Steve's Avatar

Steve

@locustella.bsky.social

Birder, runner, occasional moth-er and otherwildlife-er. https://beautifulhordenandblackhall.blogspot.com

101 Followers  |  51 Following  |  144 Posts  |  Joined: 08.04.2024  |  1.8049

Latest posts by locustella.bsky.social on Bluesky

It's a Waterthrush. I would suggest Louisiana Waterthrush due to the unstreaked throat and pure white supercillium.

05.02.2026 21:05 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Good point

01.02.2026 09:54 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Those plastic tubes are a magnet for vandals too. Would the trees really be so vulnerable to wildlife?

01.02.2026 09:25 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Lovely!

31.01.2026 15:09 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Indeed, and that call on the image looks wild!

16.01.2026 12:09 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Love that video!

20.12.2025 13:31 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

Found this Winter Moth on the school window last week (VC66). A first for me.

#teamMoth

13.12.2025 17:28 — 👍 10    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Crazy!

08.12.2025 07:14 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image Post image Post image

After a canny seawatch at Whitburn (check out the sunrise pic) it was nice to do some birding back on patch at Horden/Blackhall. There's an atmospheric (=rubbish) pic of Whooper Swans flying past rain clouds and a Little Grebe on the beach pool at the mouth of Blue House Gill.

#NEbirding

16.11.2025 20:09 — 👍 8    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image Post image Post image Post image

#NEbirding
#seawatching

Two white-winged gulls past Whitburn OBS this morning: juv Glaucous Gull and adult Med Gull

02.11.2025 14:36 — 👍 14    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image Post image Post image

What do you reckon on these from Hendon last week?

01.11.2025 18:11 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image Post image

This day-flying moth landed in the scrub, walked up and down with it's wings closed until it found a suitable spot, then flattened down to hug the branch and almost disappear. So cool. Epirrita sp. I think.

#teamMoth

18.10.2025 21:18 — 👍 16    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image Post image Post image Post image

A fun day on the Durham coast - Crossbills and Marsh Tits at Blue house Dene; YB Warbler (found by @dunnock67.bsky.social) and Hen Harrier at Horden; Short-Eared Owl and Great-northern Diver at Whitburn.

#NEbirding

18.10.2025 20:20 — 👍 12    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Nice!

18.10.2025 06:44 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

#NEbirding 😬

11.10.2025 15:34 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Whooper Swan

Whooper Swan

Plenty of PF Geese and this chap going south along the coast at Blackhall this a.m.

Also 3 GWE at Castle.Lake but I couldn't see the Am Wigeon.

11.10.2025 15:34 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

bah! forgot #NEbirding

04.10.2025 15:36 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Video thumbnail
04.10.2025 15:33 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image Post image

Also present were little and large - juv little gull and great white egret; 2 Pintail; 1 Ruff; 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 3 Dunlin.

04.10.2025 15:33 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image Post image Post image Post image

Was very excited to find this, what looks like it's an eclipse male American Wigeon at Castle Lake today. I've never found one before and I'd be interested if anyone thinks it isn't one!

04.10.2025 15:33 — 👍 15    🔁 0    💬 3    📌 0
Post image Post image

After 30 km of walking round bushes this weekend, I finally found a migrant or two! A lovely wheatear and Whinchat together in the same spot - not quite what I was hoping for.

It *was* a beautiful day on the coast.
#NEbirding

28.09.2025 16:42 — 👍 10    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image

As well as a Rush Veneer at Horden!

27.09.2025 16:26 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

I had a day flying one at Blackhall today.

27.09.2025 16:25 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

After 7 hours checking the bushes to no avail I was grateful to see 8 Pintail on the sea at Castle Eden Denemouth with a flock of Wigeon.

#NEbirding

27.09.2025 16:24 — 👍 9    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Nice one Andy!

26.09.2025 06:38 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Fantastic pics!

22.09.2025 18:55 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Video thumbnail

200+ Pink-footed Geese south over Horden in between the showers this morning.
#NEbirding

@dunnock67.bsky.social

20.09.2025 15:10 — 👍 10    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Red-throated Diver past Whitburn.

Red-throated Diver past Whitburn.

Red-throated Diver past Whitburn.

Red-throated Diver past Whitburn.

Bottle-nosed Dolphins. Smaller paler fin is the young one.

Bottle-nosed Dolphins. Smaller paler fin is the young one.

Plenty of Red-throated Divers past Whitburn this morning. Also a pic of Bottle-nosed Dolphins with a youngster.

#NEbirding
#seawatching

20.09.2025 15:03 — 👍 6    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Marsh Harrier over the sea at Whitburn

Marsh Harrier over the sea at Whitburn

One of a 'flock' of 3 Lesser Whitethroat at Blackhall.

One of a 'flock' of 3 Lesser Whitethroat at Blackhall.

One of a 'flock' of 3 Lesser Whitethroat at Blackhall.

One of a 'flock' of 3 Lesser Whitethroat at Blackhall.

Marsh Harrier south over the sea was the highlight of a quiet seawatch at Whitburn this morning. The bushes at Castle Eden Denemouth / Black hall allotments held 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, Willow Tit and numerous Chiffs.
#NEbirding

13.09.2025 12:52 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Well, considering the big crack in my lens, I can't complain! I fancy a new camera now I've got it working better 😂

22.08.2025 20:59 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

@locustella is following 20 prominent accounts