Gateshead Birders

The only historical reference to the species comes from Temperley, which tells of a pair "haunting the polluted waters of the Tyne, between Gateshead and Scotswood Bridge" in the winter of 1943. Mute Swan is a rare breeding bird in the vice-county of Durham with only six sites regularly holding successful breeding pairs. One of these is at Shibdon Pond, where pairs have been present for many years and successful breeding took place annually between 1983-89, and then again in 1991-92. Axwell Park lake only a few hundred yards from Shibdon also hosts swans and birds probably rear young here one year out of two on average. In spring 1986 pairs also managed to raise a single cygnet on Acer Pond, Dunston, not far from the Metrocentre and at least three cygnets on Saltwell Park Lake in Central Gateshead, where birds have attempted to breed a number of times. Hence in that year Gateshead had a total of four breeding pairs, 40% of County Durham's total that season. In recent years birds have also been present on the ponds at Ryton Willows during the breeding season. Eggs were laid there in 1985 and again in 1990, but no young have been reared recently. In most autumns there is a small influx of birds into the area, the largest gathering so far recorded being 22 at Shibdon Pond on 17th October 1988. Other localities regularly frequented by the species include the lower reaches of the Derwent, the Tyne above Ryton Willows and at Dunston, the Far Pasture Wetland and Saltwell Park lake. Being large obvious birds dead swans are easily found and the cause of death can often be determined. The majority of local fatalities are as a result of collisions with overhead cables (at least 14 in the last nine years, mainly juveniles), three birds have died from lead poisoning, two have been shot, a single bird died as a result of swallowing fishing line and another was apparently clubbed to death by egg thieves.
In 1994 pairs held territory at seven sites in the borough, the highest number ever, with two pairs fledging young. Two of these sites, Pelaw Quarries and the Metro Centre Pools, had never knowingly been occupied before. Birds bred successfully for the first time at Far Pasture in 1994, MetroCentre Pools in 1998 and Watergate Forest Park in 1999. Large winter gatherings occurred at two sites, there were up to 15 birds at the Metro Centre Pools in 1993/94 and up to 25 at Saltwell Park Lake in winter 1994/95.

Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus

Historical records only.

According to Temperley "three were taken together at Blaydon in 1887". The most recent account of the species in the borough was of a single bird at Shibdon Pond 8th December 1962.

Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus

A rare winter visitor and scarce passage migrant.

Most records of this species refer to birds passing through the area on migration or as part of local movements in search of suitable feeding areas. Occasionally single birds may drop in to local ponds such as Shibdon or Pockerley Farm Pond near Beamish, but they rarely stay for any length of time. The majority of sightings are in December and January for example, 16 over Birtley on 16th December 1976. Ryton Willows in the Tyne Valley probably produces more sightings than anywhere else, as birds use the Tyne valley as a flyway. Spring 1989 saw a small passage of birds through the area with 33 flying west at Ryton on 27th March and 14 north over Barlow Fell two days later. The most recent record was of two east over Shibdon Pond on 28th October 1989.
A wandering immature bird ringed in North Yorkshire, was noted at Far Pasture, Shibdon Pond and the Metro Centre Pools in early July 1993. The only other records were of 4 south over Crawcrook 10th January 1996, 15 north over Greenside 13th March 1997 and a single was on the R.Derwent at Swalwell on 7th November 1999.

Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrynchus

A scarce but annual passage migrant.

There is a single historical reference to the species which has been included in the Goose sp. account. Nearly all sightings refer to birds flying west over the borough, with autumn records very much in the majority, there being only a handful of spring occurences, principally of single birds. Rather surprisingly no birds were positively identified until 1985 when 20 flew west over Sunniside on 12th October. No doubt many previous records of "grey geese" included "Pink-feet" and many of these earlier records will not have been fully documented. Ryton Willows and Shibdon Pond record birds most regulalry, this is presumably as a result of the species using the Tyne Valley as a flyway on east-west journeys between the North Sea and the Solway Firth. In 1986 there were a series of sightings at Shibdon between 21st September, when 20 flew west, and 16th December when 28 flew west. In between many birds were noted with the maximum flock being of approximately 100 birds. The only sightings not referring to birds flying over are from Shibdon Pond where single birds spent brief periods amongst the more usual wildfowl on 2nd November 1989 and the early morning of 4th May 1992.
Large skeins reported on passage over the area include: 37 north at Gateshead on 1st February 1995, 12 north at Ravensworth on 12th April 1995, 102 south at Birtley on 26th October 1996, 56 west up Derwent Valley at Victoria Garesfield on 1st January 1998, 70 north at Shibdon Pond on 14th February 1998 and 31 north over Birtley Sewage Treatment Works on 8th February 2001. The latest record was of 84 flying north-west over Watergate Forest Park on 11th March 2001.

Goose spp. Anser & Branta spp.

This section includes sightings of birds not identified to species level.

Temperley documents the taking of a single "Pink-footed Goose" near Dunston in March 1893 however due to the then status of the species there must be a degree of doubt over the identification! At that time Bean and Pink-footed Goose were considered to be merely races of the same species and Temperley quotes Tristram's work of 1905 as stating Bean Goose to be the commoner of the two, especially inland, at the time that this specimen was taken.

During the winter of 1941/42 Temperley records the presence of a flock of "grey geese" roosting nightly on an area of land close to the West Dunston coal staithes adjacent to the Tyne. The birds were present from 3rd to 16th January 1942 and were reported by the observer to be White-fronted Geese. No specimens were taken and in light of this Temperley felt it unwise to accept the identification.

The majority of unidentified geese over the borough occur in autumn and winter with occasional summer sightings.

Greylag Goose Anser anser

A rare winter visitor and annual passage migrant.

The majority of sightings of this species fall between September and December with a noticeable peak in November. As with Pink-footed Goose most records of Greylag refer to birds heading in a westerly direction, perhaps to Whittle Dene Reservoirs where there is occasionally a flock of a few hundred birds. Most years birds are also noted heading south along the Derwent Valley and these are presumably on their way to join the Derwent Reservoir flock. It is thought that most birds refer to genuine wild birds though a small flock of some six feral birds were introduced onto Shibdon Pond in 1979. The largest single flock yet recorded was of some 160 birds heading north over Lockhaugh in the Derwent Valley in March 1990.

Snow Goose Anser caerulescens

A rare visitor to the area, all records probably referring to free-flying feral birds.

The first record for the area concerned a white and a "blue" morph bird at Shibdon Pond on 18th May 1985. These birds were very tame which suggested a captive origin. The following year Shibdon once again attracted this species, a white morph bird being present on 11th June. The most intriguing series of sightings of this species in the area stem from the late April and early May of 1988. On the evening of 29th April a party of 11 white birds flew north over the Derwent Walk Country Park. The following morning the same party of birds flew east over Ryton Willows, and some 10 minutes later they were circling over Shibdon Pond. On 30th April a party of 11 Snow Geese were observed to fly in from the sea at Druridge Bay, Northumberland. Presumably the birds had headed east from Shibdon and then north up the coast. As a postscript to this activity a further two birds, presumably part of the larger flock, were seen at Ryton Willows on 2nd May.

Canada Goose Branta canadensis

A scarce passage and rare winter visitor.

This species has a tendency to appear in spring, with most sightings being in May, with a further peak of occurrences in early autumn i.e. during August. If the spring records are analyzed it can be seen that the vast majority of sightings are restricted to a seven week period between mid-April and the first week of June. This suggests that birds which visit, or move through, the borough are part of the North Yorkshire population which have developed an annual moult migration to the Beauly Firth in eastern Scotland. This movement involves immature, non-breeding and perhaps failed breeding birds. The timing of the local peak coincides with the exodus of the Yorkshire birds, whilst the August pattern of sightings would be consistent with the return of newly moulted birds to their wintering grounds to our south. The small number of winter records probably refer to feral stock wandering around the Durham area. Most sightings come from the regularly watched wetland sites in the borough, i.e. Ryton Willows and Shibdon Pond, but flocks overhead might be noted anywhere.

Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis

A scarce passage migrant and one time feral resident.

On 6th August 1979 eight feral birds were introduced on to Shibdon Pond and these were responsible for numerous local reports of the species here and at other local sites for a number of years. By late 1982 the numbers of feral birds had dwindled to four, three were present in 1983, and the final two birds were last seen flying north off the pond in April 1984. Prior to this introduction there is a single record of two birds at Shibdon Pond on single dates in November and December 1977. However it was believed at the time that these were birds from the Washington Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. Over recent years there have been a small number of sightings of birds migrating along the Tyne Valley, and one record from Birtley. Presumably these are birds crossing the country to their Solway Firth wintering grounds. The largest flock noted was some 150 birds flying west over Gateshead on 25th November 1985, with occasional small numbers of spring migrants over Clara Vale and Shibdon Pond. The most recent record was of one at Shibdon on 31st January 1991.
A skein of 54 west over Bradley Gardens on 9th October 1997 followed by 23 north-west over Shibdon Pond on 4th November 1997.

Brent Goose Branta bernicola

A very rare winter visitor.

There are three records of this species, all of them recent. A single pale-bellied bird was present at Shibdon Pond on 4th and 5th December 1985. It was presumably this bird which was later responsible for inland sightings at Big Waters and Caistron in Northumberland. On 14th February 1986 three birds flew over the Fellside area of Whickham and almost exactly three years later, in 1989, a party of six were noted over the same area.
A light-bellied bird was briefly present at Shibdon Pond on 21st February 1994.

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

A scarce passage migrant.

There is a single historical reference, a pair being present on flood waters near Lamesley in the Team Valley, on 16th November 1941. The species is a spring and autumn passage migrant of annual occurrence, though only in small numbers. Spring sightings slightly outweigh those in autumn, whilst there are also occasional records of birds in winter and mid-summer. The most favoured autumn locality, holding a bird or two most autumns, is the R.Tyne mudflats at Timber Beach, Dunston. The majority of records refer to birds moving along the Tyne Valley, with Shibdon Pond occasionally being used as a stop-off point. There are only two records away from the Tyne Valley; a bird north over Paddock Hill Wood on 5th May 1985, and a pair over Birtley on 10th May 1988.
Birds have bred along the R.Tyne at Dunston since 1996 with a maximum of three pairs in 1999. Unusual records concerned pairs of birds at Far Pasture on 21st September 1994, Lamesley on 9th April 1995 and 12th June 1998. A bird was noted in the winter on the mudflats at Dunston on December 2000 and in May 2001 pairs were at Kibblesworth, Lamesley and Far Pasture.

Mandarin Aix galericulata

An extremely rare visitor.

There are three records of this species, all of them referring to drakes at Shibdon Pond. The first was a bird which was briefly present on 13th April 1985. The second, a bird bearing a ring, was present all day on 29th December 1990. Finally another drake was at the same site on 3rd of April 1991.
A passage male noted at Shibdon Pond on 22nd April 1996 and on 28th April 2001.

Wigeon Anas penelope

A regular autumn and winter visitor.

Robson describes the shooting of one on Shibdon Flats during October 1891, it was described as being "in the company of a few others". At present Shibdon Pond is the only regularly frequented site in the borough although the species has been recorded at most of the wetlands in the area. The first birds arrive at Shibdon around late August or early September and the autumn flock there may build up to some 30 or so birds by October. The numbers normally decline from November with only occasional birds noted during the winter. Small numbers of spring passage birds are occasionally noted in March principally at Shibdon Pond. The largest local influx of birds in recent times occurred after easterly gales on 3rd November 1984 when 128 birds were at Shibdon with hundreds more moving west along the Tyne. No doubt birds would have at one time been very common on the extensive wetlands of the Team Valley but unfortunately there is no documentation of such occurrences. Occasionally birds are recorded from elsewhere in the area. Small umbers are sometimes seen at Ryton Willows and Far Pasture Wetland began to attract passage birds in 1992. Undoubtedly the most unusual sighting was of a drake found on the tiny stream which runs through Washingwell Woods in the winter of 1985.
A male and another pair joined the injured female (present since October 1998) at Far Pasture and were present through April and May 2001. No nesting was suspected.

Gadwall Anas strepera

A rare but annual autumn and winter visitor.

Shibdon Pond is the principle haunt of this species in the borough, only two other local sites having recorded it. Prior to 1980 there are no documented sightings, but that year a pair spent much of the January to April period at Shibdon, and despite no sightings in 1982-83, it has become increasingly regularly seen, particularly in autumn. This is partly accounted for by the increase in the popularity of birdwatching but there does appear to have been a genuine increase in the number of birds. In 1988 a drake spent much of the year in the area and breeding seems increasingly likely in the future. A wintering drake in 1987-88 and 1988-89 was responsible for frequent reports at Axwell Park Lake, and a single report on the R.Derwent near Lockhaugh. Autumn 1989 was the best so far for the species locally, a flock of up to nine birds being present at Shibdon. Birds are infrequently noted on spring passage, though this phenomenon is becoming more regular. Autumn arrival is mainly in September with birds quickly moving on in most years. Passage birds at Shibdon are presumably of the Scottish or Icelandic populations.
Interesting records included a male at Pelaw Quarries Pond on 13th October 1994 and a pair at Sled Lane Pond in early April 1996.

Teal Anas crecca

A common winter visitor, rare in summer.

Robson reported this species as "commonly met with on Shibdon Flats, also on the river at Lintzford". Teal are today very common at Shibdon Pond, with birds occasionally being present at Far Pasture, Ryton Willows, Stargate Ponds, Pockerley Farm Pond and along the Derwent at Lockhaugh. There are regular concentrations on the R. Derwent at Swalwell and on the R.Tyne at Dunston and Lemington Gut. Birds using these latter sites regularly commute between here and Shibdon according to the state of the tide. The Shibdon winter flock usually numbers some 150 to 200 birds with birds returning from the uplands during August and with further noticeable influxes to the borough during September and October. Peak winter numbers usually occur between October and January, the largest so far recorded being 381 in October 1991. Numbers at Shibdon remain relatively high during February with a marked emigration during March, with very few birds remaining into early April. Breeding has been confirmed at one site in the borough and has been strongly suspected at Shibdon Pond for a number of years. A bird ringed at Shibdon Pond in 1988 was recovered, killed by a mink, at Kielder Burn in Northumberland in 1991.

Mallard Anas platyryhnchos

A common resident and winter visitor.

"It nests in Axwell Park and Gibside" according to Robson, "could be met with" at Shibdon Flats and "on the Derwent", as it still can today. The species breeds throughout the borough by rivers, ponds and marshy areas, with notable concentrations at, Shibdon Pond, Axwell Park, and Stargate Ponds. Winter sees an influx of birds which is chiefly evident at Shibdon Pond where numbers are usually over 200, the maximum count being of over 320 birds. To give an indication of how common the Mallard is as a breeding bird in the borough they were present in over 21% of kilometre squares surveyed in 1986/87 and no doubt the majority of these sightings referred to nesting birds.

Pintail Anas acuta

A scarce autumn and winter visitor.

Robson considered this species a rare visitor and the only example he quoted was of one shot in March 1894 at Dunston. They are now of annual occurrence with most records coming from Shibdon Pond. The majority of sightings occur between mid-September and January, with a peak of occurrences in November. Rarely birds have been noted on spring passage and on one occasion a drake in eclipse was present at a site on 30th June. Most reports are of one or two birds, though up to four have been present at Shibdon and the largest flock yet recorded was of six birds over the Far Pasture wetland, at Lockhaugh, in October 1991.
A female visited Saltwell Park Lake and Watergate Park during winter 2000/01. The same bird probably accounted for sightings made at Shibdon Pond during winter 2000/01.

Garganey Anas querquedula

A very rare summer visitor.

There is a single historical record of a pair at Shibdon Pond "sometime" after April in 1965. The next report of the species was once again a spring pair at Shibdon, on 5th May 1974, with another report of a pair on Derwenthaugh Meadows in the spring of 1975. The spring of 1977 saw a rather early migrant at the same site, a female, on 20th March. There is then something of a lapse, with no more sightings until an eclipse male bird was found at Shibdon, being present from at least 21st September until 8th October 1985. The following autumn saw single birds at Shibdon on 24th July and 5th August and spring 1987 once again brought a pair of birds to that locality, on 13th May. The most recent record is of a juvenile female which spent over a week amongst Teal at Shibdon during September 1990.
Two different eclipse males were noted at Shibdon Pond during autumn 1994, with one present from 5th-7th August and another from 26th August to 2nd September 1994. A pair appeared at Shibdon Pond on 12th April 1998. The following year a pair seen again at the same site and breeding was confirmed with the appearance of two juveniles from 7th August. This first recorded breeding success in the Borough was complimented in 2000 as a pair again appeared on 5th May and a juvenile was seen in August.

Shoveler Anas clyptea

A regular autumn and winter visitor, rare in summer.

Robson records the taking of a specimen, an adult male, near Derwenthaugh on 25th May 1886, and he described it as an "accidental visitor to the valley". Today the borough has one of County Durham's most important sites for the species, Shibdon Pond. Birds are often present at here throughout the year, with peak numbers occurring in the autumn, when 40-50 may be present, the maximum count being of 68 birds in October 1984. The pattern of movements at Shibdon are complex but it appears that British breeding birds arrive there to moult during August and early September, departing for southerly wintering grounds through October only to be replaced by more northerly birds which arrive in the north-east to winter. As the weather worsens during the winter these birds also drift further south, leaving only small numbers to remain throughout the winter. Breeding was confirmed for the first time at Shibdon in 1991, a female fledging nine of a brood of ten ducklings, and was repeated in 1992. On a number of occasions bird have summered and it seems likely that breeding may have been attempted in the past. Few other local sites have recorded the species though birds are regular on Axwell Park Lake, with isolated reports from the Far Pasture Wetland at Lockhaugh, Chopwell Woods and Marley Hill.

Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina

A very rare winter visitor.

There are a small number of records for the area, some of which probably refer to birds escaped from wildfowl collections. In 1978 a female was present at Shibdon Pond from 4th to 16th April and from its behaviour it was considered not to have been of wild origin. In November 1980 a pair of birds appeared at Shibdon, the female remaining for much of the winter. The arrival time and circumstances tally with these birds being genuinely wild. The most recent record dates from 15th November 1987, when a drake was present on the R.Tyne at Wylam. The day previous to this a male Red-crested Pochard had been noted flying north past Whitburn on the north-east coast. It seems likely that this was the same bird, recently arrived from the continent!
A female was at Shibdon Pond from 29th May to 10th July 1993 and a drake was at the same locality on 17th February 2001.

Pochard Aythya ferina

A common winter visitor, rare in summer.

"An example of this common winter visitor was shot near Dunston in the year 1893", quoted Robson, presumably the bird had been on the R.Tyne. The principal site for the species today is Shibdon Pond, where there is a large wintering flock. Small numbers can also be regularly seen on Axwell Park Lake, Saltwell Park Lake, the R.Tyne at Ryton Willows, and less frequently at sites such as Far Pasture, Pockerley Farm Pond, Stargate and on the R.Derwent. The main arrival of birds occurs through October and November but peak winter numbers are not usually reached until January or February. In most winters there is a flock of some 200 at Shibdon, with high counts of 500, in February 1979, and 402, in January 1984. The species is rare nationally as a breeding bird and a pair are believed to have bred in the borough in 1986. Birds can regularly be seen during the summer at Shibdon but as of yet none have been proved to have bred.

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

An extremely rare visitor.

There are two reports of this vagrant from North America. A drake was reported as being present at Shibdon Pond at some time during 1977. This was almost certainly the bird which had earlier been seen at the Derwent Reservoir and a number of other local waters. The most recent record, once again from Shibdon, was on 31st May 1990 when the pond was visited by a drake which had been wintering in the Tynemouth area.

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca

An extremely rare winter visitor.

There are two records of this species in the borough. A female was found at Shibdon Pond on 4th November 1985 staying until 10th of that month. The bird arrived on easterly winds during an influx of Pochard, which is suggestive of a wild origin, although some observers thought that certain plumage features were more consistent with that of a hybrid bird. The second record, also of a female at Shibdon Pond, dates from 31st January to 3rd February 1991.

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

A common winter visitor, rare in summer.

The status of this species has changed significantly since last century when it was considered a rare visitant to the area by Robson. Temperley tells of birds using the Tyne below Scotswood Bridge in hard weather and of a flock of 13 birds on Saltwell Park Lake during March 1935. This latter locality still attracts a few birds each winter, as do Sled Lane Pond, Stargate and the R.Tyne at Ryton Willows. However the largest flocks are usually found at Axwell Park Lake and Shibdon Pond. Mid-winter might see up to 200 at the latter site with another 30 or so on Axwell. There is much commuting between these sites and it might be more correct to consider them all part of the same flock. The largest number recorded in the borough was 420 at Shibdon in January 1984, though an estimated 600 were reported to be there on 3rd February 1979. Birds regularly summer in the borough, displaying and prospecting for nest sites, but breeding has not been confirmed since 1977, when a pair reared young at Shibdon Pond.
This species has bred successfully at Shibdon Pond since 1993, with up to 6 pairs in 1997. Breeding has also occurred at Acer Pond between 1993-95, Axwell Park Lake in 1994, Saltwell Park Lake in 1999 and 2000, Lamesley in 2000 and Derwenthaugh Lake in 2000

Scaup Aythya marila

An occasional autumn and winter visitor.

This species is normally thought of as a "sea duck" but the borough attracts Scaup on a regular basis. The species is most likely to be seen during January or February in the large flocks of diving duck at Shibdon Pond or Ryton Willows, although the period October to December might also produce sightings. The largest number of birds seen together was a flock of eight at Ryton Willows during the influx of early February 1991, when at least 12 different birds were present in the borough. There are also records of up to four together at Shibdon, and five different birds passed through that site during November and December 1987. One of the more unusual local records includes a wintering male which stayed at Shibdon into mid-April 1988 and on a number of occasions was seen displaying to female Tufted Ducks. Other local sites to have attracted the species include the Curling Pond at Ryton in December 1990 and the R.Derwent at Swalwell, which had three birds during February 1991. There are three unusual August records of the species at Shibdon Pond. A pair were present on 11th August 1987, a female was seen on 29th August 1991 with another female in mid-August 1992. This seems to be suggestive of a small autumn passage across country via the Tyne Valley, with birds occasionally dropping off at Shibdon!
A juvenile was at Shibdon Pond on 10th September 1993, with a female at Ryton Willows, on 19th, and then at Shibdon Pond on 22nd December. A single was on R.Tyne at Ryton Willows on 19th February 1995. In 1996 a drake appeared at Shibdon Pond on 28th-29th January followed by another drake on the R.Tyne at Dunston from 2nd-9th February.

Over the years a number of Aythya hybrids have been recorded, mainly at Shibdon Pond, and amongst these were a possible Scaup x Tufted Duck in 1987 and a Pochard x Tufted Duck female in 1986. A Ferruginous Duck/Pochard hybrid female was present between Shibdon Pond and Far Pasture in the autumn of 1996.

Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis

A very rare winter visitor.

There are no sightings of this species in the borough prior to the mid-1980's. A female spent most of the first quarter of 1985 on the R.Tyne amongst Goldeneye at Ryton Willows, occasionally being seen as far downstream as Blaydon. The following year a duck was seen on 9th January, once again on the Tyne, but upstream of the previous year's sightings, at Wylam. In late 1987 a duck was found at Shibdon Pond, on 21st December. This bird remained in the area until 13th April 1988, regularly commuting between Shibdon and the R.Derwent at Swalwell. It seems likely that all of these records refer to the same bird returning in successive years to winter within the borough. The most recent record was of a female which was present at Shibdon from 1st to 4th November 1991.
A female was at Shibdon Pond from 5th-20th May 1996.

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra

A very rare visitor.

Robson described it as "only a winter visitor" and he tells of an immature bird shot in 1894 by Joseph Symons of Derwenthaugh. The first modern sighting was of two drakes, an adult and a first year bird, on the Tyne at Ryton Willows on 30th April 1988. A second modern record was not long in coming, another drake being seen, once again at Ryton, on 21st January 1989. The most recent record, a male bird, was on 3rd September 1991, when one was on the R.Tyne at Dunston.
Single drakes were noted on R.Tyne at Teams on 7th February 1996 and Dunston on 10th-11th August 1996. These were the fifth and sixth records for Gatehead Borough.

Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca

Historical records only.

Then known as "Velvet Duck", Robson records a single local specimen shot in 1888 and held in the collection of a Mr John Marshall. In his text Robson described it as "much rarer than the former species" i.e. Common Scoter.

Goldeneye Bucephela clangula

A common winter visitor.

Temperley described the species as being common on the coast in winter and present on inland waters in lesser numbers. In recent years a large and increasing flock has gathered on the Tyne at Ryton Willows. Numbers vary from year to year but in most winters over 200 gather, with a maximum count of 264 in February 1988. These figures make Ryton a nationally important site for the species. Elsewhere in the borough small numbers are recorded along the Tyne down to Blaydon Haughs, at Shibdon and Stargate Ponds and, rarely, on the R.Derwent. Birds begin to arrive during late October remaining in most years until early April. Peak numbers often coincide with the hardest weather of the winter in January and February. There are a number of "unseasonal" records of the species including a June sighting at Shibdon Pond in 1985, two there in 1986 with a juvenile in the August of that year, and in May 1990 an immature male which spent over a fortnight on the pond. Increasingly small numbers of birds are staying later and later into the spring, with at least six birds being present locally in early May 1991.

Smew Mergus albellus

A rare winter visitor.

There is a single historical record dating from February 1919, when an adult drake was shot on the River Derwent near Chopwell. The first modern sighting was of a "redhead" at Shibdon Pond from 23rd to 25th November 1984. Winter 1984-85 was one of the best ever for records of this species in the north-east and a number of birds were present in the area. Between 17th January and 9th March 1985 a drake, a first year male and three different females were noted at Shibdon Pond, with at least two "redheads" and a drake being seen along the Tyne between Newburn and Ryton Willows. No doubt some of the same birds were involved in these various sightings but at least five individuals were noted in the borough over the period. The following winter saw a pair of birds at Shibdon between 4th and 8th March 1986. During January 1987 there were a series of sightings at Shibdon, two drakes on 21st, a redhead on 24th, and on 31st a pair of birds. The pair remained throughout February and until 11th March, with only the drake being noted up to 15th. 1988 brought a single report, of a redhead on the Tyne at Ryton Willows from 26th to 28th February. The most recent record was of a redhead on the Curling Pond at Ryton Willows on the rather early date of 20th October 1991.
Single redheads were at Shibdon Pond from 28th February to 1st March 1994, and on the River Tyne at Ryton Willows on 5th November, 1994 and at Wylam on 14th February 2001.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

A very rare winter visitor.

The first documented record is of a female on the Tyne at Ryton Willows on 29th February 1985, unusually a drake had been reported only a few miles upstream near Bywell the previous month. On 5th December 1987 there was a report of four birds flying south over Shibdon Pond. The following year on 28th November a female was present on the Tyne at Wylam and almost certainly the same bird was found at Shibdon Pond in early December remaining until 26th January 1989. The most recent records concern a female at Shibdon from 17th to 19th November 1990 and two "redheads" on the River Tyne at Dunston on 28-29th September 1992.
A redhead was at Shibdon Pond in January 1993 with another there on 12th November 1994.

Goosander Mergus merganser

A regular winter visitor, rare in summer.

The species was formerly much less widespread in the north-east for in 1840 Hutchinson wrote that it rarely appeared in County Durham except in the severest of weather. Today it is a rare but regular breeder in the borough and a winter visitor in some numbers to certain favoured localities. The principal wintering site is the Tyne upstream of Ryton Willows as far as Wylam. The mid-winter population is in the order of 20-30 birds, with the highest ever counts coming in January 1992 when at least 78 and possibly as many as 100 were reported. Sightings elsewhere are sporadic, with only the River Derwent regularly attracting birds. During spring 1978 an unprecedented roost of birds developed on Shibdon Pond, numbers rose from two in January to a peak of 34 in March, with a dozen remaining into May. Breeding was first noted locally in 1983, though it may have been occurring before this, and it has continued at this site on an almost annual basis since then. In the summer of 1990 birds fledged young at a new site giving a total of two breeding pairs in the borough. Males normally migrate to the coast of Norway in order to moult during the summer so it was with some surprise that a moulting male was found on the lower Derwent in August 1991.

Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

A rare visitor.

There are only two records for Gateshead both of them in 1992. A female was found at Shibdon Pond on 1st April, remaining until 21st of that month. Another bird, an eclipse plumage male, was found on the River Tyne at Ryton Willows on 5th July of the same year. It seems certain that as this species expands its range across the British Isles it will become much commoner in Gateshead. It seems highly likely that Ruddy Duck will breed within the borough in the very near future.
Established as an annual breeding species at Shibdon Pond following the first successful attempt in 1994, when five young were reared. Up to 6 pairs bred here in 1997 and the maximum count here was of 9 males and 4 females on 11th May 1998. The number of birds here declined dramatically in 2000. Other sites with records include an eclipse male at Ryton Willows in August 1994, a juvenile not one of the Shibdon birds which were all still present, on the lower River Derwent in late August 1994 and a male at Sled Lane Pond on 19th June 1997. A pair were present on Axwell Park Lake duirng the summer of 2001.