Common Crane
Gateshead, Spring 2003
Common Crane - Whickham - 17 March 2002
P W Davidson

On Sunday 17 March 2002 I spent the morning searching for displaying raptors on the Durham Moors. Unfortunately the early morning mist, which had been forecast to lift, did not clear until later and the sun only made an appearance shortly before I had to leave at lunchtime. As a consequence the final tally was only 2 Common Buzzards. This was slightly disappointing and I decided to make a fleeting visit to Shibdon Pond on the way home in case an early Sand Martin was present to liven up the proceedings.

No such luck and after a few minutes I was heading back to Sunniside. To avoid the traffic lights at the top of Fellside Road I often detour slightly and come into Whickham along Duckpool Lane. Luckily for me that is the route I chose that day!

As I turned right off Orchard Road at about 1.30pm my attention was drawn to a large bird flying south which I saw momentarily out of the passenger window. I assumed that it was probably going to be a Goose of some sort but as most Geese are pretty scarce in Gateshead I thought I had better check it out. I quickly pulled over, grabbed my bins and took a closer look.

To my amazement the bird was a Common Crane!! I estimated that it was somewhere between about 50 and 100m up and possibly 150m distant. It circled then started to fly towards me before passing directly overhead and heading off to the West.

In all the bird was in view for around 3 or 4 minutes and during the period of observation, through Zeiss Dialyt 10x40's I noted the following description:-

SIZE AND SHAPE:
A very large bird with long neck and long legs, both held horizontally and creating a symmetrical profile in flight.
Wings long and rectangular with well fingered primaries.
Tail quite short and looking square cut.
Bill pointed, stout and heavy but much less prominent than in Grey Heron.

PLUMAGE:
Underparts steely grey blue with contrasting blackish flight feathers.
'Face' white indicating an adult and also the suggestion of some red on the head but not possible to obtain more precise plumage detail.

BEHAVIOUR:
Flight action comprised powerful beats with 'stiffish' wings interspersed with glides when wings held flat. Flight much less laboured than Grey Heron.
Silent during the period of observation

WEATHER: Cloudy but bright and dry. Warm with light SSE winds.

I quickly called Steve Westerberg on the mobile phone. He was at Thornley WC with fellow wardens Brian Pollinger and Andy McLay. All 3 dashed out of the Centre and headed along the A694 hoping to catch up with the bird. Fortunately they saw it within minutes as it passed over the road near Dam Head which is about 1.5 miles due West of Orchard Road!

This bird was associated with a widespread movement of Common Cranes in NE England over the weekend 16/17 March but it constitutes a first for the Borough of Gateshead.

I have previously seen Common Crane in Britain on 7 occasions involving 12 birds. My most recent sighting involved 1 over Greatham Creek on 2 October 1999. I have also found 1 previous Common Crane at Bamburgh on 6 May 1977, the record being accepted by British Birds.