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Tuesday 30th January 2007
Bradley Fell - At least 1, probably 2 Woodcock at the old workings Bradley Fell late this afternoon. Much of this reliable area for this species waterlogged at the moment providing excellent feeding conditions
Monday 29th January 2007
Westfield Pasture -A Woodcock flushed from the alder wood was surprisingly the first of the year in the borough.
Sunday 28th January 2007
Shibdon Pond - 1 Shoveler, 22 Canada Goose, 4 Shelduck, 5 Goldeneye, 2 Redshank, 1 Common Snipe and 200 Lapwing
Timber beach - Lesser Black-backed Gull still present, 7 Dunlin 350 Golden Plover and 200 Lapwing including a leucistic coloured bird.
Lamesley Water Meadows- 2 Curlew, 10 Redwing and a Sparrowhawk.
Lamesley Reedbeds - 11 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing. Several species of arable plant in flower making the year total = 32
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]
Far Pasture NR - 15 Common Snipe.
Rowlands Gill - Another wintering Blackcap, probably the 9th individual this year in the borough, was seen in an observer's garden together with a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker. Another observer near Highfield also had a Blackcap in his garden today. A female was in his apple tree. Other birds counted in this garden were 3 Blue Tit, 1 Wren and 2 Blackbird.
Derwent Walk - Green Woodpecker heard.
Saturday 27th January 2007
Clara Vale - 24+ Redwing and 3 Lesser Redpoll.
Timber beach - Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 Shelduck, 1 Dunlin and 150 Golden Plover
River Tyne at Costco- 81 Curlew, 20 Lapwing and 1000+ Black-headed Gulls.
Rowlands Gill - Tree-creeper in an observer's garden was his first for there and 2 Common Buzzard flew over.
Shibdon Pond - 5 Grey Lag Goose, 3 Shelduck, 9 Goldeneye and 4 Little Grebe.
Birtley STW - Green Sandpiper
Friday 26th January 2007
Kibblesworth Brick works pond -2 Shelduck, 50+ Redwing, 12+ Yellowhammers and 2 Tawny owls woods south of pond
Sherburn Towers - Again, 34 Red Kites were counted coming into roost.
Red Kite
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]
Thursday 25th January 2007
Clara Vale - Little Owl
Birtley Sewage Works - 11 Grey Partridge and 5 Redwing.
Timber Beach - 118 Lapwing, at least 700 Golden Plover, 120 Teal and 1 Dunlin.
Wednesday 24th January 2007
Between Ryton Willows and Clara Vale - The Red-throated Diver on still present.
Maryside Hill - Willow Tit.
River Tyne at Costco - 229 lapwing,2 Shelduck, 12 Goldeneye, Great Black Backed Gull, 76 Teal
Dunston - 100+ Teal, c400 Golden Plover
Rowlands Gill - A male blackcap seen and a flock of redwings decimated the holly berries in an observer's garden.
Shibdon Pond: 7 Teal, 3 Goldeneye and 1 Shelduck. A female Sparrowhawk (f) over the reserve and a flock of 200 probable Siskin.
River Derwent at Swalwell: Goosander (m and f) 3 Little Grebe, Grey Heron and 1 Redshank.
Red Kite at Barlow Fell [Iain Clyne]
Tuesday 23rd January 2007
Ryton Willows -On the Tyne - the Red-throated Diver.
Far Pasture NR - 95% frozen, but 14 Teal, 10 Snipe, 6 Coot, Mute Swan pair and 13 Mallard and 2 Red Kite flew over.
Derwent Walk - a few small groups of of Redwing widespread Long tailed Tits and several Bullfinch pairs noted.
Nine-arches Viaduct - Red Kite and Kestrel perched close by.
Kestrel at Barlow Fell
Easily outnumbered by Red Kites in this area.
[Photo: Ray Wilby]
Thornley Feeding Station- 25 species here in total included 6 species of Tit, Marsh and Willow close together. Also 2 Nuthatch, male Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, a single Redwing, a Sparrowhawk zipped through
Paddock Hill Wood - Treecreeper showed well
Sherburn Towers - A 20 minute watch produced 8 Red Kites and a small flock of Fieldfare ,8 Mistle Thrushes and about 600 Jackdaws
Redwing at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]
Monday 22nd January 2007
River Tyne at Dunston - 1st winter Iceland Gull opposite Newcastle Business Park for 45 minutes around lunchtime.
Blaydon - 1 male Blackcap in the grounds of Harford House, Cowen Road, the first time since before Christmas the male has been present.
Clara Vale - Female Blackcap in an observer's garden.
Blackcap at Clara Vale
Now recorded at a third site , there are probably 10+ birds wintering in the borough this winter together with 1, possibly 2 Chiffchaffs.
[Photo :Gordon Pollinger]
Sunday 21st January 2007
Mistle Thrush at Sled Lane [Ray Wilby]
River Tyne at Costco - 4 Stock Dove, 11 Goldeneye, 20+ Teal
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Lapwing and a Peregrine
Shibdon Pond - 9 (5m, 4f) Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck, 1 Wigeon. FirstCherry Plum) in flower.
Clara Vale LNR - Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Lesser Redpoll, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Song Thrush, Redwing
Sled Lane - Wigeon 29, Goosander 11 (5m), Mallard 31, Tufted Duck 5(1m), Goldeneye (f), Mute Swan 8
Tufted Duck
Like Pochard there are few about in the borough this winter due to the mild winter. A handful at Sled Lane, Saltwell Park and Watergate Park and the occassional bird at Axwell and Shibdon seem to be all that are around.
[Photo: Ray Wilby]
Ravensworth Fell - 1 Little Owl
River Derwent by the weir - 1 male Goosander
Male Goosander on the Derwent [Ray Wilby]
Far Pasture NR - 6 Teal, 6 Mallard, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Little Grebe and 1 Grey wagtail.
Saturday 20th January 2007
River Tyne at Costco - 2 Shelduck, 6 Goldeneye, 40+ Teal
Clara Vale LNR - 2 Nuthatch, Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Lesser Redpoll on ground at feeding station with Chaffinches etc
Timber Beach - 400+ Lapwing, 60+ Teal, 1 Golden Plover
Shibdon Pond - 3 Lesser Redpoll on the reserve and a Stoat seen.
Winlaton Mill - 7 Long-tailed Tit in an observer's garden
Friday 19th January 2007
Axwell Park - Female Blackcap and male Reed Bunting still visiting garden feeders in Axwell Park.
Blaydon - 2 Blackcap, 1 female and one with a slightly different cap colour and probably a 1st winter male.present again in the grounds of Harford House, Cowen Road. 2 Lesser Redpoll,1 Siskin and 2 Redwing also present here,
Shibdon Pond - 4 Goldeneye (3m, 1f), 4 Shelduck, 25 Lapwing, 31 Canada Geese, 1 Mute Swan
Watergate Park - Common Buzzard reported by several observers today.
Thursday 18th January 2007
Watergate Park - Common Buzzard over.
Clara Vale LNR - Kingfisher again at the pond.
The Kingfisher at Clara Vale [Iain Clyne]
Blaydon - Female Blackcap present again in the grounds of Harford House, Cowen Road. 2 Lesser Redpoll feeding on ground under birches in car park of Harford House.
The female Blackcap at Blaydon [Peter Harvey]
Several sites - Snowdrops in flower
Wednesday 17th January 2007
Shibdon Pond - Pair of Wigeon and 1 Shoveler on the pond.
Male Reed Bunting in the marsh at Shibdon [George Simpson]
Tuesday 16th January 2007
Sled Lane Pond - Black Headed Gull 23, Mute Swan 8, Goosander 5 (3 males), Wigeon 5 (3 males), Mallard 23, Tufted Duck 1female, Coot 14, Moorhen 2
Monday 15th January 2007
Timber beach - c100 Lapwing, 400+ Golden Plover, 2 Dunlin, 3 Curlew, 6 Redshank, 8 Teal, 1 Knot. Common Seal present.
Stargate- Smooth Hawks-beard in flower.
Sunday 14th January 2007
Shibdon Pond- 3 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, 1 Shoveler, 3 Goldeneye, 13 Canada Goose and 2 Snipe. Brown Rats still showing well at the feeding station. Drake Goosander flew over.
Ryton Willows - The Red-throated Diver is now on the Tyne by the boathouse .
Timber beach - 200 Lapwing, 20 Teal and 25 Redshank on mud. I
Lamesley Water Meadows -2 Meadow Pipit, 13 Curlew and a male Sparrow-hawk.
Ravensworth Fell - Flock of 17 Fieldfare and 150 Starlings.
Birtley Sewage Works - Green Sandpiper, Pied Wagtail 36, Grey Wagtail 3, Black Headed Gull 50, Common Gull 3, Herring Gull 1, Jackdaw 50+, Magpie 14
River Derwent - At the tennis courts a female Otter & 2 cubs,feeding, playing and grooming on bankside for 1 hour also a Water Rail was flushed from here.
Water Rail on the Derwent
This bird has now been seen a few times on the river by the Tennis Courts and will presumably spend the rest of the winter here.
[Photo: Steve Fryer]
Hagg Hill Wood private feeding station - 20 Long-tailed Tits, Tawny Owl, Great-spotted Woodpecker, 3 pairs Bullfinch, Tree-creeper, Nuthatch and 3 Pheasants and a Red Fox.
Peth Lane - Tree Sparrow.
Swalwell - Dipper, Mallard, Little Grebe on the river Derwent
Thornley Woods - Marsh Tit still showing well.
Winlaton Mill - 10 Redwing in an observer's garden in the morning, rising to 32 by the afternoon.
Saturday 13th January 2007
Shibdon Pond- 7 Shelduck, 1 Shoveler, 1 Wigeon, 2 Tufted Duck, 10 Goldeneye, 1 Little Grebe and 12 Lapwing.
Sled Lane - Goosander 4, Tufted Duck 3, Goldeneye 1, Mute Swan 8
Clara Vale - Goldeneye (M), 50+ Yellowhammer, Gt Sp Woodpecker, Stock Dove 8
Winlaton Mill - 5 Redwing and a Tree-creeper in an observer's garden.
Friday 12th January 2007
Shibdon Pond- 18 Goldeneye (10 ad males), 5 Snipe, pr Wigeon, 6 Shelduck, 13 Cormorant and a Goldcrest.
Thornley WC - Limited activity on the feeders here due to the constant presence of an imm fem Sparrowhawk. It spent most of its time trying to catch the Grey Squirrels & a Magpie or two. One of the squirrels was particularly bold & even scrambled back up onto the bird table after an assault to feed. After another attack the squirrel ran at the hawk, forcing it to flush up!, after she had landed on a log pile. After a while the hawk sat dejected ontop of a bird box watching the squirrels beneath him.I watched the bird for an hour & it was hopeless, ignoring smaller prey items nearby.... maybe it thinks its a Goshawk?
Axwell Park - 6 Stock Dove present.
Far Pasture NR - Masses of midges here. Siskins drinking & bathing in the car park puddles. Water levels as elsewhere are high at the moment but single feeding Common Snipe, Kingfisher and Jay. Late afternoon - a "long winged" owl over the rough area adjacent to the sewage works.
Sled Lane Pond - 8 Goosander (4M) & 1 fem Goldeneye.
Sherburn Towers - A few Red Kite and 1,000+ Corvids, mostly Jackdaws over late afternoon.
Wednesday 10th January 2007
Dunston Staithes - 2 Canada Geese, 1 Barnacle Goose (Feral bird but new for site), 5 Shelduck, 250 Teal, 5 Dunlin, 10 Curlew, 250 Redshank, 300 Lapwing (150 roosting on Staithes), 500 Golden Plover (flying up river), 20 Mallard, 5 Grey Heron, 20 Cormorant and 20 Stock Dove. Apart from Golden Plover all birds 'inside' Staithes mudflats.
Shibdon Pond - 32 Teal, 4 Shelduck, 15 Canada Geese. Redwing, Redpoll etc. One of the Black-Headed Gulls was in summer plumage. Sparrowhawk seen carrying twigs.
River Derwent by Derwenthaugh - 2 Little Grebes.
Watergate Park - 3 Lesser Redpoll.
Blaydon - Female Blackcap present in the grounds of Harford House, Cowen Road.
Tuesday 9th January 2007
Birtley - a flock of 7 Grey-lag flew south over the Komatsu factory.
Blaydon - Female Blackcap present in the grounds of Harford House, Cowen Road.
Sunday 7th January 2007
Shibdon Pond - The Red-throated Diver was present and performed very well in front of the hide, feeding on Sticklebacks, until 11:00 when it flew off north.. Also present, 6 Shelduck, 2 Goldeneye, 40 Teal and 20 Canada Goose.
Red-throated Diver
[Photos: Paul Davidson]
Birtley sewage works - Green Sandpiper and 20 Linneton the roadside pools to the south of the reedbeds. Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk and 20 Redwing flew over . Water Rail and Chiffchaff were present later in the day.
Green Sandpiper at Birtley STW [Paul Davidson]
Chopwell Woods - 45 Siskin, 4 Nuthatch and 8 Grey Squirrel.
Stargate Quarry - Willow Tit.
Winlaton Mill - 5 Lesser Redpoll, 12 Long-tailed Tit and 2 Bullfinch in a garden.
Thornley WC - )and Sparrow Hawk present
Male Sparrowhawk at Thornley [Ray Wilby]
Saturday 6th January 2007
Shibdon Pond - A Red-throated Diver present since mid-morning on the pond (initially identified as a Black-throated Diver and reported elsewhere as a possible Great Northern Diver). Also present, 5 Shelduck, 5 Goldeneye, 70 Teal, 3 Canada Goose and 2 Snipe.
Red-throated Diver
The 6th record for Gateshead and the first in the borough for many years
[Photos: Paul Davidson]
Ravensworth Fell - 3 Red Kite .
ASDA Gateshead - 10 House Sparrows feeding in the car park.
Friday 5th January 2007
River Tyne at Dunston Staithes - 750 Golden Plover (on Newcastle Side),50 Teal, 20 Cormorant and 6 Grey Heron.
Watergate Park - Siskin, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher present today. .
Birtley sewage works - Grey Partridge in field opposite and a flock of 20 Linnet by the entrance
Grey Heron at Shibdon [Ray Wilby]
Thursday 4th January 2007
Birtley Sewage Works - A juvenile Peregrine seen over the area flew towards Kibblesworth.
Watergate Park - No sign of Pintail, female Pochard still present as were 200-300+ Black-headed Gulls and a single Little Grebe.
Female Common Pochard at Watergate
Probably the only Pochard in the the borough at the moment. With the mild winters, gone are the days when over 500 could be counted at Shibdon Pond.
[Photo: Ray Wilby ]
Clockburn Lake - Great close up view of a big adult Otter about 50 feet away as it came out of of the lake flushing up a Kingfisher over the path into the river next to the stone arch bridge
Wednesday 3rd January 2007
Sherburn Towers - 34 Red Kites came into roost - see Kites page for more details
Tuesday 2nd January 2007
Birtley Sewage Works - A Chiffchaff in the hedge by the bridleway. 200 Lapwing, 30 Fieldfare, Sparrowhawk and a Redshank.
Ravensworth Fell - 2 (mf) Stonechat
Drake Mandarin Duck at Sled Lane
Presumably the bird recently seen at Clara Vale.
[Photo: Gordon Pollinger]
Sled Lane pond - Drake Mandarin still present , 10 Goosander, 1 Goldeneye, 8 Tufted Duck, 18 Wigeon and Sparrowhawk
Mute Swans were already displaying by the start of the month [Ray Wilby]
Strother Hills - Nuthatch, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Tree-creeper and Lesser Redpoll. 3 Red Kite over nearby Victoria Garesfield
Drake Pintail at Watergate
Found on 2nd January, this site has produced most of the recent records of this rare but annual duck to Gateshead.
[Photo: Paul Davidson]
Watergate Park - Drake Pintail, Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Grey Wagtail, 5 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Pochard
Female Kingfisher at Watergate
After a good breeding season, in the last week or so birds have been seen along the Tyne at Dunston, along the River Derwent at 3 different spots, Shibdon Pond, Far Pasture, Thornley feeding station, Watergate Lake and Clara Vale.
[Photo: Ray Wilby]
Rivr Derwent at Swalwell Bridge - Little Grebe, Dipper, Kingfisher and Canada Goose on the river.
Little Grebe at Watergate
Birds can currently be seen at Watergate, along the river Derwent especially by the weir and at Swalwell Bridge and at Sled Lane Pond.
[Photo: Ray Wilby]
Stargate Quarry - Green Woodpecker.
Blaydon - 2 Blackcap(m&f) still in the grounds of Harford House, Cowen Road.
Clara Vale LNR - Kingfisher present again briefly. Also 16+ Fieldfare, 2 Nuthatches, 20+ Siskin, 20+Yellowhammers, many Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch. Lesser Redpoll, Redwing and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Long-Tailed Tits feeding on a feeder.
Monday 1st January 2007
Birtley Sewage Works - 2 Common Buzzard, 200 Lapwing, 30 Fieldfare
Timber beach - 50 Dunlin,, 200 Golden Plover and 200 Lapwing.
Far Pasture NR -3 Red Kite 18 Long-tailed Tit, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, 4 Snipe and 12 Teal . Stock Dove in and out of the large nestbox.
Long-tailed Tit
Some birds have already paired up by early January, while others are still roaming around in flocks.
[Photo:Ray Wilby]
Derwent Walk - Little Grebe, Dipper and a Kingfisher on the river. Willow Tit at Swalwell visitor centre
Ravensworth Fell - 1, possibly 2 Stonechat, 2 Red Kite, 60 Fieldfare.
Drake Mandarin Duck at Sled Lane
This bird is still present and as can be seen, is very approachable.
[Photo: Paul Davidson]
Sled Lane pond -Drake Mandarin, 6 Goosander, 1 Goldeneye, 8 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe .
Drake Goosander at Sled Lane
With an immature plumaged Black-headed Gull in the background
[Photo: Steve Fryer]
Thornley WC - 8 Grey Squirrel, 12 Lesser Redpoll, 21 Stock Dove, Great-spotted Woodpecker
Shibdon Pond - 4 Shelduck,
Blaydon - Blackcap seen and 3 Waxwings flew over but neither could be found subsequently. toad.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Wigeon
Barlow Fell - 3 Red Kites.
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]
Bradley Fell - 14 Lesser Redpoll at the old workings today giving excellent views. Also Green Woodpecker, 4 Bullfinch, 5 Grey Partridge and numerous Redwing. Willow Tit and Nuthatch on garden feeders plus Treecreeper nearby.