February Sightings

27th February – (RL et al)

fem Velvet Scoter
Long-tailed Duck off Swan Island
8 Scaup from HVWG hide

24th February – (MR)

1 Whooper Swan
fem Velvet Scoter
4+ Scaup
1 LBb Gull Swan Island

23rd February – (RL)

9 Scaup
fem Velvet Scoter

22nd February – (MR,RL)

fem Velvet Scoter
8 Scaup (1 drk)
1 LBb Gull
Long-tailed Duck
1 Whooper Swan off Heslop’s then flew south
2 Common Buzzard west over Mere
Marsh Harrier

Barmston

Kumlien’s Gull

20th February – (LI)

Merlin through 2nd field in mid aft
Red-necked Grebe off Heslop’s
drk Red-crested Pochard
7+ Scaup
2 Oystercatcher
fem Sparrowhawk

18th February – (TI)

2 Lesser-black backed Gull Swan Island

17th February – (MR)

Long-tailed Duck off Heslop’s
Red-necked Grebe off Cormorant Trees late am
Bittern in flight over Decoy channel
Curlew over
Oystercatcher at east end
male Marsh Harrier over Heslop’s
2 Egyptian Goose Decoy Channel
fem Velvet Scoter from HVWG hide
8 Scaup from HVWG hide
drk RCP from HVWG hide

Red-necked Grebe

Egyptian Geese

16th February – (LI)

Red-necked Grebe still at west end
Bittern
6 Whooper Swan (5 juvs)
Shelduck
Green Woodpecker
Marsh Harrier
2 Siskin
Long-tailed Duck
fem Velvet Scoter
drk RCP
3 Scaup
1 Pink-footed Goose

13th February – (TM,SN)

Red-necked Grebe still at west end

12th February – (AJ,TI)

All seen just off Tree Island in am

6 Scaup (2 drks)
drk Red-crested Pochard
1 Water Rail from the KP approach road nr trough
fem Velvet Scoter

3 Pink-footed Goose Skirlington

Kumlien’s Gull at Barmston

10th February – (AJ,TI,MR)

High Shincliffe, Co. Durham

1 Myrtle Warbler
3 Waxwing

Myrtle Warbler – Rich Willison

Waxwing – Rich Willison

Langdon Beck, Co.Durham

a minimum of 53 Black Grouse (32 males)

Black Grouse – Ade Johnson

Arkengarthdale

6+ Black Grouse
4 Raven
2 Peregrine
Red Grouse
Dipper

8th February – (MR,TM,SN)

Loch Flemington, Highland

1 American Coot
2000+ Pink-feet over
2 Red-breasted Merganser

American Coot – Loch Flemington

Findhorn Valley, Highland

1 sub-adult White-tailed Eagle
Dipper
Red Kite
8+ Raven
8 Common Buzzard

White-tailed Eagle – better through a scope

Loch Garten/Forest Lodge

4+ Crested Tit

A snowy A9 en route to Loch Garten

Burghead, Moray

20+ Long-tailed Duck
Common Scoter
3 Red-throated Diver
2 Great Northern Diver
Black Guillemot
22 Eider
3 Razorbill

7th February – (MR)

2 Common Buzzard Wassand
Great White Egret off Hemitage field 12:50, then flew towards southside
8 Scaup (2drks) from HVWG hide in aft
4 Pintail from HVWG hide
drk Red-crested Pochard
fem Velvet Scoter

Scaup

3 of the 4 Pintail

fem Velvet Scoter

drk Red-crested Pochard

2 drk Scaup

6th February – (MR,LI,GB)

1 Great White Egret 1st/2nd field early morning then flew to Heslop’s
Long-tailed Duck off Heslop’s
fem Velvet Scoter on north side in am
14 Barnacle Geese circling over Mere mid morning, flew off NW
1 Oystercatcher Swan Island/KP
1 Curlew north (CH)
ad fem Marsh Harrier over Heslop’s
7+ Grey Heron
Sparrowhawk Ouzel Hedge
1 Snipe west end
Water Rail Heslop’s
310 Goldeneye off 2nd field late aft
2 Goldcrest on 2nd field south bank
2 Jays Wassand
4 GS Woodpecker Wassand
3 Treecreeper Wassand
2 Coal Tit Wassand
Pair Mistle Thrush Wassand
1 Common Buzzard Wassand

Barnacle Geese over Mere

Cowden early aft

29+ Red-throated Diver off Cowden
5 Bullfinch
2 Stonechat
Barn Owl
Water Rail heard

Red-throats off Cowden

4th February – (RW)

Some fine pics of the Great White Egret and a drk Goldeneye from Rich Willison

2nd February – (JC,GT,LI)

1 Pink-footed Goose off KP with Greylags
2 Egyptian Goose off KP
1 Common Buzzard over Wassand
6 Whooper Swan flew over west end in am
Red-necked Grebe at west end
6 Whooper Swan at west end
Grey Plover with Lapwing flocks in fields south of Mere and in flight over southside
1w Med Gull in roost
c150 Lapwing at dusk in 1st field

1st February – (BMJ,MR)

1 Great White Egret from KP early morning, flew to Heslop’s reeds 12:10
8+ Reed Bunting Ouzel Hedge
2 Yellowhammer Ouzel Hedge
232 Lapwing on southside (82,150)
2 Common Buzzard (1 Ouzel Hedge, 1 over Heslop’s)

Common Buzzard – Ouzel Hedge

Fort Paull 14:00-14:30

1 Firecrest on west side of Fort Paull, found by the Paull Holme Strays birders in the am
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker in wood
2 Goldcrest
1 Sparrowhawk

Fort Paull Firecrest – Rich Willison 03/02/14