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Thornley's Birds Jay, Yellowhammer, Bullfinch and Treecreeper at the feeding station on 11th December [Derek Bilton]

Friday 31st December 2010

Shibdon Pond -1 Water Rail, Pair of Goosander, Pair of Goldeneye, Reed Bunting. Redwing, Redpoll - several, Shellduck 3 , Tufted Duck 11 , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Jay , Redwing , Siskins, Great Tit and Blue Tit

Birtley reedbed Pools - 2 Water Rail, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Jay.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Wigeon, 23 Teal, 4 Tree Sparrow, and 1 Grey Heron. A Water Rail on the stream behind the Ravensworth Arms.
Stella - 400 Herring Gull including several Scandinavian birds
Thornley Wood Car Park- Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Robin

Thursday 30th December 2010

Clara Vale LNR - 7 Siskin, LongTail Tit 8, Water Rail 1, Mallard 12, Greenfinch 2, Sparrowhawk 1, Jay 1, plus Goldfinch, Bullfinch,Nuthatch,Willow, Great, Coal and Blue Tits.
Far Pasture NR -  100 Pink-footed Geese flew over

Wednesday 29th December 2010

Shibdon Pond - Water Rail , Reed Bunting , Sisikins , Bullfinch, Sparrow hawk and a Curlew in the reserve
Derwenthaugh -  Lapwing Curlew , Redshank , Little Grebe and Goosander

Tuesday 28th December 2010

Clara Vale LNR - 1 Common Snipe

Monday 27th December 2010

Shibdon Pond - 1 Red Kite , 4 Water Rail , 2 Woodcock , Siskins , Bullfinch and Chaffinch
Derwenthaugh -  9 Common Goldeneye , Curlew , Lapwing , Redshank

Sunday 26th December 2010

Whickham - A pale Buzzard hovering seen from Whickham over the Derwent valley may have been the same bird as yesterday's probable Rogh-leg.

Christmas Day 2010

Greenside -A potentially excellent record - a probable Rough-Legged Buzzard was seen hovering and hanging in the wind. It has npale, had very prominent carpal patches and a tail band and must be worth checking out. Also 19 Waxwings there.

Thursday 23rd December 2010

Team Valley -Many Fieldfare and a Woodcock in one garden.

Wednesday 22nd December 2010

Thornley Lane - 9 Tree Sparrow coming to feeders in garden alongside public footpath which runs between Thornley Lane and Scar Bank wood

Tuesday 21st December 2010

Birtley Brickworks Pool - - 2 Teal, f Kestrel, 2 Snipe, 2 Curlew south, Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, 2 Jay, 5 Bullfinch.
Bowes Valley NR - 12 Canada Geese south, m Sparrowhawk, m Kestrel.
Birtley Reedbeds/River Team - 4 Little Grebe, Greylag Goose, 10 Teal, 30 Mallard, 3 Snipe, Kingfisher, Great spotted Woodpecker, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, 2 Greenfinch, Reed Bunting.

Goldcrest in the Derwent Walk CP [Steven Fryer]

Monday 20th December 2010

Shibdon Pond -1 Common Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker , Redwing , Blackbird, SongThrush and Reed Buntings

Branbling with Blue Tit Another visitor to a bird table in Birtley. [Roy Jackson]

Birtley - 1 garden feeder doing very well with a male Blackcap, a Brambling, 12 Reed Bunting and seveal Greenfinch

Blackcap male This one is visiting a bird table in Birtley. [Roy Jackson]

Cowen Road, Blaydon - 35 Canada Geese, 2 Redwing and a Sparrowhawk all flew over.

Sunday 19th December 2010

Birtley reedbed Pools -Mainly frozen. 1 Woodcock, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Goldcrest, 8 Siskin. 5 Little Grebe on a tiny patch of open water.
Derwent Walk CP - 60+ Yellowhammers in unploughed field and 10
Tree Sparrows in hedgerow at Clockburn Lonnen . 10+ Yellowhammers at
Hollinhill farm.
Clara Vale LNR - Sparrowhawk, Jay, Yellowhammers, Redpoll, Siskin, Willow Tit, Chaffinch, Long Tailed Tits, Nuthatch, Blue Tits, Robins, Water Rail, Mallard, Heron, Moorhens, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pheasants, Bullfinch, Blackbirds, GS Woodpeckers, Wren.

Water Rail at Clara Vale [Michael Eccles]

Greenside - 2 Waxwing, 2 Brambling and a small flock of Lesser Redpoll.

Saturday 18th December 2010

Birtley reedbed Pools - Barn Owl found dead under the bridges here

Another victim of the weather This Barn Owl was found dead under the bridges behind Lamesley reedbed pools on 18th December. [Will Cook].

Friday 17th December 2010

Hagg Hill, Winlaton Mill - A female Blackcap at a bird table feeding on apples where 2 males were present last month.

Female Blackcap at Hagghill [Steven Fryer]

Shibdon Pond - A Red Kite displaying for a while carrying a twig then dropping it and catching it again, whilst in the reserve 50 +Redwing and Blackbirds feeding on the flattened reed bed
Thornley WC - 3 Redwing
Clara Vale LNR - The Water Rail still showing well and several Siskin.

Water Rail at Clara Vale LNR [Ray Wilby]

Thursday 16th December 2010

Shibdon Pond - 24 Redwing and 3 Pied Wagtails feeding on a flattened reedbed not their usual habitat.
Derwent Walk CP - Large roost of 5,000 Corvis (Rook, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow).

Wednesday 15th December 2010

Shibdon Pond - 1 Cormorant

Cormorant at Shibdon This fellow has been hanging about for three days and now looks as though the cold spell has got to him, normally you can't get near to them. [George Simpson]

Tuesday 14th December 2010

Shibdon Pond - 1 Common Buzzard flew up out of the reeds with either a Coot or Moorhen in its grasp ! Also 2 Sparrowhawks and in the afternoon and a probable Merlin scattering the Long Tailed Tits in the reserve , 13 Pink-footed Goose flew over heading north.
Derwenthaugh meadow -15 rather thin looking Curlew and a Kestrel.
Derwent Walk CP - 10 Greylags and a single Pink-footed Goose flew over this morning,
Hagghill Woods - 2 Woodcock.
Greenside - 5+ Brambling and a Willow Tit

Monday 13th December 2010

Ravensworth Fell - 1 Little Owl

Little Owl on Ravensworth Fell [Steven Fryer]

Saltwell Park -1 drake Pochard and 20+ Tufted Ducks.
Far Pasture NR - A single Brambling (female) calling and perched in tree, also 20+ Siskin, 4 Willow Tit, Redwing and a Stoat.
Hedley Hall - 30+ Siskin.
Ryton - A Grey Wagtail visited one garden.

Sunday 12th December 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - 3 Water Rail, 1 Woodcock, 1 Common Snipe, 9 Long-tailed Tit, 8 Siskin.
Derwent Walk CP - 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 2 Common Buzzard, 5 Red Kite and a Wigeon on the river.

Sparrowhawk in the Derwent Walk CP [Steven Fryer]

Saturday 11th December 2010

Thornley WC - Sparrowhawk, several Red Kite, Jay, Yellowhammer, Redpoll, Siskin, Chaffinch, Long Tailed Tits, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Blue Tit, Robin, Great Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Pheasants, Bulfinche, Blackbird, Redwing & Great-spotted Woodpecker.
Sled Lane - 1 possible Merlin seen

2nd Winter Common Gull at Sled Lane [Ray Wilby]

Clara Vale LNR - Water Rail still showing. Also Willow Tit 1, Mistle Thrush 1, Bullfinch 2.
Derwent valley - 1 Barn Owl with a Rat seen by a farmer

Friday 10th December 2010

Birtley - 14 (10m 4f) Blackbird still at one bird table and have been joined by two MistleThrush and one Song Thrush.  There are now eight Reed Buntings attending the feeders.  Five Long-tailed Tits joined the regular assortment of Blue, Great and Coal Tits on the feeders late in the afternoon; A male Sparrowhawk, flashed over heading chasing a lone Lapwing. On a sad note, while clearing some snow today, the bodies of two Reed Buntings were found in the same garden.

Reed Bunting at Birtley [Roy Jackson]

Shibdon Pond - 3 Woodcock, 5 Water Rail, 2 Common Snipe

Woodcock at Shibdon Like last winter, showing in the snow on most days [George Simpson]

Thursday 9th December 2010

Shibdon Pond - Common Buzzard , Sparrowhawk , Kestrel and a possible Merlin. Also Woodcock , Snipe and Water Rail
Derwent Walk CP - A juvenile cock Peregrine, afternoon, from Nine Arches Viaduct, first soaring with 9 Red Kites about to enter the regular roost, before it flew past us at only about 30 feet above the viaduct enabling us to sex and age it. It was still in the general area at dusk and was probably looking for somewhere to roost. Earlier in the afternoon A juvenile male Merlin(the Shibdon bird?) carrying prey from beyound the Gibside monument, right over the viaduct to disappear towards Winlaton Mill. Around 15 Red Kites went into the roost after playing around in the area for up to one hour. They looked in very good shape, some calling and displaying, and don't appear to have suffered from the bad weather.

Wednesday 8th December 2010

Shibdon Pond - Small skein of Pink-footed Geese flew over.

[George Simpson]

Birtley reedbed pools - Still 2 Woodcock present

Tuesday 7th December 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - 5 Woodcock seen

Sparrowhawk at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Rowlands Gill - One garden produced 7 Brambling plus a Jay andand a Pied wagtail, and another unusual sight was a couple of Black-headed Gulls under the holly bush scrapping for
cheese with the finches.
Shibdon Pond - Common Buzzard in reserve flew to the side of the Western bypass, after a few minutes a Sparrowhawk began to harass it was shortly joined by a second bird. Then one of the Sparrow awks dived into the reeds it was then swooped on by a Merlin who then flew up into a Silver birch only to be chased off by Magpies. All of this happened within a space of 5 minutes
Common Buzzard still present in afternoon plus 8 Woodcock , 3 Water Rail and Snipe

Water Rail at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Monday 6th December 2010

Birtley - 14 (10m 4f) Blackbird at one bird table. They all appeared within a minute of fruit being put out.
Shibdon Pond - Woodcock , Snipe ,Water Rail, Lapwing, and a pair of Dunlin one of which seemed to have a very dark head ? all feeding were the stream feeds the pond

Woodcock at Shibdon [Steven Fryer]

Clara Vale LNR - Small flock Long-tailed Tit, 2 Grey Heron. Water Rail out in the open for the 3+ hours and a female Kingfisher in front of hide. A Brambling in one of the village gardens

Brambling at Clara Vale A much better winter than the last couple for this species. [Gordon Pollinger]

Thornley WC - 6-8 Jays

Sunday 5th December 2010

Whooper Swans These 3 flew over Birtley reedbed pools last sunday (5th December). Very difficult to tell but is it just me that think they may be Bewicks? General consensus on the Swans earlier is that they were probably Bewicks not Whoopers (4 votes to 1). [Steven Fryer]

Birtley reedbed pools- A Snow Bunting flew over, the first borough records since the 1990s. Also 3 Whooper Swan flew over and 3 Wigeon and a male Stonechat present.

Axwell Park -- 2 Tree Sparrows and 5 Reed Bunting (3m, 2f), among usual finches and tits at one feeder.
Timber Beach - 2 Dunlin, and a Pochard on the Tyne,

Saturday 4th December 2010

Axwell Park - One feeder at first light had 11 Blackbird, single Tree Sparrow and two male Reed Bunting
Shibdon Pond - 1 Common Buzzard, Woodcock , Water Rail , Snipe , Fieldfare over
Sled Lane Pond - 2 Woodcock, 3 Shoveler and 6 Wigeon.
Timber Beach - 3 Common Snipe feeding on the mud.
Rowlands Gill - Single Reed bunting, Tree Sparrow and Brambling and then a fly-past Woodcock
Greenside - 1 Tawny Owl and several Woodcock. Also at least 7 Brambling in a garden present all day feeding on black sunflower seedsand large nos of the commoner species including 4+ Bullfinch, Willow Tit & 2 Nuthatch. Woodcock on edge of Greenside village yesterday evening. 

Friday 3rd December 2010

Shibdon Pond - Woodcock , Water Rail , Snipe , 5 Lapwing roosting on the frozen pond, a dozen Fieldfare flew over. One observer then wrote, This afternoon what looked like a Buzzard jump up from the reeds and flew towards the A1 being mobbed by crows. It settled in a tree on the side of the A1. This was during a snow fall so it was difficult to see, what puzzled me it had what appeared white wing bars, I waited to see if it would come back to were it had been feeding in the reeds,after a few minutes it began to fly back towards me but more crows arrived and began mobbing it. As it passed the underside was the same as a Buzzard , it then flew to Axwell park and settled in one of the big trees at the back. Ii may need to be checked out further.
Derwent Walk CP - Male Merlin mobbing  Female Kestrel by the weir above Clockburn Lake in DWCP this am. Flock of mixed finches at Old Hollinside - 30 Yellowhammers & 50 Chaffinches

Yellowhammer at Clara Vale NR [Michael Eccles]

Winlaton Mill - Woodcock flying through gardens in Winlaton Mill late pm
Birtley - 5 Waxwing by the A1 slip road
Rowlands Gill - 3 Brambling in one garden (2f 1m) and earlier in the week a record count of 31 Lesser Redpoll paid a visit and 5 Common Snipe darted past the front window early one morning. Also Song Thrush and up to 8 Siskin been visiting the last few days.
Greenside - . Woodcock on edge of Greenside village yesterday evening. 

Thursday 2nd December 2010

Shibdon Pond - Woodcock , Snipe , Water Rail , Reed Bunting.
Birtley - Now up to 5 Reed Bunting visiting 1 garden feeder where a flock of 30 Canada Geese flew over.
Winlaton Mill - Woodcock flying through gardens in Winlaton Mill late pm
Cowen Road, Blaydon - 3 (1m + 2 f) Bullfinch feeding on the Birch seeds (presume the ‘resident’ pair from there plus sibling of dead one earlier).

Wednesday 1st December 2010

Shibdon Pond - Woodcock , Snipe , Water Rail feeding in stream that feeds pond. In the reserve , Redwing , Goldfinch, Wrens , Reed Buntings , and Blackbird. 2-30 pm a Buzzard drifted over being mobbed by crows headed west over Blaydon

for previous months bird records see bottom of page