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Sunday 28th February 2010

Year list stands at 100 - Oyster-catcher was new today

Oystercatcher at Shibdon - the 100th species this year [George Simpson]

Shibdon Pond - 100 Siskin in alders being tormented by a Sparrowhawk. Single Oyster-catcher and Curlew on top field

Part of a big flock of Siskin at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Saturday 27th February 2010

Shibdon Pond - 20+ Siskin in alders

Friday 26th February 2010

Derwenthaugh Meadows - Well flooded today 50 +Curlew , 20+Snipe , 30 +Redshank

Wednesday 24th February 2010

Far Pasture NR - Jay 2, Mute 2, Mallard 5, Snipe 2, Coot 2, Grey Heron 1, Pheasant 2, Long Tailed Tits 4, Willow Tits 2, Blue tit 4, Great Tit 4, Bullfinch 3, Kestrel 1, Crows 10+, Chaffinch 2, Blackbird 2, Dunnock 4, Red Kite 1.
Lamesley Water Meadows - Teal 11, Lapwing 16, Black headed Gull 12, Moorhen 3, Woodpigeons 20+.

Tuesday 23rd February 2010

Shibdon Pond - 16 Shelduck, 11 Reed Bunting and a Sparrowhawk this morning.

Monday 22nd February 2010

Shibdon Pond -18 Shelduck on the pond this morning
Derwenthaugh - 3 Goosander
Winlaton - 3 Red Kite over the houses

18 Shelduck on Shibdon pond this morning - it must be a good meeting place [George Simpson]

Sunday 21st February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - Cetti's Warbler singing on and off all morning. Also 1-2 Chiffchaff and a Water Rail.
Far Pasture NR - No sign of yesterday's Firecrest but 2 Willow Tit, 3 Long-tailed Tit and a singing male Bullfinch. Also a Bank Vole
Chopwell Woods - 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 9 Siskin and a Red Kite.
Clara Vale LNR - 2 Willow Tit
Timber Beach - Small flock of Golden Plover.

Golden Plovers at Timber Beach [Joanne Reavey]

Saturday 20th February 2010

Year list stands at 99 - Firecrest was new today

Shibdon Pond - Otter at the side of the pond being mobbed by gulls. Shelduck and Goldeneye on the pond.
Far Fasture NR - A Firecrest present this morning. it was trapped in the hedge by the sewage works. Also 1 Willow Tit seen.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Shelduck
Clara Vale LNR - 1 Tree Creeper
Thornley WC -Sparrowhawk, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tail Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Mallards, Pheasant & Wren.

Friday 19th February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - Cetti's Warbler again singing this morning for at least an hour. Also Kingfisher and Common Buzzard.
Clara Vale - Blackcap presnt again in a garden where 6 Siskin visited.
Ryton - A second Blackcap of the year seen in a garden.
Shibdon Pond - Siskins and Long-tailed Tit flock seen this morning
Derwenthaugh - Goosander and Kingfisher with Curlew noted on the meadows.
Mill Woods - A Tawny owl flying around (1:30pm) been mobbed by 2 Jays and later, what was presumably the same bird in a tree roost hole.

Thursday 18th February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - Cetti's Warbler still singing.

Wednesday 17th February 2010

Shibdon Pond - A mixed flock of Siskins, Goldfinch and LongTailed Tits feeding on Alders . A Magpie was seen chasing a Wood Mouse and catching it before flying off with it. Later, 13 Shelducks, 9 of which had probably just arrived, also a Sparrowhawk tormenting the Goldfinch/Siskin flock.

Tuesday 16th February 2010

Year list stands at 98 - Blackcap was new today -

Birtley reedbed pools - Cetti's Warbler singing 10:00-10:30, 2 Chiffchaff together, Water Rail heard, 2 Little Grebe, 1pr Mute Swan
Birtley Brickworks Pool - 60 Pink-footed Geese over NE at 09:00, 1 Cormorant, 2 Shelduck, Green Woodpecker heard, 1pr Willow Tit, Bullfinch singing.
Bowes Valley NR/Clarty Lane - Green Woodpecker heard, only 1 singing Skylark back on territory, very mobile mixed flock of 100 Lesser Redpoll/Goldfinch/Siskin.
River Team - 11 Greylag Geese, 5 Common Buzzard, Dipper singing, plus singles of Kestrel, Goldcrest, Willow Tit, Treecreeper & Jay.

Goldcrest at Gibside [Norman Scott]

Clara Vale - Male Blackcap in a garden in the village.

Grey Wagtail [Ron Hindhaugh]

Sunday 14th February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - Cetti's Warbler singing on & off from 09:00 - 14:15 at least. Also 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Long-tailed Tit and a Willow Tit.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Tree Sparrow, 12 Teal, 7 Grey Partridge. 5 Common Snipe behind Ravensworth Arms.
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 8 Tree Sparrow and 5 Teal. 8 Greylag Goose nearby.
Ravensworth Fell - 1 Little Owl
Hedley Hall Woods - flock of 14 Bullfinch, 2 Common Buzzard and 2 Kestrel.
Hagghill - 1 Willow Tit on feeders and a Bank Vole.
Clara Vale LNR - Blue Tit 6, Great Tit 6, Blackbird 6, Robin 1, Dunnock 3, Kingfisher 1, Magpie 2, Moorhens 2, Crows 10+, Coal Tit 2, Long Tailed Tit 3, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Jackdaw 2, Wren 1, Green Woodpecker (heard)
Sled Lane - Common Goldeneye

Drake Goldeneye at Sled Lane [Harold Dobson]

Drover's Pond, Barmoor - 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Barlow Fell - Red Kite 4, House Sparrow 20+, Carrion Crow 2, Kestrel 1, Common Buzzard 1, Long-tailed Tit 20+.

Common Buzzard at Barlow Fell Only a few records in January and early Feb, but now back to widespread records throughout the borough [Ray Wilby]

Far Pasture NR - Grey Heron 1, Pheasant 2, Mallards 4, Willow Tit 2, Bullfinch 1, Dunnock 6, Goldfinch 10+, Chaffinch 3, Long-tailed Tit 10+, Robin 1, Red Kite 1, Great Tit 6, Coal Tit 1.

Saturday 13th February 2010

Far Pasture NR - 2 Willow Tit

Friday 12th February 2010

Shibdon Pond - 8 Goldeneye, 6 Shelduck , 20+Redwing , Goldfinch , Bullfinch and Sparrowhawk
Westfield Pasture - 2 Woodcock

Thursday 11th February 2010

Year list stands at 97 - Waxwing was new today -

Birtley reedbed pools - No reports either way on the Cetti's Warbler today
Whickham - A Waxwing was seen at 09:00 in a garden on the corner of Bideford Grove and Oakfield Road.

Wednesday 10th February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools -No sign of the Cetti's Warbler today but Kingfisher and Common Buzzard seen.
Shibdon Pond - Goldfinch ,Greenfinch Bullfinch and LongTailed Tit
Derwenthaugh meadows - 27 Curlew
Burdon Moor - 1 Little Owl and 2 Kestrel at 7.30am.
Watergate Lake - Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, and a Shelduck.

Year list stands at 96 - Kittiwake was new today -

Tuesday 9th February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - Cetti's Warbler heard today singing briefly at 14:10 also a Chiffchaff, Kingfisher, 30 Siskin, Wllow Tit with Long tailed Ttits and a Sstoat along northern path.
Swing Bridge, River Tyne - The first Kittiwake returned to the Quayside today,

Monday 8th February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - Cetti's Warbler singing during the morning but elusive.

Year list stands at 95 - Cetti's Warbler was new today -

Sunday 7th February 2010

Birtley reedbed pools - An excellent find today of a singing Cetti's Warbler in the reeds on the north side of the path. The first for Gateshead and the most northerly reported bird ever in England. It was noted singing on and off through most of the day. Also a Wigeon flew over and the Chiffchaff still in the reeds. 30 Siskin and a Green Woodpecker seen. A Weasel also seen
Lamelsey Water Meadows - 4 Wigeon. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the Church Pool. Also Teal, Lapwing, BH Gulls, Curlew, Magpie, House Sparrow, Robin, Blackbird, Heron, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon & Collared Dove
Watergate Park - Dipper feeding in the stream
Clara Vale LNR - Sparrowhawk (F), Moorhen, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Great, Blue, Coal & Long Tail Tits, Siskins and Chaffinch. Lintzford - Pair of Red Kites soaring..
Thornley- Jay, Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Coal, Blue, Great & Long Tail Tits, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Bullfinch(M&F), Robin, Blackbird, Magpie & Carrion Crow, plus Great Spotted Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Dunnock, Mallard and Greenfinch
Shibdon Pond - Moorhen, Coot, Teal, Mallards, Mute Swans, Cormorant, BH Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Shelducks, Goldeneye.
Far Pasture NR - Snipe, Grey Heron & Mallard.  Water 90% frozen.

Saturday 6th February 2010

Shibdon Pond - 6 Shelducks , 4 Goldeneye 3 Male 1 female
Derwenthaugh - Curlew and a Kingfisher feeding on the burn

Year list stands at 94 - Peregrine was new today -

Thursday 4th February 2010

Thornley Lane- Peregrine over
Shibdon Pond - Tufted Duck and Pochard
Derwenthaugh Meadows - Curlew
Hagghill - 14 Blackbird, also 6 Nuthatches (2 resident birds fighting over territory with 4 newbies), 12 Siskin and 3 Goosander (mff) flew over.

Yellowhammer at Thornley WC [Derek Bilton]

Wednesday 3rd February 2010

Shibdon Pond- 4 Grey Squirrels chaing each other plus a female Goldeneye
Derwenthaugh Meadows - 17 Curlew

Tuesday 2nd February 2010

Lintz Ford Lane - 9 Red Kites Roosting.
Shibdon Pond - 13 Shelduck, Sparrowhawk, Two male Goldeneye displaying, 4 Robins on the boardwalk vying for territory and excellent view of Kingfisher which perched just left of hide.
Thornley Woods/Derwent Walk - 15 + Long tailed and 2 Willow Tits near centre together with Jews-ear. Four female Roe Deer near smallholding at foot of hill, 2 kestrel over lake and a female Goosander near the bridge
Clara Vale - Flock of Redwing mixed with Mistle Thrushes in field by car park. Siskin, Willow Tit, Long Tail Tit, Sparrowhawk at feeding station.

Year list stands at 93 - Mandarin was new today - the first new bird since the 18th January

Mandarin This wandering female has been at Brasside, Watergate, Chester-le-Street riverside and now Shibdon in the past couple of months [George Simpson]

Monday 1st February 2010

Birtley/Kibblesworth - 1 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, Teal, 3 Kestrel, 3 Red-legged Partridge, 10 Grey Partridge, 69 Lapwing, Green Woodpecker very vocal, Great spotted Woodpecker drumming, 1 Meadow Pipit, 5+ Grey Wagtail, 20+ Pied Wagtail, 1 Dipper, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Jay, charm of 30 Goldfinch, 15 Linnet, 12 Bullfinch.
Shibdon Pond - 1 female Mandarin.

Sparrowhawk This fine male was at Thornley WC on 1st [Derek Bilton]

for previous months bird records see bottom of page