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Tuesday 27th September

Mystery bird?
Juvenile Goldfinches can cause confusion [Ray Wilby ]

Shibdon Pond - 4 Wigeon, 19 Shoveler, 15 Snipe, 200+ Lapwing, 40 Redshank.

A Dipper at Clara Vale. Unlike this bird, many of Gateshead's birds occur on the Derwent and are sporting coloured rings on their legs. If you see one let us know. [Steven Fryer]

Clara Vale - Goosander and Dipper on the river.

A Goosander at Clara Vale. Compare with the Red-breasted Merganser photo also on this page. [Steven Fryer]

Strother Hills - Many Southern Hawker and Common Darter plus a few Siskin and Lesser Redpoll.
Stargate - A few Southern Hawker and Common Darter around and a good record for the site - a Brown Hare.
Burdon Moor - Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrow at Burdon Moor
Gateshead still has fair numbers of this delightful bird unlike many other areas. Ravensworth Fell is a particularly good spot

[Photo: Steven Fryer ]

Monday 26th September

Shibdon Pond - 4 Wigeon, 19 Shoveler, 17 Snipe, 204 Lapwing, 41 Redshank and 2 Migrant Hawker.

A Lapwing at Shibdon Pond. Over 200 are roosting here at the moment [Stephen Wales]

Rowlands Gill - Adult and young Badger seen and photographed. [see photos opposite]

Shibdon Pond - 4 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 13 Snipe, 226 Lapwing, 210 Teal and 4 Swallow..

Tawny Owl
This bird was photographed at Lockhaugh

[Photo: Steven Fryer ]

Friday 23rd September

Timber beach - 2 Dunlin

Kestrel in flight
Excellent flight photo of a female at Far Pasture

[Photo: Steven Fryer ]

Thursday 22nd September

Rowlands Gill - Three Red Kites and a juvenile Common Buzzard appeared low over the trees out front (Hollinhill Lane area). The Buzzard hovered for a moment before being set upon by a corvid and chased towards the village giving outstanding views just over the houses opposite, then off in the direction of the river.

Wednesday 21st September

Clara Vale - Small passage of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits

Male Kestrel at Far Pasture [Photo: Ray Wilby] Unlike in the 1990s, there are probably more Sparrow-hawks and Red Kites in Gateshead than this species.

Monday 19th September

Clara Vale - A Swift flew over
Greenside -Barlow - Common Buzzard flew over and a Sparrow-hawk was seen to take a Stock Dove

Sunday 18th September

The Black-tailed Godwits at Shibdon Pond.
This species is becoming annual in Gatesehad on passage

[Photo: Steven Fryer]

Ravensworth Fell - A Common Buzzard flew over towards Sunniside.
Watergate Park - Green woodpecker and 15 Little Grebe.
Shibdon Pond - 14 Common Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Wigeon

Saturday 17th September

Shibdon Pond - 1 Black-tailed Godwit, Wigeon and a Kingfisher.

Black-tailed Godwits and Green Sandpiper at Shibdon Pond.
Another shot of these birds

[Photo: Gordon Pollinger]

Friday 16th September

Common Buzzards at Far Pasture
Becoming nearly a regular site now in the Derwent valley area. This year has already had more sightings than any previous year,.

[Photo: Steven Fryer]

Far Pasture NR - 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Peregrine, 5+ Red Kite, Sparrow-hawk and Kestrel all showing.
Shibdon Pond - 10 Common Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Wigeon
River Tyne at Dunston - Red-breasted Merganser

Thursday 15th September

Shibdon Pond - 1 Black-tailed Godwit

Wednesday 14th September

Rowlands Gill - A Badger showed well

Mallard at Sled Lane
Females like this and their equally dull eclipse males are all worth checking now, not only for Pintail and Gadwall but the North-Easts first Black Duck. With all the American waders around at the moment - who knows?

[Photo: Steven Fryer]

Tuesday 13th September

Shibdon Pond -14 Common Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Lapwing, 11 Redshank, 19 Shoveler, 202 Teal, 1 Wigeon, 4 Little Grebe, 150 House Martin, 6 Chiffchaff singing.
Derwent Walk CP -A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker reported on a pylon below Lockhaugh

Red-breasted Merganser on the Tyne
One of three juveniles seen off Timber Beach on Sunday 12th September.

[Photo: Paul Davidson]

Timber beach - 3 juvenile Red-breasted Merganser on the river, they slowly made there way up river and were present off Costco later. Also a Common Sandpipe rand 2 Dunlin present.

A Great Black-backed Gull at Timber beach - the 'rarest' of the 'common' gulls in the borough.[Steven Fryer ]

Shibdon Pond -3 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green Sandpiper, JKingfisher and Wigeon still present. Warblers in the scrub behind included Chiffchaff, Garden warbler, Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat.

The Green Sandpiper that arrived today at Shibdon Pond [Gordon Pollinger]

Sunday 11th September

Juvenile Green Sanpiper at Far Pasture
Our most regular passage wader but a lovely bird and lovely photograph

[Photo: Rick Thornton]

Shibdon Pond -3 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green Sandpiper, 12 Shoveler, a Pochard and a Wigeon. In the morning a skein of Pink-footed Geese flew west up the Tyne valley.

The Black-tailed Godwits are still at Shibdon Pond [Gordon Pollinger]

Saturday 10th September

Shibdon Pond -3 Black-tailed Godwit again, 1 Dunlin, 4 Common Snipe, 41 Redshank, 21 Shoveler and a Wigeon.
Stella - Whinchat

Black-tailed Godwit at Shibdon Pond [Gordon Pollinger]

Friday 9th September

Shibdon Pond - 1 Black-tailed Godwit still present together with 44 Redshank, 6 Snipe and 141 Teal.

One of the Black-tailed Godwits still remains [Steven Fryer]

Thursday 8th September

Shibdon Pond - 3 Black-tailed Godwit.

Two of three Black-tailed Godwits at Shibdon [Steven Fryer]

Tuesday 6th September

Shibdon Pond - 12 Shoveler, 1 Wigeon, and ,2 Common Snipe

The Wigeon at Shibdon Pond [Photo: SF]

Timber beach - Still only 1-2 Dunlin ion the mud with fair numbers of Small numbers of Redshank, Lapwing, Curlew and Shelduck.
Far Pasture - 2 Common Buzzards were present there for over half an hour, very high in the sky but circling slowly back and forth, and with a Red Kite at close quarters all the while it was excellent for noting the differences in jizz between the two species. The Buzzards and 12 Red Kites watched my a number of observers. Excellent day for dragonflies as well, with a couple of Common Hawkers in front of the hide, one hovering on the spot for great prolonged views, also at least 4 possibly 6 Southern Hawkers, a couple seen from the hide and 3 -4 in the carpark and adjacent fields, 3 - 4 Common Darters seen and a probable Ruddy Darter,

Kestrel at Far Pasture
Another fine shot of the male at Far Pasture

[Photo: Ray Wilby]

Sunday 4th September

Shibdon Pond - 18 Shoveler, 1 Wigeon, 7 Little Grebe, 7 Redshank, 3 Common Snipe and a Grey Wagtail.
Timber beach - 7 Common Blue, 1 Painted Lady and 2 Wall Brown butterflies.
Clara Vale - Ruddy Darter (first of the year) and 4+ Goosander on the river

Goosanders at Clara Vale [Photo: SF]

Saturday 3rd September

Shibdon Pond -2 Grey Wagtail and 17 Shoveler.

An adult Grey Heron at Shibdon Pond [Gordon Pollinger]

Friday 2nd September

Far Pasture NR- Common Snipe and a Green Sandpiper

Common Snipe at Far Pasture
There are a few birds at Shibdon and Far Pasture at the moment. Noticably they are all adults and probably non-breeders such as birds that have failed or too young to breed.

[Photo: Ray Wilby]

Shibdon Pond -1 Common Snipe, 2 Shoveler .
Bradley Fell - Chiffchaff s singing again

Thursday 1st September

Clara Vale - 3 Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 14 Goosander and 5 Grey Wagtail all on the Tyne this morning
Shibdon Pond - 3 Common Snipe, a Kingfisher, several Shoveler, a few Tufted Duck, Redshank. Lapwing etc.

2 Kingfishers at Lintzford.
Images as good as this don't come easy... as the photographer commmented " took a hard, four weeks to photograph, knee deep in water!"

[Photo: Steven Fryer]