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

First Blackcap

Ryton - 1 Blackcap in a garden
East Bradley Fell - Bleak, frozen and almost birdless this morning, Woodcock, Kestrel and 2 Meadow Pipit.
Ravensworth Fell - 1 Long-eared Owl
Watergate - 1 Green Woodpecker and about 50 Lesser Redpoll.
Lamesley - 6 Meadow Pipit, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Red-legged Partridge and 3 Snipe.


Late News : c20 Whooper Swan passed over north East Bradley Fell 5pm last Tuesday 19th.

Very Quiet

Things generally very quiet and despite it now being officially spring, there's still a mainly winter feel to the birds around at the moment.

Shibdon Pond -  Whooper Swan still present and a probable 'Viking' Gull [ie Glaucous x Herring Gull hybrid]

Probable 'Viking' Gull

The Whooper Swan still present

Vigo Wood, Birtley - Great-spotted woodpecker making a nest hole 

The Great-spotted Woodpecker at Vigo [David Gaffney]

Two Long tailed Tits at a bird feeder at Dyke Heads on 20th and a Pied Wagtail on the pavement at Blaydon Shopping Centre on 17th.

Whooper and Shelduck

Shibdon Pond - 1 adult Whooper Swan, 6 Shelduck, 2 Sparrowhawk

The Whooper at Shibdon this morning

Lamesley Water Meadows  - 2 Shelduck
Burdon Moor - 12 Common Snipe.
River Tyne at Costco - 1 Kittiwake
Birtley reedbed pools - 2 Roe Deer, 2 Shelduck