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Chilean flamingos off show

Our Chilean flamingo flock is currently being housed indoors. This is a temporary measure as a precaution to avian influenza (bird flu). We will let you know as soon as they are safe to be outdoors. Thank you for your understanding.

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Latest sightings

Today's Sightings

Today's Sightings

Wader Lake Teal  67 Mallard  56 Heron  3 Black-Headed-Gull  150 Shelduck  2 River Wear Cormorant - 1 Other Bird Species Kestrel - 2 (Top me [...]

17 November 2011

Welcome back, you wonderful waxwing!

Welcome back, you wonderful waxwing!

A Eurasian white-fronted goose has been on site since Monday, spending its time between the stream channel and the juvenile pen. The river footpath was alive with birds this morning, with at least 40 lesser redpoll feeding in the alder trees, as well as a

16 November 2011

Today's Sightings

Today's Sightings

Wader Lake Wigeon  3 Teal  32 Mallard  24 Shelduck  2 Shoveler  4 Lapwing  16 Kestrel  2 Lesser Redpoll (river footpath)  4 [...]

16 November 2011

Today's sightings

Today's sightings

Wader Lake AM Low tide Wigeon  8 Teal  51 Mallard  26 Curlew  16 Redshank   17 Black-Headed-Gull   72 Peregrine (over) &nb [...]

15 November 2011

Sightings Update

Sightings Update

White-Fronted Goose in front of the building, next to the stream channel. [...]

15 November 2011

Sightings

Sightings

A hunting sparrowhawk is on site today and there are lots of bullfinch adding colour to the feeding station at Hawthorn Wood. [...]

14 November 2011

White-fronted goose spotted

White-fronted goose spotted

Our wardens have just spotted a wild white-fronted goose near the crested screamer pen! Flew off before we could confirm the sub-species...  [...]

14 November 2011

Little grebe

Little grebe

2 little grebe have been spotted down on the River Wear. [...]

12 November 2011

Today's sightings!

Today's sightings!

Wader Lake Curlew - 100 Redwing - 41 Lapwing - 9 Common snipe - 3 Teal - 54 Wigeon - 8 Mallard - 36   Other species River Little grebe - 2 Cormoran [...]

12 November 2011

Latest from Washington

Latest from Washington

There are a lot of redwing moving across site at the moment. The best places to watch them are along the hedgerows and scrub areas, as they feed on berries from the heavily-laden hawthorn trees. Goldfinch numbers are also on the rise, with a fantastic flo

11 November 2011

Wildlife sightings

Wildlife sightings

Wader Lake Wigeon 8 Teal 92 Mallard 26 Canada goose 2 Shelduck 2 Lapwing 9 Redshank 14 Grey heron 8   River Wear Mallard 72 Cormorant 6 Curlew [...]

9 November 2011

A lovely autumnal return

A lovely autumnal return

Following a few days' holiday, I've returned to work to find the site feeling very autumnal, with lots of gold and red foliage in the trees. Highlights for today's blog include a flock of 50 siskin down near the amphibian ponds and six lesser redpoll.

8 November 2011

Seal spotted

Seal spotted

Wardens have just reported a seal in the River Wear, near our Window on the Wear viewing platform. [...]

8 November 2011

Today's sightings, including 2 sparrowhawks!

Today's sightings, including 2 sparrowhawks!

Wader Lake: Teal - 34 Grey heron - 3 Lapwing - 12 Redshank - 16 Wigeon - 2 Shoveler - 7 Moorhen - 3 Mute swan - 1   Other bird species counts: Song thr [...]

7 November 2011

Startled sparrowhawk!

Startled sparrowhawk!

Our Eurasian cranes have just startled Florence, our resident hunting sparrowhawk, as she stopped on the stream in front of the visitor centre to devour her prey. She was spooked so much that she [...]

4 November 2011