Durham Birding (17 Viewers)

[Wig131]

Bollihope Common

We had a look up to Bollihope Common yesterday afternoon. Cold as a well diggers bottom but at least the rain held off. Parked at old mine workings and followed the Burn. Plenty of Lapwings about, and found a pair of Wheatear. Talked to another birder who had seen 2 Ring Ouzel on the same side as we walked but no luck for us. Once back at the car went to the other side of the road and looked in and around the quarry and got our reward with 2 Ouzels one who settled so that we got some good views. Only other birds around being a couple of Oyster Catchers and some Black-headed Gulls. Drove back on the Frosterly road through High Bollihope. Lots of Curlew in the fields and still large numbers of Fieldfares.

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area Local Patch

Garganey pr this morning # 137
male Merlin through
Kingfisher pair feeding young in nest
Leo with 2 eggs & another sitting
some of the male Lapwings getting especially agitated with their adjacent neighbours, pacing back & forth & squaring up to them - the first young should be hatching shortly.
2Ringed Plover & 200Golden Plover at HoGate, although didnt appear till mid morning
Coot pr starting to build & recent site max of 11 Shelduck - ho'gate
SE

 

[IanF]

Seaton Common this morning - Ring Ouzel x2 by North Gare car park. Likely the same ones as reported yesterday.

 

[June Atkinson]

Ring Ouzels

Seaton Common this morning - Ring Ouzel x2 by North Gare car park. Likely the same ones as reported yesterday.

Where is Seaton Common, Ian? Accessible from Ponteland?

Mind you, judging by our distinct lack of success on Bollihope Common, albeit it in a blizzard, maybe it's a non-starter!

 

[IanF]

Where is Seaton Common, Ian? Accessible from Ponteland?

Mind you, judging by our distinct lack of success on Bollihope Common, albeit it in a blizzard, maybe it's a non-starter!

Lol! A little south of Ponteland - easest to show you on a map - North Gare, Seaton Common. It lies just to the south of Seaton Carew - the Ring Ouzels are in the field right beside the car park - the one with the horses. The point of the arrow is right where they were but they seem to be gradually moving north.

Bollihope is usually a much better place to see them. You get beter views and there's more of them. I'd say this week and next weekend will be better as more are arriving now.

On Seaton Common they only hang around for a couple of days feeding up before moving up to the higher ground in Weardale and Teesdale.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Where is Seaton Common, Ian? Accessible from Ponteland?
Mind you, judging by our distinct lack of success on Bollihope Common, albeit it in a blizzard, maybe it's a non-starter!

Hi June,
There are lots of Ring Ouzels much closer to you than Seaton Common...
I was in the Derwent res. area today (not too far from you) and Ring Ouzels included 4 visible from the car without leaving the road. Try the B6278 from Edmundbyers to Stanhope and look around the gulleys and rocks along the hiillsides.
Bollihope is OK but you're often swamped by day trippers, bikes, dogs etc. Ring Ouzel is quite a common bird in the right habitat so pick a nice bright day and have a look in the right habitat - you should find them.

 

[geordie graham]

Wonder if anybody can help?.I have just "bounced" my 8x42 Bushnells and I am now getting what can only explained as double vision.Does anyone know of a place locally where I can get them fixed or as I have read on this site and others it might work out too expensive and be better off buying a new pair.If that is the case can anybody recommend a good pair of bins for around £100-£150.Thanks.

Graham

 

[great bustard]

Two - Nil

Bishop Middleham:

A very busy day so a very early start...

20 freezing cold minutes at Stoneybeck "Lake" produced 25 species ( Not bad for a bit flooded field) including 2 Grey Heron, Loads of Teal, 2 Oystercatcher, 6 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall and 2 Common Grey Partridge. Also 3 Hares in t field behind.

Then onto Castle Lake area....37 species including Yellowhammer, 4 TreeSpugs, 1 Yello Wagtail, stacks of Gadwall, 2 Little Ringed Plover,3 Gooseander, Linnets, Mipits, Loads of Sand Martinsand a good few Swallow.

B

 

[boroboy]

geordie graham try warehouseexpress.com they have a good range of bins in your price range i have used them before and would recomend them

 

[MalR]

Spent a couple of hours down the coast today. Overcast and very cold. Just the usual meadow pipits and skylarks on the Leas and around Trow. One red-throated diver flew south.

At Whitburn there were 40+ turnstone and c20 redshank feeding on the seaweed at the water's edge south of the Steel. One knot among them, showing signs of starting to moult into breeding plumage.

Malcolm

 

[June Atkinson]

Ring Ouzels

Hi June,
There are lots of Ring Ouzels much closer to you than Seaton Common...
I was in the Derwent res. area today (not too far from you) and Ring Ouzels included 4 visible from the car without leaving the road. Try the B6278 from Edmundbyers to Stanhope and look around the gulleys and rocks along the hiillsides.
Bollihope is OK but you're often swamped by day trippers, bikes, dogs etc. Ring Ouzel is quite a common bird in the right habitat so pick a nice bright day and have a look in the right habitat - you should find them.

Thanks for this up-date Mark..know this area well, having been brought up in Consett....................some time ago, we had a pair of Ring Ouzels in our back garden. One left after three days, but the other stayed for the whole week - amazing! We alerted the local Recorder and it was then passed on to someone else. We then received a lovely book entitled Ring Ouzels of the Yorkshire Dales, by Ian Appleyard. Like the dipper, the Ring Ouzel is a special favourite.

 

[Vipers]

Thanks for this up-date Mark..know this area well, having been brought up in Consett....................some time ago, we had a pair of Ring Ouzels in our back garden. One left after three days, but the other stayed for the whole week - amazing! We alerted the local Recorder and it was then passed on to someone else. We then received a lovely book entitled Ring Ouzels of the Yorkshire Dales, by Ian Appleyard. Like the dipper, the Ring Ouzel is a special favourite.

You could head North June, up to Harthope Valley, near Wooler. Always a good spot for Ring Ouzel.

 

[Gill Osborne]

Wonder if anybody can help?.I have just "bounced" my 8x42 Bushnells and I am now getting what can only explained as double vision.Does anyone know of a place locally where I can get them fixed or as I have read on this site and others it might work out too expensive and be better off buying a new pair.If that is the case can anybody recommend a good pair of bins for around £100-£150.Thanks.

I dropped my bins once in Durham after seeing the Bishop Middleham Bee-eaters and was frantic as I was off on my jollies to the Lake District the next day :eek!: We were told of a camera & binocular repair shop which is in Chester-le-Street, right next to the train station. Just googled it as I was having trouble remembering the shop name - it's Camera Clinic :t:

http://www.camera-clinic.co.uk/

Unfortunately it looks like tomorrow, Monday 21st, is their last day of opening as they are moving to new premises - perhaps give them a ring and see if they have any news on new premises or a contact number?

Or if you want to treat yourself to some new bins.....I use Opticron Aspheric 8 x 42's. They only cost me £79 in early February from Bonsers in the Bigg Market, Newcastle. I've also used Opticron Imagic 8 x 42's in the past and they normally run at about £159. To be honest tho......I can't tell the difference between the cheaper and more expensive pair!

 

[Gill Osborne]

You could head North June, up to Harthope Valley, near Wooler. Always a good spot for Ring Ouzel.

Apparently they are there now - I'll be heading up there in the next week or so as soon as our car is fixed :t:

 

[geordie graham]

I dropped my bins once in Durham after seeing the Bishop Middleham Bee-eaters and was frantic as I was off on my jollies to the Lake District the next day :eek!: We were told of a camera & binocular repair shop which is in Chester-le-Street, right next to the train station. Just googled it as I was having trouble remembering the shop name - it's Camera Clinic :t:

http://www.camera-clinic.co.uk/

Unfortunately it looks like tomorrow, Monday 21st, is their last day of opening as they are moving to new premises - perhaps give them a ring and see if they have any news on new premises or a contact number?

Or if you want to treat yourself to some new bins.....I use Opticron Aspheric 8 x 42's. They only cost me £79 in early February from Bonsers in the Bigg Market, Newcastle. I've also used Opticron Imagic 8 x 42's in the past and they normally run at about £159. To be honest tho......I can't tell the difference between the cheaper and more expensive pair!

Thanks for the info Gill much appreciated.

Graham

 

[will@bill]

shortie

very quite at our washingwell wood feeders (apart from 2 jays hanging around )so we fill them up. Inspired by an young birder off the forum pm,ing me about owls:t: we went over to see the ravensworth fell shorties. 10 linnets 2 oystercatchers 3 curlews lapwings nesting as well. skylarks and a few med pipits. one owl was seen before i stopped the car we watched it for about 20 mins and it keep going along the fence at the bottom of the field so when it went to the far side i went and stood stock still next the the fence and true to form it made it way up the fence towards me it got within 15ft before doing an about turn :t:

 

[Gill Osborne]

There's NOTHING worse than being without your bins :eek!: Especially at this time of year with the migrants all heading back

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area - incubating fem Kes food caching

A refreshing change at dusk
a male Kestrel flew in with feathered prey, and called the female out from the nest. She noisily recieved the offering, pecked at it & flew down to a tree. She appeared to "have a look about" before dropping onto the bankside & storing the item amongst ivy covered bank. She then immediately returned to the nest.
An Otter was great to watch, ran along on the bankside for a while before hunting the shallows, then disappearing upstream just under the surface.

Pulled car over late this afternoon to see a loose group of 32 Stock Dove on the same field, couple of Tree Sparrows along with singles of Seo & Little Owl.
SE

No further summer migrant ssp seen on patch. MH/JW/CW

 

[StevieEvans]

Hitch hiker ?

Not only has a Starling took over the Swift Nest Box, a Collared Dove has collared the Sky Dish|8.|

walk round each morning to make sure tyres aren't slashed or diesel syphoned............
a very straggley Blackies, not yet fully lined.
S

 

[StevieEvans]

Blast


A small "short toed" Lark species seen by Houghton Birders (SMc & JR) around the steel palisade compound at Dawdon Blast Beach car park, although no further sign since 12:00......