Durham Birding (73 Viewers)

[DaveB]

Two Curlew Sandpipers, two Little Gulls and at least one Little Stint were at Back Saltholme. Greenshank (1), Ringed Plover (20+) and Dunlin (100+) were also there.

A pair of Garganey were seen on the Calor Gas Pool, before having superb views of a Little Egret on West Saltholme Pool.

Four–spotted Chaser (1) and Common Blue Butterfly (1) were seen at Greatham Creek, before seeing three Stonechats on Greenabella.

Zinc Road was fairly quiet with Sedge Warbler (1) and Reed Bunting (2) being the only birds worth noting.

DaveB

 

[DEREK.C.]

Had a look over Muggleswick for a change,parked the car in a lay by, and within 50 metres of the car heard then managed to see Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart and Nuthatch. Sadly i picked up a dead female Redstart on a public footpath, without a mark on it. Just as i drove off saw 4 Buzzards soaring overhead.
Drove back past smiddyshaw, loads of Golden Plover a few Grey Partridge , Wheatear and several pairs of Red Grouse with tiny young .

 

[StevieEvans]

Had a look over Muggleswick for a change....

someone sent me a message this AM saying they were watching a Woodcock at Muggleswick "walking around on the road like a chicken"

forgot to add Shelduck with young seen at HBurn.

x2 seperate roadside Little Owls between Wheatley Hill & Running Waters this evening.

at least 2 M Nightjars & many Woodcock churring this evening at the forest.

...<snip>.......and young LEO's were calling from three nest locations........

Hi Ian,
That is good news.
We have info in on 5 occupied nests in that area alone this year.
Its been suggested that there may be a polygamous male there ?
Should be some good oppurtunities for viewing over the next month.

cheers
SE

 

[malskelton]

Was lucky enough to get some superb information from Ian F yesterday that I put into practice this morning - meant me and my dad left for Herrington Country Park at 7.45am !!

After a little trek ( we parked in the wrong place ) we found what we'd been looking for.

Tawny Owl !!!!!

Absolutely over the moon - that's 4 Brtish Owls for me now

Can't say thank you enough to Ian his help has been invaluable again

Mal Skelton

 

[StevieEvans]

Houghton area

Redshanks have again bred successfully at Ho'Gate with 3 chicks < week old.
Well it was 3, that is untill a Carrion Crow snook in to the waters edge.... 1 down 2 left.....
5 ad's there, so maybe more chicks to emerge ?

Nearby adult Dipper taking food to nest, with the fledged first brood now dispersed.
Grey Wagtail family on the Wear here & families of Robins everywhere at the moment.

SE

 

[IanF]

Glad you found them okay Mal :t:

I nearly had a ride up to Herrington CP myself this morning but it was a bit dull and showery with us so I headed down to the North tees Marshes instead.

Back Saltholme held Little Stint x2, Wood Sandpiper x1, Little Egret x1, Yellow Wagtail x1, Little Gull x2.

I'd just pulled onto the top car park at Dormans when I spotted a Marsh Harrier - cream capped over the reeds below the car park obviously hunting as within a couple of minutes it disappeared into the reeds. Previously I've only had to wait 20 minutes for them to devour what they've caught so I hung around. It was an hour and ten minutes later - before it popped up!!! Even worse the Crows mobbed it straight away and it high-tailed it west over to the new RSPB reserve.

Plenty of other birds to keep me entertained whilst I waited for the Marsh Harrier to reappear. Numerous Swifts overhead and quite a few Gadwall, Pochard, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Common Tern.

At one point I saw what I thought was a Sparrowhawk zoom past below me so I grabbed a few photos - it was only when I checked the photos I saw it was a male Cuckoo! A shame I didn't realise at the time as I saw where it landed - by the ridge north of the trees on Dormans - where the Sprawks land as well!!! First one I've actually seen here this year.

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Broad Billed Sandpiper

saltholme today - birds of interest

broad billed sandpiper
little stint
woodsandpiper
curlew sandpiper

 

[DEREK.C.]

Was going to go to Hurworth Res but at the last minute decided on Salthome, hit on exactly with the Broad Billed Sandpiper.

 

[IanF]

Was going to go to Hurworth Res but at the last minute decided on Salthome, hit on exactly with the Broad Billed Sandpiper.

Well done on getting some photos of it :t:

Still present this afternoon.

 

[JBee]

Got back Friday night from a 5 day break at Minsmere (and surrounding area) with CW.
Unfortunately (from my point of view) the purple herons present meant the hides were overcrowded to say the least. Bittern hide at one point had 41 birders squeezed in - about 20ft up in the air meant all the folk in there had the floor bouncing like a trampoline - not ideal for keeping a camera and long lens steady. Once CW and I found ourselves forced up against the end wall we called it a day. I did manage though to get a extremely long distance, slightly fuzzy shot of a marsh harrier mobbing the purple heron whose beak is only inches away from the harrier.
Disappointingly we discovered that there havent been any sand martins at Minsmere for two years now - apparently the sand cliff isnt vertical enough!
I'd been looking forward to photographing those from the comfort of the tea room.
Thanks to CW's unquestionable skills I managed to add 5 new species to my galleries + my passion for macro photography netted me well over a dozen new insects/flowers.
All in all a great week.

 

[mick moses]

Hi JBee,

great photos as usual, bumped into your pal Colin (CW?) at the bogs feeding station. He told me all about your trip to Minsmere, excellent. Glimpse of what Colin assured me was a young Water Rail (think he rang you!), certainly looked like it. Keep up the good work.

 

[seahawk]

J-Bee.-Love the pics,especially the Marsh Harrier ''dancing.''

___________________________

Les.

 

[Mark Newsome]

Decent numbers of seabirds passing Whitburn all day today. Totals included 237 Manx Shearwaters, 1800 Fulmars, 1100 Gannets, 11500 Kittiwakes and 73 Puffins. Highlights included 5 Bonxies, 1 Arctic Skua, 1st summer Glaucous Gull and 2nd summer Yellow-legged Gull.

 

[One Man and His Dog]

Temmincks Stint

Temmincks Stint at saltholme pools 6:30pm
thanx
steve

 

[ted hilland]

Common Tern

On my way to work this morning a Common Tern found feeding successfully on a small private fishing pond on Greencroft Ind. Est. between Stanley and Consett. Watched for about 15 mins and still present when I left. Thought this was probably worthy of a mention, certainly a local patch tick for me.

 

[DaveB]

A report of a Temminck’s Stint meant yet another visit to Saltholme Pools.

Shortly after arrival the bird was thought to have been seen amongst 20+ Dunlin and a pair of Wigeon, but after a closer look this bird was identified as a Little Stint. The Broad–billed Sandpiper was still present, along with only one Little Gull.

Wet and windy conditions made it hard work, but the Temminck’s Stint was eventually seen on the end of the causeway at 1845pm. Loads of Common Swift (100+), Swallows (30+), House Martins (20+) and Sand Martins (10+) over the pools.

Here's some pics of the reported Long-tailed Duck.

Something about this one that makes me think there some hybridisation. Lack of white in the face and the back of the head. Also lack of pink in the bill. What do you chaps think?

DaveB

 

[Mark Newsome]

...Here's some pics of the reported Long-tailed Duck. Something about this one that makes me think there some hybridisation. Lack of white in the face and the back of the head. Also lack of pink in the bill. What do you chaps think? DaveB

The bill pattern looks fine for a summer drake (comparing with books/photos). The rest of the plumage looks OK too in my opinion - other than the lack of a full tail. The buffy face pattern is correct for a summer male, with just a bit more pale by the eye. Quite a different looking bird to the one we see in winter!
(Nice pics Dave :clap: )

 

[DaveB]

The bill pattern looks fine for a summer drake (comparing with books/photos). The rest of the plumage looks OK too in my opinion - other than the lack of a full tail. The buffy face pattern is correct for a summer male, with just a bit more pale by the eye. Quite a different looking bird to the one we see in winter!
(Nice pics Dave :clap: )

Mark,

Thanks for the confirmation! The lack of dark coloration round the belly / white round the head / pink on the bill made me question this bird.

Cheers,

DaveB

 

[StevieEvans]

On my way to work this morning a Common Tern found feeding successfully on a small private fishing pond on Greencroft Ind. Est. between Stanley and Consett. Watched for about 15 mins and still present when I left. Thought this was probably worthy of a mention, certainly a local patch tick for me.

A passage patch tick on the way to work.... you'll be volunteering for the next Bank Hol. then eh ?
bit of a strange location Ted. (although not as strange as Minsmere - since when has it been in Co.Durham ? ;-)


Reports of less regularly recorded ssp from Hetton / Houghton area this wkend inc:-
Wood Sandpiper
Quail
Water Rail with young
Hobby


Exciting airshow from M & F Long-eared Owl this evening.

3 young out of the nest & calling almost constantly.
scoped the male hunting & bringing in prey, but then when i went to leave the female came in & went to town mobbing me.
Landing above in full view scolding me with a loud "whick whack whack".
This brought the male quickly back to see what the fuss was, & he circled above, landing with a canine-like alarm call which silenced the youngsters.
I moved on another 25metres, but they made it clear they wanted me gone.
The male became braver now & sailed effortlessly through the thicket, then also perching closely ( he was clearly smaller & a much darker bird )
She followed & landed again in full view on top of a dead Elderberry tree, scolding me loudly as i continued to back off.
As if i hadnt got the message she took off & circled overhead in a half hearted swoop.
Within a few moments the young were all begging again, i could hear them untill i was about 600 metres away.

Close by in another territory, a Tawny Owl flew across an opening then began calling, this too was met with the distinctive "whick whacking" although this time the bird remained unseen.

3 Grasshopper Warblers reeling despite the cold & breeze.



Saw a couple of bits & bobs at the Tanfield railway including an oppurtunistic male Kestrel, who was hunting birds from perches on several occassions from inside of the closed deciduous canopy.
We can only presume he was trying to cash in on some of the easy to catch fledglings...? as the breeze was perfect for the more usual wind hovvering.
Others here inc 4 Spotted Flycatcher, singing Stock Dove, Nuthatch, GSW with chicks heard & a brood of Great Tits in one of the railway bridges. Two broods of Coal Tit on the wing.

SE

 

[DEREK.C.]

. (although not as strange as Minsmere - since when has it been in Co.Durham ? ;-)SE

I thought when i first looked at the pictures a bearded reedling and Dartford warbler , Bloody hell , Hetton bogs has picked up since i was last there.