Tuesday 31st January

River Derwent at Lintzford - Pair of Dippers at the inkworks and a Grey Heron on the weir. A local told the observer that he had seen a Grey Squirrel with a rabbit by the neck. When explained that it was probably a stoat or a weasel and he was told it had a grey bushy tail with the rest of its body!!!!

Monday 30th January

River Tyne at Dusnton, by Costco - The Green-winged Teal was on the river here.
Clara Vale - Barn Owl heard this evening.
Shibdon Pond - An immature Mute Swan here today with an older swan with a red ring with the letters and thought to have been on the rivers Tyne and Derwent on 27th may well be 'Lucky'.

Sunday 29th January

Maryside Hill, Clara Vale - Woodcock and Tawny Owl in evening and a Long-eared Owl calling nearby.
Shibdon Pond - The Green-winged Teal, presumably last winters bird was found at 11:20. Also present a Green Woodpecker, 6 Shelduck, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 10 Siskin and 12 Redwing. . More on the Canada Goose ring - Another observer found it beside the fox sett in the reserve. Needless to say there were few remains of the goose only a few feathers and the two legs He took the ring off but must have dropped it going back to his car and though he searched high and low for the ring next day he never found it.
Stargate - Green Woodpecker, 70 Siskin and a Willow Tit.
Far Pasture NR - A pair of adult mute swans present (probably the returning resident pair) but no sign of Lucky the cygnet and white feathers are scattered all over the ponds. 3 Mutes were present Sunday 22nd but only the two adults seen since and no records of Lucky since. Does anyone know what happened to Lucky, lastb years cygnet?
Axwell Park Lake - Excellent flying display from kingfisher between 1.30pm-2.15pm on Axwell Park Lake, between three roost points, including flying under the bridge, while ththeis watcher was standing on it - stunning!

Saturday 28th January

Sherburn Towers - 33 Red Kites in the air together - See Kites page.
Shibdon Pond - A bird ring on the track just behind the swimming baths on 26th Nov 2005 was found by Clen Ash. There were no feathers or bird remains, just the ring. He sent the details of the ring to the BTO and received a reply letter this morning.The bird was a male Canada Goose which had been rung at Ashington on the 14th October 2004. The grid reference of the ringing site is NZ2888.
Thornley Woods - New plant found - Soft Shield Fern (Polystichum setiferum) - See Flora
Clara Vale - Waxwing up to 30, Redwing max 20, Siskin, 30+, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer

Thursday 26th January

Sled Lane Pond - Wigeon 7m 7f, Tufted Duck 3m 3f, Goosander 3m,1f, Mute Swan 4, Whooper Swan 1, Black-headed Gull 300+.

Wednesday 25th January

Clara Vale - 25 Waxwing
Shibdon Pond - 8 Goldfinches and 1 Kestrel
Metrocentre - 19 Pied Wagtails in Ikea carpark - The observer asks where these bids roost?. There is a roost in Blaydon shopping centre and at the Team valley - are there others. - There was a good roost of many hundreds at Shibdon in the 1970s but not now.

Tuesday 24th January

Male Goldeneye on the Tyne [Steven Fryer]

Stargate - Chiffchaff and 70+ Siskin seen.
Shibdon Pond - Cormorant roost numbers down and 88 counted today and 82 earlier in the month when there is usually in excess of 120 birds.
Derwent Walk CP - pair of Dipper and Grey Wagtail on the river close to Nine-arches Viaduct, Red Fox showed well in field off Derwent Walk. 16 Red Kites circling above Rowlands Gill about 4pm was a great sight too. Tawny Owl calling overnight.

Long-tailed Tit [Ray Wilby] The Doctor's wish for a nice white headed one will come true some day.

Monday 23nd January

Shinbdon Pond - A possible Common Buzzard behind the pond.

Sunday 22nd January

Chopwell Woods - A skein of 150 Pink-footed Geese flew over heading NE at 10:30 and a flock of 19 Crossbill by the Coal trucks.
Bradley Fell - a skein of 100+ geese over Bradley Fell flying towards Crawcrook 11.45ish may well have been another flock of Pink-footed Geese as this species was also seen on the move in Northumberland, Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Stargate - 2 Green Woodpecker.
Clara Vale LNR - Kingfisher showing well.

Cock Bullfinch [Ray Wilby]

Saturday 21st January

Lamesley sewage works - 2 Green Sandpiper
Derwent Walk - 3 Dipper, 1 Grey Wagtail and a flypast Kingfisher. This stretch of river through Derwent Park just off the Rowlands Gill-Burnopfield Road has been the most reliable winter spot for Dipper, (often 2 pairs).

Friday 20th January

Shibdon pond -9 Shelducks some of them displaying 5 Goldeneye 2 male 3 fm . 6 Tufted ducks first seen on the pond for a while.

Thursday 19th January

12 Red Kite at Far Pasture - count them yourself !

Birtley/Lamesley - 4 Red Kites high over Birtley / Lamesley area including a pair displaying viewable from Rainton Meadows...... approx 7km away !!!!
Bradley Fell - 4 Woodcock including 3 together near dusk today
Clara Vale - Male Kingfisher showing extremely well, perched and fishing for about an hour, 3 siskin, Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker
Shibdon pond - 6 Shelduck, 4 Goldeneye
Stargate pond - A Kingfisher

Tuesday 17th January

Ravensworth Fell - 2 Red Kite this morning also 20 Linnet.
Rowlands Gill - Tawny Owl calling during the early hours of this morning and 12 Red Kite over nearby Far Pasture NR.

Monday 16th January

Long-tailed Tits [Steven Fryer]

Far Pasture NR - 'Ermine' Stoat entertained observer for about 15 mins giving great views in front of the hide. It was ganged up on by the waterfowl as it waded through the vegetation in the margins, then had a brief swim before disappearing for a few minutes and was last seen climbing on top of the large bird-box up the tree on the centre bank where it was mobbed by two great tits and a coal tit and promptly fell off into the vegetation below!

The ermine Stoat at Far Pasture [Alan Mould]

Shibdon Pond - 9 Shelduck, 9 Goldfinch, 12 Goldeneye (5m:7f)

A delightful Goldcrest unusually feeding on the ground [Ray Wilby]

Sunday 15th January

Blaydon - 33 Waxwing in the Cowen road area and later flew up Shibdon Bank. They were relocated early afternoon in Winlaton.
Shibdon Pond - 9 Shelduck, 49 Redshank, 77 Lapwing, 82 Teal, 86 Cormorant, 1 female Goldeneye on the pond.

Saturday 14th January

Shibdon Pond - 7 Shelducks, 6 Goldeneye (3 male 3 female) and 2 Greylag Geese
Lamesley sewage works - 2 Green Sandpiper at 11:20
Far Pasture - Otter on show and Robin feeding from hand. So lot all bad at Far Pasture - see Gossip

Thursday 12th January

Rowlands Gill - Peregrine cirlcling on termals before flying off fast towards river..

Gateshead's Whooper Swan back at Sled Lane [Steven Fryer]

Sled Lane Pond- 6 Wigeon, 10 Gooseander, 1 Goldeneye

Two of the six Wigeon at Sled Lane [Steven Fryer]

Wednesday 11th January

Shibdon Pond - 4 Shelduck.
Far Pasture NR - mid-afternoon produced brief sightings of Red Fox and Water Rail, with single Red Kite over car-park.
Clara Vale - Tree Sparrow and a Willow Tit in a birder's garden.

A pair of Goldeneye at Sled Lane [Steven Fryer]

Sled Lane Pond- Whooper Swan returned with single Mute Swan cygnet, Goosander 1m1f, Wigeon 1m1f, Cormorant 3

Curlew behind the Derwent Crossing Hotel [Ray Wilby]

Tuesday 10th January

River Derwent opposite Blaydon Rugby Club - A Water Rail on the marshy area and about 100 Siskin,
Shibdon Pond - 4 Shelducks but no sign of the Swans. When they took off on Friday they flew off towards Dunston they could of went to Saltwell, or Washington wildfowl park for a feed or down to South Shields for a day at the coast.

Monday 9th January

Clara Vale - Tree Sparrow in a birder's garden.
Shibdon Pond - 7 Mute and a Whooper Swan.. Wonder where they have been. They were certainly not here or at Sled Lane this weekend.
Thornley Woods - Quiet. A few Long-tailed Tit about.

Long-tailed Tit and Nuthatch (below) at Thornley [Ray Wilby]

Far Pasture NR - quiet and cold. Tree-creeper performed well.

Tree-creeper at Far Pasture [Ray Wilby]
The photo is the correct way up!

Sunday 8th January

Clara Vale - Common Seal on the river. It was tucking in to a large fish until it was disturbed by rowers.
Ravensworth Fell - Common Buzzard feeding in field at Ravensworth Fell then flew across to Burdon Moor.
Lamesley Sewage Farm - 3 Green Sandpiper again on the new phragmites pools.
Derwenthaugh - Jack Snipe flushed
Sled Lane - 7 Wigeon , 9 Goosander but no Mute or Whooper Swans
Watergate Park - 2 Water Rail, 10 Pochard and 3 Lesser Redpoll

Saturday 7th January

Burdon Moor - 2-3 Jack Snipe and the female Stonechat still present.
Lamesley Sewage Farm - 3 Green Sandpiper still on the new phragmites pools.
Bill Quay - 30 Waxwing.
Crawcrook Quarry - An Oyster-catcher and 6 Grey Partridge.
Clara Vale - A male Blackcap visited a birders' garden to feed on peanuts.
Rowlands Gill - Burnopfield road - unusual sighting of a Kingfisher perched on a branch overlooking the road

Friday 6th January

Burdon Moor - A female Stonechat.
Shibdon Pond - The eight Swans left this morning (7 Mute and 1 Whooper).
Paddock Hill - Marsh Tit

Thursday 5th January

Burdon Moor - A female Stonechat.
Shibdon Pond - 7 Mute and a Whooper Swan.
Sled Lane - Wigeon 3m3f, Goosander 8m1f, Little Grebe 2, Tufted Duck 6
Timber Beach - 300+ Golden Plover

Wednesday 4th January

Burdon Moor - A female Stonechat.
Shibdon Pond - 7 Mute and a Whooper Swan

Tuesday 3rd January

Shibdon Pond - 7 Mute and a Whooper Swan flew in. These were most likely the Sled Lane birds that had benn disturbed..
Watergate Park - 2 Water Rail
Stargate - Green Woodpecker
River Derwent at Swalwell - Dipper.
Thornley woods - Roe deer showing very well and 1 female Brambling.
Lamesley area - 3 Green Sandpiper, 32 Common Snipe and 3 Jack Snipe

Monday 2nd January

Burdon Moor - 250 Golden Plover , 2 Stonechat and a Jack Snipe
Lamesley Sewage Farm - 3 Green Sandpiper now on the new phragmites pools.

Green Sandpiper at Lamesley flying off [Steven Fryer]

Clara Vale - Waxwings noted and 3 Goldeneye on the river.
Barlow Fell (from the roadside opposite Reely Mires Wood) - 1 Red Kite, 1 Kestrel, 14 Meadow Pipits, c80 Lapwing, 30 Curlew
Far Pasture - Red Kite and Water Rail
Sled Lane Pond -3 pair Wigeon, 8 Mute and 1 Whooper swan, 4 Goosander.
Saltwell Park - 9 Pochard.

Canada Goose at Saltwell [Steven Fryer]

All of 2004 records

for previous months bird records see bottom of page