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Tuesday 27th February 2007
Ryton Willows - Barn Owl , Water Rail and 56 Linnet
Monday 26th February 2007
Near Crawcrook -Two Barn Owl seen this evening.
Blaydon - Male Blackcap at Harford House and Blue Tits have started to build their nest in a nestbox.
Westfield Pasture - Little Owl and frog spawn (with more of the latter at nearby Maryside pond
Little Grebe at Far Pasture [Rick Thornton]
Far Pasture NR - Little Grebe, 10 Common Snipe and 2 Red Kite over Gibside.
Sunday 25th February 2007
River Tyne at Stella -The 1st winter Iceland Gull again on the mud.
Bradley Fell old workings - Yellowhammers and Skylarks back in breeding areas, female Sparrowhawk, Jay, Long-tailed Tit. Species on garden feeders included 2 Bullfinch, numerous Greenfinches and Chaffinches, several Siskin (inc male singing), 2 Nuthatch, Willow Tit, numerous Blue, Great and Coal Tits and several Pheasants, plus Stock Dove and Tawny Owl calling from nearby trees. Small group of Goldfinches and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in hedgerow trees opposite St Johns Church Greenside.
Kibblesworth Quarry - 4 Tree Sparrow, 80 Redwing, 1 Little Grebe
Birtley Railway Sidings - 1 Green Woodpecker
River Team at Birtley Sewage Works - 1 Kingfisher, 1 Dipper
River Team at Bewicke Main Caravan Park - 1 Dipper
Birtley Clay Pit - 10 Snipe
Hagg Hill (private feeding station) - Willow Tit, Roe Deer, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker
Willow Tit at Hagg Hill [Steven Fryer]
Lamesley reedbeds - 1 Green Sandpiper on the roadside pool. 20 Skylark between here and the adjacent arable land around the Kibblesworth brickworks pools. Also 2 Grey Partridge and an Oyster-catcher. Later, 31 Reed Buntings came in to roost, Snipe 30+, Cormorant 1, Grey Heron 2 and the Green Sandpiper still
Male Blackcap at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]
Clara Vale LNR - 2 Blackcaps showing well today. Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Siskin 20+, Bullfinch 3, 1Oystercatcher over, Yellowhammer 11, Redwing 20. First frogspawn of year noted & frogs very "active".
Pair of Shelduck at Shibdon [Ray Wilby]
Shibdon Pond - 2 Oyster-catcher, , 1m Pochard, 3m 1f Goldeneye, 9 Shelduck, several Tufted Duck, 2m 1f Teal, 5 Cormorant and a large Brown Rat.
Bullfinch at Thornley [Ray Wilby]
Saturday 24th February 2007
Ryton Willows - 30-40 Siskin
Crawcrook Quarry - 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Willow Tit, 5 Grey Heron. Also Primrose in flower
Sled Lane Pond - 19 Wigeon, 3 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe
Birtley Sewage Works - Oystercatcher, Dipper 2 on River Team, Skylark 2,Green Sandpiper, Grey Heron 1 Lamesley Reedbeds - Snipe 70+, Teal 40+
Clara Vale LNR - Blackcap, 3 Siskin, 2 Long-tailed Tit.
Long-tailed Tit at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]
Friday 23rd February 2007
Shibdon Pond - 22 Tufted Duck, 3 Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck, 1 Water Rail and 2 Lesser Redpoll.
Drake Goldeneye at Shibdon [Ray Wilby]
Clara Vale LNR - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker reported in the logbook but no further details - anyone know more? Peacock butterfly also seen.
Headley Hall woods - Pair of Red kite displaying and 2 Common Buzzards circling around a different piece of woodland were chased by two Kestrels. 30+ Redwings heading east and several Skylarks singing. Also a singing Dipper on a stream just over boundary.
Thursday 22nd February 2007
Barmoor - Wood Pigeon 5, highest count in 20 yrs for observer's garden
Ryton rugby club - Skylark singing whilst it was raining
Wednesday 21st February 2007
River Tyne at Stella - A report on Birdguides and the internet of a Puffin flying up upstream above the river, heading west and lost from sight at Newburn Bridge (11.35). It may be of interest that at several sites around the country concerns are that Puffins are being noted in small numbers (up to 35 a per group) quite close offshore when they would normally be well out to sea. Concern is that they are finding food hard to come by.
Birtley Sewage Works - Teal 60+, Snipe 60+, Redshank 1, Green Woodpecker calling, Grey Partridge 4.
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Wren at Clara Vale LNR
[Photo: Ray Wilby] |
Tuesday 20th February 2007
Gateshead riverside - A probable Ring-necked Parakeet flew over calling noisily.
Monday 19th February 2007
Crawcrook Quarry - Oyster-catcher present
River Tyne at Stella - Iceland Gull (1st winter) again on the mud, best viewed from the railings at Newburn.
Iceland Gull on the Tyne [Gordon Pollinger]
Sunday 18th February 2007
Crawcrook Quarry - 4 Linnet and 4 Grey Partridge
Birtley Sewage Works - Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Skylark 2 singing, Meadow Pipit 2 over, Grey Wagtail 2, Goldcrest 4, Dipper seen flying downriver & heard calling during much of morning
Beda Hills -7 Red Kites,
River Tyne at Stella - Iceland Gull (1st winter) on the mud, best viewed from the railings at Newburn.
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Blackcap at Clara Vale LNR This species is still on show at several sites in the borough [Photo: Ray Wilby] |
Clara Vale LNR - Blackcap still present but no sign of the Brambling. Kingfisher showing well still
Kingfisher at Clara Vale [Gordon Pollinger]
Victoria Garesfield - Large numbers of Siskin present
Barlow Fell - 6 Tree Sparrows
Far Pasture - 14 Snipe, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Coots, 2 Mute Swans, 2 Teal, 2 Moorhen.
Shibdon Pond - 20 Canada Geese, 30 Cormorant, 10 Sheldduck, 6 Goldeneye, 8 Teal, 100+ Black Headed Gulls, 2 Coot, 6 Mallard, 4 Reed Bunting
A rare sight, House Sparrows in an observer's garden [George Simpson]
Saturday 17th February 2007
Beda Hills -7 Red Kites
Clara Vale LNR - Brambling and Blackcap by the old hide
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Male Brambling at Clara Vale LNR Like many of our winter birds, gone are the days of large flocks such as this smashing northern finch. There were flocks of 300 wintering in the Derwent valley less than 20 years ago. Now, not only is this the only bird in that same valley, but possibily in the whole of Gateshead. [Photo: Gordon Pollinger] |
Friday 16th February 2007
Blaydon - Male and a female/immature Blackcap at Harford House, the first sighting here for a while. The male was seen shuffling down the end of a slender Snowberry stem that bent under even his weight, for, literally, the last berry.
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Male Siskin at Clara Vale LNR A number of birds were singing by mid month [Photo: Ray Wilby] |
Clara Vale LNR - 2 Blackcap, Siskin, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker and Kingfisher amongst the 22 species viewable from the hide.
Blackap at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]
Wednesday 14th February 2007
Crawcrook -Pair of Red Kite, 6 Grey Partridge, 2 Little Owl and 70 Redwing.
Shibdon pond - 14 Goldeneye, 10 Tufted Duck, 4 Shelduck, 3 Pochard (males), 1 Shoveler (fem.) but no Teal at all.
Derwent Walk CP - pair of Goosander, Sparrowhawk and 2 Green Woodpeckers (the latter flew into Paddock Hill wood).
Far Pasture NR - 15 Snipe, A Dipper (unringed) was on the stream and 20 Red Kite over nearby Gibside.
Birtley Sewage Works - Pied Wagtail 31, Skylark singing
Tuesday 13th February 2007
Gibside - Long-eared Owl seen well.
Golden Plovers, some beginning to obtain their summer plumage at Timber Beach [Ray Wilby]
Blaydon town centre -No sign of the Waxwings today. Pair of Mistle Thrushes nesting.
Nesting Mistle Thrush at Blaydon [Ray Wilby]
Timber Beach - 400 Golden Plover, 200 Lapwings, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Pied Wagtail, 20 Black Headed Gulls..
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Mistle Thrush at Blaydon Traditionally an early nesting species, this year some Song Thrushes have been even earlier. [Photo: Ray Wilby] |
Monday 12th February 2007
Blaydon town centre -Now 8 Waxwing present
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Waxwing at Blaydon One of 8 birds by the shopping centre in Blaydon, arguably the most reliable site in the north-east for this species [Photo: Steven Fryer] |
Westfield Pasture - 2 Woodcock
Haghill private feeding station- 2 Jay, Great spotted Woodpecker,3 Long-tailed Tits,Tree-creeper, Nuthatch, Mistle Thrush, Redwing,6 Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Stock Dove , Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Grey Heron, Kestrel.
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Water Rail on the Derwent This bird continues to show well by the Tennis Courts [Photo: Steven Fryer] |
River Derwent by tennis courts - Water Rail, Little Grebe, 2 Dippers, Goldcrests
Pied Wagtail at Timber Beach [Ray Wilby]
Sunday 11th February 2007
Blaydon town centre -5 Waxwing by MacDonalds mid morning, then by Church hall until 14:20 when they flew off towards the Vauxhall Garage. A late report of 4 here last Thursday (8th).
Shibdon Pond - 2 Water Rail in the marsh, also 30 Canada Geese, 10+ Goldeneye, 3 Mute Swan, 2 Shelduck, 2 Pochard and 2 Cormorant.
River Tyne opposite Newburn -1st winter Glaucous Gull and one, possible two, 1st winter Iceland Gull seen from road by the Board Inn, between Blaydon and Ryton. Later the adult Iceland Gull and the 1st winter Glaucous Gull showed well for a good part of the late afternoon, the former was then watched flying off south. 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull and in the evening, 2 Barn Owl were seen nearby at 16:30.
Clara Vale - Nuthatch 2, Siskin 10+, Lesser Redpoll 14, usual finches but only 2 Yellowhammer. Nearby, a Yellowhammer pair taking seed from ground on land beyond bridle path and Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding on nut feeder in a garden.
Lamesley Water Meadows - A Green Sandpiper on the furthest pond from hide.
Timber Beach - Ringed Plover 3, LBB Gull 1, Dunlin 65 -
Curling Pond, Ryton Willows - 3 Goosander
Banesley Lane - 17 Reed Bunting in hedgerow
[Late News: Clara Vale both a Blackcap and Willow Tit in a nearby garden on the 4th]
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Male Blackcap at Clara Vale LNR It has long been the tradition among blackcaps, to fly south for the winter. But this tradition started to crumble in the 1960s. A few hardy pioneers from Germany and Austria headed northwest instead of south, landing in Britain rather than Spain or Morocco. There they survived the cold, grey, bleak, winter--and apparently liked it. Today some 10,000 German and Austrian blackcaps, roughly one in ten, have adopted the new migration route. Like the original one, it is really much more than a tradition: according to German ornithologists, the new behaviour is already being passed on through the blackcaps' genes. [Photo: Gordon Pollinger] |
Saturday 10th February 2007
Stargate - Goosander on the pond.
River Tyne opposite Newburn -1st winter Glaucous Gull again on the Gateshead side of the Tyne at low tide this afternoon, joined later from the North side by the immature Iceland Gull (perhaps a 2nd winter bird). Adult Iceland Gull there at 2 pm and the Glaucous Gull seen at again at 3 pm east of Stella seen from the Blaydon to Ryton main road on sand-bar Gateshead side.
Clara Vale - A female Bblackcap in a garden and Goldfinch pair on hedge beyond.
Friday 9th February 2007
Shibdon Pond - Water Rail again in marsh.
River Tyne opposite Newburn -The adult and 1 1st winter Iceland Gull again present on the river opposite Newburn, opposite the Ross's Pickle Factory which is on the Newcastle side, around midday. Later, around 14:00 the 1st winter Glaucous Gull was seen here and then watched flying off towards Greenside Tip. Also present were 2 Iceland Gull, this time a 2nd winter bird and the adult.The birds have been seen from NZ185637 but you could try from the river by Blaydon railway station or even from the railway footbridge.Several thousand Gulls there late afternoon but no Iceland or Glaucous Gull were seen.
Lamesley Reedbeds -The Green Sandpiper was seen again.
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Glaucous Gull on the Tyne
[Photo: Paul Davidson] |
River Derwent by B&Q - Pair Little Grebes, Mute Swan pair with adopted Canada Goose, fem. Sparrowhawk hunting. A few Otter tracks in the mud.
River Derwent Swalwell to Tennis Courts -Pair Dippers, pair Goosander.
River Derwent by the Weir and Tennis courts - : Water Rail, Redshank, pair Teal, Grey Heron, 4 Little Grebe with a Dipper and another 2 Little Grebes further Upstream.
Clockburn Lake - Lake frozen but flock of 100+ finches feeding and showing well in the plantations comprised approx. 60-40 ratio (Siskins-Redpoll) with a few Goldfinch as well.
Thursday 8th February 2007
River Tyne off Stella -The adult Iceland Gull again present on the river opposite Newburn.
Barmoor - Pair of Mistle Thrushes visting a garden.
Wednesday 7th February 2007
Near Stella - Pair of Barn Owl seen this evening but no sign of the Iceland Gull early in day but a juvenile Glaucous Gull present later on the river opposite Newburn and a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull there at 16:00hrs opposite the Ross's Factory
Burdon Moor - Pair of Stonechat.
Shibdon Pond - Water Rail again in marsh, most of pond frozen.
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Jay at Thornley
[Photo: Michael Eccles] |
Tuesday 6th February 2007
River Tyne off Stella -An adult Iceland Gull for the 3rd sucessive day on the river opposite Newburn.
Timber Beach - Golden Plover 300+, Lapwing 75, Redshank 11, Shelduck 4, Dunlin 2, Ringed Plover 4, Teal 2.
Rowlands Gill - One Grey Wagtail in an observer's garden, which was a first.
Shibdon Pond - Water Rail in marsh.
Monday 5th February 2007
Clara Vale LNR - feeding station very busy with Tits & Finches but no Yellowhammer. From Stannerford Road looking north 2 Red Kites were hunting.
Kibblesworth brickworks pool - Common Buzzard over and 2 Grey Partridge.
Derwent Walk CP - Water Rail seen
Stargate - Green Woodpecker and 12 Lesser Redpoll. 2 male Goosander on smaller (tilcon) pond.
Rowlands Gill - Female Blackcap back again in an observer's garden.
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Robin at Thornley
[Photo: Ray Wilby] |
Sunday 4th February 2007
Shibdon Pond - 2 Shelduck, 3 Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck and 4 Goldeneye on the pond. Willow Tit in reserve. Early afternoon a 1st winter Iceland Gull was present for a short time only but now 21 Goldeneye..
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Iceland Gull on the Tyne
[Photo: Paul Davidson] |
Timber Beach - 4 Ringed Plover, Dunlin,400 Golden Plover, 400 Lapwing, 20 Curlew, 8 Shelduck and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Crawcrook - Little Owl
Winlaton Mill - 8 Long- tailed Tits feeding in a garden bird table and a Female Blackcap.
Rowlands Gill - a female Blackcap in a garden where a male was seen last month.
Clara Vale - Kingfisher on the pond and Tawny Owl calling.
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Kingfisher at Clara Vale LNR Birds continue to pose for photographers [Photo: Ray Wilby] |
Birtley Sewage Works - Redwing 20, Goldcrest 2, Bullfinch 2, Grey Partridge 2, Dipper flying downstream on River Team that runs adjacent to works, Skylark 2 singing.
Barmoor - A skein on 80 "grey" geese, probable Pink-footed Geese.
Axwell Park - 2 Blackcap and a male reed bunting also present.
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Red Kite at Barlow Fell Who would have thought it a few years ago? Overheard at Far Pasture "I've got a raptor ... Oh its all right it's just a Red Kite"! [Photo: Ray Wilby] |
Saturday 3rd February 2007
Shibdon Pond - 4 Shelduck, 1 drake Pochard and 5 Goldeneye.
Sled Lane pond - 21 Wigeon, 2 Goosander and 2 Tufted Duck
Far Pasture - 20 Snipe
Clara Vale LNR - 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (mmf)
Thornley Woodland Centre - pair of Sparrow-hawks.
Stargate - 2 Goosander, 1 Little Grebe and 2 Tufted Duck.
Axwell Park - Now 2 Blackcap, regular female Blackcap now joined by male, she repeatedly chased him early in day but he persevered and was feeding regularly in the afternoon. Also 11 Goldfinch
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Fieldfare at Barlow Fell Numbers in UK, including Gateshead vary from winter to winter depending on the weather both here and on their breeding grounds. Fieldfares breed in Scandinavia and the former Soviet Union including the Baltic States. In central Europe the breeding range has extended to Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and France. Only a proportion of the Scandinavian fieldfares migrate. The remainder spend the winter in their home countries, often in very large numbers. Breeding habits are as irregular as their migrations. For example, in Gateshead, in 1991 a bird was noted, apparently in territory, in suitable habitat during both June and July and a bird was present, at least briefly, in the same area the following spring. [Photo:Ray Wilby] |
Friday 2nd February 2007
Derwent Walk -No sign of the reported Common Sandpiper but a Little Grebe still on the river by Swalwell bridge.
Thursday 1st February 2007
Clara Vale -31 Pink-footed Geese flew north today and a Little Owl on the reserve.
Shibdon Pond -6 Bullfinch, 5 Goldeneye and a Sparrowhawk
Derwent Walk -A Common Sandpiper reported feeding by the weir should be worth checking out, the last winter record was in 1991. 2 Little Grebe nearby under the Swalwell road bridge.
Sled Lane - Wigeon 26, Goldeneye 1f, Tufted Duck 4, Mute Swan 8
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Red Kites at Barlow Fell Red Kites are at their best when playing in a strong wind. We have had a great deal of both already this year. [Photo: Iain Clyne] |
