Durham Birding (26 Viewers)

[MalR]

Thanks. It was sheer good luck, but it made my day.

Malcolm

 

[A W Gregory]

Moorland wildlife

A couple of record shots taken a few weeks ago at different locations on Durhams moors !

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple of pics from South Shields, taken yesterday.

2 x snow bunting, 2 x distant R.T divers, turstone, ringed plover, sanderling, G.C grebe, rock pipit, cormorants & the usual gulls. Also 2 x seals in the bay.

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few from Teesside, taken over the weekend.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Couple of pics, taken at Jarrow, yesterday.
4 waxings, 3 mistle thrushes, redwing & plenty starlings, seen during my short visit to Saxon Way.

 

[gnome]

Couple of pics, taken at Jarrow, yesterday.
4 waxings, 3 mistle thrushes, redwing & plenty starlings, seen during my short visit to Saxon Way.

Hi all, I'm going to up in the county at the end of the week and thought that I'd try for the Waxwings in the Jarrow/Gateshead area. I understand that there are two sites for them: Saxon Way in Jarrow and the Team Valley Industrial Estate in Gateshead. As I'll only have limited time to look for them I was wondering if anyone could let me know where are their favoured places in each locations.

TIA


Adam

 

[Ray.Scott]

Not sure on the ones at Team Valley, but the ones at Jarrow are just off the A19, and before you enter the Tyne Tunnel, if heading North. This link from google maps should work, but if not just type SAXON WAY in google maps and choose the Jarrow one.
Maybe a mile and half from the Tunnel Entrance.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...2!3m1!1s0x487e6fb8431b3b03:0xbed2151d752e4c0e

Hope this helps, there are also at least 4 mistle thrushes and possible red wing.

 

[gnome]

Not sure on the ones at Team Valley, but the ones at Jarrow are just off the A19, and before you enter the Tyne Tunnel, if heading North. This link from google maps should work, but if not just type SAXON WAY in google maps and choose the Jarrow one.
Maybe a mile and half from the Tunnel Entrance.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...2!3m1!1s0x487e6fb8431b3b03:0xbed2151d752e4c0e

Hope this helps, there are also at least 4 mistle thrushes and possible red wing.

Hi Ray, thanks for your response and your directions to Saxon Way. Perhaps I should have made myself more clear as I was actually wanting to know specifically where on this road the Waxwings tend to hang out. I presume that there is some favoured bush that they like to feed on - knowing this will save me having to curb crawl up and down the street looking for them.

TIA


Adam

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hi Adam
Follow the street to the end, it bends right then left, they tend to hang about the Cotoneaster trees on the left, directly in front of the council houses, they are covered in the yellow berries, they are chased off regular by the thrushes so could also be high in the tree tops at either end of these houses.
I only saw 4 on my last visit, but 12 have been reported, and 2 or 3 years ago there were at least 400 in the same area.

 

[gnome]

Hi Adam
Follow the street to the end, it bends right then left, they tend to hang about the Cotoneaster trees on the left, directly in front of the council houses, they are covered in the yellow berries, they are chased off regular by the thrushes so could also be high in the tree tops at either end of these houses.
I only saw 4 on my last visit, but 12 have been reported, and 2 or 3 years ago there were at least 400 in the same area.

Hi Ray,

Thanks very much for that, most helpful!

Adam

 

[gnome]

Just to let people know that I've been on my trip to the North East. However, since there'd been no news on the Waxwings at either site for several days in the end I decided to go and see the juv. drake Surf Scoter over at Seaton Carew.

For those who might be interested you can read my trip report here.

Thanks once again to Ray for his help.


Adam

 

[Ray.Scott]

A few pics from Hartlepool today.

Only a few eider and the usual cormorants, gulls etc from the Headland.
Black throated Diver, R.B merganser and the usual gulls and cormorants at Hartlepool Marina.

The B.T Diver was entangled in discarded fishing line, yet again.

 

[Ray.Scott]

The Dales

Couple of pics from today.
Not much about other than the usual.
Plenty black grouse, at least 38, but to distant, the only raptor was a single buzzard. But enjoyed the ride out.

 

[MalR]

Short-eared Owl

Driving down the Zinc Works Road this afternoon, I spotted a short-eared owl sitting on a fencepost in almost the same place where I saw a long-eared owl a few weeks ago.

Shame about the rain and the dismal light, though.

Malcolm

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hartlepool today

A look around the Jewish Cemetery area, 4 snow buntings and 3 shore lark, everything pretty flighty.
Just the usual on the headland so tried the marina, where I managed a quick glimps of the glaucous gull before it was disturbed.

 

[MalR]

That's a nice variety of shots, Ray. Well done.:t:
Malcolm

 

[Ray.Scott]

Hartlepool Today

Plenty Parakeets at Ward Jackson Park, Muscovy Ducks & the usual coots etc.
At least 15 RB Merganser at the marina, but no sign of the Glaucous during our brief visit.

 

[Ray.Scott]

Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park

Distant Scaup and female goldeneye on the main pond, also the usual swans, ducks and gulls + 2 cormorant.
Plenty of life at the feeders, including, bullfinch, yellow hammer, reed buntings, couple of GS woodpecker and the other usual robin, blackbirds, tree sparrows etc.

Couple of record shots of the scaup etc.

 

[Ray.Scott]

South Shields - Today

First thing we encountered at the pier, was a cormorant, which had a fishing hook and line in it's lower bill, awful to watch as it struggled, trying to free itself, still trying when we left.
2 x snow buntings on the beach with 2 pied wagtails.
Walked towards Frenchman's bay, where we had good views of the local kestrel, no sign of any owls but plenty fulmar around the bay area.

 

[Ray.Scott]

The unfortunate cormorant.