rokermartin
Well-known member
There is a interesting thread going on about Durham and Northumberland which is the best county for birding and rarities.
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Northumbrian Birding (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Stewart J.
- Start date
Gill Osborne
Well-known member
Alan G said:
Been thinking the same thing myself! This winter, to me, has flown over but the past three/four weeks have seemed to really drag! Does that make sense? Perhaps it's just because we ARE close to Spring arriving and we are impatient for new signs of life, the migrants arriving and some blooming warm weather!!!!!!!
Had my first Coltsfoot today and, according to my records, the Wheatears are due back this week so I'm sure things wil begin to look up soon....
.......they'd best - I'm BORED with this grotty weather!!!!!!!!! :storm: Had enough - want to be warm again and look at butterflies and flowers 'n' stuff!
Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
I was hoping to trip over an early wheatear at St Mary's a couple of days ago - no such luck - but there were loads of rock pipits about.
I sat for about an hour at the top end of the little beach on North Bay, and counted at least 20 pipits in a loose flock working the seaweed.
By staying very still they didn't seem to notice me being there, and they were coming within a few feet - great stuff.
Dismal photos though - there was no useful light, and everything was 1600 ISO.
Mind you, I forgot to keep an eye on the tide, and had to clamber up the clay cliff to get off the beach!
There was a peregrine about, hassling the curlews and the golden plovers on the fields.
I didn't see Steve's pintails: I was probably too busy turning the air blue over the amount of bloody dog sh*t everywhere - the latest trick adopted by tosspot dog owners is bagging the stuff up then hanging the bags on fences, railings or shrubbery!! :storm:
I've realised that I might need glasses though: in the distance I watched something big soaring above the cliffs on the strong onshore wind, and headed towards it, getting quite excited about what it might be: as I say, it was big.
It was a radio controlled glider!
I sat for about an hour at the top end of the little beach on North Bay, and counted at least 20 pipits in a loose flock working the seaweed.
By staying very still they didn't seem to notice me being there, and they were coming within a few feet - great stuff.
Dismal photos though - there was no useful light, and everything was 1600 ISO.
Mind you, I forgot to keep an eye on the tide, and had to clamber up the clay cliff to get off the beach!
There was a peregrine about, hassling the curlews and the golden plovers on the fields.
I didn't see Steve's pintails: I was probably too busy turning the air blue over the amount of bloody dog sh*t everywhere - the latest trick adopted by tosspot dog owners is bagging the stuff up then hanging the bags on fences, railings or shrubbery!! :storm:
I've realised that I might need glasses though: in the distance I watched something big soaring above the cliffs on the strong onshore wind, and headed towards it, getting quite excited about what it might be: as I say, it was big.
It was a radio controlled glider!
piecatcher
Well-known member
I didn't see Steve's pintails: I was probably too busy turning the air blue over the amount of bloody dog sh*t everywhere - the latest trick adopted by tosspot dog owners is bagging the stuff up then hanging the bags on fences, railings or shrubbery!! :storm:
Hi Kieth, the pintails were still on the site yesterday morning at about 11am, althought the drake was sheltering from the bitter wind behind a clump of grass. amazing bird!
Steve
Hi Kieth, the pintails were still on the site yesterday morning at about 11am, althought the drake was sheltering from the bitter wind behind a clump of grass. amazing bird!
Steve
Gill Osborne
Well-known member
May pop along later this morning then - have to go to Gosforth anyway to pay my Wildlife Trust subs so any excuse for a trip to my old haunts......and I'm SURE there must be a Wheatear or two in Brown's Bay ( Cullercoats) by now!!!
level seven
Registered user
Keith Reeder said:
My luck was in as I saw a male with a couple of females within minutes of arriving. A great moment as I've been looking forward to seeing some for a long time now. I returned to the car-park a couple of times after walking round the lake and then the beach, but there were no further signs of them.
John Fleet
Finally reached 300!
Male Pintail and two females showing very well indeed at 3pm today, and as a bonus a male snow bunting was feeding just in front of the car park viewing point.....
Brian Bullough
DIGIDOPE
John Fleet said:
Here is the Snow Bunting and one of the Fulmars I was trying for actually I got a few (out of the many) and the Med Gull at Blyth is looking very nice now !
Brian
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Gill Osborne
Well-known member
Excellent Graham - SO glad you caught up with them. Aren't they absolute crackers! :t:
Brian - whereabouts is the best place to go in Blyth to see the Med Gull? Got one last day left of my hols *sob* and I'm trying to decide where to go to tomorrow......I'm torn between a walk around Wallington Hall to look for any woodland stuff and a few mammals or, slightly more tempting, getting to Jesmond Dene at first light for possible Chiffchaff/Blackcap, Kingfisher etc), then on to Swallow Pond and on to the coast - Tynemouth/Cullercoats/Whitley Bay for those pintail, snow buntings and wheatear. I can easily tag Blyth and/or Newbiggin on to that route on my way back home.
Actually...think I just made my mind up on where to go tomorrow LOL :'D
Was short of time today so had a three hour trip to Hauxley....bu**er all there today apart from some Lesser Celandine in bloom and two clumps of frog spawn.
Brian - whereabouts is the best place to go in Blyth to see the Med Gull? Got one last day left of my hols *sob* and I'm trying to decide where to go to tomorrow......I'm torn between a walk around Wallington Hall to look for any woodland stuff and a few mammals or, slightly more tempting, getting to Jesmond Dene at first light for possible Chiffchaff/Blackcap, Kingfisher etc), then on to Swallow Pond and on to the coast - Tynemouth/Cullercoats/Whitley Bay for those pintail, snow buntings and wheatear. I can easily tag Blyth and/or Newbiggin on to that route on my way back home.
Actually...think I just made my mind up on where to go tomorrow LOL :'D
Was short of time today so had a three hour trip to Hauxley....bu**er all there today apart from some Lesser Celandine in bloom and two clumps of frog spawn.
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Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
Judging by the starlings in the background, the Med gull is still around the prom/fish & chip restaurant/car park.
Gill Osborne
Well-known member
Thanks Keith...I know where they are so fingers crossed.
And blow the diet....a few chips to tempt a Med is faaar more important! :-O
And blow the diet....a few chips to tempt a Med is faaar more important! :-O
Brian Bullough
DIGIDOPE
Gill Osborne said:
I presume you went to the feeding station plenty of Tree Sparrow,Siskins etc worth a look in !
Couldn't beleive my luck when I pulled up to Two Crossbills got out and took some shots only to find they where all rather dark ,nearest I have ever been to them I took a range of shots but all into the light ,when is it ever going to brighten up.
Brian
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Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
I know what you mean about the grim weather, Brian - it's killing me!
Canny wander today though: I had a few hours' round the R Blyth at Bedlington - Humford Woods.
A pair of dippers took up a fair bit of my time - they really gave me the runaround, and because of the crappy light (and my incompetence!) I didn't get any pictures worth posting up: but I was pleased to see the pair, and - quite by accident - I found what I think is going to be their nest site, so it looks like there might be the patter of tiny dipper feet on the river before long.
There was a pair of goosander on the river, the woods were alive with nuthatches, tits, goldcrests, odd treecreepers, great spotted woodpeckers (and I heard a green woodpecker). I saw a couple of bullfinches too.
Lots of redwings overhead.
I got fleeting glimpses of a roe deer bounding down and along the steep far bank in a way that'd put a chamois to shame!
I headed back for home via Hathery Lane (Bebside) and had a wander round the "moorland" between the lane and the dual carriageway. Loads of owl pellets, as I've noted there before, but no sign of any owls - must pluck up the courage to spend some more time there!
Closer to home, I heard what I would have sworn was a whitethroat - but it's way too early for them, so I'm stumped.
I was gobsmacked to see a pair of pintail ducks on a flooded field.
I also heard my first singing skylark of the year.
But the best was close to home: walking onto Blyth golf course I heard a racket coming from a stand of conifers and went to check it out - a small mixed flock of siskin and crossbills!
They skedaddled long before I had any chance to get the camera back out of the bag though.
The pintails and crossbills were patch ticks for me and rounded off an interesting day very nicely.
Canny wander today though: I had a few hours' round the R Blyth at Bedlington - Humford Woods.
A pair of dippers took up a fair bit of my time - they really gave me the runaround, and because of the crappy light (and my incompetence!) I didn't get any pictures worth posting up: but I was pleased to see the pair, and - quite by accident - I found what I think is going to be their nest site, so it looks like there might be the patter of tiny dipper feet on the river before long.
There was a pair of goosander on the river, the woods were alive with nuthatches, tits, goldcrests, odd treecreepers, great spotted woodpeckers (and I heard a green woodpecker). I saw a couple of bullfinches too.
Lots of redwings overhead.
I got fleeting glimpses of a roe deer bounding down and along the steep far bank in a way that'd put a chamois to shame!
I headed back for home via Hathery Lane (Bebside) and had a wander round the "moorland" between the lane and the dual carriageway. Loads of owl pellets, as I've noted there before, but no sign of any owls - must pluck up the courage to spend some more time there!
Closer to home, I heard what I would have sworn was a whitethroat - but it's way too early for them, so I'm stumped.
I was gobsmacked to see a pair of pintail ducks on a flooded field.
I also heard my first singing skylark of the year.
But the best was close to home: walking onto Blyth golf course I heard a racket coming from a stand of conifers and went to check it out - a small mixed flock of siskin and crossbills!
They skedaddled long before I had any chance to get the camera back out of the bag though.
The pintails and crossbills were patch ticks for me and rounded off an interesting day very nicely.
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Brian Bullough
DIGIDOPE
Replying to the post re DURHAM BIRD CLUB which seems to have dissapeared
I thought it was customary to thank the chairman that was stepping down and not slagg him off in an open forum,Giving up your time for free should be thanked and although I do not know the name concerned I wish him well ,perhaps he is better out of this which seems a thankless task!!
brian
I thought it was customary to thank the chairman that was stepping down and not slagg him off in an open forum,Giving up your time for free should be thanked and although I do not know the name concerned I wish him well ,perhaps he is better out of this which seems a thankless task!!
brian
martin kitching
Obsessed seawatcher
Brian Bullough said:
Well said Brian. The comment about Keith Bowey (which has thankfully been removed) was disgraceful and shows just how little certain posters on this forum actually know about their own county/bird club.
martin
The remark you are refering to was an ill thought out statment by one person and not representative of the vast majority of the club members. I know several of the present commity members and all of them were saddened and surprised when Keith decided to leave. They all had nothing but praise for his hard work for the club and not one of them had a bad word for him.Brian Bullough said:
ukjesters
Well-known member
Gill Osborne
Well-known member
I often used to see Barn Owls hunting in broad daylight - either in the morning or mid-afternoon - when I lived out in the sticks.
And on Friday 10th March I'd been to Morpeth and was heading back home northwards up the A1, approximately five miles past Morpeth, when a movement to the right caught my eye. It was a Barn Owl hunting in the fields adjoining the road.....I just hoped it would stay away from the road as it was absolutely stunning to see one in the middle of the afternoon! This was at 4.30pm which is the earliest I have seen that species out hunting.
Made my day seeing it though. :t:
And on Friday 10th March I'd been to Morpeth and was heading back home northwards up the A1, approximately five miles past Morpeth, when a movement to the right caught my eye. It was a Barn Owl hunting in the fields adjoining the road.....I just hoped it would stay away from the road as it was absolutely stunning to see one in the middle of the afternoon! This was at 4.30pm which is the earliest I have seen that species out hunting.
Made my day seeing it though. :t:
John Fleet
Finally reached 300!
Last Saturday saw one sitting on a post on the side of the road just outside Coldstream at about 9.30 am and then later that day one hunting in the dunes south of Berwick at about 4pm..... so it seems northern barn owls at least are not necessarily nocturnal!
John Fleet
John Fleet