide for that moment and increased his visitor experience and bird knowledge. We are trying to encourage more engagement between visitors, especially experienced and beginning birdwatchers, so they feel comfortable talking to each other, from discussing identification to just having a conversation in one of our hides.
Visitors who have spoken to our hide guides or been within earshot of them when they are present in a hide will know their benefit. When they visit again and there are no volunteers or staff in a hide, much like the situation you found yourself in, we hope that they will adopt the friendly approach and knowledge sharing that they experienced to benefit their fellow visitors.
While I appreciate this may not be the answer you wanted, your help and input in that situation was much better than an id chart could ever have been. I don’t have a date for when the id charts will be in the hides but until we do your assistance is welcomed and appreciated and hopefully wont stop once we have them.
We are currently getting id charts developed for use in the hides but there's no guarantee that the gentleman in question would have been able to identify the bird from a book or chart. I'm sure many misidentifications have occurred on the reserve even with the use of a field guide. This is not an excuse or a reason for not getting the charts but more a reason for the hide guide system we run at Saltholme.
Unofficially you were a hide guide for that moment and increased his visitor experience and bird knowledge. We are trying to encourage more engagement between visitors, especially experienced and beginning birdwatchers, so they feel comfortable talking to each other, from discussing identification to just having a conversation in one of our hides.
Visitors who have spoken to our hide guides or been within earshot of them when they are present in a hide will know their benefit. When they visit again and there are no volunteers or staff in a hide, much like the situation you found yourself in, we hope that they will adopt the friendly approach and knowledge sharing that they experienced to benefit their fellow visitors.
While I appreciate this may not be the answer you wanted, your help and input in that situation was much better than an id chart could ever have been. I don’t have a date for when the id charts will be in the hides but until we do your assistance is welcomed and appreciated and hopefully wont stop once we have them.
woodhornbirder
Well-known member
no sandpiper pics yet??
IanF
Moderator
NeilF
Durham Bird Club Member
Attachments
IanF
Moderator
The Br.B. Sandpiper was still around this afternoon on the Port Clarence Flood as it's being called. Not easy to get to either for parking or access.
Mostly it's been where the point of the arrow lies - http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=450050&Y=522076&A=Y&Z=115
The obvious location nearby is RSPB Saltholme just off the top of the map plus Greatham Creek about one mile further north or for sea watching Hartlepool Headland a few miles further north. It maybe worthwhile checking Teesmouth Bird Club sightings page for what's currently around and for location maps.
Bird wise things have been pretty quiet lately the main ones of interest being the Sandpiper and Cetti's Wablers though also a Golden Oriole in the extreme SE of the area.
IanF
Moderator
I you travel SE along the A1046 through High Clarence and then Port Clarence (all one place really) you then turn left along the A178 Seaton Carew Road. 100m after the junction there's the rear emergency exit from the Calor Gas Depot on your right. Most of the exit is lined with empty gas canisters and a chain but there's enough room for a couple of cars at either end. Don't park in front of the chain though as it's an emergency exit and you'll upset them!
Either park there or another 30m along on the grass verge under the fence or another 100m along there's room for the odd car or two on either side of the road.
20m north of the Calor Gas exit there's a metal pole fence with concrete posts on the west side of the road. The fence section is only 4m long over a beck/culvet for Holme Fleet. Duck under the fence on the south side of the culvet - it's well worn now - and follow the path between the horse field fence and the beck. 150m along you'll see a flooded area on the north side of the beck - that's where the Sandpiper has been along with several Dunlin, Redshank and Ringed Plover. If you're lucky it maybe within 50m though this afternoon it was about 100m away just left of an old pallet on the north side of the Flood.
The pool just north of the emergency exit on the east side of the road is Calor Gas Pool which over the years has attracted some real rarities as well.
Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
Just got the details from the BTO of a Starling with a ring on that we sent off in January. On New Years day this year, one of our hide guides noticed the ring on a solitary Starling at the Wildlife Watchpoint. What made it even more interesting was the number sequence being above the wording, not a ring style we use in the UK. Just over an hour later the ring was read and we knew where it was from. We had a Finnish Starling at our feeders. It was rung as a nestling on the 26th of May 2007 in Hattula Finland. 951 days later it had moved 1677 km and was at our little feeding station feasting on fat cake. A really good record and shows just how far birds move in bad weather. If any visitors do spot a bird with a ring or find one on their travels please have a go at reading it and passing the details on to us at the reserve or directly to the British Trust for Ornithology http://blx1.bto.org/euring/lang/pages/rings.jsp?country=EN
Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
What a welcome lashing of that rain was. 15 species of wader on the reserve today...
Little Ringed Plover (5)
Ringed Plover (7)
Golden Plover (2)
Lapwing (150+)
Knot (3)
Dunlin (60+)
Ruff (2)
Snipe (30+)
Black-tailed Godwit (30+)
Curlew (26)
Redshank (14)
Greenshank (3)
Green Sandpiper (3)
Wood Sandpiper (2)
Common Sandpiper (4)
Of the 15 only Snipe and Green Sandpiper weren't seen from Saltholme Pools Hide. Hopefully the start of things to come.....
Little Ringed Plover (5)
Ringed Plover (7)
Golden Plover (2)
Lapwing (150+)
Knot (3)
Dunlin (60+)
Ruff (2)
Snipe (30+)
Black-tailed Godwit (30+)
Curlew (26)
Redshank (14)
Greenshank (3)
Green Sandpiper (3)
Wood Sandpiper (2)
Common Sandpiper (4)
Of the 15 only Snipe and Green Sandpiper weren't seen from Saltholme Pools Hide. Hopefully the start of things to come.....
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Boy Wonder
Warden - RSPB Lincolnshire Wash Reserves
Bird of the day goes to the handsome little stint that was found on Bottom Tank late morning. Though we expect to have a few passing through each year it's always good to get the ball rolling and what a fine example this was to start things off. The other best birds on offers were all waders, 2 wood sandpipers showed very well at Saltholme Pools Hide, jostling for feeding rights over a small patch of mud with a juvenile ruff. Unfortunately the 70 whimbrel that flew overhead did just that and didnt come down but carried on in a south westerly direction. The sunshine and warmth of the day encouraged a few bursts of song from our sedge and reed warblers but more unusual was the willow warbler calling in the hedge next to the Wildlife Watchpoint.
