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The warblers are arriving Chiffchaff (top), Willow Warbler (middle) and Blackcap (above) [Harold Dobson (2) and Gordon Pollinger (Willow Warbler)]

Year list stands at 130 - Reed Warbler and Whinchat were new today

Friday 30th April 2010

Lamesley Water Meadows - Still 2 Wood Sandpiper today. Also a Common Whitethroat

One of the Wood Sandpipers at Lamesley [Paul Davidson]

Shibdon Pond - 1 Sedge Warbler
Birtley reedbed pools - 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 4+ Common Whitethroat
Bowes valley NR - 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat
Burdon Moor - 15 Wheatear, one Whinchat and a Common Swift flew over and a Willow Tit in the clump of trees by the pond.

Male & Female Wheatears at Burdon Moor With the wind turning to southerly on 17th/18th birds started to move through the borough. 2 male Ring Ousels, 18+ Wheatears, a Grasshopper Warbler and 118 Meadow Pipits were around or passed over.

Clara Vale LNR - Cuckoo calling in then seen flying west over cricket ground with c40 linnet in field nearby.

Year list stands at 128 - Wood Sandpiper was new today

Thursday 29th April 2010

Derwenthaugh Staithes - Several Common Tern
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Wood Sandpiper this afternoon
Birtley reedbed pools - 1 Grasshopper Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat
Clara Vale LNR - 1 Common Whitethroat and a Common Swift

Wednesday 28th April 2010

Burdon Moor - 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 7 Wheatear with a Little Owl elsewhere on the Fell
Shibdon Pond - 1+ Common Tern, 1 Sedge Warbler., 1 Mandarin. Also 3 Grey Heron, 6 Coot, 18 Canada Goose, 4 Teal, 4 Shelduck, 2 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 13 Herring Gull 10 Black Headed Gull 3 Swallow, 12 Tufted Duck, 2 Wren, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Robin, 1 feral Barnacle Goose, 4 Carion Crow, 5 Moorhen, 2 Blue Tit, 3 Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, 6 Woodpigeon.

Drake Mandarin at Far Pasture A smashing drake for the lucky few, but a short stayer like the female earlier in the year at Shibdon. Mandarins in Gateshead tend not to hang around. [Ron McHatton ]

Winlaton - 1 Grasshopper Warbler

Year list stands at 127 - Common Tern was new today

Tuesday 27th April 2010

Shibdon Pond - 3 Common Tern, 1 Sedge Warbler
Burdon Moor - 6 Wheatear, Common Whitethroat and a few Swallows

Monday 26th April 2010

Lamesley Water Meadows - Common Sandpiper on the Flash pool and a Common Whitethroat at the Church Pool.

Common Sandpiper at Lamesley [Paul Davidson]

Shibdon Pond - 1 Sedge Warbler

Year list stands at 126 - Garden Warbler was new today

Sunday 25th April 2010

Shibdon Pond - Mandarin, 2 Shoveler and several Orange-tip butterflies
Birtley Sewage Works area - 3 Swift, 6 House Martin, 20 Sand Martin and 50 Swallow. Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all singing. Common Sandpiper flushed nearby and flew towards the sewage works and 2-3 Grasshopper Warbler just over boundary.

Sand Martin at Far Pasture [Ron Hindhaugh]

Ravensworth Fell - 7 Wheatear and a roding Woodcock this evening.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 4 Shelduck, 1 Kestrel, 2 Stock Dove, , 1 pair Blackcap, 2 Tree Sparrow, Sand Martins, Swallows.
Stargate - 1 Lesser Whitethroat
Blaydon Burn - 1 Lesser Whitethroat
Swalwell - 6 Swift
Hedley Hall Woods - 2 Grasshopper Warbler and 2 Common Whitethroat
Bowes Valley / Kibblesworth brickworks pool - 2 Common Whitethroat, 4 Greylag Geese, 3 Mute Swan, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Herring Gulls, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Swallows,

Year list stands at 125 - Cuckoo and Sedge Warbler were new today

Saturday 24th April 2010

Shibdon Pond - Singing Sedge Warbler
Clara Vale - 1 Orange-tip butterfly in a garden
Derwenthaugh - 2 Wheatear, several Swifts flew down the Derwent Valley over Swalwell then flew east down the Tyne at 2-50 pm. A pair of Snipe right next to the Toyota garage. Also several Carcases of gulls, pigeon and corvids may be the result of a Peregrine
Greenford Lane, Lamesley - 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling.
Lamesley Meadows - 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1pr Shelduck.
Bowes Valley NR - 1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 1 Kestrel.
Birtley Sewage Works area - 6 Swift over at 08:45, 1 Sedge Warbler singing intermittently on the south side near the main road, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Grasshopper Warbler reeling.
Thornley Kennels - Cuckoo calling (first within the borough)
Ravensworth Fell - 4 Wheatear
Crawcrook Quarry - 1 Lesser Whitethroat
Hedley Hall Woods - 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat
Whickham- 2 Fieldfare flew over

Friday 23rd April 2010

Ravensworth Fell - 3 Roe Deer
Bowes Valley NR/Kibblesworth Brickworks Pool - 1pr Little Grebe, 3 Mute Swan, 1pr Greylag Geese, 3 Canada Geese, 4pr Tufted Duck, 1pr Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Swift, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Dipper, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Yellowhammer.

Grasshopper Warbler at Birtley STW area [Neil Fawcett]

Timber Beach - 1 Ringed Plover
Shibdon Pond - Long-tailed Tit's nest

Year list stands at 123 -Iceland Gull was new today

Thursday 22nd April 2010

Shibdon Pond - A drake Mandarin Duck, 2 Shoveler, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 singing Lesser Whitethroat.

Mandarin flying off, not to be seen again [George Simpson]

River Tyne at Ryton - An Iceland Gull, 200 metres west of River Lane this afternoon, with 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Clara Vale - 110 Sand Martin nest holes on the Tyne at Clara Vale.

Year list stands at 122 - Common Sandpiper and Lesser Whitethroat were new today

Wednesday 21st April 2010

First young Coot of the year - Birtley reedbeds [Neil Fawcett]

Birtley sewage works area - 2 Little Grebe, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, Coot (pr with 3 young) , numerous hirundines including at least 2 House Martin, 3 Jay, 1pr Bullfinch, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 1 Lesser Whitethroat singing, 2 Common Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, 6 +Chiffchaff, 15+ Willow Warbler, 1pr Willow Tit & Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Long-tailed Tit, Linnet, Reed Bunting.

Common Sandpiper at Birtley STW area [Neil Fawcett]

Lamesley Water Meadows - Apossible summer plumaged Water Pipit, and 2 White Wagtail, 2 Oyster-catcher and a House Martin.

Year list stands at 120 - Common Redstart, Yellow Wagtail and Common Swift , were all new today

Tuesday 20th April 2010

Birtley sewage works area - 1 Yellow Wagtail
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 male Wheatear and a White Wagtail
Bowes Valley NR - 7 male Wheatear, 1 House Martin.
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 6 Common Snipe
Urpeth Bridge - Male Redstart from sheltered footpath just over the Gateshead border was watched for about ten minutes as it made its way towards the main road to the entrance to the Bewicke Maine caravan site. Also a Grasshopper Warbler again reeling nearby.

Common Redstart at Urpeth Bridge [Neil Fawcett ]

Swalwell - A Common Swift over the cricket ground flew up the Derwent valley

Year list stands at 117 -Common Whitethroat & Greenshank were all new today

Monday 19th April 2010

Hedley Hall Woods - 1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler
River Tyne at Costco - A single Greenshank on the Gateshead bank of the Tyne this lunchtime, on the Costco foreshore.
Birtley Brickworks Pool area - 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1pr Grey Partridge, 2 Oystercatcher over, 1 Common Whitethroat singing, 2m Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 8 Willow Warbler, 1pr Jay, 1pr Bullfinch, 1pr Yellowhammer plus Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Reed Bunting.
Riding Farm/Team Valley - 8pr Greylag Geese (one with 4 young gosling), 2pr Canada Geese, 5pr Tufted Duck, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, Lapwing & Curlew in stubble fields, 3 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 1 Dipper, 1 Redwing, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 1pr Willow Tit, 1 Treecreeper, 5 Tree Sparrow.
Birtley Sewage Treatment Works - 2 House Martin, 20+ Sand Martin, 30+ Swallow

Noticable increase in Swallow numbers generally today.

Year list stands at 115 -Grasshopper Warbler was new today

Sunday 18th April 2010

Burdon Moor - 15 Wheatear, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Redshank, 3 Mallard and a Red Kite. Carrion Crow sitting on eggs.

Ouslaw Lane, Kibblesworth - The 2 male Ring Ousel still present at the north end of the lane, together with 3 Wheatear and a pair of Common Buzzard. A total of 116 Meadow Pipit flew over heading north.

One of the male Ring Ousels at Kibblesworth [Paul Davidson]

Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 White Wagtail, 8 Teal
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 4 Common Snipe
Birtley Brickworks Pool area - 1 reeling Grasshopper Warbler showed well, 1 male Wheatear, 1 Jay, Grey Heron & Lapwing over, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Swallow, Long-tailed Tit, Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Skylark & Meadow Pipit.
Timber Beach - 2 Ringed Plover

Report of a Little Auk at Lamesley Water Meadows on 'Birdguides' is thought to be highly erroneous

Year list stands at 114 -Ring Ousel were new today

Saturday 17th April 2010

Derwenthaugh Meadows - 8 Oystercatchers , 3 Stock Doves
Ouslaw Lane, Kibblesworth - 2 possibly 3 Ring Ousel briefly this morning in the hedgerows.. Also 2 Red-legged Partridge
Lamesley Water Meadows -1 White Wagtail.
Far Pasture NR -1 Chiffchaff singing and a Comma butterfly seen.

Swallow at Lamesley [Ray Wilby]

Friday 16th April 2010

Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 7 Common Snipe
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Common Buzzard

Thursday 15th April 2010

Queen Elizabeth Hospital - 1 dead Woodcock was found in the grounds
Church Pool, Lamesley - 1 Little Grebe.
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 8pr Teal, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 1pr Oystercatcher, 6 Lapwing, 18 Snipe, 35 Curlew, 3 Redshank, 1pr Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Chiffchaff

Wednesday 14th April 2010

Shibdon Pond -Muscovy duck on the raft with Barnacle Goose and Canada Goose with a pair of Greylag nearby. Not a wild bird between them.
Derwenthaugh Meadows - First Lapwing this year here with a pair of Oystercatchers and a single Dunlin

Song Thrush at Derwenthaugh [George Simpson]

Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Common Buzzard
Sled Lane Pond - 1 drake Wigeon, several Tufted Duck, Chiffchaff, Mallard, Grey Heron and a pair of nesting Mute Swan

Monday 12th April 2010

Strother Hills - 10 Peacock, 5 Small Tortoiseshell and a Comma
Clara Vale - 4 Peacock

Sunday 11th April 2010

Clara Vale - 2 Tree Sparrow and single Small Tortoiseshell and Comma in one of the gardens
Burdon Moor - 300 Northern Golden Plover , 2 singing Willow Warbler and a Wheatear.
Kibblesworth Grange - A pair Tufted Duck, 2 Oyster-catcher and a Wheatear
Lamesley Water Meadows - 15 Teal, 2 Oystercatcher, a Peacock butterfly and 4 Common Buzzards and 1-2 Sparrowhawk seeen from here looking towards the Ravensworth Estate
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 2 Common Snipe and 2 Redshank. No sign of the Green Sandpiper since Thursday.

Saturday 10th April 2010

Clara Vale to Ryton - Several singing Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler.
Burdon Moor - 2 Greylag, pair Teal, pair Tufted duck and 1 Redshank plus 200 Golden Plover flying around.

Friday 9th April 2010

Shibdon Pond - 5 Blackcap singing, fighting and feeding (4 male 1 Female)
Birtley - Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers still visiting a garden feeding station
Lamesley - Pair of Grey Lag and a pair of Shelduck on the flsash pools.
Ravensworth Fell - 175 Golden Plover
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - Willow Warbler and 67 Curlew

Thursday 8th April 2010

Chopwell - Gateshead's 3rd Osprey of the spring flew over this afternoon.
Lamesley Water Meadows - No sign of the Black-tailed Godwits this morning. 2 Oyster-catcher, 2 Stock Dove present with a Great Spotted Woodpecker behind the Ravensworth Arms
Birtley sewage works area - 1pr Teal, 1pr Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 pr Oystercatcher, 2 Sand Martin, 3m Blackcap, 10+ Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler, 1pr Willow Tit, plus Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Greylag Geese, Mallard, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting.
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 1 Green Sandpiper
Shibdon Pond - 6 Pink-footed Geese arrived but were quickly chased off by the resident Mute Swan.

6 Pink-footed Geese landing at Shibdon Pond [George Simpson]

Clara Vale LNR - Single Willow Warbler this morning and a Blackcap
Crawcrook Quarry - 4 Common Buzzard flew over heading east. Around 40 Sand Martins in the quarry (none yesterday).

Year list stands at 113 -Black-tailed Godwit were new today

Wednesday 7th April 2010

Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit
Rowlands Gill - 1 Brambling visited a garden bird feeder

Tuesday 6th April 2010

Sunniside -1 Little Owl

Little Owl at Sunniside [Paul Davidson]

Westfield Pasture - 1 Little Owl, 1 Blackcap with a Tawny Owl nearby
Ravensworth Fell - 1 Common Buzzard
Shibdon Pond - 2 Blackcap singing
Clara Vale LNR - 2 Peacock butterfly, 1 singing Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaffs, Willow
Tit and a pair of Long-tailed tits nest building.

Monday 5th April 2010

Birtley reedbed Pools -1 White Wagtail, 2 Willow Warbler 2, and a Chiffchaff. Lamesley Water Meadows - Willow Warbler 1 (in pub carpark). House Sparrow 7, Greylag Goose 6, Redshank 3, Wood Pigeon 6, Mallard 2, Moorhen 2, Goldfinch 6, Grey Heron 1, Starlings 20+, Teal 8, Shelduck 1, Blackbird 1, Lapwings 3, Linnet 2, Robin 1, Coot 2, Black-headed Gull 1, Jackdaw 5, Meadow Pipit 3, Reed Bunting.
Far Pasture NR - Little Grebe 1, Common Buzzard 2, Red Kite 3, Canada Geese 2 (one on nest with eggs in) Mute Swan 2, Kingfisher 1, Common Snipe 5, Chiffchaff 1, Coal Tit 4, Blue Tit 2, Willow Tit 1, Teal 4, House Martins 3, Swallow 1, Jay 1, Sand Martins 40+, pair of Blackcap and a Roe Deer 3. A White Wagtail in the adjacent sewage works

Red Kites at Far Pasture [Derek Bilton]

Year list stands at 112 -Willow Warbler were new today

Sunday 4th April 2010

Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Redshank

Redshank This fine summer plumaged bird was at Lamesley Water Meadows [Ray Wilby]

Birtley reedbed Pools - The 1st Willow Warbler of the year
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - Green Sandpiper still present
Ravensworth Fell - 2 Oyster-catcher, 44 Meadow Pipit and 400 Golden Plover
Shibdon Pond - 6 Swallow amongst the Sand Martins
Far Pasture NR - 1 drake Mandarin
Hagghill Woods, Winlaton Mill - 1 House Martin and a Red Fox
Swalwell -A probable Peregrine flew over Swalwell Juniors FC towards Whickham at about 16.00 today. Dipper on the Derwent between the football club and Swalwell roundabout a few times over the last fortnight.

Saturday 3rd April 2010

Lamesley Water Meadows - A White Wagtail
Hagghill Woods, Winlaton Mill - A Swift species flew over heading north. As well as this being exceptionally early, there may be more both Alpine and Pallid Swifts in the country at the moment than Common Swifts, so this makes this an even more interesting record.Also a Peregrine (same as Ravensworth bird?) this afternoon plus many Sand Martin and several Swallow.
Far Pasture NR - 4 singing Chiffchaff
Ravensworth Estate - Common Buzzard mobbed by a Peregrine this morning
Ravensworth Fell - 2 Little Owl and 2 Wheatear
Shibdon Pond - 3 Swallow amongst the Sand Martins

Friday 2nd April 2010

Lamesley Water Meadows - An Osprey flew over at 13:11hrs, heading down the Team valley.
Far Pasture NR - 1 House Martin and several Swallow with the Sand Martins.
Shibdon Pond - 1 House Martin.

Thursday 1st April 2010

Hagghill Woods, Winlaton Mill -Singing Chiffchaff plus Swallow, Common Buzzard and Grey Wagtail over.
Shibdon Pond -1 singinging Chiffchaff , Oystercatchers ,and Shelduck
Derwenthaugh meadows - Pair of Oystercatchers and 4 Shelduck.
Far Pasture NR - A Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Reed Bunting, Little Grebe, Mute Swans, Teal, Mallard, Common Snipe, Sand Martins, Red Kite, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Grey Heron, Kingfisher & Canada Geese.

A walking Little Grebe at Far Pasture [Ray Wilby]

Ravensworth Fell - 1 Little Owl
Gibside Estate - A Peregrine was seen briefly

for previous months bird records see bottom of page