Gateshead Birders

There are four documented records of this species, all during the last twenty years. A lightly oiled bird was found on the R.Tyne at Newburn on 25th December 1971 remaining to the 30th. This may have been the same bird which was involved in sightings on the river near Bill Quay during the first quarter of 1972. Fourteen years passed before the next sighting, when a bird was seen on the Tyne at Wylam on 23rd February 1986. The most recent record concerns the only individual seen away from the Tyne, one being present on Shibdon Pond on 1st March 1988. This bird then took up residence on the Tyne between Ryton Willows and Wylam until at least 2nd April. It would seem likely that this species has occurred more often than the records indicate, especially on the lower reaches of the river towards Felling Shore and Bill Quay.
A single adult noted on R.Tyne at Dunston on 19th December 1995 representing the fifth Gateshead record.

Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica

A very rare winter visitor.

Robson documents the shooting of two birds of this species off the mouth of the R.Team during the winter of 1894. There are three modern records, all of them within the latter part of the 1980's. One was noted on the R.Tyne below Friar's Goose on 16th February 1985. On 2nd December of the same year a bird was discovered at Shibdon Pond. This bird developed the habit of flying off to the Tyne in order to feed and, sadly, on the 7th, it flew into overhead cables breaking a wing, necessitating that it be destroyed. A second bird was found at Shibdon less than two months later, on 22nd January. This bird also commuted between pond and river and was seen as far upstream as Ryton Willows and downstream to the Tyne Bridge, remaining until 20th February.
A winter plumage bird was observed drifting up the R.Tyne at Bill Quay on 17th March 1996 representing the sixth record in the Borough.

Great Northern Diver Gavia immer

Historical records only.

The only record comes from Temperley. A mature specimen was taken by Hancock on the Tyne close to the Tyne Bridge on 12th October 1824.
A summer plumage bird was seen flying west over Barlow Fell early in the morning of 27th May 1997. This was only the second record for Gateshead and the first modern record.

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

A localised resident.

Though he knew of only one breeding record in the Derwent Valley, a clutch of eggs taken from Axwell Park in May 1881, Robson supposed the species to be "more common than generally realised". In the earlier part of this century Temperley noted the species as being a common resident in Durham but he gave no clue as to its status within our area. Locally the species has probably shown something of a slight decline in recent years through both habitat loss and disturbance from fishermen. At present pairs regularly occupy six or seven sites, with between seven and ten pairs breeding in the borough annually. During the 1970's Shibdon Pond had a number of breeding pairs, and winter gatherings of up to 13 birds. Breeding occurred again at that site in 1992 for the first time in over a decade. Sites which have lost breeding birds within the last two decades include Acer Pond at Dunston and the Curling Pond at Ryton Willows. During winter birds can often be found on the Tyne and lower Derwent, sometimes in small parties, e.g. 10 on the Derwent at Swalwell on 1 January 1992.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

A scarce passage migrant, rare in winter.

There is a single historical record, an immature being shot on Derwenthaugh in May 1907. At the time the species was still very rare as a breeding species across the country and the presence of an immature at this time of year might mean that birds were nesting locally. Today it is by no means an annual visitor, most frequently occurring along the Tyne, especially around Ryton Willows and along the stretch downstream of Felling. Approximately two thirds of records refer to passage birds, mainly in spring, with a few winter sightings. Breeding was attempted in the area during the 1960's on the, then more extensive, wetlands around Shibdon Pond.
Four birds were discovered on the R.Tyne between Bill Quay and Gateshead on 17th March 1996 and one was at Shibdon Pond from 25th April-3rd May 2001.

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena

A very rare winter visitor.

One was present on Saltwell Park Lake in February 1937 during a large influx of birds to the east coast. The only modern sighting dates from February 1979, when one was present on the Felling stretch of the Tyne.

Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus

A very rare winter visitor.

There is a single historical record, one being shot on the Tyne at the mouth of the R.Team during the winter of 1894. The first modern record refers to a winter plumage bird on Shibdon Pond from 20-30th December 1983. The most recent record refers to two birds together on the Tyne at Felling during February or March 1986.
A winter plumage bird was noted on the R.Tyne at Dunston on 9th January 1996 and later at Shibdon Pond between 12th-20th January 1996. This represents the fourth record for Gateshead Borough.

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis

An extremely rare passage visitor.

There are only two records of the species for the borough. A full summer plumage bird was present on the Tyne at Ryton Willows on 4-5th May 1988. On 27th October of the same year a bird in winter plumage was present, once again on the Tyne, between Stella and Ryton.

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis

A scarce visitor.

There is a single historical record dating from 25th June 1954 when one was seen flying high over Whickham. The species is now seen on an almost annual basis with most sightings being of single birds along the Tyne during mid-summer, as far west as Clara Vale. Birds have been seen over Shibdon Pond on a number of occasions including a record of two flying west on 31st May 1987, when presumably the same birds were seen at Ryton later the same day. The graph shows that local Fulmars have a tendency to wander inland in late spring and early summer, with most sightings occurring in June. The only sighting of the species outside of this period was of a rather lost individual at Shibdon on 25th October 1989.
Typical wandering individuals were seen at Shibdon Pond on 9th July 1995, Swalwell 24th May 1996 and Ryton Willows in September 1996

Leach's Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa

Historical records only.

There are four records for the area spanning a period between 1830 and 1949. The first was a bird killed on the Tyne opposite the Old Mansion House, Newcastle in 1830. Some years later, on 1st March 1886 one was shot near Blaydon, though the specimen was not found until the 10th. This century there have been two other birds, both shot, on the Tyne. One was taken below Bensham Boathouse in November 1928, and finally one was at Ryton Willows on 24th April 1949. Considering that none of these birds were documented as occurring in storm conditions this cluster of records along the Tyne over a long time period would seem to be suggestive of some regular movement across country from Irish Sea to North Sea via the Tyne Valley.

Gannet Sula bassana

Historical records only.

There is a single record of this maritime species and it falls just outside of our "modern" period. On 28th May 1968 a lone adult was observed flying west along the Tyne from Newburn Bridge.

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

A common winter visitor, occasional in summer.

Temperley notes that during 1951 a "number" of birds spent the winter months on the reaches of the Tyne below Blaydon, and over the ensuing years inland birds have become an increasingly common feature. Birds can now be noted at any time of the year along the Tyne, though they are commonest in the non-breeding season. Winter concentrations can occur along the length of the river between Dunston and Clara Vale and there are regular roost spots at Redheugh and on top of the International Paint factory at Felling. Shibdon Pond is the most regularly visited closed water, with up to 13 birds having been recorded and occasion spring birds have been noted with nest material. Since 1987 birds have been noted with increasing regularity, and in increasing numbers, along the Derwent. Peak numbers occur during November and March, when there often up to 30 birds on the Newburn to Clara Vale stretch of the Tyne, with a maximum count there of 51 in December 1989. In 1991 birds attempted to nest at a site in the east of the borough though the outcome is unknown. Over a period of years a number of birds resembling the continental race, sinensis, have been noted, most recently at Shibdon Pond and Ryton Willows in both 1990 and 1991.
Two birds, ringed in a breeding colony on the Solway Firth, were noted in the Shibdon Pond roost in the winters of 1993/94 and 1994/95. The roost counts during the winter months at Shibdon Pond regularly attracts 80+ birds with peaked count of 104 on 8th January 2000.

Bittern Botaurus stellaris

An extremely rare winter visitor.

There is a single historical record of this species and, as is the case with so many old records, it was of a bird that had been shot. A female was killed on Derwenthaugh on 13th January 1947. On examination its' stomach was found to contain "four frogs, various water beetles... and portions of sedge". The only modern reference is to one found at Shibdon Pond on 28th January 1984 and, though very secretive, it was seen intermittently until at least 14th March.
Only the second modern day record concerned an individual on the small pond at Clara Vale from 4th-5th March 2001.

Little Bittern Ixobrychus exitis

Historical records only.

According to Temperley there are two records of this species in our area within a few weeks of each other. A first winter bird was killed against telegraph wires at Gateshead in October or November 1889 whilst "about the same time" one was caught at Sheriff Hill.

Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Historical records only.

Robson's "Birds Of The Derwent Valley" mentions a single record. One was apparently taken near Dunston some forty years before Robson's time of writing, which was 1896.

Grey Heron Ardea cinera

A scarce resident.

At present this species is not known to breed in the borough although there is a small active heronry just outside of the area. Heightened breeding activity over recent years at Shibdon Pond suggests that the species might nest there in the near future. Last century there was a heronry in the Ravensworth Estate but this was deserted by about 1850, Robson also records the species as nesting in the Gibside Estate and there has been at least one unconfirmed recent breeding report from this locality. Today birds can be seen regularly at a number of sites, principally in the west of the borough. The most frequented locality is Shibdon Pond where numbers have reached 30 in the late summer gatherings there. Small numbers of birds might be encountered anywhere along the main rivers with other favoured spots being Axwell Park Lake, the Derwent at Lintzford, Far Pasture at Lockhaugh and Ryton Willows.

White Stork Ciconia ciconia

An extremely rare visitor.

There is a single record of this species. One was noted soaring in a thermal over the Thornley Woodlands Centre, in the Derwent Walk Country Park, on 16th May 1990. This was only the fourth record of the species for the vice-county of Durham.