Latest sightings
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!
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
Wildlife sightings
Wader Lake AM: Lapwing 14 Black-headed gull 26 Redshank 9 Teal 56 Grey heron 2 Wigeon 2 Shoveler 1 Moorhen 7 Mallard 72 Hawthorn Wood feeding station [...]
1 November 2011
Ring-necked parakeets spotted
Two ring-necked parakeets have just been observed flying south down the River Wear. [...]
1 November 2011
Today's sightings - good numbers of redshank and teal
Wader Lake AM medium tide: Lesser black-backed gull 2 Black-headed gull 26 Redshank 23 Curlew 1 Teal 120 Mallard 28 Shoveler 4 Wigeon 2 Common snipe 2 Lapwing 1 [...]
31 October 2011
Today's wildlife sightings
Wader Lake AM high-medium tide: Teal 102 Black-headed gull 85 Lesser black-backed gull 5 Curlew 1 Redshank 3 Wigeon 4 Hawthorn Wood feeding station: Pheasant [...]
30 October 2011
Wildlife sightings - lots of long-tailed tit
Wader Lake AM low tide: Teal 84 Shoveler 1 Wigeon 2 Redshank 2 Black-headed gull 96 Lesser black-backed gull 3 Hawthorn Wood feeding station: Bullfinch 6 [...]
29 October 2011
First redpoll of the season
A cold but sunny start to the day on the fence check. As I walked along the river footpath, a loose group of 18 cormorant flew overhead on their way south. Yesterday, the first lesser redpolls of the autumn were noted feeding in the alder trees along the
28 October 2011
Today's sightings - tons of teal!
Wader Lake AM mid tide: Teal 136 Wigeon 3 Lapwing 15 Common snipe 3 Mallard 51 Hawthorn Wood feeding station: Nuthatch 1 Great-spotted woodpecker 3 Willo [...]
28 October 2011
Wildlife sightings - first redpoll of the autumn season
Wader Lake AM mid-low: Teal 52 Mallard 9 Shoveler 1 Redshank 3 Lapwing 3 Tufted duck 1 Wader Lake footpath: Redpoll 2 (first of the autumn season) Siskin [...]
27 October 2011
Today's wildlife sightings
Wader Lake AM low tide: Teal 83 Wigeon 4 Lapwing 3 Redshank 1 Shoveler 3 Hawthorn Wood feeding station: Pheasant 12 Bullfinch 6 Great tit 5 Coal tit [...]
26 October 2011
PM count at Wader Lake
Curlew 415 (N.B. the flock will soon start to arrive during opening hours, which change to 9.30am-4.30pm as of 31 Oct) Redshank 72 Lapwing 36 Black-headed gull 251 Jackdaw 317 [...]
26 October 2011
Beautiful brambling and barn owl
The first brambling of the autumn, a female, was noted in Hawthorn Wood this morning, feeding with the regular flock of chaffinch. I was also treated to great views of a barn owl flying low along the river footpath. It seems the recent heavy rain has enco
25 October 2011
Today's sightings
Wader Lake AM low tide: Wigeon 6 Teal 54 Shoveler 4 Mallard 32 Lapwing 1 Hawthorn Wood feeding station: Brambling 1 Great-spotted woodpecker 2 Bullfinch [...]
25 October 2011
Wildlife sightings
Wader lake a.m: Teal 42 Mallard 51 Grey heron 3 Black-headed gull 2 Moorhen 2 Hawthorn Wood: Great-spotted woodpecker 1 Willow tit 1 River: [...]
24 October 2011