Monday 23 February 2015

Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 15th February 2015

House Sparrow 5
Collared Dove 1
Feral Pigeon 4
Blue Tit 3
Great Tit 2
Goldfinch 5
Coal Tit 2
Starling 4
Robin 1
Jackdaw 2
Greenfinch 2
Blackbird 3
Dunnock 2
Sparrowhawk 1

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts & Fat Balls.
Water

Mammals: Wood Mouse

 Photograph by Ann Mason

Monday 16 February 2015

North Gare Sands - WeBS Count - Sunday 15th February 2015

Today, I was holiday cover for the North Gare WeBS count for Natural England. The day was a bit misty, but very mild and pleasant.


Bird Count was as follows:

Redshank 5
Black-headed Gull 102
Herring Gull 6
Red-breasted Merganser 8
Grey Plover 7
Turnstone 2
Oystercatcher 25
Shag 3
Cormorant 1
Dunlin 3

Just outside of the survey area, there was a larger raft of 11 Shag in the main shipping line of the River Tees.

As I walked along the beach at Seaton Snook, a flock of 14 Snow Buntings took off from the rocks flew around my head before returning to the rocks.







Garden Moth Update - Saturday 14th February 2015

For the first time, I have put my moth trap out each week during the winter months. There are only two moth recorders (including myself) taking part in this year's Winter Garden Moth Scheme in County Durham (VC66) and I didn't really know what to expect.

No moths were recorded until lastnight when 3 moths were present. It was a great start to 2015, because all moths were new species for the garden.

Early Moth
Dotted Border
Pale Brindled Beauty

In true Valentine's Day fashion, all moths caught were males as each of these species has a flightless / wingless female.

Pale Brindled Beauty


Dotted Border

Early Moth

After seeing the Black Grouse at Upper Teasdale, we drove along the St John's Chapel road over the top and into Weardale. Driving down the dale, we stopped at the Durham Dales Visitor Centre in Stanhope because previously the car park has been a haven for common birds.

The car park was a sun trap and several birds spent time enjoying the warmth. It was long before the Great Tit start to doze off under the brush!






Sunday 15 February 2015

Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 8th February 2015

House Sparrow 11
Goldfinch 7
Blue Tit 1
Coal Tit 2
Great Tit 4
Blackbird 2
Dunnock 2
Starling 2
Robin 1
Collared Dove 1
Feral Pigeon 4
Woodpigeon 1
Jackdaw 2
Sparrowhawk 1
Long Tailed Tit 2
Greenfinch 2

Food: Seed, Sunflower Hearts, Peanuts and Fat Balls
Water

Mammals: Wood Mouse

A Trip to Upper Teasdale

On Sunday 8th February, we went for a drive to Upper Teesdale in the hope of seeing Black Grouse at Langdon Beck. As we drove up the dale towards Middleton-in-Teesdale the scenery was beautiful as always.



The Black Grouse at Langdon Beck were easier to see in the snow covered fields and there were a good numbers of both males and females. Total 25 birds.


As we were watching, a small flock a Grey Partridge appeared and there were already several pairs of Lapwing looking for possible nest sites. Then all of a sudden a large bird of prey flew past and landed on the pasture. A first we thought it would be a Common Buzzard, but as we watched we could see the dark breast and pale underside of  a Rough-legged Buzzard. It stayed for approximately 4 minutes, before flying away down the valley.


Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 1st February 2015

House Sparrow 6
Goldfinch 9
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 4
Coal Tit 1
Blackbird 2
Dunnock 2
Starling 2
Robin 1
Collared Dove 1
Feral Pigeon 5
Woodpigeon 1
Magpie 1
Jackdaw 4
Goldcrest 1
Greenfinch 2
Chaffinch 1
Wren 1

Food; Seed, Peanuts, Sunflower Hearts & Fat Balls
Water

Mammals: Wood Mouse.

Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 25th January 2015

Robin 1
House Sparrow 11
Dunnock 2
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 3
Coal Tit 2
Starling 5
Blackbird 2
Woodpigeon 1
Feral Pigeon 5
Collared Dove 1
Goldfinch 8
Magpie 1
Jackdaw 3
Goldcrest 1
Chaffinch 1
Greenfinch 1

Food; Seed, Peanuts, Sunflower Hearts & Fat Balls
Water

Mammals: Wood Mouse.

Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 18th January 2015

Robin 1
House Sparrow 15
Dunnock 2
Blue Tit 3
Great Tit 3
Coal Tit 2
Starling 3
Blackbird 4
Woodpigeon 2
Feral Pigeon 4
Collared Dove 1
Song Thrush 1
Goldfinch 11
Magpie 2
Jackdaw 2
Goldcrest 1
Greenfinch 1
Wren 1
Long-tailed Tit 3

Food; Seed, Peanuts, Sunflower Hearts & Fat Balls
Water

Mammals: Wood Mouse.