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Birds Of Gateshead

Species Accounts (Raptor - Crakes)

Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus

Historical records only.

This species has perhaps the most fascinating history of any which has been documented in our area! The Honey Buzzard is mentioned at some length by both Robson and Temperley in their respective texts. The species was first recorded locally when a "nearly mature male" was shot near Blaydon in 1841, a year which apparently saw an influx of birds to the British Isles. In 1848, just outside of the current borough boundary, a bird was shot on 7th October at Beamish and this specimen eventually found its way into the collection of Lord Ravensworth. In the late nineteenth century the species was discovered to be breeding in the lower Derwent Valley in the Gibside Estate. The first nest was found in the autumn of 1896, though according to local anecdotes birds may have been present for some years previously. In 1897 Thomas Robson himself found the nest some 60 feet up a Beech tree, it apparently contained two young Honey Buzzard and three pieces of wasp's nest. A pair were once again present in 1898, though they did not nest, however in 1899 the locally nicknamed "Big Hawks" produced two young. This proved to be the last confirmed breeding in the area. It is conceivable that birds may have nested a little higher up the Derwent Valley in 1898, for birds were noted at Shotley Bridge and a bird of the year was shot nearby.

Red Kite Milvus milvus

Historical records only.

There are no specific references to this species's occurrence within the borough, and its inclusion on the list is based on comments relating to its' favoured habitats in our area. In John Wills' 1769 "Natural History and Antiquities of Northumbria" it was stated that "we have the Glead, or Swallow-tailed Falcon in our alpine and vale woods....the greatest number being in the west and north-western parts". Although this evidence is rather thin, it seems highly likely that Kites would have been present in the oak woodlands of the lower Derwent Valley woodlands some 200 years ago.

White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla

Historical records only.

The only reference to the species in the area relates to a bird that wintered on the Ravensworth Estate possibly in 1835. The bird was first noted by Thomas Hancock whilst out walking near the Lambton Estate a few miles south of the current borough boundary. It later took up residence in the Ravensworth Estate where "it made a safe retreat", and Lord Ravensworth, writing to Hancock, said of the bird, "we treated him with hospitality....I have seen him a score of times".

Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus

An extremely rare passage visitor.

There is only one known record of this species, a female or first year bird being flushed from the reeds at Shibdon Pond on the morning of 24th May 1986. Spring 1986 was a particularly good one for the species in the north-east and though this record occurred a little after the main arrival of birds it does fit into the general pattern of sightings.

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus

An extremely rare visitor.

Robson tells of a pair nesting on Black Burn Fell, above the Ravensworth Estate, that were shot and had their eggs taken at some date before 1836. The species has not fared much better since that time with only a handful of sightings. A "ringtail" was seen on the edge of the area during midsummer 1977, and a year and a day later, on 21st July 1978, a male was seen soaring over Chopwell Woods. The most recent sighting dates from 1984 when a "ringtail" was chased across Shibdon Pond by a party of Crows shortly after a blizzard on 16th December.

Montague's Harrier Circus pygarus

Historical records only.

According to Robson the species was "not very common" though eggs had been obtained from birds nesting on Hedley Fell, an area which is now bisected by the Gateshead-Northumberland boundary. Robson gave no date for the presence of these birds but this might explain the record documented in Temperley of a "first plumage male" shot, around the year 1868, near the bridge that crosses the Derwent close to Axwell Park.

Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

A very rare visitor.

There is a single historical record of this rare species in the borough, one being seen at Fellside, Whickham on 15th and 18th February 1953. Almost two decades later came the first modern sighting, a bird was watched, both perched and in flight, near Washingwell Woods on 9th February 1972. The next sighting also came from Washingwell Woods when a female was mobbed by a female Sparrowhawk and Carrion Crows on 14th October 1985. The two spring records in 1988 no doubt refer to the same bird, a male being seen at Shibdon Pond on 3rd April and 1st May. There were a series of sightings of a male bird from Shibdon Pond and the Derwent Walk Country Park during autumn and early winter 1990 but the most recent report refers to one, a male, at Ryton Willows on 9th December 1991.

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

A widespread resident and winter visitor.

The Sparrowhawk was described as the commonest bird of prey in the valley late last century and though its fortunes have fluctuated markedly over the last few decades it is once again rather common locally. Unusual local references to the species include one without any breast bands taken at Blaydon in February 1854 and an unusually large clutch of eleven eggs that was taken locally. Birds can be seen across the borough, though they are much commoner in the western portion, where the woodlands are extensive. They nest at their highest density in the lower Derwent Valley, but small numbers can occasionally be found nesting in copses and shelter belts. Winter sees an influx of birds into the borough and ringing information suggests that some of these are of local origin, although some continental migrants may also be involved. The largest gathering of birds noted locally was of five over Shibdon Pond in the late 1970's. At least 25 pairs currently nest within the borough, the majority of these being in the lower Derwent Valley. Birds wintering in the borough originate One ringed bird from Hauxley, Northumberland, followed thrushes

Buzzard Buteo buteo

A rare visitor.

There are a number of historical records from the lower Derwent Valley, and no doubt the species would once have bred locally. A female was trapped at Ravensworth in February 1837, with other birds being shot at Lockhaugh around 1836, Hagg Hill in October 1852 and at Dunston Haughs on 1st September 1883. Into the twentieth century and there is an unusual mid-summer record of a bird over the Team Valley on 20th June 1937! The few modern records continue mainly in the vein of late autumn and winter sightings. In 1971 a pair of birds were in the borough during October producing reports from Watergate, near Washingwell Woods, and also at Rowlands Gill. On 2nd September 1973 a bird was seen over Shibdon Pond, with two there on the 9th of that month. Another was seen soaring high over Shibdon during the winter of 1975 whilst May 1981 produced an unusual spring report in the lower Derwent Valley. More recently there were two sightings in 1987, one flying west over Shibdon Pond on 15th February, and one flying west over Winlaton on 30th June. Unusually a single bird was seen at a locality in the borough on one date in June 1992 but not subsequently. There is a single recovery of a ringed bird in the borough, on 9th December 1975 a bird which had been ringed as a nestling near Penrith was found dead in Chopwell Woods.

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

A very rare passage visitor.

There are two historical records, Temperley mentions a female taken near Heworth on 23rd September 1841 and Robson tells of another killed at Nabs End near Blaydon Burn around 1865. All modern records are from the 1980's, no doubt this reflects the increasing success of the Scottish breeding population. An early spring passage bird was at Shibdon Pond on 23rd March 1983 and the following year, on 1st September, a bird was watched flying south along the Derwent Valley from the Fellside area of Whickham. The most recent sighting, on 18th May 1988, was of a bird flying west along the Tyne past Ryton Willows and then later that day at Wylam and Whittle Dene Reservoirs. It is likely that as the British population increases and colonises new areas then the species will be seen with increasing regularity in the borough.

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

A common resident.

Last century Robson thought that this species was scarcer than Sparrowhawk locally, a situation which is definitely not true today. It is undoubtedly the commonest local diurnal bird of prey and it can be seen across the borough nesting in a wide variety of situations. A range of nest sites have been used including: old crow nests in woodland and on pylons, factory air vents, and building ledges and recesses. The local population of birds fluctuates from year to year according to the population levels of its favoured small mammal prey. 1988 seemed to be a particularly good year locally when at least eight pairs nested in approximately 20 square kilometres of the lower Derwent Valley and adjoining Tyne Valley. This was surpassed in 1992 when 6 pairs were found in only 10 square kilometres although nest productivity was lower. In good years there are probably over forty pairs nesting within the borough boundaries. Most of the nestlings ringed in the borough fit into a regional pattern of southerly dispersal, with recoveries of birds in Norfolk and Oxfordshire. An exception to this pattern was the bird ringed at Blaydon Station which was found dead in Galloway, south-west Scotland.

Merlin Falco columbarius

A scarce winter visitor.

A specimen was "obtained" in Blaydon 1895, it had apparently killed itself on telegraph cables, whilst another one was caught around 1907 on Barlow Fell, an area which is still regularly visited by the species today. The species is now a scarce, but annual, winter visitor with occasional passage birds also being noted. They prefer open areas of farmland with patches of scrub and large hedgerows, such as Barlow and Ravensworth Fells. Other sites where bird are often recorded include Ryton Willows, the Derwent Walk Country Park and Shibdon Pond, where early autumn birds have been seen hunting the Swallow roost. There are probably three to four birds in our area during most winters, though in February 1975 three different birds were noted around the Blaydon area alone. It would seem likely that most of our wintering birds come from the Durham and Northumberland moors and a single ringing recovery reinforces this theory. In November 1988 a bird found dead in Gateshead was discovered to have been ringed that year as a nestling in Northumberland.

Hobby Falco subbuteo

A very rare summer visitor.

There are no records of this species in the borough prior to 1980! The first report came from Stella, Blaydon on 5th August 1980, but it was a full five years before the next one. During June 1985 single birds were noted at Shibdon Pond on a number of dates late in the month, with perhaps the same bird being noted in the Derwent Walk Country Park on 1st August. The following day a bird was observed hunting at Shibdon Pond and only a couple of hours later what was presumably the same bird was at Ryton Willows. The following year on 6th June a bird was noted flying east over Clara Vale. On 29th and 30th May 1989 a bird was watched hawking damselflies over the river Tyne near Wylam. On 16th August 1990 a juvenile, following a flock of migrating Swift, was observed at Shibdon Pond. An unusually late record of this species also came from 1990, when one was seen at High Spen on 13th October. The most recent record was of one hunting "hirundines" near Thornley Woods on 29th August 1992. If the national population of this species continues to expand it is likely that we shall record this species in Gateshead with increasing regularity in the future.

Peregrine Falco peregrinus

A scarce visitor.

Surprisingly there are no historical records of this species for the borough, the first documented sighting not being until 1975 when a bird was noted at Ryton in the February of that year. A bird, first seen on 14th December 1977 near the old Derwenthaugh Cokeworks, over-wintered in the Derwent Valley and was seen a number of times over the next two months and it was believed to be roosting on the chimney of the cokeworks. A gap of some years without reports was broken by the occurrence of an immature at Shibdon on 18th July 1983. Since then birds have been noted increasingly regularly and they are now seen on an almost annual basis. Sightings are mainly during the winter although birds have been noted at all times of the year, perhaps most notably over central Gateshead on 21st May 1987. There is a single ringing recovery of the species in the borough. A bird, ringed as a nestling during June 1983 in the Lake District, was found, with an injured wing on 10 April 1987, in Central Gateshead and had to be taken into care.

Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus

Historical records only.

Robson and Temperley mention a number of records in the area, invariably the occurrences were associated with severe weather conditions on the bird's moorland haunts. During 1892 one was shot by Colonel J.A. Cowens near Coalburns. The higher areas of the borough held birds again two years later, when several were seen by Col Cowens' gamekeeper during January and February 1894 on and around Barlow Fell. A major altitudinal movement of Red Grouse occurred in late January 1894 after unusual and extreme weather conditions. Severe snowstorms on 24th were followed by a rapid thaw and then re-freezing resulted in the glazing of the moors with ice. Over this period a single bird was also shot at Heworth, in the east of the borough, but birds had been driven by the bad weather as far down as the east coast of County Durham e.g Seaham. Two years later, 1896, a brace of birds were shot near Winlaton. There are no confirmed breeding records in the borough though there is strong anecdotal evidence to suggest that birds were breeding on the remaining heather moorland of Silver Hills, Ravensworth Fell, just prior to the Second World War and the opencasting operations which destroyed all of the suitable habitat in that area. It is highly unlikely that this species will be recorded in the borough again as they are effectively sedentary and the nearest breeding birds are now at the top of the Derwent Valley.

Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix

Historical records only.

A species now in general decline throughout Britain, it was much commoner last century, and although the county of Durham still has one of the healthiest populations in the country the nearest breeding birds are now far distant from the present Gateshead area. Robson records having seen one or two on Barlow fell, concluding that they were "storm driven" individuals. However Robson also tells of how he was informed that the species had bred "for several years" at Horsegate near High Spen and at Ash Tree Farm above Chopwell. Earlier this century, higher up the Derwent Valley, Temperley reported that it was breeding in rushy pastures near Anfield Plain and Ebchester, but it is now so rare in the Derwent Valley it seems unlikely that it will be recorded in the Gateshead area again.

Chukar Alectoris chukar

A rare introduced resident.

A few birds apparently fitting the description of pure Chukar were noted in the Lamesley area during the summer of 1990. Local rough shooters are known to have introduced some "Red-legged Partridge x Chukar" hybrids to this area and it would seem likely that the reports would refer to these birds. This was confirmed by the presence of at least two, apparently pure bred, birds on the Whickham Golfcourse in April 1991.

Red-legged Partridge Alectoris graeca

A rare resident.

The single historical record refers to one shot, rather significantly in light of subsequent sightings, at Kibblesworth in 1909. The next local reference to the species is of a bird present at Blaydon between 13th and 30th of April 1974. During the late seventies a number of birds were "put down" at Ravensworth in the Team Valley. Breeding probably took place at Ravensworth Grange in 1982 and family parties were seen at that locality two years later. During 1985 birds were noted at Kibblesworth Common and a few birds were seen near Beamish Hall just outside of the borough. The following year birds were noted again at Beamish and what was probably a family party was noted at Lamesley on 4th August, a site from where there have been reports of birds on a number of occasions. The most recent "wild" breeding report was of a female with three young not far from Marley Hill on 28th July 1989. During 1990 a pair were noted on Ravensworth Fell. The release of birds on a nearby estate, some or all of which may have been "Red-legged Partridge x Chukar" hybrids, coincided with the appearance of birds at the Far Pasture wetland in the Derwent Walk Country Park. This site attracted birds on a number of occasions in 1991, with as many as 15 there in October. A bird known to have originated from introduced stock at this same estate was found dead at Lintzford in 1990.

Grey Partridge Perdix perdix

A common resident.

Robson described it as "very common in our district" and despite a national decline in the species, due to changes in farming methods, it remains common within the borough. It is particularly well represented in the western half of the borough, large numbers being present in the areas around Barlow, Greenside and Ravensworth Fell. They are less common along the river valleys for most of these, if they are not well wooded, are built up in nature. Smaller numbers of birds do survive in the more urban eastern side of Gateshead and they can be seen regularly around Felling Shore, Bill Quay and Wardley. Birds are usually seen in pairs or in coveys of from five to fifteen, but the largest gathering recorded is of 52 near Greenside on 7th June 1986.

Quail Coturnix coturnix

A rare summer visitor.

There are many historical references to this species within the borough. Around 1876 a nest with eggs was found on Barlow Fell and about this time several were shot in the Blaydon Burn area. In 1883 one was taken at High Spen whilst the previous year a nest was found between Greenside and Ryton. This area has produced a number of records over the best part of a century. In 1891 a clutch of eleven eggs was taken from a Greenside nest and two years later, in a summer what was obviously very good for the species, another nest was found in the Greenside area and three or four birds were frequently seen at Fellside above the Gibside Estate. During this century there are no documented records until the 1930's when the Greenside-Ryton area once again proved attractive to birds. Singing birds were noted there in the summers of 1934, 1937 and 1939. Some twenty years later during the late 50's two birds were flushed from damp pastures at Derwenthaugh. The modern period is barren of sightings until 1985 when at least one, and probably two, birds were present between 26th June and 10th August on farmland near Washingwell Woods. From late May 1986 a bird was calling in the same field as in 1985, being present until at least 26th July, with another bird in territory some 300 yards away. There were no further reports until the summer of 1989 which saw one of the biggest influxes of the species to the British Isles for many years. Single birds were noted singing at Clockburn Dene, Highfield, Lockhaugh Meadows, Milkwellburn Wood, Ravenside above Chopwell, and at Washingwell Wood, with at least five, and probably seven, birds in the Greenside area. Birds were also reported to be present in the Team Valley and during August a family party of small gamebirds, believed to have been Quail, were flushed by a farmer on Parson's Haugh near Ryton Willows. During 1990 only one singing bird was noted, once again in the favoured area at Greenside.

Pheasant Phasianus colchicus

A common resident.

Temperley's work tells of male and female "Brown Pheasant", the originally introduced variety, taken at Ravensworth in the Team Valley in 1833. Today the majority of records refer to ring-necked birds though there is a great variety in the plumage of birds. Robson documents the shooting of a pure white specimen at High Spen in 1877. At that time the species was "strictly preserved" and there are still many birds reared for shooting locally, principally in the Ravensworth and Gibside Estates. Due to the close proximity of the Derwent Walk Country Park to this latter site large gatherings of birds occur there, up to 75 being seen together there in October 1986. Despite the release of sporting birds wild individuals can be found across the borough. Indeed the species was found to be present in over 41% of surveyed squares in 1986-87. It breeds in a wide range of habitats including marshland, woods and hedgerows, but unlike the Grey Partridge, it is more or less absent from the majority of the eastern half of the borough.

Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus

An extremely rare resident.

There are two records of this ornamental species in the borough and it would seem highly unlikely that they refer to birds from the feral populations in East Anglia or south-west Scotland. The first sighting was of an apparently wild male at Ravensworth Grange, Kibblesworth on 13th April 1980. The second report, also of a male, was from Whickham only eleven days later, quite extraordinarily in the suburban garden of the observer of the first bird! The obvious conclusion would appear to be to be that both sightings refer to the same bird, but the unlikely circumstances and the distance between the sightings introduce an element of doubt.

Reeves Pheasant Syrmaticus reevesi

An introduced resident.

Small numbers of birds were known to have been released in the Gibside Estate in the latter part of 1991 and once again in 1992. An male was noted at the Far Pasture Wetland on 14th October 1992.

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus

A scarce winter visitor and rare resident.

In 1896 Robson wrote, "a pair of these birds... were shot on Shibdon Flats a few years ago", he also mentioned single birds shot at Dunston in 1889 and Dunston Lodge in 1894. He makes no mention of the season when these specimens were taken but considering the large tracts of marsh in the borough at the time it seems likely that birds were breeding locally. Through the 1970's and 1980's Shibdon Pond regularly held birds and though breeding was not confirmed, summer sightings and territorial calls suggested that birds were nesting. Confirmation of successful breeding did not come until June 1988 when downy young were noted. The following year well grown juveniles were seen and during 1989 birds were present in two territories. Breeding was confirmed again in 1990 and it is believed that one or two pairs are present at this site annually. Wintering birds have also been recorded at Ryton Willows, Stargate Ponds, Blaydon Burn and Lockhaugh. All of the above sites could potentially hold breeding birds, and a pair were present at Ryton Willows into April on at least one occasion. It is believed that the borough is likely to hold two breeding pairs in most years with numbers supplemented in the winter by immigration. As many as 10 different birds were thought to be present at Shibdon in February 1985. At this time of the year birds may be noted at less regular sites such as the R.Derwent at Blackhall Mill, Eelshaugh and Lintzford localities which have all produced reports.

Spotted Crake Porzana porzana

An extremely rare passage migrant.

The past status of this species in the borough is a little uncertain, no doubt it was rare but Robson's references suggest that it was probably commoner than it is at present. In 1896 Robson mentioned a bird shot "some years ago" at Blaydon Burn. He also reports that Col. J.A. Cowens, of Blaydon Burn, had three in his collection but he does not say if these were locally obtained birds. One was shot on Shibdon Flats in 1891 and the next two records of the species in the borough were both from this locality, though many years later. The first modern record was of a juvenile bird at Shibdon Pond which remained from 11th to 19th September 1989. The most recent report was of a long-staying adult, once again at Shibdon, from 12th August to 7th September 1991.

Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla

Historical records only.

An extremely rare vagrant to Britain one was shot on the banks of the Derwent, near Swalwell, on or about the 12th July 1874. Temperley commented, "from the state of its plumage and the time of year when it was shot, in all probability it was breeding in the neighbourhood". It is believed that small numbers of this species did breed in Britain last century.

Corncrake Crex crex

A once regular summer visitor, now extremely rare.

The lower Derwent Valley and the borough's marshlands were a traditional stronghold for this species even after it had been lost from many other lowland areas. Last century Robson found a nest with 12 eggs near Rowlands Gill on 28th May 1895 and at the time birds were regularly reported around Blaydon, Rowlands Gill and Winlaton Mill. In 1938 birds could still be found around Blaydon and Rowlands Gill, birds persisting at the former site into the early 1940's. By the early 1950's Temperley noted that Durham had lost nearly all of its' breeding Corncrakes but birds persisted in Gateshead. In 1952 birds were present at Blaydon (i.e. Shibdon), where young were seen, and at Derwenthaugh. Birds were noted the following year and in 1954 one was in territory in the area now encompassed by Shibdon Pond Nature Reserve. That same year birds were in the lower Derwent Valley but not on, the by then spoil-tipped, Goodshields Haugh which had been a favourite haunt in the 1930's. As the fifties wore on sightings were increasingly scarce, though 1958 brought a report from Old Ravensworth. After this time reports of birds are mainly anecdotal, with unconfirmed reports, in the 1980's, of calling birds near Rowlands Gill and Ryton. The only confirmed records from our modern period are for the years 1973 and 1990. In the former year a male held territory for at least a week on Derwenthaugh Meadows, a once traditional site for the species. This is believed to be the last record of a territorial Corncrake in the lower Tyne Valley. In autumn 1990 two birds were recorded in Gateshead. On 7th September one was flushed from a path at Shibdon Pond and just over a week later one was picked up exhausted in a garage at Dunston.

Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

A common resident.

Described late last century as a "resident" and to "to be found on nearly all water bodies where there is enough cover for nesting", this description is still true today. Moorhen can be found on all local ponds streams and park pools, as well as along the Rivers Derwent, Team and on the uppermost reaches of the Tyne in the borough. It was recorded in 27% of kilometre squares checked during 1986/87 and, considering its' reliance on a close supply of water, it is surprisingly widespread across the borough. They rarely occur in large gatherings, though Axwell Park Lake and Shibdon Pond are somewhat exceptional in this respect, often attracting over 20 birds, with records of as many as 100 at Shibdon.

Coot Fulica atra

A locally common resident.

This species was summed up by Robson as "not so much distributed as the Water Hen", and this accurately describes its' status today. Unlike the Moorhen it prefers larger water bodies and it seems much less partial to running water only being occasionally noted on the Derwent and the Tyne. Breeding occurs on about eight local waters, the larger of these Axwell Park, Ryton Willows and Shibdon Pond holding some 35 pairs between them. There are noticeable winter movements into and out of the borough. Hard weather sometimes concentrates birds in large flocks, as many as 263 have been counted at Shibdon, whilst low water levels on ponds might induce an exodus out of the area. There is one notable ringing recovery, of a bird ringed at Shibdon on 18th March 1989 being found dead at Druridge Bay 33 days later.