Durham Bird Club at 50
The county avifauna, The Birds of Durham (Bowey and Newsome, 2012) records that “A public meeting in late 1974 at Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery to discuss bird watching and recording was well-attended. This was followed on 8 January 1975 by another meeting and enrolment for membership of the Durham Bird Club began shortly afterwards.”
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We shall be organising various projects and events during the year to commemorate this special anniversary. These include a "Bird of the Week" feature, appearing below.
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Bird of the Week - Week 42
Redshank – The Watchman of the Wetlands
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​​(Photo by Mark Harper)​​​
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It’s hard to mistake a Redshank once you’ve seen – or heard – one. Their loud, urgent “teu-teu-teu” calls echo across the marsh, often the first alarm when anything disturbs a mixed flock of waders. With bright orange-red legs and a bold, lively manner, they’re the sentinels of the estuary.
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In County Durham, Redshank can be found year-round along the coast, though their numbers fluctuate with the seasons. Many birds breed further north and join our local residents in autumn, building up at sites like Seal Sands, Greatham Creek, and along the coast. Inland, smaller numbers occur at wetlands such as Castle Lake and Rainton Meadows, especially as migration peaks.
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As other waders grow quieter and more secretive through the colder months, Redshank remain active and vocal – feeding along the tide’s edge or probing soft mud for worms and small crustaceans. Even a small group brings life to a grey winter’s day with their constant calls and flickering movements.
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They’re a reminder that even the most familiar birds have their own quiet drama: alert, social, and tuned to every change in tide and season.
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Have you heard that piercing call yet this autumn, or watched a Redshank darting among the pools on a blustery day?
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More information on Redshank
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E-mail: admin@durhambirdclub.org.uk
Social media tags: #DBC #DBCat50 #DurhamBirdClub #BirdOfTheWeek
#Durham #Birding #BirdwatchingUK #CountyDurhamBirds #BirdMigration
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