Fred Milton

Fabulous few hours on Nland coast - big skies & superb scenery. Decent birds too - 1,000s of Brent, Barnacle & Wigeon, good selection of waders inc Grey Plov & Bar Tail, Scoter, Auks, RB Merg & Perg & best of all breeding plumage GN Diver.

Decent at Crimdon Dene - 2, pos 3 Yellow B Warbler, Brambling, 30 Goldcrest, 4 Chiffs, small nos of incoming Fieldfare, Redwing & Blackbird, 12 Partridge, 6 Marsh Tit, Buzzard, Redpoll & good nos of common species. Finished with Cattle Egret & Green Sand at Seal Sands Rd @teesbirds.bsky.social

Crimdon Dene - Yellow B Warbler, Brambling, 4 Marsh Tit @teesbirds.bsky.social

Holme Fleet - Glossy Ibis flew over road 1330 into sheep grazed brinefields. Unable to relocate @teesbirds.bsky.social

Yeah not often you get time to work through - it showed so well & decent light.

Cracking photo Mike - caught the head marbling, mask & the pink breast. Thanks for your company & ID discussion too!

Castle Lake - eclipse m American Wigeon still showing in front of hide (thanks to finder Stephen) @teesbirds.bsky.social @fishburnian.bsky.social

Not sure as not at campus after dark. I’ll check in winter.

Chiffs daily in these trees - remarkable for central Boro. Had YBW in Albert Park few years back so I’d like to think so Paul.

This avenue of trees thru Teesside Uni in central Boro has held up to 4 calling Chiffs since early Aug & also Willow Warbler & Blackcap. Must be passage birds & prob dozens have passed thru over the last few months @teesbirds.bsky.social

Wildlife Watchpoint - Common Swift @teesbirds.bsky.social

Saltholme West - 25 Curlew Sand, 3 L Stint (thanks to finder) @teesbirds.bsky.social

Castle Lake - GW Egret, Peregrine, 7 Curlew Sand, 7 Ruff, 4 Ringed Plover, Dunlin, 24 Blackwit, Common Sand, 300 Hirundine, 30 Siskin, 8 Yellow Wag, 30 Chiff/Willow Warb @teesbirds.bsky.social

Castle Lake - Spotted Redshank still present - opp hide far E bank (thanks Rob) 3 Curlew Sand, 5 Ruff, 1 Green Sand, Common Sand, 2 Ring Plover & Hobby over hide. Beautiful sunrise over Stoneybeck @teesbirds.bsky.social

Close-up of a blue-tit beginning to peck away at the silver foil cap on the top of a milk bottle

The doorstep milk thief, 1966
Artist: Ronald Lampitt

Did have pair of Hobby over garden Monday. Swifts were late & the usual pair nesting next door…didn’t. 10 years ago we had load of Swifts nesting Boro town centre - none now.

Very quiet here in Durham - few waders at Castle Lake, resident wildfowl, small teal influx, 50 hirundine & nice 20odd Willow/Chiffs working a hedge this morning, but depressingly dead. In garden at the mo only sound in last 5 mins - woodpig, wind, dog & resident Stihl saw.

#bookban #UCP

Castle Lake 10am - 2 Curlew Sand (N end of lake), 2 Wood Sand, 14 Ruff, Common Sand, 2 Ringed Plover @teesbirds.bsky.social

Big drop off in Willow Warbler nos in lowland Durham, whereas Chiff all over in widespread habitat - even 6 pairs in Albert Park in central Middlesbrough where I work! Complete contrast to 80s when Chiff relatively scarce breeder restricted to woodlands.

Holme Fleet - no sign of Cattle Egret but Hobby, SE Owl, Marsh Harrier, 2 Water Rail, Wood Sand, 9 Ruff, Yellow Wags @teesbirds.bsky.social

Harvesting my veg this aftie - phenomenal growing year - just a tiny fraction of my produce so far with a load more spuds, beans, spring onions & parsnips still to come…got 10 jars of plum jam made too 🤤

Castle Lake (1930) - 1 Little Stint, 15 Ruff, 5 Dunlin, 1 Common Sand; Stoneybeck - Green Sand, LR Plover @teesbirds.bsky.social

Juvenile Shelduck twice on roofs of @teessideuni.bsky.social this afternoon & chased off by gulls @teesbirds.bsky.social First I’ve seen on campus!

Willow Warbler, Chiff & Blackcap all singing in trees on campus opp @teesstudentlife.bsky.social

Castle Lake - Common Sand, 2 LR Plover, 140 Curlew, 88 Lapwing, 12 GC Grebe inc yng, 8 Teal, 14 L Egret, Willow Tit. Looks good when/if wader passage starts @teesbirds.bsky.social

Explored Thornborough Henges at Nosterfield. Incredible how they’ve survived - 4,000 yrs old!

Brilliant day exploring @nosterfieldnr.bsky.social quiet birds-wise apart from Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Green Wood, LRP, L Egret, Red Kite, Y Wag. Superb nos of butterfly on the wing - 12 species inc Brimstone. Very dry tho.