A wild Whooper on the boardwalk

Burdon Moor - No further sign of the Stonechat
Lamesley water meadows - A pair of Gadwall on the flash pools.
Shibdon Pond - Whooper Swan on the boardwalk today.

Whooper - wild, he's livid! [George Simspon]

The observer said ' I think what must have happened is that other whooper’s must have flown past calling and he has tried to join them as he was constantly calling himself, I don’t know if he collided with anything but he was beside the bypassPoor thing did not make Iceland at Blaydon never mind the continent

So I proceeded  to walk him back to the pond up the pit line , nice and steady we went till he spotted the teal pond. He then tried to get through the fence without any success slowly I approached him it was when I got to close he attacked. So I grab him and carried him to the pond before realeasing him I checked him for any sign of injury couldn’t find any but he does seem to be very thin'

Saltwell Park -  Several Great-spotted Woodpecker

This week so far

Please note that the hides at Clara Vale will be closed this Friday 29th March until 1pm.



Today, 28th March
Sled Lane Pond -  20 Tufted Duck 
Far Pasture NR - 1 White Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Grey Wagtail, 15 Meadow Pipit and 30+ Pied Wagtail feeding on pans. 15+ Red Kite and 7+ Common Buzzard over

Yesterday 27th
Sunniside - Woodcock over Sunniside Road in morning
Lamesley Water Meadows - 110 Golden Plover in afternoon.
Ryton - A Blackcap still devouring apples in a garden.

Blackcap at Ryton [Paul Davidson]

Derwenthaugh  - Oyster-catcher and 2 Goosander

Oyster-catcher at Derwenthaugh [Steven Fryer]

Tuesday 26th
Shibdon Pond - Gadwall and a Jack Snipe in the reserve , 3 Red Kites over again, one of which was carrying a transmitter on its back but no wing tags 

The Gadwall on Shibdon [Steven Fryer]

Derwenthaugh - The leucistic Herring Gull on the staithes

The leucistic Herring Gull [George Simpson]

Monday 25th
Shibdon Pond - 1 Whooper Swan, 1 Mediterranean Gull(2nd winter), 10 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 3 Red Kite over.

The Mediterranean Gull (2nd winter) at Shibdon with Black-headed Gulls [Steven Fryer]

Far Pasture NR - 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Grey Wagtail, 15 Meadow Pipit and 20 Pied Wagtail feeding on pans. 8 Goldcrest feeding in hedge.
Timber Beach, Dunston - 1 Dunlin.
Watergate - 25 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Siskin, 1 Dipper and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

First Doctor's Duck of the year

Lamesley Water Meadows - Pair of Gadwall on Horse World pool.

Thornley Woodland  - From the hide this morning 2 male Roe Deer moved through, one with, 1 without velvet on the antlers. Also 9 Pheasant and many Grey Squirrel

Buck Roe Deer at Thornley [Bill Cowings]

Shibdon Pond - Whooper Swan still present but looking a bit poorly today. 2 Red Kites over , 2 Oyster-catchers on the island plus 15 Shedduck and a Greylag
Derwenthaugh meadows - well flooded now and 50+ Curlew, plus several Pied Wagtail and Redwing.

Pied Wagtail at Derwenthaugh [George Simpson]

Kibblesworth Grange - 3 Tufted Duck and 1 Oyster-catcher.
Burdon Moor - 20 Golden Plover