Sightings today with thanks to John Olley and Alan Jones;
Castle Lake and surrounds - 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 200 Lapwing, 24 Curlew, 3 Snipe, 2 Little Egret (1 a juvenile), 6 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 5 Grey Heron, 12 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe chicks just hatched, 5 Corn Bunting, 2 Yellow Wagtail and a juvenile Marsh Harrier over high east.
Durham Bird Club's Castle Lake Nature Reserve
Saturday 30 July 2016
Wednesday 27 July 2016
Wednesday 27th July 2016
Sightings today from Joe Hughes and myself;
Stoneybeck Lake - 8 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank and 1 Corn Bunting.
Castle Lake - 5 Shoveler, 1 Teal, 10+ Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Oystercatcher, 3 Dunlin, 6 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper, 1 adult Common Tern, 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Grey Wagtail and 2 Corn Bunting.
A1 Flashes - 1 each of Lapwing and Green Sandpiper.
Alan's Pool - 1 Little Egret and a Grey Heron.
Stoneybeck Lake - 8 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank and 1 Corn Bunting.
Castle Lake - 5 Shoveler, 1 Teal, 10+ Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 7 Oystercatcher, 3 Dunlin, 6 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 6 Common Sandpiper, 1 adult Common Tern, 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Grey Wagtail and 2 Corn Bunting.
A1 Flashes - 1 each of Lapwing and Green Sandpiper.
Alan's Pool - 1 Little Egret and a Grey Heron.
Tuesday 26 July 2016
Monday 25th July 2016
Sightings from Monday late afternoon/early evening.
Castle Lake (north end) - 1 Dunlin, 1 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Curlew, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Owl (pictured below) and 1 Corn Bunting.
Castle Lake (below the hide) - 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Snipe, 6 Green Sandpiper and 4 Common Sandpiper.
Castle Lake (elsewhere) - Pochard with 2 juveniles, Little Grebe pair with 3 juveniles plus some well grown juveniles which presumably bred elsewhere, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Oystercatcher, 60+ Lapwing and 12 Black-headed Gull.
A1 Flashes - devoid of birds except for a single Lapwing which may explain the increase in Green Sandpiper numbers on Castle Lake.
Stoneybeck Lake - 64 Greylag Geese, a drake Pintail going into eclipse plumage was a bit of a surprise sighting for late July, 4 Teal, 1 Little Grebe, a superb 16 Little Ringed Plover including a combination of adults, juveniles and two broods of 3 & 2 chicks, 1 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 juvenile Yellow Wagtail.
Castle Lake (north end) - 1 Dunlin, 1 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Curlew, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Little Owl (pictured below) and 1 Corn Bunting.
Castle Lake (below the hide) - 2 Little Ringed Plover, 3 Snipe, 6 Green Sandpiper and 4 Common Sandpiper.
Castle Lake (elsewhere) - Pochard with 2 juveniles, Little Grebe pair with 3 juveniles plus some well grown juveniles which presumably bred elsewhere, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Oystercatcher, 60+ Lapwing and 12 Black-headed Gull.
A1 Flashes - devoid of birds except for a single Lapwing which may explain the increase in Green Sandpiper numbers on Castle Lake.
Stoneybeck Lake - 64 Greylag Geese, a drake Pintail going into eclipse plumage was a bit of a surprise sighting for late July, 4 Teal, 1 Little Grebe, a superb 16 Little Ringed Plover including a combination of adults, juveniles and two broods of 3 & 2 chicks, 1 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 juvenile Yellow Wagtail.
Sunday 24 July 2016
Sunday 24th July 2016
Sunday's sightings with thanks to John Olley and Fred Milton.
Castle Lake - 1 BNG, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Greenshank, 2 Snipe, 2 LRP, 5 Curlew, 160 Lapwing, 16 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret, 6 broods of Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe chicks, 2 Pochard ducklings, distant Buzzards mobbed by small falcon possible Hobby, 3 Yellow Wagtail juveniles, 3 Corn Bunting singing.
A1 Flashes - 1 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, Grasshopper Warbler and 4 Corn Bunting singing.
Stoneybeck Lake - 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Corn Bunting singing.
Castle Lake - 1 BNG, 4 Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Golden Plover, 1 Greenshank, 2 Snipe, 2 LRP, 5 Curlew, 160 Lapwing, 16 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Egret, 6 broods of Tufted Duck, 3 Little Grebe chicks, 2 Pochard ducklings, distant Buzzards mobbed by small falcon possible Hobby, 3 Yellow Wagtail juveniles, 3 Corn Bunting singing.
A1 Flashes - 1 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpiper, Grasshopper Warbler and 4 Corn Bunting singing.
Stoneybeck Lake - 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and a Corn Bunting singing.
Saturday 23 July 2016
Saturday 23rd July 2016
Sightings today from Joe Hughes and myself.
An excellent selection today, particularly waders with eleven different species as return passage moves up a gear.
Stoneybeck Lake - 1 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe, 9 Little Ringed Plover (including 3 chicks, possibly two separate broods, a good breeding record), 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank and a Common Buzzard).
Castle Lake - 44 Greylag Geese (numbers not building as quick as previous years), 1 Teal, female Pochard with two ducklings, Great Crested Grebe pair still sitting, 2 Cormorant, 3 Little Egret including a juvenile, 2 Grey Heron, 10 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, c40 Lapwing, 7 Snipe, 1 summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit, 42 Curlew, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, 10 Black-headed Gull, 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Owl, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 3 singing Corn Bunting near Alan's Pool.
Two mediocre pictures of the Wood Sandpiper
A1 Flashes - (not much water left, but some great looking mud!) 1 Greenshank, 6 Green Sandpiper and 12 overflying Curlew.
River Stell - a female Tufted Duck with 7 ducklings, 2 Grey Heron and a Common Sandpiper.
Low Hardwick - a singing Grasshopper Warbler.
An excellent selection today, particularly waders with eleven different species as return passage moves up a gear.
Stoneybeck Lake - 1 Pochard, 1 Little Grebe, 9 Little Ringed Plover (including 3 chicks, possibly two separate broods, a good breeding record), 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank and a Common Buzzard).
Castle Lake - 44 Greylag Geese (numbers not building as quick as previous years), 1 Teal, female Pochard with two ducklings, Great Crested Grebe pair still sitting, 2 Cormorant, 3 Little Egret including a juvenile, 2 Grey Heron, 10 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, c40 Lapwing, 7 Snipe, 1 summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit, 42 Curlew, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, 10 Black-headed Gull, 1 Peregrine, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Little Owl, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 3 singing Corn Bunting near Alan's Pool.
Two mediocre pictures of the Wood Sandpiper
River Stell - a female Tufted Duck with 7 ducklings, 2 Grey Heron and a Common Sandpiper.
Low Hardwick - a singing Grasshopper Warbler.
Wednesday 20 July 2016
Monday 18th July 2016
Catching up with sightings from Monday with thanks to Joe Hughes and John Olley;
Castle Lake - 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 LRP, 1 Little Egret, 2 Buzzard, up to 8 Corn Bunting between the lake and Island Farm, 4 Grey Heron, 200 Lapwing, 20 Curlew and 2 juvenile Yellow Wagtail.
Castle Lake - 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 LRP, 1 Little Egret, 2 Buzzard, up to 8 Corn Bunting between the lake and Island Farm, 4 Grey Heron, 200 Lapwing, 20 Curlew and 2 juvenile Yellow Wagtail.
Sunday 17th July 2016
Catching up with sightings, firstly for Sunday with thanks to Joe Hughes;
Castle Lake - 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 1 Ruff, 2 Corn Bunting, 2 Curlew and a Buzzard.
Castle Lake - 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 1 Ruff, 2 Corn Bunting, 2 Curlew and a Buzzard.
Wednesday 13 July 2016
Wednesday 13th July 2016
Sightings from this morning;
Castle Lake - drake Wigeon in eclipse plumage, female Shoveler with three well grown juveniles, female Pochard with two ducklings, three Tufted Duck broods of six,six and seven ducklings respectively, 5+ Little Grebe, single Great Crested Grebe still sitting, one Grey Heron, an Oystercatcher pair with a juvenile (three breeding pairs this summer), 2 Little Ringed Plover, single Dunlin, 5 Snipe back already, one summer plumaged Redshank, 7 Green Sandpiper (4 at the north end and 3 below the hide), 2 Common Sandpiper, one each of Yellow and Grey Wagtail, one, possibly two Reed Warbler singing intermittently and a Corn Bunting still singing between the hide and the sewage works.
A1 Flashes; 29 Greylag Geese (not be long before numbers start to build up), 3 Oystercatcher, 65 Lapwing and 7 Curlew.
Stoneybeck Lake; 8 Greylag Geese, 5 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 30 Lapwing including a new chick and a single Snipe.
Castle Lake - drake Wigeon in eclipse plumage, female Shoveler with three well grown juveniles, female Pochard with two ducklings, three Tufted Duck broods of six,six and seven ducklings respectively, 5+ Little Grebe, single Great Crested Grebe still sitting, one Grey Heron, an Oystercatcher pair with a juvenile (three breeding pairs this summer), 2 Little Ringed Plover, single Dunlin, 5 Snipe back already, one summer plumaged Redshank, 7 Green Sandpiper (4 at the north end and 3 below the hide), 2 Common Sandpiper, one each of Yellow and Grey Wagtail, one, possibly two Reed Warbler singing intermittently and a Corn Bunting still singing between the hide and the sewage works.
A1 Flashes; 29 Greylag Geese (not be long before numbers start to build up), 3 Oystercatcher, 65 Lapwing and 7 Curlew.
Stoneybeck Lake; 8 Greylag Geese, 5 Oystercatcher, 2 Little Ringed Plover, 30 Lapwing including a new chick and a single Snipe.
Monday 11 July 2016
Sunday 10th July 2016
Sightings for Sunday with thanks to John Olley and Alan Jones.
Castle Lake - 2 Little Tern briefly then high east, single Common Tern, Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 7 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, 160 Lapwing, 20 Curlew, 18 Oystercatcher, 2 LRP, Ringed Plover, two broods of 6 Tufted Duck ducklings, Pochard with 2 ducklings, 22 Shelduck ducklings, 3 Corn Bunting, 250 Sand Martin, 60 Swift, 20 Pied Wagtail.
Castle Lake - 2 Little Tern briefly then high east, single Common Tern, Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 7 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, 160 Lapwing, 20 Curlew, 18 Oystercatcher, 2 LRP, Ringed Plover, two broods of 6 Tufted Duck ducklings, Pochard with 2 ducklings, 22 Shelduck ducklings, 3 Corn Bunting, 250 Sand Martin, 60 Swift, 20 Pied Wagtail.
Tuesday 5 July 2016
Tuesday 5th July 2016
Today's sightings;
Castle Lake - 1f Pochard with 2 ducklings, c20 Tufted Duck with two broods of 6 & 7 ducklings, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Oystercatcher with at least 1 juvenile, 4 LRP, c80 Lapwing, 7 Curlew, 3 Redshank, 6 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Black-headed Gull of which two were juveniles, 1 Little Owl, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Greenfinch (scarce away from the village) and a singing Corn Bunting.
A1 Flashes - 6 Greylag Geese and 2 Grey Heron.
Wildlife Garden - Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a family of Great Tit's.
Stoneybeck Lake - 3 Greylag Geese and 8 Oystercatcher.
Castle Lake - 1f Pochard with 2 ducklings, c20 Tufted Duck with two broods of 6 & 7 ducklings, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Oystercatcher with at least 1 juvenile, 4 LRP, c80 Lapwing, 7 Curlew, 3 Redshank, 6 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 5 Black-headed Gull of which two were juveniles, 1 Little Owl, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Greenfinch (scarce away from the village) and a singing Corn Bunting.
A1 Flashes - 6 Greylag Geese and 2 Grey Heron.
Wildlife Garden - Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and a family of Great Tit's.
Stoneybeck Lake - 3 Greylag Geese and 8 Oystercatcher.
Sunday 3 July 2016
Sunday 3rd July 2016
Sightings for today with thanks to Joe Hughes;
Castle Lake - 3 LRP, 1 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 17 Curlew, 5 Oystercatcher, 1 Buzzard, 1 Little Owl, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wigeon and 2 Corn Bunting.
Castle Lake - 3 LRP, 1 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 17 Curlew, 5 Oystercatcher, 1 Buzzard, 1 Little Owl, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wigeon and 2 Corn Bunting.
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