January 2006
Winter specialities remain, but our resident species begin to pair up as the days slowly get longer
Singing birds this year have included Mistle Thrush, Chaff & Greenfinch, Collared & Stock Dove, Coal & Great Tit. The first report of Skylarks singing was on 19th. Two of our survey species have been vocal with Long-eared Owl & Nuthatch both heard, with male Grey Partridge engaging in territorial behaviour & a Dipper nests under construction at Frosterley & nr Lanchester. Other signs that we are past our shortest winter days were the return of Great Crested Grebe to breeding waters, drumming from both Lesser & Greater Spotted Woodpeckers & a trickle of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Conversely, cold weather on the continent brought us fresh winter visitors with a notable movement of Pink-footed Geese on 22nd when an immigrant Woodcock came in off the sea at Souter.
Mistle Thrush, Jarrow (© M
Newsome)
Mediterranean Gull, Whitburn Steel (© M Newsome)
So far 2006 has seen the late Wearmouth afternoon gull roost produce 3 each of Glaucous & Iceland, with 2 ad Yellow Legged Gulls too. This gull site is now the best on the English East Coast. Nearby, at least 4 Mediterranean Gulls are currently on South Tyneside.
Croxdale Hall, Durham City, is currently the most reliable site for Hawfinch in North-east England, with up to 12 birds. Others seen on the estate include all 3 Woodpeckers, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Kingfisher, Dipper, Goosander, Dabchick, Stock Dove, Siskin, Bullfinch, Water Rail, Woodcock etc, etc. Other sections of the mid Wear Valley produced Goshawk, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Merlin, Barn Owl & 4 Whooper Swans at Ramshaw.
Widespread Barn Owl records continue after last years good breeding season. The Rainton area currently holds all 5 species, with at least 8 Short-eared’s at Rainton Meadows. Western sites had ‘singing’ Long-eared Owl, with small roosts totalling 14 found on Tyneside.
The N.Tees Marshes hold several specialities, with 8-10 Water Pipits at Haverton Hole & Saltholme, a Great Northern Diver on the estuary at Tees Mouth, with 70 Twite nearby at Seaton Snook. The Cetti's Warbler remained elusive at Dormans, where twitchers were ticking off a rather drab 1st winter female Lesser Scaup. Others on the marshes include 3 (2M)Smew, Merlin, Ruff. Black tailed Godwit, Slavonian Grebe etc, etc Regular multiple sightings of Peregrines, with Back Saltholme being as good a place as any to watch hunting birds. Colder weather at the end of the month saw 4 Slavonian Grebes on Seal Sands & 3,000 Golden Plover at Saltholme. Two Little Egrets added a splash of colour. Unusually two Red Necked Grebe were present, one on Rec Pond, the other a confiding bird on the lake at Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, a diverse range of species here recently includes Common Redpoll, Waxwings, Tree Sparrow, Goosander, Willow Tit, Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail, Lesser Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpecker etc.
Red Kites -Barlow Burn remains the best location to watch Red Kites with up to 29 birds present, often scavenging over the landfill site. Later in the afternoon birds move to Sherburn Towers to roost, where an impressive 33 were noted on the wing together. Other birds have been noted in both Teesdale & Weardale.
Red Kite, Derwent Valley (© S
Fryer)
Long-eared Owl, Co. Durham
Total of 97 species seen during South Tyneside's Birdrace on 8th Jan, including Water Rail, Jack Snipe, Little Owl, Snow Bunting, Great Spotted Woodpecker & 60 Waxwings at the favoured Tyne Tunnel area, but 2 Lapland Buntings disappeared just days before the race…. Later, 6 Ruff appeared on Boldon Flats along with a site max of 9 Pochard, unusual on the shallow floodwater. At the months end, 2 Long tailed Duck passed Seaburn, a ‘Blue’ Fulmar went north on 28th, when a Black Throated Diver was in the mouth of the Tyne.
3 Green Sandpiper were easily visible at Lamesley Sewage Works, with a new site in Derwentside holding a wintering bird. Others in the Gateshead borough included Whooper Swan at Sled Lane, Blackcaps at Clara Vale & Shibdon, Marsh Tit at Thornley, Jack Snipe & Stonechat at Burdon Moor.
Wide selection as usual on Waldridge Fell including 27 Crossbill, Stonechat, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Green Woodpecker, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch, Willow Tit. A Dipper was a good find there. Webs counts at Houghton Gate produced a flock of 15 European White fronted Geese, with a Common Redpoll nearby at Morton Wood on 27th.
Its nice to see Common Buzzard begin to live up to their name – pairs were seen in display at several widespread lowland areas, including Lanchester & Houghton.
A white morph Gyr Falcon was near Darlington on 9th Jan (KB) & a Little Bunting (SE/CW) on 3 dates nr Murton, where club members have established a farmland feeding station, both remain out there somewhere……