Durham Birding (4 Viewers)

[IanF]

Pretty much the same around again today.

Dormans Pool - am - Marsh Harrier still around - same tatty looking one for around the last two weeks. It's got a couple of primary feathers missing, most likely from moulting and has a long white stripe across the back of both wings.

RSPB Saltholme - Very quiet really apart from the Terns and BH Gulls. In a 30 minute visit to Paddy's Pool the gulls stole and ate another two Tern chicks. Nothing whatsoever at the Wildlife Watchpoint. Phil Stead Hide held the most birds with Little Egret x3, Heron, Redshank, Little Ringed Plover and several Shoveler and Gadwall. Main pool - Oystercatcher feeding chicks.

Greatham Creek - pm - Whimbrel still around, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Avocets, Shelduck, Little Ringed Plover.

Barn Owl seen locally this evening as well.

 

[vivster]

Photo

Great spot Vivien - where's the photo :t:

it was to far of to get a decent photo...got a couple shots of it you can just make it out its a cuckoo

 

[FoghornKinghorn]

it was to far of to get a decent photo...got a couple shots of it you can just make it out its a cuckoo

Good bird for the reserve! Lowland Cuckoo's have sadly gone right back in the lowlands, yet in the Dales they seem to be doing relatively ok. :t:

If you think your shots are bad you should see some of mine.

 

[StephenW]

Evolution....?

Hello! am new member of the Forum...attached pic of Starling with unusual beak but using it to good effect reaching into the bird feeder when others couldn't ..perhaps Darwinism in action...

 

[Andy K]

Good bird for the reserve! Lowland Cuckoo's have sadly gone right back in the lowlands, yet in the Dales they seem to be doing relatively ok. :t:

If you think your shots are bad you should see some of mine.

You are right Andrew, I am at the lakes walking/scrambling every other weekend and I am astonished at the amount of cuckoos calling in every valley you go into

 

[IanF]

Hello! am new member of the Forum...attached pic of Starling with unusual beak but using it to good effect reaching into the bird feeder when others couldn't ..perhaps Darwinism in action...

Welcome to Bird Forum. The bill looks well deformed - more like an Ibis!

We used to get a Blackbird in the garden with a deformed bill but not to this extreme. I guess it helps it dig a little deeper in the soil

 

[degsy_safc]

it was to far of to get a decent photo...got a couple shots of it you can just make it out its a cuckoo

Nice one Vivien - much better than the really dodgy one i had on the moors a couple of weeks back :-O

 

[IanF]

Yesterday afternoon we found a Honey Bee swarm in the garden. It was still present until mid-afternoon but this evening they've all gone. It seems to be a regular occurrence in the garden as we've had several over the last few years.

Video clip - http://youtu.be/pGHQzAiJa1Y


.

 

[IanF]

Lots of birds around at RSPB Saltholme this morning but nothing of any great note.

My highest count for quite a while of Little Egret with seven together on the Bottom Tank. Soon reduced to six as one flew onto the Fire Station field, leaving the remainder all stood in a row.

A Sedge Warbler was singing and displaying from the reeds opposite the garden.

Yellow Wagtail x4 were along the path to Saltholme Hide but only giving brief views as the dived into the long grass.

Saltholme Hide highlights amounted to Little Gull x2, Avocet x3 and a few Yellow Wagtails flitting about but nothing came close to the hide.

Four-spot Chaser x4 in the pools on the way to Saltholme Hide.

The Marsh Harrier was at Dormans Pool, but staying distant still.

 

[Julie10_10]

The Teesmouth Bird Club is hoping to arrange a 33 seater coach to take people to the Bird Fair on Sunday 19th August 2012. The cost for the coach will be £14 plus the entrance fee (Adults £12, Children free). Sunday 19th August is the last day of the fair and members of the RSPB & Wildlife Trust get in at a reduced adult rate of £10 and under 16’s are free.

The 33-seater coach will collect people at the following pickup points:

Hartlepool (M&S Car Park) 08:00

Stockton High Street (ex-Swallow Hotel) 08:15

Middlesbrough (Dorman’s Museum) 08:30

If interested please send an email or telephone Julie Mason to provisionally book places on this trip, so that details can be finalised. There is 13 people booked on the coach and at least another 17 are required, although we could get a larger coach if the interest is there.

Julie Mason

Telephone 07789 731429

Email: [email protected]


NOTE: LAST DAY FOR PROVISIONAL BOOKINGS IS 30th JUNE 2012, ALTHOUGH IS CAN BE EXTEND UP TO 1 WEEK.

 

[IanF]

A pretty miserable day weatherwise with rain mostly on rather than off.

Dormans Pool - am - Marsh Harrier. Peregrine.

RSPB Saltholme - Phil Stead Hide - Garganey female, Shoveler x4, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Gadwall, Pochard, Little Grebe, Heron, Avocet x2 (one colour ringed). Little Egret x4 on fire station field.

Saltholme Hide - Avocet x5 (incl diff colour ringed juv), Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover x2, Redshank. Spotted Redshank reported viewed from Petroplus but not seen from hide.

 

[IanF]

Dormans Pool - 8.30am - Marsh Harrier in front of hide. Dived into the reeds and not seen again.

Saltholme Ponds - Great Crested Grebe - two pairs with young. Little Ringed Plover flew over road from east to west ponds.

Phil Stead Hide - pretty quiet this morning though around 8.20 a Spotted Redshank and Garganey had been present.

Paddy's Pool - lots of Terns and BH Gulls. Main highlight was a Little Gull on the distant pools. Also Oystercatcher and Curlew.

Saltholme Hide - Barnacle Goose x1, Avocet x2 (one colour ringed juv) were the highlights.

 

[degsy_safc]

Trip to the Durham upland moors, to check the Redstarts at the little site my pal and i have been watching - not only Mr & Mrs Redstart feeding their young every 4 / 5 mins but a nice bonus by way of a pair of Spotted Flycatchers on a nice mossy wall :t:

Couple of pictures..

 

[Shaggy2070]

Cracking shots of the Spotted 'catcher Derek:t:.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Souter Stack

Called today in between the downpours.
Plent life on the stack and the surrounding cliffs, which included Razorbill, cormorants, kestrel, fulmar, GBB, herring and BH gulls, jackdaws, crows Etc + most of the kittiwake with young.

 

[Andyclose]

Saltholme today

Not to bad, today.

2 Little-ringed Plover at Greatham, female Gargeny from Phil Stead Hide, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Ringed Plover, 1 Yellow Wagtail at Saltholme. There was a Marsh Harrier here today but I just missed it.

Also had a Cuckoo from the Seal Sands Road.

 

[June Atkinson]

Hello! am new member of the Forum...attached pic of Starling with unusual beak but using it to good effect reaching into the bird feeder when others couldn't ..perhaps Darwinism in action...

How interesting; thanks for posting this. Welcome to BirdForum!

 

[degsy_safc]

Apart from a short 20 mins at Phil Stead hide - spent most of today between Seaton Common & Zinc Works Road.

Targetting the family of Stonechats i watched last week before some inconsiderate bloke decided to get out his car to ask what i was trying to photograph and hence scaring them off :eek!: Nevertheless the Stonechats seem to be doing well...

Few pictures of the Stonechats - plus a Yellow Wagtail from North Gare Road..

 

[Ray.Scott]

Rainton Meadows

Called today for an hour.
Pretty much the same as my last visit but with a lot more swallows, sand & house martins + 1/2 dozen swifts.
Around the feeding area were bullfinch, dunnock, yellow hammer, chaffinch, sparrows + GS woodpecker heard but not seen.

 

[Michael A]

Durham Moors

Found this Badger just off A68 Carterway Heads (Hit by car?)
come across 4 dead badgers by roadside in an area of about 1sq. mile between Shotley Bridge and Carterway Heads in last two weeks.
http://www.trampsandhawkers.co.uk/gallery/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trampsandhawkers/