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Saturday 31st January 2009

McHutchings egg farm - McHutchings egg farm

Friday 30th January 2009

63 species seen before 2pm in the borough by one birder.

Near Ryton - 1 Barn Owl
Clara Vale LNR - 7 Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll at Clara Vale LNR [Ray Wilby]

Thornley WC - 2 Brambling
Stephensons farm, Follie Lane- 5 Tree Sparrow

Wednesday 28th January 2009

Lamesley Water Meadows - Curlews 78, Teal 60+, Lapwing 100+, Moorhen 14+
Clara Vale LNR - Siskin 6, Lesser Redpoll 7, Nuthatch 1, Greenfinch 5, Robin 2, GreatTit 3, Blackbird 2, Coal Tit 3, Blue Tit 2, Black Headed Gull 1, Moorhen 1, Carrion Crow 2, Bullfinch 4, Chaffinch 4, Dunnock 2, Magpie 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Wren 1, Pheasant 2, Willow Tit 1, Woodpigeon 1.

A very bright male Lesser Redpoll at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]

Sled Lane Pond - Goosander 4,Goldeneye 2, Canada Geese 2, Mute Swan 2, Moorhen 8, Coot 20+, Mallard 20+ (including a Kharki Campbell), Tufted Duck 8, Starling 20+, Mistle Thrush 8, Robin 1, Blackbird 2, Black Headed Gull 10+.

Pair of Goldeneye at Sled Lane Pond [Ray Wilby]

Far Pasture NR - Kingfisher 1, Moorhen 2,Pheasant 2, Crows 2+, Kestrel 1, Reed Bunting 1
Shibdon pond - 2 M Pochard 7 Goldeneye / 12 Longtailed Tits feeding in the reserve and 1 Green Woodpecker
Derwenthaugh  meadows behind Taybarns  - 70 +Curlew .

Tuesday 27th January 2009

Birtley reedbeds - 1 Common Buzzard
Lamesley Water Meadows - 45 Teal
Kibblesworth Brickworks pools area - 1 Peregrine, 20+ Meadow Pipit and 2-3 Tree Sparrow.
Shibdon Pond - 2 Common Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck, 5 Shelduck and 7 Common Goldeneye

Monday 26th January 2009

Birtley reedbeds - A Chiffchaff in the hedge along the bridleway and 3 Common Buzzard along Greenford Lane.
Sled Lane Pond - Goosander, Goldeneye, Wigeon, Teal, Mute Swans, Moorhen, Mallard & Tufted Duck.

Sunday 25th January 2009

Lamesley Water Meadows -Kingfisher, 37 Teal and a Shelduck
Watergate - 50 Waxwing
Birtley reedbeds - Goldcrest and 2 Water Rail
Timber beach -50 Dunlin, 6 Stock Dove
Stanley Burn - Dipper seen on the Stanley burn at Bradley Mill bridge on Crawcrook Lane, on the Gateshead boundary.
Far Pasture NR - Water Rail and Kingfisher seen.
Shibdon Pond - Pochard(m), 9 Goldeneye and 5 Shelduck

Saturday 24th January 2009

Clara Vale -34 Waxwing in the village for a short while
Thornley WC - Blackbirds 3, Robin 2, Coal Tit 6, Gt Tit 8, Blue Tit 4, Nuthatch 2, Dunnock 1, Woodpigeon 8, Chaffinch 20+, Long Tailed Tit 4, Magpie 2, Jay 2, Treecreeper 1,Bullfinch 4, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Brambling 2, Red Kite 1.

Tree-creeper at Thornley [Joanne Reavey]

Friday 23rd January 2009

Clara Vale LNR - Lesser Redpoll, 6-8 Siskin and a Sparrowhawk. No Yellow Hammers and very few Greenfinch.

Male Siskin at Clara Vale LNR [Ray Wilby]

Gibside - 25 Waxwing flew over towards Rowlands Gill
Lintzford - 11 Red Kite circling overhead

Thursday 22nd January 2009

Dunston Staithes - Peregrine flew over
Bradley Fell old workings - 2 Woodcock near dusk

Wednesday 21st January 2009

Long Acre Wood - 1 Crossbill and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Lamesley Water Meadows - Kingfisher still present and a Little Grebe

The Little Grebe at Lamesley [Ray Wilby]

Shibdon Pond - 6 Shelduck, 5 Goldeneye, 2 Pochard and a Gadwall
Derwenthaugh Meadow behind Taybarns - 50 +Curlew

Tuesday 20th January 2009

Shibdon Pond -9 Shelduck , 7 Goldeneye , 2 Pochard , and a juvenile Glacous Gull

Monday 19th January 2009

Shibdon Pond - 1 Gadwall, 9  Goldeneye (8m, 1f),  6 Shelduck , 5 Tufted (mmmff) and 2 Pochard(mm)
Hagg Hill Woods - 1 Willow Tit, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Great spotted Woodpecker
Lamesley Water Meadows - Kingfisher again and a Common Buzzard flew over. Also 40 Teal, 200 Lapwing, 12 Curlew, 7 Redshank.
Far Pasture NR- 10 Common Snipe , 1 Willow Tit,
Greenford Lane - 15 Greylag Geese and a mixed gull flock including a Herring Gull of the scandinavian race L.a.Argentatus.
Birtley Reedbeds/River Team - 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest, 3 Bullfinch.
Kibblesworth Brickworks Pool - 3 Mute Swan, 1pr Mallard.

This Magpie roost near Gateshead Stadium contained 14 birds [Ray Wilby]

Sunday 18th January 2009

Shibdon Pond - 12 Goldeneye, 5 Shelduck , 1 Gadwall and 2 Pochard
Lamesley Water Meadows - Peregrine and Kingfisher. Later, Red Legged Partridge 2, Redshanks 5, Teal 20+, Black Headed Gull 20+, Shellduck 2, Snipe 2, Kestrel 1, Jackdaws 4, Pheasant 1, Chaffinch 5, Strarlings 6, Sparrowhawk 1, Heron 1, Lapwing 10, Moorhen 12, Greenfinches 4, Song Thrush 2, Fieldfare 20+ flew over.

The Kingfisher at Lamesley [Ray Wilby]

Sled Lane Pond - Goldeneye (5), Tufted Duck (15), Goosander x 4, Wigeon(4), Mute Swans x 2, Little Grebe (1), Black-headed Gulls x 30, Mallard, Cormorant x 2, Heron x 1, Teal x 4, Canada Geese x 2, Moorhen x 4 and Coot
Thornley Lane - 1 Red Fox and 30 Fieldfare

The Kingfisher at Far Pasture NR [Robert Ryan]

Far Pasture NR - Kingfisher seen

Saturday 17th January 2009

Sled Lane Pond - 10 Wigeon, 4 Goosander and 7 Tufted Duck
Gibside - A rather large looking Buzzard over the Estate and 4 Red Kite nearby.
Lamesley Water Meadows - Kingfisher
Thornley woodland centre - 3 Brambling, 2 male and 1 female, 3 female Bullfinch and 1 male. 30+ Chaffinch. 1 Stock Dove & 13 Woodpigeons, 7 Long Tailed Tits, Willow Tit, male and female GS Woodpecker. 2 Carrion Crows came onto the tables and a ground feeding Treecreeper visited twice.

Tree-creeper at Thornley [Chris Barlow]

Friday 16th January 2009

Lamesley Water Meadows - Peregrine and Tree Sparrow seen here today.

Thursday 15th January 2009

Lamesley Water Meadows - Lesser Black backed Gull (1st of the year) and 2 Common Shelduck
Clara Vale LNR - 1 Willow Tit and small flock of mixed Siskin and Lesser Redpoll.

Willow Tit at Clara Vale LNR [Ray Wilby]

Thornley WC - 1 Willow Tit. Also Brambling, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Bullfinch, Long tailed tit, Grey Heron and Red Kite.

Wednesday 14th January 2009

Shibdon Pond - 12 Goldeneye ,2 Shelduck , Gadwall still Present. Also a Green woodpecker in the reserve

Gadwall at Shibdon Pond [Paul Davidson]

Birtley - 17 Waxwing seen today
Stella - A Green Woodpecker this morning flying S over the road at Stella.
Watergate Park - Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, coot, Carrion Crow (with white primary feathers), Mallard, Pochard, and 2 Green Woodpeckers.
Lamesley Water Meadows - Common Snipe 2, Greylag Goose 20+, Lapwings 100+, Black-headed Gull 80+.
Thornley WC-Willow Tit, Brambling 3 (1m 2f) , Grey Heron 1, Nuthatch 2, Long Tailed Tits 4, Magpie, 3 Carrion Crow 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, and the usual Great/Blue/Coal Tits, Robin 2, Dunnock 1 and Pheasant 2

Willow Tit at Thornley WC feeding Station [Photo: Joanne Reavey ]

Whickham - Chase Park held - Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wood Pigeon and Magpie.
River Tyne at Costco - Common Gull, Black headed Gull, Redshank and Wood Pigeon.

Tuesday 13th January 2009

Thornley Woods -2 Brambling (m & f), 1 Willow Tit, 1 Lesser Redpoll (on ground drinking from puddle), 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Great spotted Woodpecker and a Nuthatch. Many Finches and Tits present but again no Yellowhammers.
Derwenthaugh - 1Grey Wagtail , Pair of Little Grebe and 10+ Redshank
Blaydon - Great Tits already paired up and displaying.

Monday 12th January 2009

Birtley -19 Waxwing flew over the Avenue
Birtley reedbeds - Water Rail calling and a Common Buzzard flew over.
Harlow Green - 40+ Waxwings in an observer's garden feeding on Ivy berries
Shibdon Pond - 1 Goldeneye

Sunday 11th January 2009

Shibdon Pond - Gadwall still present, 10 Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck

Common Shelduck at Shibdon [Paul Davidson]

LamesleyWater Meadows- Grey Wagtail, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Redwing and Stock Dove. Later a Peregrine was seen again, plus approx 200 Lapwing, 100 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Teal, Redshank, 100 Starling, 20 Goldfinch, Wren, Blackbird, House Sparrows, Greenfinch, Blue Tit Robin, Great Tit
Clara Vale LNR – 15 Siskin, 2 Goldfinch, 5 Bullfinch, 4 Greenfinch, Blue Tits, Willow Tit, Robin, Blackbirds, Pheasants, Mallards, Magpies, 2 GS Woodpecker, Great Tits, Coal Tits

Goldfinch at Clara Vale LNR [Ray Wilby]

Far Pasture NR – 4 Red Kite, Robin, Black-headed Gulls, Blue Tit, Willow Tit, Moorhen
Thornley WC - 2(mf) Brambling, Willow Tit, Long-tailed Tit and Red Kite
Norman's Riding -50 Fieldfare, 1 Stock Dove and a Red Fox

Saturday 10th January 2009

Watergate Lake -2 Waxwing, Peregrine Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail. Also a mixed flock of 70+ Lesser Redpoll and Siskins mostly the former
Thornley WC -- Brambling, Tree-creeper and Roe Deer

Pheasant at Thornley [Joanne Reavey]

Clara Vale LNR - Siskin and Sparrowhawk

Friday 9th January 2009

Westfield Pasture -Flock of 5 Grey Geese (Pink-footed/Bean) flew west and a Woodcock seen.
Winlaton -Despite it being around freezing it was sunny and a Small Tortiosehell butterfly was seen and landed on a roof in Winlaton. Presumably this had been disturbed out of hibernation.

Thursday 8th January 2009

Watergate Park - 5 drake Common Pochard (1st of the year)
Burdon Moor - Jack Snipe (1st of the year)
Winlaton - Pair of Stonechat
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Common Snipe, 4 Teal - 3m/1f, 2 Shelduck over, 1 Redshank and 30+ Lapwing in with the gulls. Also 40+Ggreenfinch, 30+ Chaffinch and 4 Goldfinch in the Ravensworth Arms car park and 7 Curlew over the field behind the pub.

The 2 Snipe at Lamelsy [Ray Wilby]

River Tyne at Stella - Pair of Goosander on the river

Wednesday 7th January 2009

Rowlands Gill - Birds in one observer's garden today consisted of - Nuthatch, Redwing, 2 Long tailed Tit, Greenfinch. Bullfinch, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Coal Tit , Song Thrush and Robin.
Bradley Fell old workings - 1 Woodcock near dusk today (1st of the year)

Tuesday 6th January 2009

Ravensworth Fell -Yellowhammer and a Red Kite seen with 2 Stonechat and several Fieldfare on nearby Burdon Moor.
Barlow Fell - Red Kite and Kestrel

Red Kite (No. 53) [Gary Storey]

Crawcrook Quarry - Two Common Buzzards over late afternoon.
Ryton area - The Barn Owl again seen.
Clara Vale LNR - Around 30 Yellowhammers in the reserve and a dozen Siskin coming to the feeders. Highland cattle are now grazing the reserve.

Male Siskin at Clara Vale LNR [Joanne Ravey]

Monday 5th January 2009

Ravensworth Fell - 3 Common Buzzard, 5 Red-legged Partridge and 200+ Fieldfare.
Shibdon Pond - 14 Goldeneye (10 male + 5 female) and 4 Shelduck

Lapwing at Shibdon [Paul Davidson]

Lamesley Water Meadows - 10 Golden Plover with the 200 or so Lapwings

Sunday 4th January 2009

Shibdon Pond -1 Gadwall (1), 11 Goldeneye (6 male. 5 female) and 4 Shelduck
Lamesley Water Meadows - The large probable hybrid falcon was seen again. This time jesses were clearly noted and later it was seen with it's falconer behind the Ravensworth Arms. 4 Redshank and a Snipe seen amongst the Lapwing.

Saturday 3rd January 2009

Near Sunniside - A single Waxwing seen this morning at the Silverhills Nursery on Pennyfine Road between Sunniside and Lamesley.
Shibdon Pond - Gadwall on the pond this morning. Also Shelduck 4, Black Headed Gull 20+, Herring Gull 10, Moorhen 12, Coot 10+, Lapwing 1, Canada Geese 6, Mute Swan 4, Mallard 20+, Cormorant 3, Teal 5, Blue Tit 1, Magpie 1, Woodpigeon 1, Long Tailed Tit 20+
Lamesley Water Meadows - Peregrine seen again and a Dunlin feeding in with the Lapwings . Also Redshank 4, Lapwings 100+, Curlew 1, Snipe 4, Starlings 20+, House Sparrows 10+, Moorhens 10+, Black Headed Gulls 100+, Greenfinch 12, Blackbird 6, Chaffinch 2, Jackdaw 3, Magpie 1, Blue Tit 1, Dunnock 2, Pied Wagtail 2, Herring Gull 3, Skylark 2, Common Gull 1, Kestrel 1, Peregrine 1, Buzzard 1,
Burdon Moor - Pair of Stonechat, Meadow Pipit and Skylark.
Thornley Woodland Centre - 2-3 Brambling

Blue Tit at Thornley [Joanne Reavey]

Friday 2nd January 2009

Lamesley Water Meadows- Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Robin, House Sparrow, Redshank, Song Thrush, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull. Common Buzzard and Red-legged Partridge seen later in the day.
Far Pasture NR- Bullfinch, Mallard, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Robin, Kestrel
Near Ryton - Barn Owl seen again but unfortunately it is on private land with no access.
On the Tyne (between Staithes and Timber Beach) - 50 plus Dunlin, Redshank, Curlew, 6 Golden Plover, Lapwing, Great black-backed Gull, Cormorant, Teal, Black-headed Gull
Thornley Woodland Centre - Long Tailed Tit 6, Robin 2, Coal Tit 10, Chaffinch 12, Blackbird 5, Nuthatch 1, Blue Tits 6, Rooks 2, Treecreeper 1, Dunnock 2, Magpie, Jay 1, Brambling 1, Red Kite 1, Stock Dove 1, Carrion Crow 1.
Burdon Moor - 1 Snipe, 2 Skylark, 50 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, 11 Greenfinch, 2+ Yellowhammer, 6+ Reed Bunting.

Thursday 1st January 2009

Thornley Woodland Centre - Brambling still present. A Tawny Owl near the car park mobbed by Jay's & Magpie's.

The Brambling at Thornley [Ray Wilby]

Shibdon Pond - 4 Common Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck, 1 Treecreeper & 4 Reed Bunting.
River Derwent - Green Woodpecker by the old Metro Radio building and a Tawny Owl heard near the Cricket club
Greenside - Fieldfare, Reed Bunting and Yellowhammers in an unharvested wheat field.
Near Ryton - Barn Owl seen again
Stargate Pond - Grey Heron 1, Coots 6, Moorhen 1, Goosander 2, Mallard 3, Blue Tit 1, Tufted Duck 5, Mute Swan 2, Robin 1, Wren 1, Cormorant 1, Kestrel 1, Magpie 2.

Male Goosander on Sled Lane Pond [Ray Wilby]

Sled Lane Pond - Canada Geese 2, Mute Swan 2, Wigeon 6, Coot 20+, Mallard 30+, Moorhen 8, Tufted Duck 10+, Goldeneye 4, Little Grebe 1, Robin 1, Blackbird 2, Carrion Crow 1

Pair of Goldeneye on Sled Lane Pond [Ray Wilby]

Clara Vale LNR - Willow Tit 1, Bullfinch 5, Blackbird 2, Coal Tit 2, Blue Tit 5, Robin 1, Chaffinch 3, Goldfinch 3, Siskin 3, Treecreeper 1, Dunnock 2, Mallard 6, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Pheasant 3, Greenfinch 1, Moorhen 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Lesser Redpoll 2, Collared Dove 1, Carrion Crow 20+, Woodpigeon 30+.

Siskin at Clara Vale LNR [Ray Wilby]

Lamesley Water Meadows - Kestrel 1, House Sparrows 10+, Blackbird 1, Snipe 4, Moorhens 12, Lapwings 80+, Redshank 4, Little Grebe 1, Greenfinch 1,Robin 1, Wren 1 and 2 Tree Sparrow

Redwing in a Sunniside Garden [Chris Gibson]