RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

On Saturday 26th January 2013 I took part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. Our hour started at 11.30 am on a cold day.

Blackbird 1
Dunnock 1
House Sparrow 4
Chaffinch 1
Blue Tit 2
Robin 1
Greenfinch 2
Collared Dove 1
Feral Pigeon 4
Jackdaw 5
Chaffinch 1
Herring Gull 1
Black-headed Gull 1
Goldfinch 3

Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 20/1/13

Robin 1
Goldfinch 4
Blackbird 2
Starling 11
Greenfinch 3
Dunnock 2
Collared Dove 4
Chaffinch 3
Blue Tit 2
Coal Tit 1
Woodpigeon 2
Feral Pigeon 4
Song Thrush 1
Jackdaw 5
House Sparrow 6
Black-headed Gull 1
Herring Gull 1

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

Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 13/1/13

Robin 1
Goldfinch 7
Blackbird 3
Starling 2
Greenfinch 2
Dunnock 2
Collared Dove 6
Chaffinch 1
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 1
Coal Tit 2
Woodpigeon 1
Feral Pigeon 4
Song Thrush 1
Jackdaw 3
House Sparrow 6

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

Mammals = Wood Mouse 2

Year List Update

Today, I had a Bird & Seal Watch at the Teesmouth Field Centre and then in the afternoon I did a Disturbance Survey at Seaton Snook.

Seal Sands was beautiful today in the winter sunshine. Although it isn't the best conditions for birdwatching however, in the hazy weak sunlight the mudflats looked good. 15 Common Seals and 7 Grey Seals were present during low tide. We were very lucky to see a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers resting and preening at the waters edge quite close to the hide. Through the telescope the plumage of the male bird was stunning. As we discussed the birds, a peregrine flew past closeby after changing direction due to our presence.

The afternoon survey was equally good despite the feeling the cold as we stood watching the interaction of people and birds. The incoming tide pushed the birds higher up the beach until a close knit group of about 400 individuals were left to grab valuable minutes of rest as the water swept up the foreshore. The afternoon highlight was a flock of about 40 Snow Buntings and about 20 Bar-tailed Godwit with a slight hint of breeding colouration to their plumage.

2013 Bird Year List = 55 (Moorhen, Pied Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Snow Bunting, Knot, Sanderling, Shelduck, Great Tit, Reed Bunting, Peregrine, Stonechat, Wren & Reed Bunting)
2013 Mammal Year List = 4 (Common Seal, Grey Seal & Rabbit)
2013 Butterfly Year List = 0
2013 Moth Year List = 0

Garden Birdwatch -Week Starting 6/1/13

Robin 1
Goldfinch 8
Blackbird 3
Starling 16
Greenfinch 4
Dunnock 2
Collared Dove 4
Chaffinch 1
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 2
Coal Tit 1
Woodpigeon 1
Feral Pigeon 4
Jackdaw 5
House Sparrow 3
Herring Gull

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

Year List Update

Two new additions to the year list - the joys of a new year list!

2013 Bird Year List = 39 (Coot & Pheasant)
2013 Mammal Year List = 1
2013 Butterfly Year List = 0
2013 Moth Year List = 0

Year List Update

2013 Bird Year List = 76 (Goosander, Song Thrush & Mallard)
2013 Mammal Year List = 1 (Brown Hare)
2013 Butterfly Year List = 0
2013 Moth Year List = 0

My start to 2013

I managed sometime out birdwatching on New Year's Day and finished the day with 34 species. Our garden birds helped start the process and my first bird of 2013 was a Blackbird. By the time I left the house 14 birds had been recorded including a lazy Grey Heron flying over the house.

I stopped off in Billingham to do a BTO Winter Thrush Survey which turned out to be disappointing as only 5 Blackbirds were seen in an hour. Worryingly no berries were present and the grassed areas had only a scattering of gulls. The area was quiet, with very few people out so there wouldn't be much disturbance.
Then I went to Hartlepool, and stopped near Jackson's Landing for a juvenile Black Throated Diver which showed very well on the calm water in the marina. A single female Red-breasted Merganser was also present.

On the rocks near the Heugh Battery, Hartlepool Headland was several Purple Sandpipers and a couple of Oystercatchers. The incoming tide was quickly covering the rocks, so no Knot were seen. On the sea were some stunning male Eider and about 30 female Common Scoters. There were also 20+ Red-throated Divers and a few Guillemots, so as the light started to fade I left Hartlepool.

A quick call in at Wynyard, to an old BTO Atlas square produced a roosting Fieldfare and Redwing before heading for home.

2013 Bird Year List = 34
2013 Mammal Year List = 0

2013 Butterfly Year List = 0
2013 Moth Year List = 0