Mid March Marsh Tit

 Sunday 16th
Birtley reedbed pools - Now 3 Gadwall present
Shibdon Pond - Ruff still present
Metrocentre - 1 Peregrine soaring overhead

Saturday 15th
Barlow - 1 Marsh Tit the first since possibly 2011

Clara Vale LNR -  Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, Goldcrest, Willow Tit and Yellowhammer 

Yellowhammer at Clara Vale [Derek Bilton]

Friday 14th
Lamesley- 24 Pink-footed Geese.

The Pink-footed Geese at Lamesley [Paul Davidson]

Team valley - Tawny owl 1 hunting & 1 singing Chiffchaff
Winlaton Mill - At  least 3 Chiffchaff singing in Winlaton Mill area of Derwenthaugh Park. 2 pairs of Goosander on river Derwent.
Shibdon Pond - No sign of the Mandarin but now a Muscovy Duck has appeared.

The Muscovy Duck at Shibdon [Carl Jewitt]

Manadrin at Shibdon

Shibdon Pond - a drake Mandarin with the Shelducks this morning

Mandarin & Shelduck at Shibdon [George Simpson]


More from yesterday
Greenside - Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma butterflies seen.
Lamesley Water Meadows - pair mating Goosander, 3 Shelduck a pair of sparrowhawk, Kestrel on pylon above angels' head and  68 Curlew. 20+ Tree Sparrow and 2 Stock Dove behind Ravensworth Arms.

Pair of Goosander at Lamelsey [Lee Harris]

Spring

Sled Lane - 1 Goosander, 2 Mute swan, 11 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 10+ Tufted Duck
Lamesley Water Meadows - 4 Greylag, 1 Wigeon, 100 Lapwing 4 Redshank
Clara Vale LNR - 2 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) yesterday in a garden and a Comma there today
Crawcrook Quarry - Green Sandpiper on March 10th. Green woodpecker calling.
Shibdon Pond - Ruff still present though most of the Lapwing have now left for their breeding areas. Also a Kingfisher, a pair of Goosander, Oystercatcher, Sheldduck, Redshank and  Common Snipe. A Common Buzzard over drifting North. On the wing today  Peacock , Small tortoiseshell , Comma, hoverflies and Bumblebees

Comma, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell all enjoying the sun at Shibdon [George Simpson]

Tree Sparrow at Pennyfine Lane [Lee Harris]

A pair of Gadwall

Today, Sunday 9th

Birtley reedbed pools - a pair of Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe & a singing Chiffchaff.
Lamesley Water Meadows -  - 95 Curlew, 2 Oystercatchers, 1 Common Snipe. 30+ Tree Sparrow   behind the Ravensworth car park
Watergate - 2 Little Grebe, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Siskin & 1 Grey Wagtail.
Clara Vale - 1 singing Chiffchaff
Chopwell Woods - 50+ Crossbill, 50+ Siskin, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker & 4 Bullfinch.
Ravensworth Grange - 4 Tree Sparrow 

Tree Sparrows at Lamesley [Lee Harris]

5th

Burdon Moor - 1 Red Kite, 200+ Golden Plover, 38 Curlew, 10 Teal- and Skylarks singing.
Lamesley Water Meadows -  89 Curlew, 1 male Wigeon, 1 Shelduck, 46 Teal, 3 Oystercatcher and 2 Common Buzzard 
Pennyfine Road, Sunniside - 1 Tree Sparrow  near Silver Hills nursery

Chiffchaff now singing

Monday 3rd March

Far Pasture NR - Chiffchaff singing. Kingfisher on pond and Lesser Redpoll in car park. 
Shibdon Pond - 1 Ruff. 
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon and 102 Curlew. 
Kibblesorth brickworks Pool - 2 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Curlew, 1 Green Woodpecker,

River near Copper wood - 2 Dipper and 1-2 Kingfisher, both giving great views. 50+ each of Canada Goose and Grey Lag in field juts over the Gateshead boundary there


Saturday 1st March

Far Pasture NR  - 5 Goldcrest around the car-park area, 4 Roe Deer in adjacent meadow, 4 Red Kite, 2 interacting, Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, Kestrel, Tawny Owl heard not seen, also Long Tail Tits, Nuthatch, Jay & Water Rail of note.

Goldcrest, Roe Deer and Red Kite - all at Far Pasture on 1st [Derek Bilton]

100 up

Tuesday 25th Feb

Between Marley hill & Thornley - 2 Goosander (male and female), 1 Dipper, 2 Cormorant on river, Numerous red kites, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and lots of Wren singing and Dunnock displaying.
Cuthbert Hill pond, Sunniside - 20Curlew, 100+ Black-headed Gull, (one with full black head), l Lesser Black-backed Gull, 4 Common Gull, Herring gull, 7 Teal, 10 Moorhen, 40 Redwing, 30 Starlings, 2 Reed Bbunting.
Far Pasture NR - Red kite, 2 Common Snipe, 8 Teal, Canada Goose, Mallard.
River Tyne at Dunston - 2 Peregrine hunting along the river

One of the Peregrines over the Tyne [Steven Fryer]

Shibdon Pond - 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Lamesley - 3 Oystercatchers 

Thursday 27th Feb

Watergate - 5 Waxwing flew through south. Also 1 Cormorant, 2 Tufted Duck and 1 Grey Wagtail.
Burdon Moor - 2 Stonechat along with 10+ Skylarks, 2 Red Kites.
Lamesley - 1 Green Sandpiper, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Oystercatchers.
Stella - A 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull reported on 26th.

1st March

Wrekenton - 1 Ring-necked Parakeet flew over at 09:30
Chopwell Woods - Single Green and Great-spotted Woodpecker, plus  Goldcrest, Siskin and Red Kite.


That makes it 100 (I think) for the year

At the weekend - Nothing but LBBGs

Watergate - 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Cormorant & 1 Grey Wagtail.
Lamesley - 1 Wigeon & 2 Oystercatcher. Dipper singing under the bridge.
Timber Beach - 2 Oystercatcher & 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Shibdon Pond - 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull & 1 Ruff.