Year List Update

Birds - 126 (Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Lesser Scaup, Swift, House Martin, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail & Northern Wheatear).

Mammals - 9 (Weasel, Pipistrelle Bat & Hedgehog)

Butterflies - 4 (Small White, Peacock & Comma)

Moths - 7 (Emmelina Monodactyla & Clouded Drab)

Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail @ RSPB Saltholme

Seen on 28th April 2013 from Saltholme Hide @ RSPB Saltholme with 20+ Yellow Wagtails.

Ring Ouzel in Billingham

Yesterday's female Ring Ouzel seen at Belasis Hall Technology Park in Billingham.

Garden Birdwatch - Week starting 21st April 2013

Goldfinch 6
Starling 3
Feral Pigeon 5
House Sparrow 8
Jackdaw 5
Blue Tit 3
Coal Tit 2
Blackbird 2
Greenfinch 1
Dunnock 2
Collared Dove 2
Great Tit 3
Woodpigeon 1
Chaffinch 1
Sisken 2
Magpie 1
Blackcap 1 (new species)

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seeds & Peanuts
Water

Mammals: Hedgehog 1
Butterflies: Speckled Wood (26/4/13)

Garden Birdwatch - Week Starting 14th April 2013

Feral Pigeon 6
Goldfinch 5
Greenfinch 2
Blue Tit 3
Coal Tit 1
Blackbird 2
House Sparrow 5
Dunnock 2
Jackdaw 2
Collared Dove 2
Sisken 2 (new species for the garden)
Magpie 1
Chaffinch 2

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts & Kitchen Scraps
Water

Amphibians: Common Frog
Butterflies: Small White (20/4/13)

Jack Snipe on Seaton Common & Year List Update

2013 Bird List = 111 (Chiffchaff, Jack Snipe, Skylark, Kingfisher, Swallow & Linnet)

2013 Mammal list = 6

2013 Butterfly List = 1 (Large White Butterfly - Hartlepool Power Station 14/4/13)

2013 Moth List = 5 (Satelite, Common Quaker & Hebrew Character)

Garden Birdwatch - Week starting 7/4/13

Feral Pigeon 5
Blackbird 2
House Sparrow 8
Blue Tit 2
Goldfinch 3
Greenfinch 2
Dunnock 1
Starling 1
Coal Tit 2
Collared Dove 2
Woodpigeon 2
Jackdaw 6
Robin 1
Chaffinch 1
Herring Gull 1
Sisken 1 (new species for graden)

Insects: Brown Carder Bee 1
Amphibians: Common Frog 4

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

Garden Moth Update

Friday 5th March 2013; Minimum Temperature 3.4°C

Hebrew Character 1
Satellite 1
Common Quaker 1

First moths trapped for the year. Record shots of Satellite and Common Quaker below.

Desert White Butterfly

Found at Jebel Hafeet on 15th March 2013

Garden Birdwatch - Week starting 31/3/13

Feral Pigeon 4
Goldfinch 5
Greenfinch 2
Blue Tit 2
Dunnock 1
House Sparrow 4
Blackbird 2
Starling 5
Coal Tit 1
Collared Dove 2
Woodpigeon 3
Jackdaw 8
Robin 2
Herring Gull 3
Black-headed Gull 4
Common Gull 3

Insects: First sighting of White-tailed Bumblebee on Saturday 6th

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

Garden Birdwatch - Week starting 24th March 2013

Blackbird 2
House Sparrow 5
Dunnock 2
Blue Tit 3
Coal Tit 2
Goldfinch 7
Greenfinch 2
Chaffinch 2
Magpie 1
Starling 4
Collared Dove 2
Feral Pigeon 4
Woodpigeon 3
Jackdaw 4
Herring Gull 1
Black-headed Gull 8
Common Gull 6 (new species for garden)

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

Garden Birdwatch - Week starting 17th March 2013

Blackbird 2
House Sparrow 2
Dunnock 2
Blue Tit 2
Goldfinch 7
Starling 2
Collared Dove 3
Feral Pigeon 2
Woodpigeon 2
Jackdaw 5
Goldcrest 1
Herring Gull 3
Black-headed Gull 1

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

Today, we went for a drive on the moors between Osmotherley and Hawnby to look for moorland birds such as Red Grouse. Despite the cold conditions the birds were showing well and feeding close to the roadside. As we acrossed the moor we also spotted Stock Dove, Red-legged Partridge and a Treecreeper.

2013 Bird Year List = 105

2013 Mammal Year List = 8

2013 Butterfly Year List = 0

2013 Moth Year List = 2 - no moths trapped this week.

Yesterday, I went for a walk in Tilery Wood, near Wynyard, Stockton-on-Tees. I was hoping to see Crossbill and I wasn't disappointed. Two Siskins and seven Crossbills were spotted, 4 males and 3 females.

2013 Bird List = 101 (Avocet 24/3/13 Saline Lagoon, Yellowhammer 28/3/13 Wilton Site & Crossbill)

2013 Mammal list = 8 (Weasel 24/3/13 near Greatham Creek)

2013 Butterfly List = 0

2013 Moth List = 2

Dubai 2013 - 16th March 2013

Sadly this was our last birdwatching day in Dubai and so I choose to visit Ajman. This area of coastline really appeals to me and the variety of birds seen didn't disappoint us.

Broad-billed Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Caspian Plover
Golden Plover
Brown-necked Raven

The Caspian Plover and Brown-necked Raven were new species for me.

The next stop was Ras al Kamien, another wetland area.
Spoonbill
Turnstone
Oystercatcher
Grey Plover

As the end of the day was approaching we went to Umm al Quwain and managed to spot
Sanderling
Heuglin's Gull

The Heuglin's Gull was a new species for me. As our holiday, finished our trip list total was 120 species which included 15 lifers.

Another excellent time in UAE, full of new experiences and great memories.

Dubai 2013 - 15th March 2013

We leave the Mecure Hotel and the Chukkar Partridge to head to Zakher Pools on our way back to Dubai.

Zakher Pools is a large expanse of water within the sand dunes and a haven for birds. In a few hours we spotted 24 species here and 11 were added to the trip list. The new additions were as follows:

Glossy Ibis (6 birds present)
Shoveler
Citrine Wagtail
Greater Sandplover
Ferruginous Duck
Egyptian Goose
Wigeon
Knot
Water Pipit
Coot
Tufted Duck.

Citrine Wagtail was a new species for me and a bird I have longed too see. Our trip list had reached 108.

Al Ain Zoo

After spending the morning within the gardens of the Mecure Hotel, we went to Al Ain Zoo.

The Bird of Prey display at the end of the day was excellent.