Animals Insects Flora Sites News & Gossip

Thursday 30th November

Clara Vale - Kingfisher was back today for perhaps the first time it's been seen since the Sparrowhawk chased it off.

Wednesday 29th November

Westfield Pasture - Tawny Owl and 2 Pipestrelle Bats.

Black-headed Gull at Clara Vale (Steven Fryer)

Tuesday 28th November

Team Valley - 1 Red Kite over the A1 by the south end of the Trading Estate

Monday 27th November

Winlaton Mill - 3 Red Kites - a garden tick for the observer

Sunday 26th November

Shibdon Pond - 8 Shoveler, 130 Teal and 1 Long-tailed Tit.
Blaydon Burn - 200 Curlews feeding on meadows, also 15 Long-tailed Tits and a Reed Bunting
Swalwell bridge area - 1 Kingfisher, 1 Dipper, 1 Grey Wag, 4 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron.

Kingfisher [Photo: Iain Thompson]

Derwent Weir/Tennis courts - Pair of Kingfishers, 2 Grey Wag (one looking very perculiar as it had no tail feathers), 3 Little Grebe, and further upstream and 2 Dipper.
Stargate - 3 Mute Swans, 4 Tufted Ducks, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker
Blaydon Burn - 150 Curlews, 2 Willow Tits, Nuthatch and Treecreeper

Sparrowhawk (above, Carolyn Wood) and
Kestrel (below, Iain Clyne)

Clara Vale LNR - Peregrine seen again. No sign of any Kingfishers but a report that it was chased by a Sparrowhawk but got away. The Sparrowhawk was present again later, and also at least 25 Yellowhammers, 6 Goldfinches, 7 Long Tailed Tits, 1 Treecreeper and 2 Great-Spotted Woodpeckers.

One of the Yellowhammers at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]

Saturday 25th November

Stargate - 1 Kingfisher, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Partridge

Friday 24th November

Dunston Staithes - 1,000 Golden Plover (on Newcastle Side), 200 Lapwing (also Newcastle side), 50 Redshank, 60 Teal, 4 Stock Doves, 15 Cormorant, 1 Sparrowhawk, 20 Long Tailed Tit, 10 Goldcrests (flock)
Clara Vale LNR - 20+Lesser Redpoll, 3+ Siskin, Pied Wagtail over, very active Sparrowhawk, 3/4 Jays etc

Sparrowhawks very active including this bird at Thornley [Photo:Ray Wilby]

Thursday 23rd November

Crawcrook area - A male Peregrine flying west over the Crawcrook - Wylam road near the quarries this afternoon.
Blaydon Burn Meadows - Grey Heron, 100 Curlews.

Wednesday 22nd November

Clara Vale LNR- 6+ Redwing, at least 4 Lesser Redpoll, plus Siskin, 2 Nuthatch at feeding station.
Timber Beach - Now 17 Dunlin present.
Shibdon Pond - 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Siskin, 1 Redpoll sp., 20 Redwing, c80 Teal
Derwent Walk - Goosander, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher and 7 Dippers.Also c.500 Jackdaws flying over to go to roost.

Great Spotted Woodpecker [Photo: Ray Wilby

Tuesday 21st November

Timber beach - 12 Dunlin.
Stargate - 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Tufted Ducks, 3 Mute Swans(1 immature), and Goldcrest

Monday 20th November

Far Pasture NR - Good view of a Peregrine (adult) circling in the sunshine, also Sparrowhawk (male) and Kestrel (female) gave good close views.
Derwent Walk - 3 Red Kites over Gibside, single Goldcrest and a flock of 10+ Lesser Redpoll.

Red Kite [Photo: Ray Wilby

Sled Lane Pond - 2 Goosander and 6 Wigeon.
Clara Vale LNR - Kingfisher showing well. 3-4 Lesser Redpoll, several Redwings,l Bullfinch, a Great spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Sparrowhawk and brief view of what may have been a male Blackcap.

Kingfisher at Clara Vale [Photo: Rick Thornton]

Sunday 19th November

Watergate Park - The adult Mediterranean Gull again present . 74 Golden Plover. a flock of 15 Lesser Redpoll and 8 Goldfinch in alders by the lake.5 Long-tailed Tit along the path.
Shibdon Pond - 5 Shoveler

Redshanks arriving at Shibdon [Ray Wilby]

Ravensworth Fell - 2 Red Kite - One was an certainly without any wingtags.
Birtley sewage works - 1 Sparrowhawk and a Redshank.
Far Pasture NR- Grey Wagtail
Clara Vale - Due probably to the cold and ringing activites, no sign of any Kingfisher this weekend

Saturday 18th November

Blue Tit and Marsh Tit at Thornley WC [Steven Fryer]

Ladypark, Ravensworth - 2 Common Buzzard over field adjacent to A1.
Ryton - 2 Red Kites over Ryton this morning at approx 11 am. They were drifting slowly eastwards

Friday 17th November

Easlington Park (Teams) - I Kingfisher, I Chiffchaff (calling), 3 Mute Swans, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Curlew (overhead) & 3 Grey Squirrels.
Derwent River near Blaydon Tennis Club - Flock of 20+ Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrest, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Dipper - 1 singing, 1 Goosander, 1 Grey Heron,
1 Otter at the top of the weir. There have been regular reports of Otters from this section of the river.
Clockburn Lake- 3 Little Grebe, 6 Mute Swans, 1 cygnet has a limp, RSPCA have been out to look at it, The other cygnets were flying back
and forwards across the lake.

Thursday 16th November

Clara Vale LNR - pair Great Spotted Woodpecker showing

Tuesday 14th November

Shibdon Pond - A dead Black-headed Gull found here had a swedish ring on its leg.

Bullfinch [Ray Wilby]

Clara Vale LNR - 1 Kingfisher, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 1 Grey Wagtail, Bullfinch, 2 Great-Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Yellowhammer etc.

Kingfisher in a Hawthorn bush at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]

Monday 13th November

Thornley Woods - Excellent views of male Sparrowhawk. Also Willow Tit obliged with good views after 45 mins of fleeting glimpses. Also 4 Stock Doves and 2 Foxes.

Sunday 12th November

Shibdon Pond - Whooper Swan flew off the pond at 08:30 this morning. 2 Sparrowhawks present. Kingfisher on the island and 4 Shoveler and 3 Long-tailed Tit seen. 2 Grey Lag and a Goldeneye arrived in the afternoon.
Bradley Fell - Male Blackcap in a garden this morning plus Goldcrest and 1-2 Nuthatches.
Timber beach - 800 Golden Plover
Watergate Park - No sign of the drake Pintail but an adult Mediterranean Gull present . This bird bears a ring on its leg and is probably the bird that has wintered here before but has not been seen the previous two winters. 600 Golden Plover, including one in summer plumage and 150 Lapwing in the fields. 5 Long-tailed Tit along the path.
Ravensworth Fell - late news - 2 Barn Owls present for several days but departed on Guy Fawke's Night (5th November). One Grey Wagtail.
Westfield Pasture - Woodcock seen
Tyne valley - 4 Long-eared Owls found roosting.

The Green Woodpecker at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]

Clara Vale - 2 Kingfisher (mf) displayed for 45 minutes in front of hide. Also a Green Woodpecker, 6 Yellow Hammers, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Rabbits, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Cormorants flew over the pond and 4 Goldfinch.

Yellowhammer at Clara Vale [Ray Wilby]

Saturday 11th November

Shibdon Pond - Whooper Swan and Goldeneye on pond.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Clara [Iain Clyne]

Clara Vale LNR - Good views of Kingfisher, 2 Nuthatch, 10+ Yellowhammer and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Great Tit [Ray Wilby]

Friday 10th November

Watergate Park - Pintail on the lake.

Wednesday 8th November

Clara Vale - Kingfisher showing well at this morning.

Tuesday 7th November

Tyne valley - 5 Tawny Owl and a Barn Owl heard calling a between Ryton and Clara Vale tonight.
Birtley Sewage Works - male Sparrowhawk seen to take a Starling, Linnet 30, Song Thrush 1, Pied Wagtail 21.

Sunday 5th November

Timber Beach - 650 Golden Plover and 2 Dunlin
East Bradley Fell - 2 male Stonechats together with a group of Yellowhammers this morning in hedgerow next to the public footpath west side of the large hay meadow above the old workings. Also Grey Wagtail feeding on garage roof next to house - they are annual late autumn visitors here.
Thornley WC - A Sparrowhawk was watched take a young Chaffinch. Also about were 6 Long Tailed Tits, 1 Goldcrest, 2 Willow Tits, 2 Coal Tits, 12 greenfinches, 20 Chaffinches (then 19), 3 Pheasants, 3 Magpies. 1 Kestrel.
Birtley Sewage Works - Linnet 50, Sparrowhawk male unsuccessfully chased a Song Thursh of which 6 present, Grey Partridge 17

Saturday 4th November

Thornley woodland Centre - Brambling at the feeding station. Sparrowhawk hunting in and around the Holly tree. 10 Blue Tits, 8 Great Tits, 12Long Tailed Tits, 3 Robins,10 Chaffinches, 4 Greenfinches, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Coal Tit.

Great Tit [Ray Wilby]

Clara Vale - feeding stations much more active Blue & Great Tits abundant a handful of Coal Tit & party of 12 Long Tailed Tits. Single Yellowhammer, small numbers of Fieldfare & Redwing.
Bradley Fell - A Common Buzzard flew over east this afternoon being mobbed by Carrion Crows. Also Sparrowhawk and 5 Grey Partridge.

Male Kestrel at Far Pasture [Ray Wilby]

Far Pasture NR - 3 Mute Swans, 1 Kestrel, 1 Wren, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Blue Tits, 4 Moorhens, 3 Coots.

Wren at Far Pasture [Ray Wilby]

Shibdon Pond - 20 Cormorants, 30 Teal, 40 Black Headed Gulls, 3 Snipe, 20 Redshank, 7 Shovelers, 2 Magpies, lots of Coots and Moorhens.

Redshank at Shibdon [Ray Wilby]

Barlow Fell - 3 Red Kites, 2 Sparrows, 8 Goldfinches, 1 Magpie.

Sparrowhawk [Photo: Ray Wilby]

Friday 3rd November

Shibdon Pond - Shoveler, Teal, Sparrow-hawk, Fieldfare and Redwing.

Thursday 2nd November

Clara Vale - 48 Fieldfare and 200+ Redwing flew west
Wylam Bridge east- Goosander 2m 2f
Sled Lane Pond - Mute Swan 3, Mallard 28, Coot 21, Moorhen 11 Little Grebe 2, Tufted Duck 7, Wigeon 10, Great Spotted Woodpecker 1, Nuthatch 1

Wednesday 1st November

Clara Vale - 3 Tawny Owls calling around the village

Kite being mobbed at Barlow by Jackdaws [Ray Wilby]