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Tuesday 29th January 2008

Over Rowlands Gill - 4 Common Buzzard including a group of 3, Red Kite and Sparrowhawk flew over in the fine weather.
Shibdon Pond - 10 Tufted Duck
Clara Vale - Flock of Pink-footed Geese heard calling at dawn as they flew overhead. A strong movement, north and east was noted in the NE today.

Monday 28th January 2008

Watergate Park - Water Rail, No sign of Little Grebe or Pochard
Lamesley Water Meadows - Male Stonechat
Ravensworth Fell - 400+Golden Plover & 200+Lapwing present this morning.

Sunday 27th January 2008

Shibdon Pond - 49 Redshank, 11 Shelducks and 2 Goldeneye .
Stella - 8 Goosander flew over heading west
Thornley WC - Nuthatch ,3 male Bullfinch, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 10 Yellowhammer, 12 Chaffinch and 1 Jay.

Male Bullfinch at Clara Vale LNR

[Jim Duncan]

Saturday 26th January 2008

Watergate Park - Kingfisher showed well today and the drake Pochard has returned. Also 1 Little Grebe, 4 Mute Swan, 2 Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck and a Grey Wagtail.
Washingwell Woods - 30-40 Siskin, 1 Goldcrest and a Tree-creeper.

Willow Tit at Clara Vale

[Derek Bilton]

Bradley Fell 4+ Brambling visiting garden feeders throughout the day with numerous Chaffinch, several Siskin, Greenfinch & Bullfinch. Also a few Pheasants, 2 Nuthatch, 1-2 Willow Tit and numerous Coal, Blue and Great Tits present.
Clara Vale LNR - 1 Brown Rat and 3+ Grey Squirrel, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Great Spotted and 1 Green Woodpecker.
Far Pasture NR - 1 Kingfisher, 23 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe

Friday 25th January 2008

Clara Vale LNR - 1 Willow Tit
Shibdon Pond - 15 Shelducks and 13 Goldeneye

Thursday 24th January 2008

Shibdon -A flock of about 30 Redwings this afternoon. Also nearby, about 80 Culew and 8 Herons in the field behind the Derwent Crossing pub

Wednesday 23rd January 2008

Watergate Park -3 Green Woodpeckers here seen today
Gibside - " Later a female Kestrel was watched eating a decapitated Feld Cole, 9 Goldcrest, 1 Tree-creeper, 1 Dipper and 6 Red Kite were seen.

Thornley WC - Nuthatch 3, Magpie 5, Long Tailed Tit 12, Robin 2, Chaffinch 12, Coal Tit 9, Great Tit 11, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Blue Tit 15, Yellowhammer 6, Sparrowhawk 1, Carrion Crow 1, Wood Pigeon 2, Jay 2, Blackbird 4, Bullfinch 3, Red Kite 1, Common Redpoll 1, Pheasant 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Treecreeper 1, Dunnock 1.
Far Pasture NR - Kestrel 1, Robin 1, Magpie 3, Pheasant 1, Wren 3, Mistle Thrush 1, Mallard 6, Jack Snipe 1, Red Kite 3, Carion Crows 50+, Kingfisher 1, Little Grebe 1, Teal 2.

The hand-tame Robin at Far Pasture

[Ray Wilby]

Sled Lane Pond - Goldeneye 1, Canada Goose 2, Mute Swan 4, Wigeon 18, Black Headed Gull 30, Coot 20, Cormorant 2, Gooseander 5.

Tuesday 22nd January 2008

Watergate Park - Nice views of Kingfisher and Dipper obtained, also good numbers of Siskin with a few Lesser Redpoll, Goldfinch, Bullfinch 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, Reed Bunting, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe

Goldfinch at Clara Vale LNR

[Jim Duncan]

Bradley Fell old workings - near dusk: 1-2 Woodcock plus 2 Tawny Owls calling.

Monday 21st January 2008

Barmoor - Merlin seen and also 22 Skylark here.
Thornley Feeding Station - 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Bullfinch, 1 Nuthatch, 5 Siskin, 1 Sparrowhawk

Female Sparrowhawk bathing at Thornley

[Phil Aitman]

Sunday 20th January 2008

Dunston riverside - Rock Pipit seen well by outfall between staithes and Redheugh. Also 850 Golden Plover and 80 Dunlin. No sign of anyWaxwing at nearby Teams
Watergate Park -47 Siskin, 9 Tufted Duck, 2 Meadow Pipit and a Skylark
Hedley Hall farm - Common Buzzard
Far Pasture NR - 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Tree-creeper, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Red Kite, 8,Tealand 2 Roe Deer.
Lamesley Water Meadows - Magpie 4, Carion Crow 30+, Moorhen 5, Lapwing 200+ , Blackbird 5, Pied Wagtail 1, Robin 2, House Sparrow 2, Starlings 10, Great Black Backed Gull 1, Kestrel 1, Black-headed Gull 15, Jackdaw 2, Woodpigeon 30.
Clara Vale LNR - Lesser Redpol, Goldfinch 4, Willow Tit 1, GS Woodpecker 2, Wren 2, Greenfinch 4, Moorhen 4, Robin 1, Pheasant 1, Chaffinch 10, Stock Dove 1, Yellowhammer 6, Nuthatch 1.

Lesser Redpoll at Clara Vale

It appears to be a very good winter for this species (and Siskin)

[Derek Bilton]

Sled Lane Pond - Goldeneye 3, Goosander 11 (4m & 7f) Cormorant 3, Mute Swan 4, Wigeon 11, Canada Goose 2, Coot 12, Moorhen 15, Tufted Duck 3, Mallard 20+, Wren 3
Derwent Crossing Hotel- Black-headed Gulls 30+, Cormorants 5 flying overhead.
Thornley Feeding Station - 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Sparrowhawk

Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Thornley

[Phil Aitman]

Barlow Road, Winlaton end - 3 Red Kite
Derwent Riverside at Rowlands Gill - Dipper 1, Red Kite 7, Nuthatch 3 and Treecreeper 1

Saturday 19th January 2008

Teams - 8 Waxwing until 08:45 only in Tyneview Place housing estate.
Stargate - 4 Common Snipe
Shibdon Pond - 13 Goldeneye ,4 Shelduck and a large flock of Siskin.
East Bradley Fell - Common Buzzard showing well over the old workings. Also Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 40+ Lapwing, c30 Yellowhammer, c10 Long-tailed Tit, several Siskin heard. On or near garden feeders Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Nuthatch, Willow Tit, several Bullfinch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Grey Squirrel.
Sled Lane pond - c18 Wigeon, 8 Tufted Duck, 2m 2f Goosander, 2m 1f Goldeneye, 4 Mute Swan, 2 Canada Goose, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Cormorant plus Mallard, Moorhen and Coot.
Thornley WC - Sparrowhawk 2 (male and female) Bullfinch 5, Robin 2, Great Tit 14, Blue Tit 18,Chaffinch 11, Great Spotted Woodpecker 4, Long-tailed Tit 6, Jay 4, Nuthatch 2, Siskin 1, Yellowhammer 8.
Far Pasture NR - Grey Heron 1, Teal 6, Jack Snipe 1, Snipe 4, Wren 1.
Gibside - 20 Red Kites over Gibside Monument.
Watergate Park - 1 Kingfisher, 2 Little Grebe

Friday 18th January 2008

Teams - 7 Waxwing still present
Low Fell - Flock of 10+ Waxwings at bottom of Dryden Rd, Low Fell at about 14.05 today
Lamesley - Stonechat again behind the Ravensworth Arms
Cara Vale LNR -A partial albino Reed Bunting in with about 20 Yellowhammers

The partial-albino Reed Bunting [Gordon Pollinger]

Thursday 17th January 2008

Teams - 7 Waxwing, 12 Canada Geese - flew N, 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker on riverside, 4 Stock Dove. No further sign of the Rock Pipit.
Winlaton - Female Stonechat at Heather's Field
Cowen Road, Blaydon - 6 Redpolls feeding in the birches
Team Valley - 1 male Siskin on Fifth Avenue

First Snowdrops of the year recorded growing wild

Wednesday 16th January 2008

Teams - 10 Waxwing, near Dunston Staithes in Tyneview Place housing estate.
Bradley Fell - Jacky's Plantation - 85+ Brambling now present in the wood and adjacent allotments near Rockwood Hill Estate by Milton Street.
Low Fell - Blackbird and Great Tit both singing at 06:30hrs.

Water Rail at Far Pasture

This bird is showing well occassionally. Others noted at Watergate, Shibdon and Lamesley reedbeds.

[Ray Wilby]

Far Pasture NR - 1 Water Rail, 1 Jack Snipe, 4 Snipe, 1 Kingfisher, 14 Teal, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Jay, 7 Mallard
Stargate - Hooded Crow seen to fly from Stargate into Path Head landfill.

Late news for 14th -  Rock Pipit at Dunston Staithes, no sign on 15th . Only brief in flight views & heard call, flew down river towards Redheugh Bridge.

Tuesday 15th January 2008

Shibdon Pond - Lapwing 50+, Teal 20+, Canada Goose 50+, Wren 1, Magpie 5, Long-tailed Tits 6, Bullfinch 3, Shelduck 4, Black Headed Gull 30+, Tufted Duck 2, Coot 6, Goldeneye 5 males, Woodpigeon 25+ Moorhen 30+, feral Barnacle Goose, Sparrowhawk 1, Kestrel 1, Kingfisher (flew past). Blackbird 14, Carrion Crow 30+
Dunston Staithes- 1 Goosander, 100 Lapwing & Blue Tits inspecting nestbox

Monday 14th January 2008

Dunston Staithes - 50 Dunlin, 20 Golden Plover, 400 Lapwing, 50 Redshank, 75 Teal, 1 Stock Dove, 100 Black Headed Gulls.
Cowen Road, Blaydon - 5 Long-tailed Tit and both Blackbirds and Blue Tits showing initial signs of nesting behaviour.
Shibdon Pond - 11 Goldeneye on the pond this morning 7m 4 fm.
Crawcrook Park - Chiffchaff seen

Sunday 13th January 2008

Far Pasture NR - Jack Snipe still on show. Also 1 Sparrow-hawk, 1 Red Kite, 9 Common Snipe and 2 Siskin. Also 3 Roe Deer
Shibdon Pond - 4 Tufted Duck, 4 Shelduck and a Lesser Redpoll.
Path Head landfill - 1 Hooded Crow
Stella - Iceland Gull (adult) on wasteground at 11:00, viewable from the road opposite the Board Inn
Thornley Woodland Centre - 8 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Siskin, Nuthatch, Bullfinch and 3 Lesser Redpoll.
Harlow Green - Siskin on a garden feeder.
Gibside - 29 Red Kite came in to roost
Sled Lane Pond - 20 Wigeon, 4 Goldeneye. 2 Goosander & several Tufted Duck.

Saturday 12th January 2008

Far Pasture NR - Jack Snipe on show again from the hide
River Derwent at Swalwell - 4 Goosander and a Redshank downstream of B&Q. 3 Dipper just upstream of Swalwell, 1 by the viaduct
River Derwent at Derwent Walk Country Park - 7 Grey Heron at their nests, 1 on the river. 4 Little Grebe on river but no ducks on the lake but 18 Lesser Redpoll nearby.
Lamesley - 5 Common Snipe, 3 Reed Bunting and a Common Buzzard again behind the Ravensworth Arms. On the water meadows 7 Redwing, 50 Lapwing, 4 Meadow Pipit, and 3 Grey Lag Geese.
Watergate Lake - 2 Water Rail seen also 2 Jay, 1 female Sparrowhawk, 1 Little Grebe

Friday 11th January 2008

Lamesley - About 15 Common Snipe and the Stonechat again behind the Ravensworth Arms. .
Bradley Fell - Jacky's Plantation - 70 Brambling by Milton Street allotments and a Green Woodpecker called nearby. Also Nuthatch and Willow Tit seen.

Brambling at Greenside

There are now at least 85 feeding on the beech-mast and in the adjacent allotments

[Gordon Pollinger]

Derwent Walk CP - 2 Pochard on Goodshields Lake and 8 Red Kite in the area.

Red Kite at Far Pasture

[Ray Wilby]

Thursday 10th January 2008

Clara Vale LNR - About 8 Lesser Redpoll and a Green Woodpecker calling.

Monday 7th January 2008

Derwent Walk CP - Dipper 2, Green Woodpecker 2, Sparrowhawk 3, Lesser Redpoll 6, Red Kite 1, Shoveler 2, Tufted Duck 4. Another Lesser Redpoll was at Thornley Woodlands feeding station today,

This drake Pochard on Goodshields Lake is the first of the year [Ray Wilby]

Robin 1, Magpie 4, Little Grebe 8, Kingfisher 1, Grey Wagtail 1, Shoveler 2, Goldfinch 3, Kestrel 1, Grey Heron 1, Wren 2, Mallard 13, Black-headed Gull 30+, Moorhen 30+, Cormorant 2, Mute Swan 2, Dipper 2.
Far Pasture NR - 3 Red Kites, 4 Teal, 6 Longtailed Tit and a Willow Tit was seen later

Sunday 6th January 2008

Shibdon Pond - 4 Shelduck, 19 Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon and 20 Siskin
Far Pasture NR - 1 Jack Snipe, 3 Common Snipe & 1 Water Rail this afternoon
Bradley Fell - Jacky's Plantation - 37+ Brambling by Milton Street allotments, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Nuthatch.

One of the Bramblings at Greenside [Paul Davidson]

Sled Lane Pond - 8 Goosander, 4 Tufted Duck, 13 Wigeon, 4 Goldeneye and a Little Grebe
Gibside - Sparrowhawk (F), Siskin 30+,Nuthatch 6+, Treecreeper, Red Kite 4+ and Roe Deer. A report of a GOSHAWK but the particualrly large Sparrow-hawk that was present last year was seen again here.
Crawcrook Quarry - Pair of Common Buzzard
Stella - No sign of Iceland Gull. 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (showing characters of race intermedius) and 400 Lapwing, 12 Golden Plover & 5 Long-tailed Tit.
Waste ground at Derwenthaugh - 5 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Grey Wagtail.
Coalway Lane - 1 Great spotted Woodpecker
Ryton Willows - 1 Great spotted Woodpecker
River Tyne - Costco to Timber beach - 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 8 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Woodcock, 2 Snipe, 5 Siskin, 2 Stock Dove and Common Seal.

The Bar-tailed Godwit [Paul Davidson]

Derwenthaugh - In the field behind the Derwent Crossing Inn about 50 Curlew, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Reed Bunting, 7 Goldfinch feeding on Teasel and 3 Grey Heron.
Watergate Park - 2 Water Rail and 1 Goosander.

Saturday 5th January 2008

Hedley Hall Woods - Willow Tit and Linnet.
Stella - An adult Iceland Gull on wasteground at 15:00, viewable from the road opposite the Board Inn. A lot more gulls have returned to this site today.
Birtley town centre - Tawny Owl singing at 03:00 hrs.
Kibblesworth/Ravensworth Fell area - Skylark, 2 Tree Sparrow, Little Owl, 2 Grey Partridge, 12 Yellowhammer, 20 Golden Plover.
Shibdon Pond - This afternoon 4 Mistle Thrush and about 20 Siskins feeding on the birch trees
Lamesley Reedbeds -Common Snipe 8, Water Rail 2/3, Kestrel 1, Teal 16, Siskin 25
Rowlands Gill - Red Kite
Thornley/Barlow - Little Owl
Timber Beach - 20 Dunlin
Watergate Park - 1 Little Grebe, 1 Treecreeper

Friday 4th January 2008

Bradley Fell old workings - Woodcock near dusk
Birtley town centre - Grey Wagtail
River Tyne (Clara Vale - Ryton) - 1 Kingfisher

Thursday 3rd January 2008

Clara Vale - Woodcock seen this evening
Ryton Willow - Mute Swan and Little Grebe on the river

Wednesday 2nd January 2008

Shibdon Pond - A Great Crested Grebe briefly before flying off towards the Tyne by Scotswood Bridge and a Water Rail
Lamesley - 42 Snipe, 60 Redwing, 5 Fieldfare, 12 Grey Lag and a male Stonechat.
Clara Vale - Barn Owl seen at 16:50hrs
Bradley Fell - Jacky's Plantation - At least 30, probably more Bramblings in a tight group flying down from bushes on edge of allotments 20 yards west of Milton St to feed on fallen beech mast. Also Treecreeper nearby.
Birtley STW - 6 Grey Partridge and 60 Siskin

Tuesday 1st January 2008

Shibdon Pond - A 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull , 1 Water Rail, & 2 Goldeneye
Clara Vale - 1 Willow Tit

Willow Tit at Clara Vale [Derek Bilton]

River Derwent at Swalwell - 1 Little Grebe and

Goosander [Ray Wilby]

Dipper on the Derwent [Ray Wilby]

Far Pasture NR -1 Kingfisher

Also seen today -

Cormorant on Goodshields Lake [Ray Wilby]

Grey Heron along the Derwent Walk [Ray Wilby]

Mute Swan,

Canada Goose at Shibdon [Ray Wilby]

Mallard, Teal, Wigeon,

Tufted Duck on Goodshields Lake [Ray Wilby]

Shelduck

Pheasant at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Red Kite,

Female Sparrowhawk at Thornley [Ray Wilby]

Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot,

Lapwing at Shibdon Pond [Ray Wilby]

Golden Plover, Redshank,

Curlew at Derwenthaugh -a very regular spot for them [Ray Wilby]

Common Snipe at Far Pasture NR - [Ray Wilby]

Great Black-backed Gull at Derwenthaugh [George Simpson]

Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull,

Great Spotted Woodpecker at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Green Woodpecker, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove,

Pied Wagtail at Blaydon [George Simpson]

Grey Wagtail, Blackbird,

Song Thrush at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Redwing,

Mistle Thrush at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Robin at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Dunnock at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Wren at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Goldcrest,

Great Tit at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Blue Tit, Coal Tit,

Long-tailed Tit at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Nuthatch at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Tree-creeper, Chaffinch, Goldfinch,

Greenfinch at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Greenfinch,

Siskin at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

Lesser Redpoll at Clara Vale on 2nd [Venetia Parkins]
a rather pale bird with some features of Common (Meally) Redpoll. Compare with a typical Lesser at Clockburn Lake below [Ray Wilby]

Bullfinch,

Yellowhammer [Ray Wilby]

Reed Bunting,

House Sparrow at Winlaton [George Simpson]

Starling, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw,

Magpie at Clara Vale [Jim Duncan]

and

Jay at Thornley [Phil Aitman]

making the total for the year 69

(plus escapee Barnacle Goose at Shibdon Pond [Ray Wilby])