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.

Thursday 20th February 2014

Bradley Hall Lake - 2 Wigeon and 1 Shelduck.
Sled Lane Pond - 6 Goosander and 2 Goldeneye.
Far Pasture NR - 1 Kingfisher
Lamesley - 2 Oystercatcher & 100+ Curlew on the flash pool.

Another butterfly and a barbaric ending to a Gateshead Red Fox

18th February

Dunston - A Peacock butterfly in the vicarage garden was the second butterfly of the year on 18th.

Marley Hill - A Red Fox had been killed and hung up on show for all to see at Marley Hill

At the weekend a Mediterranean Gull was present at Shibdon Pond on both 15th and 16th, as was the wintering Ruff

A Mediterranean weekend

Rowlands Gill - The first butterfly of the year - a small Tortoiseshell out in the sunshine on 6th February

The Small Tortoiseshell at Rowlands Gill [Alan Mould]

Last weekend

Sled Lane Pond - Pair of Goldeneye engaged in courtship display including mating. 2nd male also present, plus 17 Wigeon (10m : 7 f)
Clara Vale LNR - Very quiet only Grey Heron, Bullfinch, 2 Long tailed Tit, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. A Tree Sparrow came onto the seed feeder briefly and a Sparrowhawk flew over.
Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Wigeon and 1 Shelduck.
Watergate Lake - 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a fly over Grey Wagtail.

Lesser Black-backed, Herring and Mediterranean Gulls at Watergate [Rob Stonehouse]

Far Pasture NR - 30+ Long-tailed Tit, 6 Bullfinch, Willow, Coal, Blue and Great Tits, Lesser Redpoll, Goldcrest, Goldfinch and Chaffinch. Grey Wagtail on hide roof and a Pochard on pond.

Grey Wagtail at Far Pasture [Rob Stonehouse]

Shibdon Pond - 1 adult Mediterranean Gull and 1 Ruff were both present on 8th and 9th.

The adult Mediterranean Gull at Shibdon [Rob Stonehouse, top and Paul Davidson]

Green-winged Teal

Yesterday  Tuesday 4th Feb 

Far Pasture NR -  A Green-winged Teal found by Rob.  Also a Common Pochard and a Kingfisher

The Green-winged Teal [Photos: Paul Davidson & Rob Stonehouse]

Lamesley Water Meadows - 1 Wigeon

Cowen Road, Blaydon - Blue Tits already occupying a nest box

Saltwell Park Lake - The Common Pochard at this site this winter
Watergate - 1 Water Rail.
Burdon Moor - 2 Red Kite & 1 Skylark.

Chopwell Wood - 6 Crossbill

Sunday
Rowlands Gill - A Lesser Redpoll on a feeder was a first for one particular garden

Med Gull and Marsh Marigold

Sunday 19th January

Shibdon Pond - Ruff still present and Kingfisher seen.








Yesterday  20th January

Fellside, Whickham - Mediterranean Gull on playing Field
 

The Mediterranean Gull at Fellside [Paul Davidson]

Far Pasture NR - 2 Chiffchaff, 1 of the Siberian race present
Clara Vale - First Marsh Marigold in flower, as usual, much earlier than any other around.

Marsh Marigold [Gordon Pollinger]

Gateshead during the last 7 days

14th January

Kibblesworth brick works pools - 1 Green Woodpecker
Kibblesworth Grange - Little Owl and 3 Pink-feet with 51 Greylags
#

Little Owl at Kibblesworth [Steven Fryer]

16th January

Shibdon Pond - Nearly 1000 Lapwing and a Ruff. The three apparent 'Nordic' Jackdaw still present

Ruff at Shibdon [Gordon Pollinger]

16th January

Shibdon Pond - Nearly 1000 Lapwing and a Ruff. The three apparent 'Nordic' Jackdaw still present

'Nordic' Jackdaws at Shibdon [Steven Fryer]

 

The Ruff still at Shibdon [Steven Fryer]

Far Pasture NR - 1 Chiffchaff
Kibblesworth Grange - 6 Red-legged Partridge
Lamesley - 3 Pink-footed Geese   remain   with the Greylags.

Pink-footed Geese at Lamesley [Steven Fryer]

17th January

Shibdon Pond - a Peregrine put up all 500+ Lapwings

Lapwings flushed by a Peregrine at Shibdon [Peter Harvey]

18th January

Shibdon Pond - Still 500+ Lapwings, 6 Shelduck, Canada Goose with injured wing and several Teal
Burdon Moor - A few Fieldfare, Teal, Song Thrush, Common Snipe and  Linnet.
Far Pasture NR - Common Buzzard, 10 Red Kites circling over the pasture, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Willow Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Bullfinch, Jay, Robin, Coal Tit, Pied & Grey Wagtail, pair of Water Rail, Mallard, Teal and Moorhen.

Water Rail at Far Pasture [Derek Bilton]

With Skylark, Red-legged Partridge and Little Owl, together with the 3 Pink-footed Goose being  added to the year list due to observer pressure, the list stands at 93. Has anyone seen  Budgerigar in the borough so far this year? :-/

Robin's Pincushion at Shibdon [Peter Harvey] -   Diplolepis rosae is a gall-wasp whose larvae overwinter in the gall calldd Robin's Pincushion created by them on wild roses. They overwinter in the gall emerging as adult wasps in spring.