Durham Bird Club's Castle Lake Nature Reserve

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Wednesday 24th February 2016

Sightings from today;

Castle Lake - mostly frozen over this morning but some of the ice had melted by mid-afternoon, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 135 Canada Geese, 8 Shelduck, 3 Pintail (1 drake), 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Grey Heron, 18+ Oystercatcher, 60 Curlew, 6 Redshank, 1 Great Black-backed Gull and 6+ Skylark.

Alan's Pool/Island Farm - 1 Mute Swan, 2 Grey Partridge, 7 Coot, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting both in song.

Fishburn Lake - Great Spotted Woodpecker, Willow Tit singing and 2 Bullfinch.

Low Hardwick - 2 Mute Swan, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Water Rail on a small well vegetated stream, 74 Curlew, 1 Meadow Pipit, 2 Long-tailed Tit and singing Reed Bunting.

River Stell - 2 Little Egret and 2 Grey Wagtail.

Town End Farm - 1 Nuthatch singing nearby.

Sunday 21 February 2016

Sunday 21st February 2016

Today's sightings;

Stoneybeck Lake - 10 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag Geese, 14 Shelduck, 13 Wigeon, 7 pair of Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 29 Pochard, 9 Tufted Duck, 1f Goldeneye, 1 Common Buzzard mobbed by a Peregrine, 90 Coot, 1 Oystercatcher, 550 Lapwing, 76 Curlew, 1 Redshank, Skylark singing, 30 Fieldfare and 2 singing Song Thrush.

Foumarts Lane - 2 singing Chaffinch.

Castle Lake - 2 Mute Swan, 6 Shelduck, 5 Shoveler, 1 Cormorant, 11 Oystercatcher (with a pair copulating), 9 Redshank and Skylark singing.

A1 Flashes - 7 Shoveler, 10 Oystercatcher, 60 Curlew and 3 Redshank.

Sunday 14 February 2016

Sunday 14th February 2016

Sightings today with thanks to John Olley.

Stoneybeck Lake - 30 Pochard, 7 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 50 Teal, 2 Pintail, 6 Wigeon, 10 Mute Swan and 200 Lapwing. Unfortunately no sign of yesterdays Smew.

Castle Lake - 8 Grey Partridge, 1000 Lapwing, 30 Golden Plover, 200 Curlew, 10 Redshank, 6 Oystercatcher, 12 Shelduck, 4 Pochard, 30 Gadwall, 720 Wigeon, 240 Teal and 10 Shoveler.

A1 Flashes/Low Hardwick - 100 Curlew, 3 pair of Buzzard, 1000 Lapwing, 2 Redshank and 20 Pied Wagtail feeding together.

Saturday 13 February 2016

Saturday 13th February 2016

A drake Smew was found by Fred Milton on Stoneybeck Lake this morning but wasn't seen in the afternoon.

Monday 8 February 2016

Monday 8th February 2016

Some sightings from this morning;

Castle Lake - 12 Shoveler, 1f Goldeneye, 3 Cormorant, 10 Oystercatcher, 3 Snipe and 15 Redshank.

A1 Flashes/River Stell - 2 Mute Swan, 1 Little Egret and 112 Curlew.

Stoneybeck Lake - 9 Mute Swan, 13 Shelduck, 10 Wigeon, 2f Pintail, 1m Shoveler, 14+ Pochard, 90+ Coot, 1 Redshank and 2 Skylark.

Friday 5 February 2016

Wednesday 3rd February 2016

Many thanks to Ian Downs for providing this photo of a Short-eared Owl next to Alan's Pool on Wednesday at about 16:30.