Durham Birding (7 Viewers)

[will@bill]

fools gold

Had a dash around my local patch today as we have been playing away for the last few days :eek!:! so straight up to washingwell woods to top up feeders bullfinch and G/S woody came off the feeders as we got closer still 10 or so siskin’s hanging about the pair of jays were also around . A kite came over at 100ft who knows maybe looking for a nice tree to set up house! A look over the fields at Burdon moor = 2 linnets 250 golden plover 7 skylarks 20+ green plovers. Down at lamesley 5 snipe were sunbathing with one tree sparrow and a buzzard. called in at the causey arch another kite green woody 4 treecreepers dipper and greywag .seen this nest box on the side of the bridge made of metal and a lot of work went into it but wont it be flipping freezing on a night and like an oven on a sunny day!:eek!::eek!:

 

[IanF]

Tilery Wood - pm - Crossbill x6, Lesser Redpoll x1, Goldcrest x1, Siskin c.30, Chiffchaff c.6. Bank Vole taking seed from tree stump feeder.

RSPB Saltholme - Greenland WF Goose from Paddy's Pool hide. Plus several Ruff and Pink-footed Goose on Saltholme Ponds. Fox, Little Egret x2, Snipe x1 from Wildlife Watchpoint.

Tidal Pool Avocet x2 probably the same pair from Bus Stop Hide later on. Wheatear x5 by Long Drag where Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Sky Lark and Linnet singing.

Photos: 1. Siskin - 2. Little Egret - 3. Common Snipe - 4. Avocet - 5. Northern Wheatear

 

[Ray.Scott]

Called at Tilery Wood:

Small number of Crosssbill at a great distance, but a first for me and a couple of record shots, thanks Ian for the possible location information :t:. They were on time, at about 9.30am as you mentioned.
Also thanks to local birder Collin for spotting them :t:.

Other birds included chaffinch, goldfinch, blue & great tit, GS woodpecker, thrush, siskin, chiffchaff and fly over of kestrel and curlew.

Had a couple of hours at Hartlepool Headland: plenty oyster catcher, redshank, purple sandpiper, ringed plover, turnstone and the regular gulls also a flock of about 40 to 50 birds ofshore, maybe scoter. see image 4, not sure what they are.

 

[rokermartin]

Called at Tilery Wood:

Small number of Crosssbill at a great distance, but a first for me and a couple of record shots, thanks Ian for the possible location information :t:. They were on time, at about 9.30am as you mentioned.
Also thanks to local birder Collin for spotting them :t:.

Other birds included chaffinch, goldfinch, blue & great tit, GS woodpecker, thrush, siskin, chiffchaff and fly over of kestrel and curlew.

Had a couple of hours at Hartlepool Headland: plenty oyster catcher, redshank, purple sandpiper, ringed plover, turnstone and the regular gulls also a flock of about 40 to 50 birds ofshore, maybe scoter. see image 4, not sure what they are.

Hi Scuzz yes you are right the ducks are Scoters, female Common Scoters and a male.There has also been a Velvet Scoter with the Common Scoter flock recently they are easy to id in flight they show a white wing bar.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hi Scuzz yes you are right the ducks are Scoters, female Common Scoters and a male.There has also been a Velvet Scoter with the Common Scoter flock recently they are easy to id in flight they show a white wing bar.

Cheers Martin :t:.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

I think I heard a Swift today.
Is it not far to early for them?

 

[rokermartin]

I think I heard a Swift today.
Is it not far to early for them?

It is early for Swift especially in Durham they normally arrive towards the end of this month.But you do sometimes get the odd early one turning up especially down south.

 

[rokermartin]

Trip to Bollihope this am 1 Ring Ouzel,5 Wheatears,3 Swallows,1 Sand Martin plenty of Meadow Pipits,Skylarks displaying. The Swallows are my earliest ones by a week.

 

[IanF]

Tilery Wood/A689 - am - Crossbill x4 feeding on cones and came down to the pool beside the scout hut. Quite a few Chiffchaff around but just a few Siskin today.

Swallow x1 sat on telegraph wires in Fishburn - my first of the year.

10.45am - Bishop Middleham to visit the very impressive new hide. It will be great once it's open for members to use. Sand Martin x3, Little Ringed Plover x3, Great Crested Grebe x2, Little Grebe, Cormorant x3, Heron x2, Gadwall, Mallard, Coot, Redshank, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose. Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting and Chaffinch in front of the hide.

Early afternoon Tawny Owl sitting in the sun in hole of broken off tree at Newton Bewley - a new location for them for me.

Dormans Pool - 1.55pm - adult male Marsh Harrier arrived on Dormans Pool from direction of RSPB Saltholme. Lost in reed bed on east side. Also Sparrowhawk and several Heron low over the reeds.

Photos: 1.& 2. Marsh Harrier - 3. Siskin - 4. Crossbill - 5. Bank Vole (from yesterday).

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

It is early for Swift especially in Durham they normally arrive towards the end of this month.But you do sometimes get the odd early one turning up especially down south.

I must have been hearing things then. lol
Cheers,
Andrew K

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

Andrew & balvert plan to go on Goshawk watch

Hello I and balvert plan to go for a Goshawk watch Monday coming. We where hoping to go to Hamsterly to look for one.
Where is the best place to go in Hamsterly area to look for Goshawks?
Please reply it would be incredibly helpful,
Andrew K

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton Local Patch 09

Plenty of activity today.

Migrants
The first few Swallows in, with singles at Lambton Bridge & Sedgeletch.
Sand Martins very active at one of our local colonies, 30+ birds wheeling around & inspecting the sand banks. Later some drifted to feed high above a field being ploughed - where a Kestrel took advantage of a plentiful supply of worms. A further 20 Sand Marts were nr Sharpley & 2 at Seaton.
Pipits & Wagtails moving through steadily, with a couple of Whites at Seaton Pond & Warden Law. I had one large pipit go over but it didnt call..
A female Merlin went through North nr Warden Law - perhaps associated with the pip/wag movement ?
Two Wheatears noted today, 1 at Pensha Park & another on the high ground at W.Law.
No sight nor sound of any warblers other than Chiffchaffs - now widespread.

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Seaton Pond area held a fair selection of species - a nice mix of Winter & Spring (& dont forget the residents!) At least 11 Brambling remain, 1 cock bird in almost full summer colour, a handful of feeding Fieldfare on the autumn sown ground - these mixed with martins & chiffs as mentioned above.

A fair selection on/around the various pools (some private) including Snipe, Redshank, Heron, Teal, Gadwall, Tufted, Dabchick, Shoveller, Reed Bunting etc.
A GCGrebe was a real bonus bird here - one i've struggled to find this year. The recently topped grassland was alive with Skylarks. Grey Partridges & Meadow Pipits broke cover every now & then. A benefit of the cutting regime was breeding Lapwing, with a bird incubating (scoped from range).
Bread & Butter residents included GSW drumming, 2Jays, 2pr Kestrel, 1Buzzard, half a dozen Tree Sparrow, 2 singing Willow Tit. Numerous Linnet, Chaffinch & Yellowhammer.
Bumped into a couple of lads from the shooting syndicate - they saw a Brent Goose a week or so ago (similar time as the WWWT bird) - they intend releasing a fair number of Red-legs this year, - it'll be interesting to see if there's any effect on the healthy population of Greys....

By mid afternoon it turned cold as damp breeze pushed the sea-frett in & blotted out the sun - within half an hour i chanced upon a cock Ring Ousel along an arable hedgerow....

Others today included 2Roe Deer, Fox, lots of butterflys & a ( not ) a Cinnabah Moth

 

[rokermartin]

Hi Steve are you sure you saw a Cinnabar Moth its very early to see one they normally fly in May and June.

 

[StevieEvans]

Hi Steve are you sure you saw a Cinnabar Moth its very early to see one they normally fly in May and June.

No. it isnt what i thought....

its approx 1.5" long
body (abdomen ?) very distinctive - thick/fat red body with 5 or 6 ribbed sections, each with a black rugby ball shaped blotch (possibly also dotted on sides?)
antenna - black & white
head - dark / black
wings- semi transparent, but dark, almost black veins & shaded especially at rear. Pink/Red band at edge of wing.

http://www.biopix.com/Photo.asp?PhotoId=4695&Photo=Ruby-Tiger-Moth-(Phragmatobia-fuliginosa)

Ruby Tiger Moth it is !- thanks Rain Man

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Added 3 new birds for my local list today, totalling #112species (all on foot)
Combined yearlist for all the local patchers comes to #123species
The extra 11 are :-
Dunlin, Crossbill, Mandarin, Hen Harrier, Brent Goose, Bar tailed Godwit, Scaup, Iceland Gull, Ring Billed Gull & Swallow & wait for it...........
Short-eared Owl :eek!:
The next 4 weeks are probably THE most eagerly anticipated of the whole year.

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

6th From College Free period gave me a chance to go down to Chester park which has become a some what non binocular local patch for me.

3 Goosanders on the river. 2 drakes, 1 female. Also 1 Grey Wagtail near where the people feed the ducks and the swans. Quite a productive day on the whole with 2-3 Chiffchaff and 1 confirmed sighting of one just outside of the water board's main fence.:t:

Also whilst walking under the road bridge caught a very quick glimpse of what I though was a Dipper. Looked over to see one Dipper and then a second coming flying down stream under the road bridge, the Dipper that had landed took of and flew down stream with the other Dipper, They left quickly and so did I to avoid disturbance.:flyaway:

First Swallow of the year around the Cone Terrace area in Chester-le-street. Sat on wires and flew of as me and friends approached. I never thought I would be so excited with seeing a Swallow, guess it's just because its my first for 2009.:king:
Swallow taking my UK year list up to: 88 birds.:t:

 

[IanF]

Tilery Wood/A689 this afternoon - wild and windy causing the trees to sway quite a bit but mostly fine and sunny - Crossbill c.20, Siskin 30-40, Chiffchaff c.6, Goldfinch c.12.

Photos: 1. Siskin male - 2. Siskin female - 3. Goldfinch - 4. Crossbill - 5. Crossbill

 

[loppydog70]

Barmston Pond

Spent a very pleasant couple of hours here this morning. Pete had a Sand martin near the carpark as he waited for me to arrive. Checked out the Seven Houses area first. 4 Reed Bunting, 6 Linnet 2 Song Thrush, 5 Chiffchaffs, a Moorhen flushed 2 Snipe out, as we waited more Snipe were flushed c20 altogether, first time i've seen them down this part before. Good numbers of Goldfinch about with 12 seen and a few Chaffinch also. Walked back to the carpark more Chiffchaffs seen as well as a small flock of Lt Tits. Singles of Robin, Wren and Dunnock also noted. The pond was very Quiet 2 Lbb Gulls, 1 Gadwall and a Grey Heron. 2 Oystercatchers over as we left to go home.

 

[ColinSev]

Avocets

Paid a visit to Tilery Wood this morning had a fleeting glimpse of a female crossbill near the scout hut - last I saw of it. Moved on to view the Avocets of which I saw 5 all in the saline lagoon. Then 3 flew back to the Bus Stop pool - super views of these fine birds.

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few local birds from today:

 

[Alan Tilmouth]

Daily Regional Summary for North East available now at http://birdneast.blogspot.com/2009/04/north-east-bird-reports-5-april.html