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March 2009
for previous months bird records see bottom of page |
Starlings coming into roost at Birtley reedbeds [Anne Briggs]
Tuesday 31st March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows -8 Little Ringed Plover, 1 White Wagtail and a Common Buzzard.
Burdon Moor - Wheatear still present
Crawcrook Quarry - 1 Green Sandpiper
Monday 30th March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 1pr Oystercatcher, 5 Redshank, 5 Sand Martin, 2 Pied Wagtail & 1 male Wheatear. Additions in the afternoon were 5 Little Ringed Plover & 7 Snipe. At nearby Greenford Lane - 1 Whooper Swan over North at 09:25 following the River Team, 2 Red-legged Partridge & 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Burdon Moor - 1 Wheatear
Wheatear at Burdon Moor [Paul Davidson]
Birtley Reedbeds -
2 Little Grebe, 1pr Shelduck, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Tit & 2 Treecreeper.
Birtley Brickworks Pool - 2pr Shelduck, 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Kibblesworth Brickworks Pool - 3 Little Grebe, 2pr Tufted Duck, 1 Curlew, 1 Chiffchaff.
Urpeth Wood/River Team - 1 Common Buzzard, 25 Curlew over, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Tree Sparrow.
Cooper Wood - 2 Jay, 2 Chiffchaff,
Stargate - 21 Whooper Swan flew over (first of the year)
Sunday 29th March 2009
Derwent valley- A male Goshawk (displaying at 10am & 1.30pm), male & female Sparrowhawk, 2 kestrel, 4 Common Buzzards and numerous Red Kites
River Tyne at Dunston - 6 Shelduck
Lamesley Water Meadows - Frozen area early morning, 1 Little Ringed Plover by late morning but 5 here in the afternoon. 7 Common Buzzard.
Redshank at Lamesley [Joanne Reavey]
Thornley WC - 1 Brambling, 4 Jay fighting over nits and several Yellowhammer
Yellowhammer at Thornley [Joanne Reavey]
Victoria Garesfield - 3 Siskin, 2 Lesser Redpoll & 2 Bullfinch
Shibdon Pond - 6 Goldeneye, fem Pochard, 7 Tufted Duck & 2 Little Grebe
Robin [Joanne Reavey]
Friday 27th March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows - 5 Little Ringed Plover
Shibdon Pond - 50+ Sand Martin
Thursday 26th March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows - 5 Little Ringed Plover
Wednesday 25th March 2009
Clara Vale - Singing Blackcap today
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Kingfisher, Stock Dove 2, Greylag geese 3, Little Ringed Plover 5, Pied wagtail 2, Snipe 6, Lapwing 20+, Jackdaw 14, Wren 2, Teal 20+, Coot 6, Meadow Pipit 2, Linnet 1, Starling 15, Goldfinch 6, Chaffinch 6, Reed Bunting 1, Sand Martin 2, Robin 1, Greenfinch14, House Sparrow 15+, Mallard 4 , Lesser Black backed Gull 1, Collared Dove 2, Red Kite 1, Dunnock 1, Magpie 4.
Meadow Pipit [Ray Wilby]
Tuesday 24th March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows - Peregrine, 7 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Red Legged Partridge and 2 Shelduck
Thornley WC - 2 Brambling, 1 Siskin, and Tree Creeper and 30 Sand Martin nearby.
Far Pasture NR - 2 Grey Heron 3 Common Snipe, 2 Canada Goose, 2 Mute Swan
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Common Snipe at Far Pasture NR [Ray Wilby] |
Derwent Walk CP (Nine-arches viaduct - B&Q, Swalwell) - 1 Kingfisher flying downstream under 1998 bridge at Clockburn Lake, 3 Dipper, 2 pair Grey Wagtail, single Redshank, Pair of Teal at Lady Steps Dam Head. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Chiffchaffs widespread throughout the valleyMallards widespread along the river with maybe a dozen pairs seen all along the stretch. Raptors seen at Nine Arches - 2 Red Kites close by and at least 6 distant 1 Common Buzzard overhead, and 4 distant towards Fellside including displaying pair, plus single Kestrel and Sparrowhawk.
Pied Wagtail [Joanne Reavey]
Monday 23rd March 2009
Hagg Hill Woods - Goldfinch 9, Bullfinch 7, Siskin 2, Jay 2, Chaffinch 20, Great-spotted Woodpecker 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Stock Dove 2, Long-tailed Tit 2, Wood Pigeon 3, Nuthatch 2, Red Kite2, Treecreeper1, Kestrel1.
Derwent Walk CP - Sand Martin 50+, Dipper 4, Grey Wagtail 2, Goosander 2, Mute Swan 2, Mallard 10, Teal 2, Little Grebe1, Moorhen 5, Grey Heron 8, Chiffchaff 2, Redshank 1, Green Woodpecker 1, Long-tailed Tit 2
Far Pasture NR - 2 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, 2 Canada Geese, 9 Teal, Mallard, 1 Red Kite, Moorhen, Coot, 4 Snipe, 2 Chiffchaff, Bullfinch & 4 Reed Bunting.
Lamesley Water Meadows -2 Greylag Geese, 2pair Coot, 2 Ringed Plover, 7 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 4 Redshank, Stock Dove, at least 12 Sand Martin, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail.
Birtley Brickworks Pool - 1pair Little Grebe, 1 pair Moorhen, 1 pair Coot, 1 pair Oystercatcher, c30 mixed gull's including 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 2 Long-tailed Tit & 1 Treecreeper.
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Long-tailed Tit at Far Pasture [Ray Wilby] |
Bishop's Pool, Kibblesworth - 1 Common Buzzard
Sunday 22nd March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows - 6 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Sand Martin, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Oyster-catcher, 1 Tree Sparrow
Birtley reedbed pools - 2 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker
Shibdon Pond - 1 Sand Martin
Burdon Moor - 2 Willow Tit and 450 Northern Golden Plover. Also 1 Grey Heron, 5 Mallard, Moorhen, Lapwing, Curlew, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, 2 Coal Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer & Reed Bunting.
Derwent Country Park - 2 Sand Martin over the river
Siskin at Hagg Hill Wood [Steven Fryer]
Saturday 21st March 2009
Burdon Moor - 3 Wheatear (first of the year) present this morning.
Shibdon Pond - 1 Sand Martin
Lamesley Water Meadows - 3 House Martin (first of the year) present this morning. Still 2 Little Ringed Plover
Friday 20th March 2009
Far Pasture NR - 5 Crossbill flew over. 1 Woodcock, 2 Chiffchaff.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Little Ringed Plover
Little Ringed Plover atLamesley Water Meadows [Derek Bilton]
Shibdon Pond - 1 Sand Martin, 2 Gadwall, 9 Common Goldeneye and a Noctule Bat. Also 2 Comma and 2 Peacock and a Red Tailed Bumblebee, 7 Little Grebe, 1 Shelduck , 14 Canada Geese , 6 Cormorant, 12 Tufted Duck 2, Chiffchaff , 2 Oystercatchers , 9 Long Tailed Tit
Birtley reedbed pools - 3 singing Chiffchaff and a Red Kite
Swalwell Cricket Club - 13 Waxwing with a Kingfisher on the nearby river.
Blaydon - Peacock butterfly
Thursday 19th March 2009
Far Pasture NR - 2 Garganey (1 male) present at 2pm.
Clara Vale - Sparrowhawk's took both a Goldfinch and a Siskin in a 10 minute period with both male and female passing through. Shortly after a Willow Tit managed to escape an by flying through the fence at the back but one of the Woodpigeons appeared to cop it over the golf course.
Blaydon - Peregrine east over Steelstock, Blaydon at 11.10am. Carrying a very large prey item and being harried by gulls.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Little Ringed Plover
Redshank at Lamesley [Ray Wilby]
Wednesday 18th March 2009
Shibdon Pond - 10 Common Goldeneye and 14 Tufted Duck
Crawcrook - A Sand Martin flew over
Westfield Pasture - 2 Peaacock Butterfly, 4 Comma and a female Sparrowhawk.
Maryside Hill - 1 singing Chiffchaff
Birtley reedbed pools - 2 Comma, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Peacock butterflies
Far Pasture NR - Water Rail seen along with Reed Bunting, Snipe, Heron, Mallards, 2 Canada Geese, Moorhen, Coot and many Frogs. Late, also Chiffchaff 2 (singing), Kingfisher 1, Dipper 1, Red Kite 1, Little Grebe 1, Green Woodpecker 1.
Water Rail at Far Pasture [Derek Bilton]
Clockburn Lake - Moorhen 6, Tufted Duck 7, Cormorant 1, Coot 2, Mute Swan 2,
Tufted Ducks on Clockburn Lake [Ray Wilby]
Canada Geese 2, Mallard 1, Kingfisher 1, Dipper 1, Red Kite 1, Little Grebe 1, Green Woodpecker 1.
Dipper on the Derwent [Ron McHatton]
Lamesley Water Meadows - Little Ringed Plover about 200 yards in the field to the right hand side of the hide, also seen Curlew, 12 Greylag Geese, 4 Snipe, Teal Moorhen, Coot, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, 5 Oystercatcher and a Comma Butterfly .
Rowlands Gill - 4 Common Buzzard
2 Stock Doves at Lamesley [Chris Barlow]
Tuesday 17th March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 White Wagtail (first of year) , single Ringed Plover, Luittle Ringed Plover and 7 Common Buzard
Clara Vale - Flock of 90 Barnacle Geese flew north in the evening. Grey Heron, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Siskin, 2 Grey Partridge and 4 Redwing. No Chiffchaff today. 2 Comma and 1 Peacock butterfly
Birtley reedbed pools - The 'Eastern (Siberian)' Chiffchaff again present with up to 5 Common Chiffchaff in the area. 2 Mute Swan, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Redwing, , 2 Goldcrest, 2 Willow Tit. 1 Small White butterfly by the Team
Shibdon Pond - 2 singing Chiffchaff, 4 Comma and a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly
Clara Vale LNR - 2 Comma,
Bishop's Pool, Lameley-Kibblesworth road - Green Sandpiper again on the pool. Also Grey Heron, 1pr Oystercatcher.
Derwent Walk CP - Grey Wagtail and Dipper today.
Birtley Brickworks Pool area - 2 Little Grebe, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Lapwing, 1 Redshank, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 Reed Bunting.
Monday 16th March 2009
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Little Ringed Plover (first of year) and a Common Buzzard
Birtley reedbed pools - 1 singing Chiffchaff but no sign of the Siberian Chiffchaff
Shibdon Pond - 2 singing Chiffchaff
Cormorant at Shibdon [Ron McHatton ]
Stargate - 2 Green Woodpecker and a singing Chiffchaff.
Clara Vale - 1 singing Chiffchaff.
Thornley WC - single Yellowhammer, Brambling and 2 Red Kite at Thornley.
Derwent Walk CP - Cormorant, Tufted Duck, Grey Wagtails, Dipper and Green Woodpecker
Drake Tufted Duck [Ron McHatton ]
Sunday 15th March 2009
Shibdon Pond- At 10.40 picked a White Stork circling over the pond which drifted up and over Winlaton, pursued by gulls. Drifted off towards Barlow after 10 minutes in view. 1 Gadwall, 12 Tufted Duck and 2 Goldeneye also present.
Chopwell woods - Nuthatch, Red Kite
Birtley reedbed pools - A putative Siberian Chiffchaff calling and seen well in the hedgerow. [ This is a much greyer-brown bird than the usual race of Chiffchaff lacking the green-yellow tones and the call is a plantive 'cheeee' note (like a lost chick) not the usual two-syllable 'hooeet']. Also 1, possibly two Common Chiffchaffs singing, 2 Little Grebe and a Dipper on the river.
[Siberian] Chiffchaff at Lamesley reedbeds [Paul Davidson]
This bird shows some of the characteristics of the Siberian race Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis such as the presence of grey-brown in the upper parts and absence of olive in the crown and mantle but perhaps shows too much green in the wing and does not have the black legs and bill usually associated with this race. The call, a thin piping 'cheeee', near-monosyllabic Bullfinch-like or Dunnock-like was frequently uttered. It may be that this bird is a Scandinavian Chiffchaff but from the eastern end of its range, and frequently called 'Eastern Chiffchaff' Phylloscopus collybita abietinus/tristis
Bishop's Pool, Lameley-Kibblesworth road - No sign of the Green Sandpiper today. 3 Redshank, 2 Common Snipe, 15 Curlew, 12 Teal and 4 Mallard. Also 2+ Tree Sparrow seen and a Goosander flew over.
Kibblesworth brickworks pool - 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Tufted Duck and 1 Grey Lag Geese
Lamesley - 7 Common Buzzard in the air together. 2 Red-legged Partridge, Tree-creeper and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Ringed Plover and Sand Martin (first of the year) aat midday.
Thornley WC - A Comma butterfly
Motorway, Birtley - A Red Kite flew over the A1(M)
Saturday 14th March 2009
Clara Vale - Chiffchaff singing
Bishop's Pool, Lameley-Kibblesworth road - Green Sandpiper still presnt and 2 Tree Sparrow
Clara Vale LNR - Pair of Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Coal, Blue & Great Tits, Sparrowhawk, Coot, Moorhen, Female Pheasants, M&F Siskin, Robin, Crow, Magpie, Wren
Far Pasture NR - Excellent views of a Red Kite in adjacent field to carpark looks like it had a frog in its Talons, Long Tail Tits, Blue Tits, Robin, Coal Tits, Bank Vole, Chaffinch, Coot, Moorhen, Mallards
Thornley Woods - Female Sparrowhawk, Chaffinch, Robin, Great, Blue, Willow, Coal & Long -tailed Tits, Pair of Pheasants, Pair of Mallard, 2 Red Kites directly overhead (very low), Nuthatch, Blackbird, Dunnock.
Lamesley - 12 Pied Wagtails, 20 Greylags, 20+ Teal, 20+ Curlew, Great Black Backed Gull, Crow, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Robin, Goldfinch, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Magpie
Blaydon - Mistle Thrush nesting in the day centre at Blaydon
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Mallard at Thornley WC
[Chris Barlow] |
Friday 13th March 2009
Near Kibblesworth - Green Sandpiper (first of the year) on the pool between Kibblesworth and Lameley (Bishop's Pool). 8 Tree Sparrow
Birtley reedbed pools - 1 Common Buzzard and a Comma butterfly
Chopwell Woods - Pair of Displaying Common Buzzard
Thursday 12th March 2009
Thornley WC - 1 Crossbill again, also 3 Red Kite Green Woodpecker and Red Fox there today.
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Crossbills at Thornley Woods 2 of 7 birds seen at the weekend [Steve Egglestone] |
River Tyne at Tyne Bridge - Several Kittiwakes have returned to the bridges/Baltic areaa (first of the year).
The Crossbill at Thornley WC [Ron McHatton ]
Wednesday 11th March 2009
Grey Squirrel at Clara Vale LNR [Carolyn Wood ]
Clara Vale LNR - Jackdaws 6, Blue Tits 3, Gt Tits 4, Moorhens 2, Chaffinch 2, Dunnock 1, Coal Tit 3, Bullfinch 3, Robin 2, Magpie 2, Pheasant 4, Siskin 3, Goldfinch 2, Blackbird 2, Carrion Crow 1, Wren 3, Lesser Redpoll 2, Nuthatch 1, Jay 2.
Siskin & Lesser Redpol lat Clara Vale LNR [Ray Wilby]
Far Pasture NR - Wren 1, Robin 1, Goldcrest 1, Mallard 1, Coot 6, Carrion Crows 40+, Reed Bunting 1, Red Kite 1, Jackdaw 14, Moorhen 4, Bullfinch 4.
Tuesday 10th March 2009
Wardley - No sign of any Waxwings today, the berry bush looking quite depleted.
Clara Vale LNR - 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Siskins, 2 Long tail tits, 2 Mallard, 4 Goldfinch. No sign of Kingfisher today. The Sparrowhawk tried several times to take prey but caught nothing.
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Male Sparrow-hawk at Clara Vale LNR [Michael Eccles] |
Derwenthaugh meadows - 32 Curlew , a pair of Oystercatchers, 1 Grey Wagtail , 1 Pied Wagtail
Monday 9th March 2009
Clara Vale LNR - The Kingfisher performed very well today
Kingfisher at Clara Vale [Joanne Reavey]
Wardley - 40 Waxwing present on the Fairways Estate but very few berries left
Thornley WC - 1 Crossbill present again.
Female Crossbill at Thornley WC [Steve Egglestone]
Birtley reedbed pools - Chiffchaff still present , and both Common Buzzard and a male Peregrine flew over.
Late News - Jack Snipe flushed in the reeds by the new gate at Shibdon on Friday 6th at 16:00 hrs.
Sunday 8th March 2009
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Kingfisher at Clara Vale LNR Behaving very well [which apparently cannot be said of one group of photographers in the hide last weekend - they were not locals it must be said!] [Joanne Reavey] |
Clara Vale LNR - Kingfisher again present (Sparrowhawk must have missed it]
This Magpie at Clara Vale has already started nest building [Joanne Reavey]
Thornley WC - 7 Crossbill from the hide (1+ male) present high in the trees here for a few minutes before flying
east.
Male Crossbill at Thornley WC [Steve Egglestone]
Wardley - 15 Waxwing present on the Fairways Estate
Felling - 20 Waxwing in a tree eating the berries. They were just off the main Felling square at the junction of Split Crow Road and Wellington Street.
Far Pasture NR - Snipe 3, Long Tailed Tit 1, Water Rail 2, Grey Heron 1, Coots 7, Moorhen 7, Red Kite 2, Willow Tit 1, numerous Blue/Great Tits, Bank Vole 1, Dunnock 3. Also 1 Female Goosander briefly
Snipe at Far Pasture [Ray Wilby]
Shibdon Pond - Pair of Gadwall
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Oystercatcher
Nuthatch [Joanne Reavey]
Saturday 7th March 2009
Clara Vale LNR - Kingfisher, which was flushed and may have been taken by a Sparrowhawk
Chaffinch female [Joanne Reavey]
Friday 6th March 2009
High Spen - Single Waxwing in small roadside tree 40m west of post office. Also Red Kite over
Crawcrook Quarry - 2 Red Kites and good views of a Green Woodpecker .
Thornley WC - Yellowhammer, Red Kite and Roe Deer, the latter chased off but an unleashed dog.
Lamesley/Kibblesworth area - 5-7 Common Buzzard, Chiffchaff still in the Birtley reedbeds and Oystercatcher at both Lamesley Water Meadows and the brickworks pools
Male Yellowhammer at Thornley [Ray Wilby]
Thursday 5th March 2009
Clara Vale - Common Buzzard flew east.
Wednesday 4th March 2009
Birtley Reedbeds - 2 Kingfisher, 2 Chiffchaff together (1 singing), 2 Water Rail and a pair of displaying Sparrowhawk
Ravensworth Estate - 8 Common Buzzard in the air together at the Lobley Hill end and another 6 in the air at the same time between Lady Park and Pennyfine Road. Also a pair of displaying Sparrowhawk. Later 10 Common Buzzard were seen in one flock in the same area.
Bowes valley Reserve - 20 Meadow Pipit, 20+ Skylark, 1 Stonechat, 4 Common Buzzard, a pair of Kestrel
and a Red Kite
River Derwent at Swalwell - Pair of goosander flew up at 06.50 this morning
Thornley WC - Willow Tit 1, Brambling 1m, Red Kite 1-2, Nuthatch 4+ in wood, a Cormorant high over the hide and a drake Mallard on the pond.
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| Willow Tit at Far Pasture
[Ray Wilby] |
Rowlands Gill and Derwent Park - Goldcrest 2, Dipper 2, Grey Wagtail 2-3. At least 4 Common Buzzards seen, Minimum of 6 Red Kite (one of which was carrying what looked like a shredded plastic carrier - a nice nest decoration) and a pair of Sparrowhawk. Also the first Black Garden Ants and Hedgehog tracks.
Clara Vale - Grey Heron 1, Kingfisher 1, Siskin c6, Lesser Redpoll 4
Derwenthaugh meadows - 60 + Curlew with 30 Redshank on the nearby Tyne.
Tuesday 3rd March 2009
Birtley Reedbeds- 2 Kingfisher, 1 Chiffchaff
Bowes Valley NR - No more sightings of the Firecrest
Monday 2nd March 2009
Birtley Reedbeds Little Grebe, Teal, Mallard, Moorhen, Coot, 2 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail (over), 2 Mistle Thrush (over), 1 Chiffchaff (singing at 08:30 then calling repeatedly in the afternoon), 3 Long-tailed Tit, Bullfinch & Reed Bunting.
Bowes Valley NR;
A couple of unconfirmed sightings of the Firecrest today but many observers failed to see the bird and it is possible it was not seen conclusively today. 20+ Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 1 male Stonechat, 1 Goldcrest.
Kibblesworth Brickworks Pool; 1 Little Grebe & a pair of Oystercatcher.
Clarty Lane/River Team/Urpeth Wood area; 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 3+ Grey Partridge, 7 Curlew, 1 GS Woodpecker, 1 Dipper, Jay heard, Bullfinch & 2 Yellowhammer.
Birtley Brickworks Pool area; 3 Mallard, 2 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 1pr Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull (one ringed on left leg), Herring Gull, Common Gull, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Coal Tit.
Long Acre Wood; 1 GS Woodpecker, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Treecreeper & 2 Bullfinch.
Shibdon Pond - Shelduck 2, Black Headed Gull 30+, Goldeneye 4, Tufted Ducks 6, Mallards 6, Canada Geese 17, Herring Gull 3, Cormorant 1, Little Grebe 1, Wren 1, Woodpigeon 6, Coot 20+, Moorhen 2, Magpie 2, Grey Heron 1, Mute Swan 4.
Thornley WC - Jay 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker 2, Bullfinch 5, Chaffinch 20+, Nuthatch 2, Blue Tit 10+, Great Tit 10+, Dunnock 4, Robin 3, Blackbird 3, Magpie 2, Roe Deer 1, Stoat 1, Coal Tit 8+, Wren 1, Woodpigeon 10+.
Far Pasture NR - Willow Tit 1, Dunnock 4, Red Kite 2, Blue Tits 3, Great Tits 4, Blackbirds 2, Bank Vole 2, Robin 2, Long Tailed Tit 1.
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Redwing at Far Pasture [Ray Wilby] |
Sunday 1st March 2009
Lamesley - 39 Pink-footed Geese flew NW over early morning. 2 Grey Partridge behind the pub and on the Water Meadows - 2 Mute Swan, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 40+ Curlew and a Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen.
Birtley Reedbeds - A Firecrest seen twice in the hedge opposite the entrance..An adult male Peregrine, the singing Chiffchaff and a Kingfisher also present here and 6 Grey Partridge, 76 Greylag Geese, 1 Common Buzzard, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 4 Goldcrest and 1 Jay seen on the adjacent Bowes valley NR.A very mobile flock of c40 Tree Sparrow was along Greenford Lane.
Far Pasture NR - Willow Tit and Long-tailed Tit
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Firecrest at Birtley reedbeds This is only the 3rd record for the borough following singles in April 1983 (Shibdon) & December 2001 (Gibside). It was seen early morning and then at 11:45 in the hedge opposite the entance to the bridleway through the reedbeds. [Paul Davidson] |