Jesmond Dene, and Weird or Wot?

The burn was running fast today.


The mill on the Ouseburn

13^th January. I’d set myself a target of five new species for the year list today. I thought the most likely new finds would be Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Kingfisher and Goldcrest. I know that’s six but I didn’t expect to find them all!

On my way to Heaton Park I was crossing Morrison’s car-park when I saw a flock of maybe a dozen birds flying about and I initially thought they were Siskins. I care not what folk think about me these days so I got the bins out in the middle of the car park. As I reached railway embankment some poor chap told me he thought I had been watching him. I’m not sure what he was implying and I didn’t ask. He told me he was watching for trains passing and was collecting numbers in his book. Weird or wot? No not me, him! Anyway we got chatting and it made identification of the birds a little more difficult. However I did get a decent look and they were a small flock of Redpoll. I can’t be certain if there was Meally in there with the Lesser Redpoll although with my recent experience I am suspecting there was an odd one there. Wouldn’t be surprising, with the vast numbers which seem to be about. Anyway I introduced the train spotter to a new bird and gave him some of the finer details. I hope he was impressed. He told me that watching the trains was a cheap way to spend the time and it also allowed him to socialise. I got off on my way before he had much time to socialise with me as I had those five species to find. I don’t have a problem with train-spotters by the way, nor the bloke in question who seemed a decent guy. I used to go across to the Central Station and further afield with my big brother when I was a kid, and still have books with the numbers in. I have friend who is into trains and even knew someone really into buses. When the Tyneside Metro was built he travelled from London especially to ride on it.

On entering Heaton Park I very quickly found Great Spotted Woodpecker and Sparrowhawk. A handful of Siskin soon followed and then I heard and then saw Nuthatch. New bird number one. I found three of four flocks of Long Tailed Tit today, along with Great, Coal and Blue Tit. It wasn’t until I was through Armstrong Park and into the dene proper that I found new bird number two. This was a pair of Stock Doves sitting in what appears to be used as a large nest hole. I’d forgotten that these were likely.

The water in the Ouse Burn was deep, fast and murky. I did eventually find Mallard and Moorhen. New bird number three was a close up Treecreeper. Then all was pretty silent. Jesmond Dene itself is not a great place to watch birds in my opinion, and if they carry on sawing down the trees at the rate they have been, it will be even less inviting. I remember being told last year that many of the trees are diseased and old. Seems sad that so many have to be sawn down. Perhaps thought might be given to replacing trees with natural species, after all £6,000,000 is being spent on this! I have my doubts on that one however.

I was beginning to think that three new species was how it was going to stay until near the end of the walk the Kingfisher turned up as I was looking up the narrow inlet for Dipper. The Kingfisher showed well in three flypasts and was new bird number four. Within a minute or two new bird number five appeared in the exact same area, and that was the Dipper. I later heard it and saw it fly up the burn. I came home happy. I’m hoping the train spotter had some joy too.

A Quiet Patch

A bit of colour.:-)

11^th Jan. Having returned quickly to laid back mode I was on patch today, taking the wagon-way route to Holystone and back. I reckon that I’ve walked a good few miles already this year.

It was generally very quiet. The peace was broken by some guy who had been happy to allow his dog to run free across the farmland. His whistling could be heard all along the wagon-way, although perhaps not by the dog, which took no notice what so ever. I think the dog was firmly in control. I saw little until I got onto the tracks to Holystone then found a flock of thirty plus very flighty Yellowhammer in the hedge and in the stubble field. I’ve never seen this many on patch before. Behind them I could see what I thought were Fieldfares, but I couldn’t see them very well. On the return I had a much better sighting of the Fieldfares working their way through the stubble field. I reckon forty plus, with another twenty or so flying over the more distant fields. The closer birds looked very attractive as the sun lit them. The Kestrel was hunting in its usual territory.

I had gone out in the hopes of finding Lapwings today, but instead found six Golden Plover feeding in the ploughed field. A new year tick for me. Taking a detour down past the ‘big wheel,’ I found some of the path still iced over, although in most other areas the paths have thawed out as had the small flashes.

It's Arctic Out There................Where?

8^th Jan. I’ve had a long standing arrangement for some months now, with Andrew K, which involved him taking a lead with a local group walk at Rainton Meadows. When I got out of bed at 6.15am there was heavy rain which continued until I set off for the town. By the time I was on the bus to Chester-le Street it had stopped and thankfully the day was blessed with sunshine. The walk wasn’t due to begin until 10.00am so Andrew and I had time to take a look in the vicinity of the reserve and also the River Wear. The river provided some good species which included Whooper Swan, a very nice female Mandarin, a Scaup drake and a number of Goosander. Even the Pied Wagtail flying overhead provided a new year tick so we were off to a good start.

By 10.00am our little group consisted of seventeen very keen participants and once parking arrangements were sorted out we were soon watching a mixed flock of Siskin, Lesser and Common Mealy Redpoll. It began to dawn on me and some others that actually finding the Arctic Redpolls amongst these flocks might not be so easy after all! Never the less we marched up the hill in confident mood. We didn’t, at least some of us didn’t, march down again for sometime. The flocks of Lesser and Common Redpoll were certainly flighty today, initially more so because of an overhead Sparrowhawk. They were providing a test for the most observant and experienced birders. I think that the walk participants soon began to realise why these birds are challenging. I was delighted to see such large flocks, and the Mealy Redpolls were certainly displaying a variable shade of plumage amongst the flock. Several birders kept thinking they had found an Arctic Redpoll, me included on two or three occasions. I can’t be at all confident that I did, and I honestly don’t think anyone in our group did either. Some of the other birders around were trying to convince themselves that they had, but not that convincingly.

Some of the group took a walk around the reserve whilst Andrew and I along with one or two others braved the cold until lunch time. It was a good experience despite my dipping on the Arctic Redpoll. Willow Tit and Goldfinches were around too. We finally left the hill for lunch when we met up with everyone. All of the ponds have been frozen for sometime now so they were indeed quiet. A pair of Kestrels had provided some entertainment. but I certainly needed my lunch to warm up. There was no sign of the Bittern.

All the participants had enjoyed the morning but the best was yet to come. Andrew organised a visit to a Long Eared Owl site (area not disclosed) and organised it very well. This was definitely the highlight of the day for everyone. Several participants had never seen Long Eared Owls and one person had never seen an owl in the wild. We watched two Long Eared Owls today. One thing everyone became very much aware of is that it is the interests of the birds that is the priority. I think this is an experience several people will remember for a long time.

Later in the day we visited the area around Joe's Pond and found more Redpolls, numerous Bullfinches, Siskin and Reed Bunting along with commoner birds. The odd Fieldfare had been seen along with plenty of gulls!

Time flew and it was soon time to say our farewells. Everyone left smiling. Andrew and I weren’t finished and so we marched up the hill again. The Lesser and Mealy Redpolls kept coming, if in fewer number than in the morning, but still there was no convincing sighting of an Arctic Redpoll. I’m going to have to have another go! We did see Fieldfares.

We marched down the hill again and I latter took great solace when we found two Tawny Owls at roost.

Canada Geese, Teal and Wigeon were found in some fields, no doubt having found some water that wasn’t frozen solid. As we drove back to Chester-le-Street as the evening was setting in we passed a flock of around forty Fieldfares and a Song Thrush.

My thanks go to Andrew for providing the group with a great experience. I left him with my motto ‘I’ll be back.’ This could be quicker than he expects.:-) Cream crackered, I counted up my new year ticks on the bus which in fact totaled seventeen species. I remembered the one Redpoll I had seen at Whitley Bay last year and I am even more convinced now that the one I saw was a Lesser Redpoll although not everyone agreed at the time. So I may have dipped on the prize bird, but I learnt something and I hope others did too. Learning something new each time you go out is something to be aimed at.


9th Jan. I can't get away from Bullfinches. I found two males in the garden today. Both enjoyed a drink and a bath.

Under Winter Skies

Winter skies over the patch.

5^th Jan. I can’t say I have enjoyed the ice and snow, but the winter skies have been wonderful. When I was a youngster the sky was either light or dark, cloudy or clear and I didn’t take too much notice of it unless I was checking to see if it was going to rain. If I was asked to offer advice to any youngster now (I haven’t been asked :-)), I’d tell them to observe everything about the natural world that they had time for and to always ask themselves HOW? and WHY?

Well it’s now almost the 6^th Jan and I still haven’t been off patch to bird watch. I took to the wagon-way again today. It was a very different atmosphere from my previous walk as there were many more birds about. In the main tits (including a nice flock of Long Tailed Tits), finches, gulls, corvids and pigeons. I did feel however that I couldn’t fail to add to my year list.

The first new species found was one of my favourites, a Bullfinch. Two pairs in fact, which were feeding near the hedge. I suspect they had been visiting some garden feeders nearby. Lucky owners of the feeders! I watched them for a time and hung around to listen for any sign of song from them. I didn’t hear anything.

A little further along the wagon-way I stopped to look at the tree that I had found the Sparrowhawk in just before the New Year. No Sparrowhawk, but this time two Common Buzzards. I didn’t actually notice the second one until it flew out of the tree and made off towards Backworth.

Out on the road I made to join the Holystone wagon-way. I took a look over the fields as I’m always in hope of Short Eared Owls turning up again. What I found was a group of six, possibly seven as it was hard to pick them out, Grey Partridges. I assume the same group that I have seen recently. They were well hidden in the centre of the field and once I had joined the wagon-way again it was impossible to see them at all. So the day brought me three new species, and nice ones at that.

Instead of retracing my steps I walked on past the stables, where I had a brief sighting of another four Grey Partridges as they lifted and then landed behind a dip in the field. I walked back via the pathway behind the flash which is still frozen. I’m pleased I went this way as I passed a flock of Yellowhammer in the hedge and had another view of the six Grey Partridges. I retraced my steps from here on and as I passed the tree I found the two Common Buzzards again. One flew off with what looked like carrion, followed by the other soon afterwards. Then I found the Bullfinches again this time two males and three females together feeding on the pathway before they lifted and give great views of them sitting in the hedge. I have only ever seen singles or more often pairs on patch before. The sun was low in the sky now and I was almost home. Still saving myself for some exciting off patch birding!

Crow versus Heron

3^rd Jan. It had been a short and bitterly cold short walk and I had given up all hope of adding any new birds to the year list. I’ve yet to leave the patch this year. Just as I was going to return to a warm home I caught the flapping of what were obviously the wings of a Grey Heron. It seemed to land in the hedge, maybe two hundred yards away. It soon confirmed its presence as it flew out into the field pursued by a crow. The heron landed, as did the crow, in the centre of the field. They seemed to be starring each other out in a battle of wills. The heron flew a short distance again, followed by the crow and the battle continued. Then both took of again. This time the heron landed next to the very narrow burn that runs at the back of the housing estate, and almost nonchalantly stood its ground, with the crow as ‘companion.’ A second crow, this one with leucistic plumage, flew in to join them briefly, but it seemed uninterested and soon flew off. Such was the distance, the heron looked small and insignificant. Perhaps hunger was adding to its determination, but determined to stay it certainly was. I wondered if it was the same bird I have seen mobbed by crows in the sky above my patch as I have stood and watched until it became a distant view. As I left both birds remained still. Unlike me, neither bird had a warm home to return to. This winter has been a cruel one so far. I hope both the heron and the crow survive it!

As I neared home I heard the chipping call of a Great Spotted Woodpecker. I caught sight of it high in the tree. The silence on the rest of my walk had been very noticeable, but I was happy that I had taken the short time out which had added two new birds to the list.

Swan Lake

2^nd Jan. Ok, a better title would have been Canada Goose Lake, such are the numbers that have congregated at Killingworth this winter. I stopped counting at seventy, as I was becoming cross-eyed, as the flock were altogether. I’d say in total there are around eighty of them. I also noticed that the supplementary feeding of the Mute Swans has not been without problems. See the photo of the council notice above.

Both the larger and smaller lakes are still frozen apart from the end where I assume the ice has been broken up, and this is where all of the birds have congregated. No early year tick of Goosander this year sadly, but there were numbers of Goldeneye and Pochard, accompanied by the usual residents today.

I walked across the fields and was eventually rewarded with a few Redwings in the trees. Then it was back for the football.

A New Year, a New List.

I find lighting effects through the trees at this time of year really attractive.

1^st Jan. It’s a pleasant feeling when your number one concern on getting up on the 1^st January is merely, ‘what is the first bird I’m going to see?’ In this case it was a House Sparrow from the regular little flock. My birding continued in laid back fashion as I watched the garden. After birds two and three, Black Headed Gull and Starling, the Coal Tit appeared at the feeder. Unusually the Greenfinches were the most numerous species after the House Sparrows. Years ago Greenfinches were a regular visitor in numbers, but today brought more than at anytime in more recent years. I watched until I had clocked up 13 species (I’m not superstitious, well not unduly). Other species being Chaffinch, Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Carrion Crow. There has been little sign of Wrens over the past month and I recall only seeing one briefly and today was no exception.

It was then time for my New Year walk on patch. I knew I could clock up a few birds in no time around the lake, but I decided I wanted peace as well as birds. I may pop down tomorrow. Today I stuck to the wagon-ways and the back of the old village. Magpie was on my list before I had got around the corner and soon afterwards a party of Long Tailed Tits was seen. Collared Doves were around the farm in large numbers but from then on the area seemed barren of birds. It was as quiet as I have ever known it.

After quite a hike I did manage to find a Kestrel, at first a long distance sighting as it perched in a hedge but it was soon on the move and showing better. The hedges seemed to be holding very little. On retracing some steps I did find Yellowhammers, the male showing wonderfully in the sun, and also a single Reed Bunting. I watched a distant skein of geese flying northwards up the coast line. I had no idea which species they were. Two Mistle Thrushes flew by.

Rain appeared to be falling either on the coastline or out at sea and rainbows were with me most of the time that I was out. For a minute or two sleet fell lightly on me, as cloud passed over. By the end of the walk the sky to the west was bright and sunlit, but the eastern area looked as though some poorer weather was on the way as the sky turned a pale shade of yellow in places. I’d managed to see Common and Herring Gulls in number overhead, and one Great Black Backed Gull. Jackdaws and Rooks were in the trees as I made for home. A few Goldfinches had been seen too. Wren was heard.

As I said, laid back birding today as I’m saving myself for an exciting year ahead. If 2011 rewards me as well as 2010 then I’m going to be well satisfied. I have one or two targets in mind. The list is on twenty-eight by the way. Listing definitely has its place and adds to the enjoyment. I hope everyone enjoys there birding and nature watching in 2011, in the way that suits them best.

I’m waiting for two books to arrive, monographs on Greenshank and Ruff so my research into waders continues. I did try and support a local firm when I ordered a monograph on the Dotterel. First there was a problem with the website and then when I contacted them by telephone I was told that they couldn’t at that point tell me if they had the book that they were advertising. I was promised that they would call me back the following day. That was weeks ago and I’m still waiting for the call! I’ve decided that if local firms can’t be bothered with local customers, I’m going back to using Amazon, and I have. I’ve found Amazon very efficient and on the odd occasion something goes wrong they correct it quickly, so you generally save money and receive an efficient service too.