Gateshead Birders

Photos PWD

Crustacea

Signal Crayfish in Derwent at Paddock Hill in September. 1 live and 1 half eaten. First record for Derwent.

Munjac Deer

A report of one running across a field on 14th September 2003 just to the north of Burdon Moor was very surprising. Investigations have led to the possibility of some having been released on the nearby Beamish Estate and if so, this will probably be one of these.

Otters Go To Town

January 2000

In Northumberland otters were close to extinction as recently as a decade ago but a recent recovery programme has led to a resurgence and now the animals have been found living on the River Tyne close to the Metro shopping centre in Gateshead. They inhabit a small reed bed on the river where it runs between the shopping centre and an industrial estate and housing. Kevin O'Hara, who is responsible for the programme, said a clean-up of the once polluted River Tyne had provided an abundant supply of fish for the otters. The pair have already bred and produced a cub; now another, female, otter has joined the pioneers and this may be the nucleus of a new population.

Durham Bat Group

Annual report 2002

A visit to Shibdon Pond
16 May 2002 9.45pm to 10.40pm approx 18C no wind
Shibdon pond is a nature reserve near Blaydon on Tyne. It is close to the River Tyne, and can be seen from the A1. It is notable for its large and heavily populated lake, and for very extensive reed beds which make access to considerable areas impossible, and provide an ideal habitat and protection for the wildlife.

On a previous visit to Shibdon pond I had been talking to a warden about the plant and wildlife to be seen in the area, and he proved very interesting and informative. He wondered if Daubentons bats used the lake, and I agreed to find out.

Thursday 16 May was very sunny and hot, and when it started to get dark I collected my equipment - the Maplin bat detector, and a home built torch. Other essentials - a notebook and pencil, stopwatch, and thermometer. I always mean to carry a pocket hygrometer too, but I don't as yet have one. Off to the pond, parking in the car park at Blaydon swimming pool.

It was a balmy 18C, and completely still. Turned on the bat detector and it nearly fell out of my hand - the watery 'plip plop' of Noctules foraging between the trees. Tuned it to 45kHz, but as before the Noctules were making so much din that I could hardly pick out anything else. However as I walked down to the lake I left them behind. Now for the big question - were there any Daubentons bats there?

No. Plenty of insects hovering a foot above the water waiting to be eaten but no guests at the restaurant - just the odd Noctule diving to catch them. Not a buzz or click - nothing. I had to hold the detector close to my ear to hear it above the din from the traffic on the A1 and the the water fowl arguing. Why didn't I bring my headphones - put them on the list of essential equipment!

The water was dead still except for the ripples made by the water birds and insects - but no tell-tale trails of dipping Daubentons, and no bats skimming over the water. I tried with my spot lamp, getting low to the water and scanning the lake - but no bats, just lots of insects.

Oh well, lets have a walk around the lakeside path. Through the kissing gate, and down the path to the bulrushes. More noctules, and just as I was tuning them out, a bevy of 45k pipistrelles - at least 8 or ten weaving between each other to feast on the plentiful midges, and more that I could see now and again against the sky. The detector was giving out a continuous rattle and buzz. Just as I was giving up I decided to check out a small stretch of open water between the rushes. I found a place where I could see part of the water and tuned the detector - YES! or was it the buzz of a noctule or pip feeding? There were both in the vicinity, and I needed to see it to verify its identity. After some time there it was again - the characteristic quick toneless sound of a Daub looking for grub. Out with the torch and scan what little I could see of the pond - and one flash of a small bat with a light underbelly flying perilously close to the water confirmed the identification. Try as I might I could get no closer, and I saw no more. However at least now we have some answers, and perhaps a lot more questions.

Yes, there are Daubentons bats (at least one!) in the Shibdon pond reserve; but why were there none on the big pond? Perhaps it wasn't their time to feed there, or maybe they shy away from the prolific water birds.

http://www.durhambats.org.uk/