Durham Bird Club's Castle Lake Nature Reserve

Sunday 29 May 2016

Sunday 29th May 2016

Sightings for today with thanks to Alan Jones and John Olley.

Castle Lake - Dunlin, Ringed Plover, 4 LRP, 2 newly hatched Lapwing chicks, 2 Redshank, 3 well grown Oystercatcher chicks with 10 adults, GCGrebe with eggs, Black H Gulls nesting. 3 Corn Bunting, 5 Yellow Wagtail, Little Egret in full breeding plumage eventually off north. 150 Sand Martin, 40 Swift, Blue and Great Tit nesting.

Stoney Beck Lake -  LRP, Common Sandpiper, Shelduck with 4 ducklings, 6 Coot chicks, 4 Lapwing chicks.


Saturday 21 May 2016

Friday 20th May 2016

Sightings for Friday with thanks to John Olley.

Castle Lake 9 Canada geese goslings, 5 Oystercatcher chicks, 7 Gadwall ducklings, 6 Coot chicks, 3 LRP displaying still 14 Lapwing displaying or sitting. 6 Pochard, 6 Shoveler, Redshank displaying, pair of common Tern back.




Tuesday 17 May 2016

Monday 16th May 2016

Sightings for Monday evening.

Foumarts Lane - 1 Little Owl, 1 Mistle Thrush and singing Whitethroat, Blackcap & Chiffchaff.

Castle Lake - 15 Mute Swan, 11 Shelduck, 3 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, 1 Grey Heron, 2 LR Plover, 3 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 10+ Swift, 1+ Yellow Wagtail and singing Whitethroat & Corn Bunting.
Birds with young included Canada Geese (3 broods), Mallard, Lapwing (with 2 chicks), Coot & Moorhen.

A1 Flashes - 13 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew & 2 Redshank.

Stoneybeck Lake - 2 Little Grebe, Oystercatcher pair with 3 chicks at Farnless Farm trying to avoid young Bison hooves!, 2 LR Plover, 2 Redshank, 1 Yellow Wagtail and a singing Corn Bunting.

Monday 9 May 2016

Monday 9th May 2016

Some sightings from this morning;

Foumarts Lane - singing Chiffchaff and Common Whitethroat.

Castle Lake - 9 Mute Swan, 4 Shoveler, 1 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 9 Redshank (including 7 which flew in together), 1 Common Sandpiper, 10+ Swift, 3+ House Martin over the village, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear and 2 Corn Bunting.

Low Hardwick - 2 singing Sedge Warbler.

Thursday 5 May 2016

Thursday 5th May 2016

Sightings today with thanks to John Olley.

Hardwick Park to Bishop Middleham -  pair of Whinchat, Grasshopper Warbler, 5 Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, good numbers of Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Skylark and Meadow Pipit. 10 Reed Bunting, 2 Corn Bunting, 5 Buzzard, Black-tailed Godwit, LRP, 20 Oystercatcher, 10 Shelduck, 2 Pochard drakes, 4 Shoveler, 60 Gadwall across area and 4 Grey Heron.

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Monday 2nd May 2016

Sightings for Bank Holiday Monday from Joe Hughes and myself.

Stoneybeck Lake - 1 Little Grebe, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Common Sandpiper.

Castle Lake - 1 ringtail Hen Harrier went through south, 2 Teal, 6 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye, 5 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Common Sandpiper, 3sp Dunlin, 2 Redshank, 12 Swift, 1 House Martin, 4 White Wagtail, 3 Yellow Wagtail and 1 Corn Bunting.

Alan's Pool - 1 Grey Heron and 3 Wheatear.

Low Hardwick - 1 singing Sedge Warbler.

Sunday 1 May 2016

Friday 29th April 2016

Sightings from Friday with thanks to John Olley.

Castle Lake - 3 summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, 2 LRP, 2 Redshank, 2 Snipe, 10 Lapwing, 12 Oystercatcher, 2 Goldeneye, 6 Shelduck, pair of Pochard, Shoveler, 9 Canada Geese on nests, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 50 Swallow, 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Low Hardwick - 2 Sedge Warbler singing.

Fishburn Lake - 2 Buzzard, 18 Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler and 6 Shelduck.