Sightings today with thanks to John Olley;
Castle Lake - 3 Green Sandpiper, 14 Oystercatcher, 3 Corn Bunting and 2 Yellow Wagtail.
Durham Bird Club's Castle Lake Nature Reserve
Thursday 30 June 2016
Wednesday 29 June 2016
Wednesday 29th June 2016
Sightings from this morning;
Castle Lake - 2 Wigeon, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 LRP, 1 Redshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Reed Warbler and 2 Corn Bunting.
A1 Flashes - c50 Lapwing and 1 Green Sandpiper.
One of four Green Sandpiper seen this morning, 2 at the northern end and 2 including this one from the hide (one later migrated as far as the A1 flashes).
Castle Lake - 2 Wigeon, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 LRP, 1 Redshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Reed Warbler and 2 Corn Bunting.
A1 Flashes - c50 Lapwing and 1 Green Sandpiper.
One of four Green Sandpiper seen this morning, 2 at the northern end and 2 including this one from the hide (one later migrated as far as the A1 flashes).
Saturday 25 June 2016
Saturday 25th June 2016
Sightings for Saturday afternoon;
Castle Lake - numerous Shelduck broods, 2 Wigeon, new Gadwall broods of 6 & 8 ducklings, 3 Teal, 3 Pochard, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1f Kestrel, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Black-headed Gull (including the first juvenile seen this summer), 1 Little Owl and a singing Corn Bunting.
Stoneybeck Lake - 2 Teal, 1 Buzzard flew over, 15 Lapwing.
Castle Lake - numerous Shelduck broods, 2 Wigeon, new Gadwall broods of 6 & 8 ducklings, 3 Teal, 3 Pochard, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1f Kestrel, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Black-headed Gull (including the first juvenile seen this summer), 1 Little Owl and a singing Corn Bunting.
Stoneybeck Lake - 2 Teal, 1 Buzzard flew over, 15 Lapwing.
Monday 20 June 2016
Sunday 19th June 2016
Sightings from a late afternoon Sunday visit;
Stoneybeck Lake/Farnless Farm - Shelduck with two broods of 4 ducklings each, Mallard with ducklings, 6 Teal, 2 Little Grebe, Coot with young, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 LRP, Lapwing with 1 well grown juvenile, 2 Black-headed Gull, 80 Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail juveniles and a singing Corn Bunting.
Castle Lake - 1 Black Swan, 10 Mute Swan, 2 drake Wigeon, Shoveler now down to 3 ducklings, 5 Pochard, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher with well grown juveniles, 3 LRP, 4 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a singing Corn Bunting.
Stoneybeck Lake/Farnless Farm - Shelduck with two broods of 4 ducklings each, Mallard with ducklings, 6 Teal, 2 Little Grebe, Coot with young, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 LRP, Lapwing with 1 well grown juvenile, 2 Black-headed Gull, 80 Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail juveniles and a singing Corn Bunting.
Castle Lake - 1 Black Swan, 10 Mute Swan, 2 drake Wigeon, Shoveler now down to 3 ducklings, 5 Pochard, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher with well grown juveniles, 3 LRP, 4 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a singing Corn Bunting.
Friday 17 June 2016
Friday 17th June 2016
Sightings for today with thanks to John Olley and Alan Jones;
Castle Lake - brood of 4 Shoveler ducklings, 3 broods of Shelduck ducklings 7,7 and 4, brood of 8 Gadwall ducklings and new brood of 8 Mallard ducklings, new brood of 4 Canada Geese, Ringed Plover, 2 LRP, Redshank, 20 Lapwing, male Kestrel causing panic, 3 GC Grebe, 10 Little Grebe, 7 Pochard, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk Reed Warbler, 30 Tree Sparrow at farm and 8 Corn Bunting between lake and Island farm.
Fishburn Lake - drake Wigeon, fledged Whitethroats and Willow Warbler, Willow Tit.
Castle Lake - brood of 4 Shoveler ducklings, 3 broods of Shelduck ducklings 7,7 and 4, brood of 8 Gadwall ducklings and new brood of 8 Mallard ducklings, new brood of 4 Canada Geese, Ringed Plover, 2 LRP, Redshank, 20 Lapwing, male Kestrel causing panic, 3 GC Grebe, 10 Little Grebe, 7 Pochard, 2 Buzzard, Sparrowhawk Reed Warbler, 30 Tree Sparrow at farm and 8 Corn Bunting between lake and Island farm.
Fishburn Lake - drake Wigeon, fledged Whitethroats and Willow Warbler, Willow Tit.
Monday 13 June 2016
Monday 13th June 2016
Sightings for Monday;
Castle Lake - Canada Geese broods totalling 21 gosling, Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 7+ Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 LRP, Pied Wagtail with juveniles, 1 Corn Bunting singing.
River Stell - 1 Sedge Warbler still singing near the old sluice gate.
Low Hardwick - 3 Teal (later flew to Castle Lake), 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Grasshopper Warbler singing and showing reasonably well despite the dismal weather, 3 Sedge Warbler, 6 Common Whitethroat, 4 Long Tailed-Tit, 2 Linnet and 8 Reed Bunting.
Alan's Pool - 1 Black Swan with 2 Mute Swans (pictured below).
Castle Lake - Canada Geese broods totalling 21 gosling, Shoveler, 6 Pochard, 7+ Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 LRP, Pied Wagtail with juveniles, 1 Corn Bunting singing.
River Stell - 1 Sedge Warbler still singing near the old sluice gate.
Low Hardwick - 3 Teal (later flew to Castle Lake), 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Grasshopper Warbler singing and showing reasonably well despite the dismal weather, 3 Sedge Warbler, 6 Common Whitethroat, 4 Long Tailed-Tit, 2 Linnet and 8 Reed Bunting.
Alan's Pool - 1 Black Swan with 2 Mute Swans (pictured below).
Friday 10 June 2016
Friday 10th June 2016
Sightings for today with thanks to John Olley;
Castle Lake - Black Swan, 10 Little Grebe, 22 Shelduck includes new brood of 7 ducklings, three broods of Mallard- 20 ducklings, 3 LRP, 14 Oystercatcher, 7 Pochard, 18 Tufted Duck, 100 Sand Martin, 3 fledged Pied Wagtail chicks, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Corn Bunting, 30 Tree Sparrow.
Stoney Beck Lake 3 LRP, 4 broods of Shelduck, 7, 4, 4, and 2 ducklings, 30 Lapwing, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Corn Bunting, 4 Little Grebe, pair of GCGrebe.
Castle Lake - Black Swan, 10 Little Grebe, 22 Shelduck includes new brood of 7 ducklings, three broods of Mallard- 20 ducklings, 3 LRP, 14 Oystercatcher, 7 Pochard, 18 Tufted Duck, 100 Sand Martin, 3 fledged Pied Wagtail chicks, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Corn Bunting, 30 Tree Sparrow.
Stoney Beck Lake 3 LRP, 4 broods of Shelduck, 7, 4, 4, and 2 ducklings, 30 Lapwing, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Corn Bunting, 4 Little Grebe, pair of GCGrebe.
Monday 6 June 2016
Monday 6th June 2016
Sightings from this morning;
Castle Lake - 14 Mute Swan, 14 Greylag Geese over east, Shoveler, 4 Pochard, 6 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, Oystercatcher pairs with 2 and 1 well grown juveniles, LR Plover, Yellow Wagtail and 2 Reed Warbler.
A1 Flashes - 2 Grey Heron.
River Stell - singing Sedge Warbler.
Low Hardwick - Coot with juveniles and 7 Sedge Warbler in three separate areas.
Alan's Pool - 2 Mute Swan, Coot with young and a singing Sedge Warbler.
Fishburn Lake - 1 Buzzard, 1 singing Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Reed Bunting.
Stoneybeck Lake - Shelduck pairs with broods of 6,4 and 2, 3 Little Grebe, Coot with young, 2 LRP and 4 Black-headed Gull.
Castle Lake - 14 Mute Swan, 14 Greylag Geese over east, Shoveler, 4 Pochard, 6 Little Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, Oystercatcher pairs with 2 and 1 well grown juveniles, LR Plover, Yellow Wagtail and 2 Reed Warbler.
A1 Flashes - 2 Grey Heron.
River Stell - singing Sedge Warbler.
Low Hardwick - Coot with juveniles and 7 Sedge Warbler in three separate areas.
Alan's Pool - 2 Mute Swan, Coot with young and a singing Sedge Warbler.
Fishburn Lake - 1 Buzzard, 1 singing Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Reed Bunting.
Stoneybeck Lake - Shelduck pairs with broods of 6,4 and 2, 3 Little Grebe, Coot with young, 2 LRP and 4 Black-headed Gull.
Wednesday 1 June 2016
Wednesday 1st June 2016
Sightings from this morning included the following;
Castle Lake - highlight of the day (and probably the year so far) was the sight of 3 drake Common Scoter keeping close together at the south end of the lake and diving frequently until approx. 10:45am. (This is only the second ever record for Bishop Middleham after a single drake back in December 2000), and although todays sighting does not fall in a known period of Common Scoter movement it was presumably weather related. A scarce bird away from the coast.
Other birds on offer were 12 Mute Swan, 5 broods of 15 Canada Geese gosling, Shelduck pair with 6 ducklings, 1 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 1 Pochard, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 2 well grown juvenile Oystercatcher, 2+ Little Ringed Plover, c3 Ringed Plover, 1 female Ruff, 1sp Dunlin, 2 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, a pair of Black-headed Gulls copulating, 2 Common Tern, 10+ House Martin and 3 Yellow Wagtail.
Castle Lake - highlight of the day (and probably the year so far) was the sight of 3 drake Common Scoter keeping close together at the south end of the lake and diving frequently until approx. 10:45am. (This is only the second ever record for Bishop Middleham after a single drake back in December 2000), and although todays sighting does not fall in a known period of Common Scoter movement it was presumably weather related. A scarce bird away from the coast.
Other birds on offer were 12 Mute Swan, 5 broods of 15 Canada Geese gosling, Shelduck pair with 6 ducklings, 1 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 1 Pochard, 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 2 well grown juvenile Oystercatcher, 2+ Little Ringed Plover, c3 Ringed Plover, 1 female Ruff, 1sp Dunlin, 2 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, a pair of Black-headed Gulls copulating, 2 Common Tern, 10+ House Martin and 3 Yellow Wagtail.
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