Durham Bird Club's Castle Lake Nature Reserve

Monday 28 March 2016

Monday 28th March 2016

Some sightings from this morning;

Castle Lake - 1 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ruff, 10 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 12 Shoveler, 12 Goldeneye (with lots of display from the two adult drakes), 1 Sand Martin flew over heading south at 09:25, 5 Mute Swan, 2 Cormorant, 1 Little Grebe and a singing Corn Bunting.

Two rubbish record pictures of the LRP


Wednesday 23 March 2016

Wednesday 23rd March 2016

Sightings from this morning;

Castle Lake - 3 Ringed Plover (the first this year, flew off south at 08:55), 5 Snipe, 8 Redshank, 8 Goldeneye (including 2 1st winter drakes), 2 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 12 Redwing and a singing Corn Bunting.

A1 Flashes - 1 Grey Heron, 3 Buzzard and 16 Oystercatcher.

Fishburn Lake - 1f Pochard, 2 Shelduck, 2 Buzzard, a calling Chiffchaff and a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Alan's Pool - 1 Little Grebe and a Green Sandpiper.

Tuesday 22 March 2016

Monday 21st March 2016

Sightings from yesterday with thanks to John Olley.

Castle Lake - 2 Ruff (the first this year), 12 Redshank, 14 Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe, 60 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 5 Goldeneye, 200 Wigeon, 100 Teal, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Pied Wagtail, Buzzard and Grey Partridge.

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Tuesday 15th March 2016

Sightings from this morning;

Castle Lake - 11 Mute Swan, 19 Shelduck, 9 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 17 Tufted Duck, 6 Goldeneye (1 drake), 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 6 Oystercatcher, 19 Snipe, 44 Curlew, 10 Redshank, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 1 2nd winter Great Black-backed Gull.

A1 Flashes - 2 Shoveler, 2 Little Egret, 25 Oystercatcher and 3 Redshank.

Stoneybeck Lake - 1 Mute Swan, 13 Shelduck and 1 Little Grebe.

Record photo of the colour ringed Little Egret from today.

The ten Mute Swan that usually hang out at Stoneybeck Lake flew onto Castle Lake this morning.

Sunday 13 March 2016

Sunday 13th March 2016

Sightings today from John Olley, Alan Jones and myself.

Stoneybeck Lake - 9 Whooper Swan present all day, 10 Mute Swan, 22 Shelduck, 12 Shoveler, 10 Pochard, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher, 40 Lapwing, 17 Curlew, 1 Redshank and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Castle Lake - 2 Pintail (1 drake), 3 Goldeneye (1 drake), 5 Great Crested Grebe, 60 Gadwall, 90 Lapwing and 10 Redshank.

A1 Flashes/River Stell - 28 Oystercatcher, 2 Green Sandpiper, 150 Curlew and 3 Little Egret (one of which was colour ringed and identified as an individual originally ringed in the nest at North Cotes, Lincolnshire on 7/5/14 and subsequently sighted at Aberlady, Scotland in October 2014 and Greenabella Marsh, Cleveland in April 2015).

Wednesday 9 March 2016

Wednesday 9th March 2016

Sightings from this morning;

Castle Lake - 2 Mute Swan, 2 pair Shelduck, 270 Wigeon, 2 pair Shoveler, 1 pair Pintail, 7 Pochard, 2 female Goldeneye, 1 Cormorant, 3 pair Oystercatcher, at least 17 Snipe, 35 Curlew, 8 Redshank and a charm of 45 Goldfinch.

A1 Flashes - 150 Wigeon, 2 male Shoveler, 21 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank and a Green Sandpiper.

Stoneybeck Lake  (just a quick look due to the rain) - 10 Mute Swan, 15 Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron and 1 pair Oystercatcher.

Monday 7 March 2016

Sunday 6th March 2016

Catching up with sightings from yesterday;

Castle Lake - 8 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, 13 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe and 10 Redshank.

A1 Flashes - 1 Kestrel, 19 Oystercatcher and 6 Skylark over north.

Stoneybeck Lake - 10 Mute Swan, 15 Shelduck, 13 Wigeon,  9+ Shoveler, 16 Pochard, 1 Kestrel, c70 Curlew, 1 Redshank and 1 Great Black-backed Gull.

Tuesday 1 March 2016

Tuesday 1st March 2016

Todays sightings;

Castle Lake - 30 Pink-footed Geese on the hill on the south-east side of the lake, 2 Shelduck, 1m Pochard, 8 Tufted Duck, 2 Cormorant, 3 Oystercatcher, 5 Snipe, 6+ Redshank and a Corn Bunting.

A1 Flashes/River Stell - 2 Mute Swan, 5 Shoveler, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 18 Oystercatcher and 1 Green Sandpiper.

Stoneybeck Lake - 10 Mute Swan, 24 Shelduck, 12+ Shoveler, 13 Pochard, 2 Oystercatcher and 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull.


Some of the thirty Pink-footed Geese at Castle Lake this morning.