Terns are back

Dipper on the Derwent [Derek Bilton]

Shibdon Pond - Common Sandpiper , Common Terns , Blackcaps and about 50 Swallows. Also a Stoat hunting which got onto the island in front of the hide

The Common Terns are back at Shibdon [George Simpson]

 
Ryton -  Lesser Redpoll, 2 Siskin, female Blackcap and Chiffchaff all in one Ryton garden

Lesser Redpoll in a Ryton garden [Steven Fryer]

Yellow Waggies

Kibblesworth Grange - 3 (all male) Yellow Wagtail, 12 White Wagtail, 2 Oystercatcher
Crawcrook Quarry - 1 male Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail at Crawcrook - One of 8 in the borough this morning [Goldon Pollinger]

Birtley reedbed pools - 1 Water Rail, 10+ each of Swallow and Sand Martin, 3 Kestrel, 1 Blackcap
Lamesley water meadows - 4 (mmmf) Yellow Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail, 1 House Martin, 18 Sand Martin and 20 Swallow, 2 Oystercatcher
Burdon Moor - 3 Wheatear, 1 White Wagtail, 120 Golden Plover
Saltwell Park - Pair of Blackcap, a pair of Bullfinch, Song and Mistle Thrush and Nuthatch
West Kyo - 3 Wheatear, 3 Curlew and 2 Common Buzzard

Greenside - Last nights moth trap -
1881  Early Tooth-striped (Trichopteryx carpinata)  1
2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  1
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  6
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  9
2243  Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)  1
2256  Satellite (Eupsilia transversa)  1

A big Gos today

Clara Vale - Female Goshwak over today
Greenside - 12 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Peacock plus a pair of Tree Sparrow  prospecting suitable nesting sites. Also 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler and 2 Blackcap
Saltwell - Sparrowhawk took a immature Blackbird.
Derwent Walk Country Park - at least 7 Blackcaps singing between Clockburn Lake & Nine Arches Viaduct.
Cowen Road, Blaydon - 1 Blackcap
Hagghill - Blackcap and Willow Warbler in one garden today

Jay and Blackcap at Hagghill [Steven Fryer]

Ryton -  3 Siskin and a singing Chiffchaff in one garden.

Overnight - Greenside- moth trap
0663  Diurnea fagella  1
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  2
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  9

Roe Deer at Dunston [Revd David Atkinson]

News from the past few days

Today

Paddock Hill woods - 1 male Pied Flycatcher along the river this morning

Greenside - 1 Common Whitethroat  and a few Lesser Redpoll. Some Swallows already on breeding territories.
Dunston - Single Small Tortoiseshell and the first Small White in the vicarage garden today,

Small White in the vicarage garden at Dunston [Revd David Atkinson]

Kibblesworth Grange - 3 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Oystercatcher.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2m & 1f Gadwall, 5 White Wagtail & 2 Oystercatcher.

The three  Gadwall [Rob Stonehouse]

Crawcrook Quarry - 4 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey heron, 1 Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed bunting, Yellowhammer, Linnet, pair of Grey partridge, Sand martin, Swallow,
a pair of Mute swan, a pair of Greylag, 1 Small tortoiseshell, 1 Comma, 1 Peacock, common toad and a Smooth Newt

A fascinating insight to a colour-ringed Black-headed Gull seen on 10th March this year at Shibdon which had been ringed in Norway and was back there 3 weeks later!

Yesterday 18th April

Lamesley - 2 Ring Ouzels along Pennyfine road. 

Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Yellow Wagtail, 6 White Wagtail, 2m &1f Gadwall and 2 Oystercatcher.

Birtley reedbeds/sewage works- 1 Yellow Wagtail and 6 White Wagtails. Kibblesworth Grange - 1 Yellow Wagtail and 2 Oystercatcher.

Greenside - 3 Blackcap, several Chiffchaff and a Woodcock

Shibdon Pond - Common Sandpiper and the first Sedge Warbler and Common Whitethroat of the year. 

One of the White Wagtails [Steven Fryer]

Wednesday 17th April

Dyke Heads - Both male and female Wheatear in cropped field SW of houses this evening. Male also present yesterday.
East Bradley Fell -  One Woodcock. Also a very ragged - looking Red Kite; many feathers missing but flying strongly in the wind. Pipistrelles over gardens the last few evenings.

Scarred Deer

West Kyo - 7 Wheatear, pair of Grey Partridge, pair of curlew and 3 Skylark
Derwent Walk CP -  Two female roe deer and further along one buck. One of the female roe deer appeared to have old scars around her neck! The buck was lame when walking with looked like a bite to his rear leg!. The observer asked is there a problem with poaching around here or could be a dog attack? 15 Sand Martin here yesterday evening

Roe Deer - note scars on bbth animals [William Cowings]

Watergate - 1 Black necked grebe, 2 Little grebe - summer plumage, 1 Swallow and Willow Warbler
Burdon Moor - Skylarks - several and in full voice, 10 Curlew, 2 Grey partridge, 1 Kestrel, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow warblers, Lapwing and Red Kites


Late News:
Bensham - A flock of 20 Waxwing spent 3 days around 7th April in the area.
Rowlands Gill - 1 Blackcap in a garden in March for several days.

A 3rd Osprey

Cowen Road, Blaydon - At about 10.10 yesterday morning an Osprey flew over Cowen Road,  and then across the Tyne and out of sight, loosely pursued by gulls and jackdaws. (The observer's first in Gateshead and he wouldn’t have seen it if the gulls hadn’t been making such a racket). This is the 3rd Osprey this year

Westfield Pasture
In addition to that noted earlier, Single Buff-tailed and Tree Bumblebees and Common Toad. Moschatel noted in flower.

Comma at Westfield [Brian Pollinger]

Small Tortoiseshell Oops Peacock at Westfield [Brian Pollinger]

Moschatel at Westfield [Brian Pollinger]

Spring rush

Ravensworth Fell - 20+ Wheatear and a Peregrine.
Watergate - 1 Black-necked Grebe,2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Common Tern, 3 Little Grebe, 1 Dipper, 1 Grey wagtail and 1 Green Woodpecker. Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Willow Tit singing.

Black-necked Grebe at Watergate [various photographers]

Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Yellow, 19 White and 3 Pied Wagtail. 2 Oystercatcher and pair Gadwall. Tree Sparrow by house and 1 Wheatear

Yellow Wagtail at Lamesley [Paul Davidson]

Kibblesworth Grange - 2 Yellow, 1 White and 2 Pied Wagtail. 2 Oystercatcher,2 Redshank and 1 Snipe.
Shibdon Pond - 2 Common Sandpiper and 1 Kingfisher.

Common Sandpiper at Shibdon [Steven Fryer]

 Moth trap overnight at Greenside

Taxa
0468  Rhigognostis incarnatella  1
0688  Agonopterix heracliana  1
1663  March Moth (Alsophila aescularia)  1
2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  2
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  3
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  6
 

Signs of spring

Burdon Moor -  7 Wheatear


Ravensworth Fell - 2 Little owl

Lamlesey water meadows - 1 White Wagtail on the flash pool





Birtley reedbeds - 50+ swallow. House martin. Sand martin. Lots of passerines migrating mainly Meadow Pipits but nothing coming down to feed.
Westfield Pasture - 2 Comma, 2 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Brambling, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Green Woodpecker, several Common toad and a Roe Deer
Ryton - Bullfinch and Siskin in a garden
Shibdon Pond - 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Peacock.


Saltwell Park -  2 Swallow, many Chiffchaff and Nuthatch, 32 Redwing, a Bullfinch and a Goldcrest.
Derwent Walk Country Park - Sand Martin, Swallow, Chiffchaff & Willow Warbler all present today am. Grey Wagtail showing well on river along with at least one pair Goosander and 2 pair Tufted Ducks on Clockburn Lake.
West Kyo - 1 Swallow, 1 Willow Warbler, 12 Wheatear, 5 Meadow Pipit, 1 Common Snipe, 2 Lapwing, 6 Fieldfare and a male Goosander  high over heading South West.


Greenside - Moth trap produced
0647  Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)  1
2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  1
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  1
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  4

First Willow Warblers and House Martin

Shibdon Pond - a presumed 'Viking' Gull. Also single Swallow, House Martin and several Sand Martin late morning.

'Viking' Gull at Shibdon [Steven Fryer]

Birtley reedbed pools - about 20 each of Swallow and Sand Martin, 1 House Martin and 2 singing Willow Warbler

Bits and pieces on 13th April

Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Wigeon and 2 Gadwall

Birtley reedbeds - Single Swallow and Sand Martin,

Hagghill Woods - 3 Roe Deer visited one observers' garden today (buck and 2 does).

One of the Roe Deer [Steven Fryer]

River Tyne at Ryton - 17 Goosander

Westfield Pasture - The second butterfly species of the year - a Speckled Wood. 3 Woodcock, 3 singing Chiffchaff plus Scarlet Elf Cap fungi and flowering Woodruff and Moschatel.

West Kyo - 4 Wheatear, pair of Grey Partridge and 2 Chiffchaff

Shibdon Pond - Common Toad and Lesser Celandine in flower

Lesser Celandine, Common Toad and a Millipede, probably Tachypodoiulus niger  

Yesterday

Clara Vale - A pair of  Mallard have hatched 15 ducklings today. Hopefully not just hors d'oeuvres for the local cats. at least two pairs of tree sparrows in the Reserve. Two chiffchaffs singing yesterday. No sign of them today.

A Long-eared Owl has been seen twice in suitable breeding territory in the last few days in the west of the borough.

Hirundines

Clara Vale LNR - A pair of Kingfisher mating in oak tree , 2 Siskin, Green Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tits nest building, Chiffchaff, and 8 Greenfinch.

Axwell Park, Blaydon - 3 Sand Martins

Far Pasture NR - 2 Swallows dipped in for a drink and carried on their way roughly north west. At least 8 Chiffchaffs (3 singing),  Little Grebe for the first time this year and a Tawny Owl calling from direction of the river.

West Kyo  - 2 pr Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 30 Meadow Pipit, 3 singing Skylark, 2 singing Yellowhammer, Goldcrest,10 Redwing, 4 Song Thrush and 10 Blackbird

Kingfishers mating at Clara Vale [Derek Bilton]

Jack n Mealy

Yesterday (Monday 8th)
Ravensworth Fell - 6 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 7 Common Snipe and 1 Jack Snipe

Jack Snipe on Ravensworth Fell yesterday [Steven Fryer]

Watergate - 1 Mealy Redpoll

More news from yesterday (Sun 7th April)

Low Greenside - Male Brambling on garden feeders. Also 4 Siskin, several Bullfinch, Willow Tit, Jay and 2 Stock Dove. Chiffchaff singing nearby.

East Bradley Fell - Singing Chiffchaff, c10 Redwing, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, Red Kite, 2 pair Stock Dove, Linnet back in breeding areas. Yesterday 2 Woodcock.

Dyke Heads - 1 Common Buzzard.

Far Pasture NR - Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Wren, Chiffchaff, Goldcrests, Willow Tit, Nuthatch, Woodcock, Grey Wagtails and Bank Vole


Bank Vole at Far Pasture [Derek Bilton]

Clara Vale LNR - Jay, Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Kingfisher, and Chiffchaff - plus the usual commoner species

Tree Sparrow at Far Pasture [Derek Bilton] 

Jay at Far Pasture [Billy Cannybud]

Ringed and Little Ringed

Burdon Moor - 6 male Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 1 Woodcock and a fly-over Goosander

Stonechat and Wheatear at Burdon Moor [Syeven Fryer]

Lamesley water meadows - One of yesterday's Ringed Plover still present and now also a Little Ringed Plover. Also 2 (a pair) of Gadwall and 2 Oystercatcher. Dipper on the nearby stream by the roadbridge.

3 plovers at Lamesley. Lapwing,  Ringed and Little Ringed [Paul Davidson]

Birtley reedbed pools - Chiffchaff and Water Rail

Kibblesworth Grange - 5 Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe, 23 Teal & 7 Tufted Duck.

Ringed not Little Ringed

 

2 Ringed Plover at Lamesley [Paul Davidson]

Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Ringed Plover on the flashpool this afternoon and 3 Snipe on the water meadows. Pair of Gadwall and 2 Oystercatcher on water meadows a 

Burdon Moor - 1 Wheatear, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 200+ Golden Plover


Kibblesworth Grange- A  Wigeon and  3 Tufted Duck

Birtley reedbed pools - 2 Chiffchaff singing and 2 Water Rail calling.

A colour-winged Herring Gull at Shibdon Pond last weekend was the same bird that was present there in June last year and had previously been seen in Belguim, prior to it being ringed at Rainham, London.
A Tufted Duck, sporting a BTO ring was also present this week but the numbers on the ring are still to be sorted. 

Wheataer at Burdon Moor [Rob Stonehouse]

Another single Brambling

Sheriff Hill - A Woodcock flew low over the QE this morning at 08:00.
River Tyne at Ryton - 27 Goosander

Yesterday
Clara Vale LNR - 1 Brambling, plus Nuthatch. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher present at times and Siskin.

Brambling & Siskin at Clara Vale [Bill Cowing]

A Bittern Report

Birtley reedbeds - A Bittern reported from here, also reported from here was a Small Copper Butterfly, exceptionally early but one reported in Norfolk on 5th March. 3 Chiffchaff were seen here, together with 2 Kingfisher and a Willow Tit, and 3 Water Rail were heard.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 2 Gadwall still present on the flash pools.
Kibblesworth Grange - 1 Wigeon on the pool
Ravensworth Fell - 2 Short-eared Owl,  1,000 Golden Plover, 10 Meadow Pipit and 3 Brown Hare, 4 Common Buzzard over the nearby estate.

Short-eared Owls at Ravensworth Fell [Rob Stonehouse]

Still no summer migrants

Still no summer migrants

Saltwell Park - 15 Redwing still and a Great-spotted Woodpecker
Shibdon Pond - Pair of Gadwall, 1 Mediterranean  Gull (2w) and 1Whooper Swan.
Kibblesworth Grange -1 Wigeon
Lamesley Water Meadows -  Pair of Common Buzzards displaying  and a  pair of Teal mating. Also a pair of Shelduck
Greenside/Burnhills reclaimed landfill site - Female Peregrine this afternoon showing well from bridleway.
Woodside - Little Owl this evening
Whickham golf course - 3+ Woodcock
Gibside - 100+ Golden Plover and 10+ Fieldfare 
Far Pasture NR - 4 Chiffchaff, Willow tit and Goldcrest
Derwent Walk CP -  Green woodpecker in Cooper's wood

 

Chiffchaff at Far Pasture NR [Steven Fryer]