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]

Now a summer Med

Lamesley Water Meadows - Adult summer Mediterranean Gull.

The summer Med [Paul Davidson]

Kibblesworth Grange - 1 Woodcock over road at 6.30pm.

Sled Lane - Goosander, Goldeneye and Tufted Duck.

Despite the cold things seem to be  livening up at Sled Lane [Michael Eccles]

Clara Vale LNR - Kingfisher, 2 Greenfinch (not very common at Clara these days) and usual common species. Nearby 18 Goosander on the river Tyne.
Westfield Pasture - 1 Tawny Owl
Greenside - Grey Partridge and another Tawny Owl

Kitti's back

River Tyne - 4 Kittiwakes back on the Tyne 
Dunston Staithes - 2 Ringed Plover
Westfield Pasture - 2 Woodcock
Burdon Moor  - Remains of a Little Owl, predated by Sparrowhawk. 

Shibdon Pond - A first winter Mediterranean Gull 

The first winter Mediterranean gull [Alan Mould]

Derwent Walk - Also a dozen common frogs in trackside ditch along the Derwent walk near Far Pasture with bundles of frogspawn.

Common Frog along Derwent Walk [Alan Mould]

River Derwent at Swalwell - Two Kingfishers on the Derwent next to B&Q

Thursday 17th January

River Tyne at Costco  - 2 Goldeneye, 4 Tufted Duck, 100+ Teal & 2 Mute Swan.
Shibdon Pond -  1 Water Rail
Birtley town centre - 12 Waxwing again
Westfield Pasture - 6 Woodcock and 50 Redwing
Gibside - 1 ground-feeding Treecreeper on 16th & 17th

Tree-creeper at Gibside [John Errington]

Early birds

The first birds of the day
Westfield Pasture - Tawny Owl and Woodcock.

Later in the day -
Far Pasture NR - A Chiffchaff was found yesterday on the track by the sewage works. Today two were found, a nominate race bird and a northern (Scandinavian) abietinus bird. 100+ Pink-footed Geese flew West at 11:55. Also Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit , Common Buzzard, 6 Goldcrest
Bradley Fell- 26 Golden Plover present and 4 Crossbill flew over as did a skein of 150 Pink-footed Geese heading north at 12:12.

126 Pink-feet over [Steven Fryer]

Watergate Park - 2 Dipper in outlet stream.
Shibdon Pond - Kingfisher, 6 Shelduck
Winlaton Mill - 1 Jay
Clara Vale village - 2 Waxwing
Stargate landfill -  2 adult Lesser black backed Gulls and a Green Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker [Steven Fryer]

Tawny Owl, Woodcock, Dipper, Crossbill and Chiffchaff all new for the year putting the total on 85.

 

A little bit of tittle-tattle from further afield.
While at Saltholme RSPB Reserve at Teesmouth this morning one of the volunteer wardens walked up to us. The usual 'Seen anything?' we asked. 'Only something I couldn't identify' he replied. 'It flew towards you, you didn't see anything?'. 'No didn't see anything unusual, What did it look like?' we asked. 'It was black and white and thrush sized, Oh and it had some red on it'. We not only could not find the bird but even hazard a guess as to what it was. When we gave up he walked off saying 'if I was abroad I would have said it was a Pied Kingfisher'. The mind boggles sometimes.