Dunlin On Ice

Not content with three Dunlin at Stoneybeck Lake in November, two more put in an appearance today on a 90% frozen Castle Lake. Checking my records reveals these are the first Dunlin I've seen here in December.

Two Dunlin in centre of picture which flew in with some Golden Plover, can't help feeling these birds will struggle to survive away from the coast if these freezing conditions persist.

And if the weather doesn't get them this already blood-stained Great Black-backed Gull might.

Castle Lake also produced c100 Wigeon, c300 Teal, female Pochard, drake Goldeneye, 140 (!) Coot, 5 Curlew, 8 Redshank, 3 Great Black-backed Gull and a Grey Wagtail.

The un-freezable River Stell produced a decent selection including;

Grey Heron

Green Sandpiper (which flew off to the west of the A1M, but later relocated back to Castle Lake)

drake Goldeneye, with one of the two Little Grebe in the background

One of those day's when your not bothered there's a motorway in the background

Also witnessed some presumed weather related movement with 10 Skylark and a single Meadow Pipit over north with 3 Skylark later going south.

Castle Lake Picture From 2000

Stumbled across this picture about the former Bishop Middleham Castle taken in 2000 with what was then a much smaller 'Sewage Works Lake' in the background.


http://ww2.durham.gov.uk/nd/smr/m/D1117.jpg


Back to today, with sightings from John Olley;

Castle Lake
Severe flooding of the area. 
10 Pochard, Little Grebe, 50 Tufted Duck, 130 Coot, 7 Redshank.

Friday 23rd November 2012

Birds seen today included the following;

Stoneybeck Lake -  2 female Goldeneye still present.

DWT Quarry - 60 Redwing, Goldcrest, Yellowhammer.
 
Low Hardwick/River Stell - 85 Curlew, Kestrel, 3 Willow Tit, 1 Fieldfare, Treecreeper, Kingfisher.

 
Fishburn Lake - 38 Gadwall, 2 Wigeon, Woodcock, 10 Long-tailed Tit.

Some of the Gadwall, Tufted Duck & Wigeon on Fishburn Lake this afternoon.

Don't often get this close to Gadwall, another ten were on Alan's Pool.

Monday 19th November 2012

A few sightings to catch-up with from the last few days.

Sat.17th November 2012

Castle Lake; 12 Pochard, 2 Goldeneye, 3 Redshank, Green Sandpiper (distant pic. below); Mon.19th November 2012 Stoneybeck Lake 3 Whooper Swans (2 adults with a juv). (JO).

Tuesday 13th November 2012

Sightings today included the following;

Castle Lake - 2 Goldeneye, 2 Little Grebe, 6 Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, 40 Curlew, 3 Redshank, Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Low Hardwick - Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 25 Snipe, Jay.

A1 Flashes/River Skerne - Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Song Thrush.

Hardwick Hall CP - 3 Goosander, Little Grebe, GS Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Willow Tit on feeders.

Stoneybeck Lake - Sparrowhawk, 7 Redshank.

A few pictures from today;

Wigeon pair on Hardwick Hall Lake

3 drake Goosander also at Hardwick Hall

Greylag and Canada Geese near Castle Lake.

Monday 5th November 2012

A decent selection of birds were seen today including the following;

Castle Lake - Sparrowhawk, 40 Snipe, 4 Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Little Owl & 7 Corn Bunting.

Mediocre picture of a partially obscured Little Owl at Castle Lake this morning.

Low Hardwick - Bar-headed Goose in with 400 Greylag Geese, 250 Canada Geese, Kestrel, 25 Golden Plover, 50 Curlew, GS Woodpecker, 30 Fieldfare, 15 Redwing, Willow Tit, Jay & 18 Lesser Redpoll.

The wandering Bar-headed Goose was back in the area again today.

Stoneybeck Lake - 3 Whooper Swan (pictured below), 4 Redshank but the Long-tailed Duck wasn't seen.

Autumn Wader's

Delayed today's birding until the afternoon, purely to check for any Owl activity over Low Hardwick although there hasn't been any reports yet and it wasn't until mid-November last year that the sightings began. Sure enough nothing seen today but hopefully there will be Short-eared Owl's to be seen again this winter.

Earlier it was a couple of unexpected wader species that took my attention, firstly three Dunlin were at Stoneybeck Lake, this being the third November running I've now seen them at Bishop Middleham even though it seems a little late for Dunlin to be seen inland.
Then Castle Lake produced a single Black-tailed Godwit, definately the latest I've seen this species at BM.

The Long-tailed Duck was still present on Stoneybeck Lake.

Also some better access to the hide has been completed.