- DBC
- Nov 21, 2017
Whooper Swan image by G.Blackett
A couple of fresh additions today, confirming some of our winter birds are still arriving.
Low Barns held a newly arrived Whooper Swan as well as 5Goosander, 2L.Egrets & Water Rail
Small no's of non breeding diving ducks appearing, with Pochard & Goldeneye at Watergate Pk, Hurworth Burn & Rainton
Winter wildfowl image by Rev D.Atkinson
Green Sandpiper again proved popular at Phil Stead hide on Teesmouth with another on the Browney at Langley Moor - a traditional wintering location (NU) - who confirmed the continued presence of BTDiver & V.Scoter at Blackhall.
Starling image by David Fullerton.
Winter roosts are starting to build now & a pair were noted inspecting eaves & entering a roof cavity together at Roker this afternoon (SE), where a Woodcock flew West along sub-urban streets, presumably a fresh migrant.
Mr Egret image by Mr Heron
A minimum of 15 Little Egrets were seen at Saltholme (FM), as well as 70Barnacle Geese & 600Golden Plover.
Elsewhere on Teesside, Greenshank & Barn Owl were on Greenablla with 620 Golden Plover close by at Salterns.
Lamesley had a good selection today, (DG) reporting 3 unseasonal Dunlin with 1Gadwall, 6Snipe, Little Egret, female Shoveller & a Pink footed Goose.
Another 4Pinks (NU) were with 250 Greylags at Hurworth Burn, others heard at dusk at Roker (SE).
Rock Pipit image by Rev D.Atkinson
An overwintering Rock Pipit continues on the Tyne at Dunston, approx. 16km inland - one that distance inland on the Wear or Tees would be very well received.
Kingfisher image by M.Heron
Overnight rain & wet winter days result in more or less guaranteed sightings of Kingfishers on local standing waters - temporarily moving away from their clouded breeding stretches. This one photographed from the 'Freezer' at Rainton. Others here today included GCGrebe & Water Rail.
That's it for today.
- DBC
- Nov 20, 2017
male GSW takes a drink - image Tippa Laurie
2Little Auks & a GNDiver went past at Whitburn as did a skein of 70+ Pink footed Geese. Shields Snowbuntings still numbered 4, but NTees Shorelark dropped by one to 3birds.
minimum of 7 Stonechat on Seaton Common, with the same number at Blackhall Rocks, which heldBTDiver & RTDiver
a fem Pochard was fresh in at Watergate pk
Saltholme stole the show today with :- Leo, Water Pipit, Merlin, Green Sandpiper, 2Marsh Harriers, Water Rail, Black tailed Godwit, Starling roost very active well before light.
Further good news from WWT where the #Curlew roost topped 500 today, the day being capped of with several Mistle Thrushes beginning to tune up
- DBC
- Nov 19, 2017
GND image by Brian Smith
Great Northern Diver, Red Kite, 120Pink feet & 8Whooper Swan - Derwent Res (GT / GB / BS)
A small number of Whooper Swans were also on the move today with 4 East over Middlestone St.George & a dozen were noisily heading South over Copt Hill Houghton towards dusk 16:16 (SE)
Its this time of year when scarce migrants become a fading memory, that the inland local patchers reap their rewards.
A great selection of local patch birds & excellent days birdwatching in the Mid-Wear Valley with , Redpoll, Siskin, Willow Tit, Nuthatch, GSW, Tree Sparrow, Kingfisher, Dipper, Goldeneye, Tufties, Barn Owl, etc. during a morning walk round Escomb -Dave Brown, and a mile or 2 up the valley Fred Wright noted Dipper, Kingfisher, Water Rail, Goldeneye, Teal , Wigeon, Common Gull, Little Egret amongst others.
Bullfinch image LYounger
Very few reports from the north east of the county today with 3Snow Bunting remaining faithful to Shields pier (DH) & the seawatching lads in the Whitburn Obs scoring with 5Little Auks & Grey Phalarope - it appears to be a good year for this ocean wanderer...(MN et al)
The central section of coast did well today with coverage from several observers Peregrine & Grey Wagtail were noted at Seaham (SE), with Graham Stoker intensively covered the Seaham to Hendon stretch amassing: - a Merlin flew N along Hall Beach, 6 Stonechat (3pr + 2pr at Dawdon Blast), 5 RPipit, Woodcock, 2 Snipe, 28 Skylark, 6 GPartridge, 130 Linnet, 10 Siskin N, 4 RtDiver & 2 Goldeneye ots. 180 GPlover at Seaton Ponds on the way home.
Our former Chairman PA ( & his long suffering marra, SH) were out with prStonechat & 2Woodcock in Ryhope Village 'Scops' Dene, before moving on to complete their 1st winter bird crop survey at Seaham and Ryhope with 50ReedBunting 20TreeSpug c200 Linnet 5Yellowhammer 4GreyPartridge etc.
An excellent & rewarding initiative, liasing with local landowners to help monitor farmland birds & swell DBC coffers in the process !
Long tailed Tit image by
The Marsh Harrier again hunting at Greatham Creek (JDuffie)
The Shorelarks at North Gare were down to 3 birds, Dave 'Etherley Moor' Brown noting them fly over the river mouth towards South Gare late afternoon. Also on N.Tees area, a presumed adult Yellow-legged gull type was on Dormans.at 11.50am (JDuffie)
New club member Paul Weddle hit on lucky with 3 roadside Red Kites at Gateshead - a delight to watch in the winter sun.
This short winter Sundays activity finished with a couple of the Houghton Owlers playing on into overtime with Long & Short-eared noted by (SE) & a Barn Owl active at a local church (MH).
We'll cap this report off with another Black Grouse image - this one a cracker, a young male bird by Brian Martin.
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