Sightings – February 2008
24th February, 2008
(Teesside)
A free afternoon gave me the chance to visit Norton (Stockton) where a Humes Leaf Warbler has been seen for the past week or two.
A pair of Blackcaps (1m & 1f) were also seen, along with Wren (2), Robin (2), Blackbird (5+), Coal Tit (3), Blue Tit (4), Great Tit (2), Long–tailed Tit (2), Goldcrest (3+), Collared Dove (2), Woodpigeon (4+), Goldfinch (4), Greenfinch (3+), Chaffinch (4+) and Lesser Redpoll (2).
Next stop was Seaton Snook where a Short–eared Owl showed beautifully on Zinc Road.
Golden Plover (50+), Lapwing (50+), Curlew (20+), Wigeon (30+) and Pheasant (4) were in the fields opposite the power station.
A Merlin was seen flying up the channel and a Red–throated Diver was seen flying in the opposite direction. Red–breasted Meganser (20+), Shelduck (4), Eider (2) and Cormorant (30+) were seen, but there was no sign of the reported Long–tailed Duck.
Waders at the snook included Grey Plover (30+), Ringed Plover (30+), Redshank (50+), Dunlin (10+), Turnstone (10+) and Oystercatcher (100+). A pair of Stonechats were seen on the way back to the car.
19th February, 2008
(Hetton Boggs)
Whilst dropping off a couple of servers I decided to have my lunch break at Hetton Boggs.
A Water Rail showed very well, showing at least twelve times during the hour that I was there.
Three Common Snipe were seen and I was told that a Jack Snipe had previously been flushed prior to my arrival. I enjoyed watching Coot (4+) and Moorhen (7+) trying to walk / skate across the ice.
Other birds seen included Blackbird (1), Bullfinch (1m & 1f), Chaffinch (1m), Willow Tit (2), Blue Tit (3), Great Tit (2), Long–tailed Tit (5), Dunnock (2), Robin (1) and Reed Bunting (7+).
A big thanks to the Hetton Birders who manage this site, ‘a selection of bird food was left to pay for my enjoyment’.
17th February, 2008
(Upper Teesdale)
Five Black Grouse and a single Red Grouse were near Kinninvie. A Common Buzzard was seen en–route to Egglestone.
A further twenty two Black Grouse were seen at Langdon Beck, including one female. A Grey Partridge and a pair of Ravens were seen near Harwood.
Good numbers of Lapwing (800c) and Golden Plover (250c) were in the area, returning to their breeding grounds. Mistle Thrush (10+), Fieldfare (30+), Redwing (1), Kestrel (3), Sparrowhawk (1 male) and a second Common Buzzard were also in the area.
16th February, 2008
(Escomb)
Last months Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebes (2) were still on Escomb Lake, along with Mallard (2) and Goldeneye (4 females). Still high numbers of Tufted Duck (at least twenty five).
Several Common Gulls were amongst Black–headed Gulls on the iced over section of the lake. Eleven Canada Geese and seven Greylag Geese were also in the area.
Two Oystercatchers were back on their breeding ground. Coots were displaying and Bullfinches were seen gathering nesting materials.
Activity is still high on Etherley Moor with Tree Sparrows and Blue Tits securing their nest boxes. A Song Thrush has been singing quite loudly over the past two nights and a male Yellowhammer is visiting the feeders for the first time in two years.
12th February, 2008
(Gaunless Flats)
Five Common Snipe, a Grey Heron, several Mallards and four Goosanders (including 1 drake) were seen this afternoon. A male Yellowhammer was on our Etherley Moor feeding station this morning (not recorded last year).
11th February, 2008
(Low Barns)
The feeding station was less than active this evening (no screen to stop scaring the birds).
The semi–leaucistic female Goldeneye was on the west lake and a further three Goldeneyes were on Marston Lake (including one drake). Three female Pochards and eight Common Teal were also there.
A Jay and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker put in a brief appearance before departure. An enjoyable, but relatively quiet walk around the reserve.
10th February, 2008
(South Shields)
A family visit to South Shields offered me the chance to check the Leas and Trow Quarry for the recently reported Owls that have been seen in the area.
A quick check for the Little Owl was unsuccessful, but two Stonechats put in a nice show before we moved onto the Leas. Once at the Leas, we waited for only five minutes before two Short–eared Owls came into view. The owls showed nicely for a few minutes before moving to the south end of the Leas (possibly disturbed by a person flying a remote control plane). A single Skylark and a cracking male Kestrel were also seen here.
We decided to visit Trow Quarry on the return to the beach and sure enough, there was the Little Owl. Once I got withing thirty yards, it quickly dissapeared into its hole. Back on the beach, fourteen Sanderlings were working the shoreline and two Fulmars were seen offshore.
The reported Waxwings at Gateshead Stadium were seen flying to roost and no fewer than twenty three Greenfinches were observed in a nearby tree.
A Barn Owl was seen hunting a field on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland late evening. A new site for this species (now seen at seven different locations on the outskirts of the town).
10th February, 2008
(Etherley Moor)
The feeding station has been very active for the past two mornings with Tree Sparrow (3), House Sparrow (20+), Greenfinch (2), Chaffinch (2), Great Tit (2), Blue Tit (2), Robin (2), Dunnock (2) Blackbird (3) and Starling (10+) all visiting regularly.
A male Pheasant put in a brief appearance yesterday morning, but the highlight for me has to be the increased activity in nestbox exploration over the past week. Tree Sparrows, Great Tit, Blackbird, Robin and Dunnock all fighting for territorial rights and Blue Tits visiting the front nestbox without contest.
9th February, 2008
(Teesside)
The reported Smew (1 redhead) was seen at Portrack Marsh. Grey Heron (1), Shelduck (1), Shoveller (7), Mallard (10), Pochard (1), Tufted Duck (3), Gadwall (5) and Common Teal (2) were also on the ponds.
The regular Yellow–legged Gull was at it’s usual location.
A Pink–footed Goose was with Greylag Geese (20c) on the road that leads to North Gare. Golden Plover (100c), Lapwing (100c), Wigeon (100c) and Pheasant (8) were in the fields to the north of Zinc Road.
A pair of Stonechat were also seen, but there was no sign of the recently reported Barn Owl, Short–eared Owl or Caspian Gull.
9th February, 2008
(The Stang)
Four Crossbills were seen soon after arrival. Black Grouse (25 (highest count I have recorded here)), Red Grouse (10), Siskin (20+), Chaffinch (4), Coal Tit (10+) were also seen.
A Red–legged Partridge was seen near Brignall, along with Fieldfare (100c) and Starling (200c).
A pair of untagged Red Kites and two Common Buzzards were seen on the outskirts of Kinninvie. Fieldfare (250c), Starling (350c) and Red Grouse (2) were also in the area.
There was plenty of Lapwings moving through the area, with many back on their nesting grounds. A regular Black Grouse lek was visited for a second time this year and once again, there were no grouse present?
6th February, 2008
(Bishops Park)
A single Green Sandpiper was at the small pool, along with three Grey Herons. A drake Goosander was on the River Wear. Two Fieldfares and two Mistle Thrushes were also in the area. A Barn Owl was seen at it’s usual location on the outskirts of the town.
4th February, 2008
(New Brancepeth)
A pair of Dippers were seen on the river, ‘downstream of the bridge’.
At least four Siskins and two Bullfinches were seen visiting a local feeding station. Other birds here included Greenfinch (2), Chaffinch (2), Goldfinch (3), Blue Tit (1), Great Tit (2), Robin (1), Pied Wagtail (1) and at least ten House Sparrows, all seen in a brief 3 – 4 minute spell watching the feeders.
No sign of last months Brambling, but I was reliably informed that it has been seen recently.
3rd February, 2008
(South Tyneside)
A quick visit to South Tyneside for two reported birds resulted in a 2 – 3 second view of a Firecrest at Mount Pleasant and very good views of a Yellow–browed Warbler at Jarrow Cemetery.
Several male and female Bullfinches were showing well at Mount Pleasant NR, along with a smaller selection of common garden birds.
Jarrow Cemetery was much more productive with Kestrel (1), Redwing (50+), Mistle Thrush (2), Song Thrush (1), Blackbird (5+), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Goldcrest (3), Long–tailed Tit (10+), Wren (1), Robin (2), Great Tit (2), Blue Tit (4+), Coal Tit (2), Greenfinch (1), Chaffinch (2) and Goldfinch (3) being seen.
The Yellow–browed Warbler was seen on numerous occasions in the trees / bushes that run along the northern edge of the cemetery and was very flighty, which made photographing the bird difficult.
2nd February, 2008
(Escomb)
Two Mute Swans, a Great Crested Grebe, a pair of Little Grebes, at least ten Mallards, four female Goldeneyes, a female Pochard and no fewer than thirty two Tufted Ducks were on the two lakes.
Two Great Black–blacked Gulls and four Herring Gulls were amongst a mixed group of Common Gulls and Black–headed Gulls. Eleven Canada Geese and four Greylag Geese were in a field north of the small lake (11 Greylags flew over heading towards Low Barns).
A Willow Tit was amongst a decent sized flock of titmice that were working their way around Escomb Lake. Two Bullfinch and at least three Reed Buntings were in the hedge row that runs along the eastern edge. Jay (1), Mistle Thrush (2), Song Thrush (3), Redwing (1) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) were amongst other birds that made a total of thirty six different species in an enjoyable hours walk around the two lakes.
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