Targeted Surveys
@lymnocryptes.bsky.social
TTBSG: Only just scratching the surface
Not many about so far
This is our best field
It can hold 20+, more usually around a dozen, just x5 Scolopax tonight, but that’s the most this year…. so far….
#Scolopax25
This is our best field
It can hold 20+, more usually around a dozen, just x5 Scolopax tonight, but that’s the most this year…. so far….
#Scolopax25
December 11, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Not many about so far
This is our best field
It can hold 20+, more usually around a dozen, just x5 Scolopax tonight, but that’s the most this year…. so far….
#Scolopax25
This is our best field
It can hold 20+, more usually around a dozen, just x5 Scolopax tonight, but that’s the most this year…. so far….
#Scolopax25
Boring LBJ
Our WillowTits are to receive a lot of attention in 2026
Durham County Council, Durham Wildlife & Natural England are some of those undertaking projects
Thankfully they’re still a familiar everyday bird for us here 😊
#NEBirding
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
@teesbirds.bsky.social
🧵1/5
Our WillowTits are to receive a lot of attention in 2026
Durham County Council, Durham Wildlife & Natural England are some of those undertaking projects
Thankfully they’re still a familiar everyday bird for us here 😊
#NEBirding
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
@teesbirds.bsky.social
🧵1/5
December 11, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Boring LBJ
Our WillowTits are to receive a lot of attention in 2026
Durham County Council, Durham Wildlife & Natural England are some of those undertaking projects
Thankfully they’re still a familiar everyday bird for us here 😊
#NEBirding
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
@teesbirds.bsky.social
🧵1/5
Our WillowTits are to receive a lot of attention in 2026
Durham County Council, Durham Wildlife & Natural England are some of those undertaking projects
Thankfully they’re still a familiar everyday bird for us here 😊
#NEBirding
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
@teesbirds.bsky.social
🧵1/5
Zoom in on pic3, you can see the tiny bits of polystyrene !
We have confirmed 21 nests in a Tetrad in 2021, however one single Monad can hold more than 10 nests.
We are seeing more nests located high in canopies in recent years, some as much as 50’ up 👍🏻🎯🙂
We have confirmed 21 nests in a Tetrad in 2021, however one single Monad can hold more than 10 nests.
We are seeing more nests located high in canopies in recent years, some as much as 50’ up 👍🏻🎯🙂
This pair embellished their Lichen dome with tiny pieces of Polystyrene
They’d laid their first egg by 26March & fledged c10 young
They’d laid their first egg by 26March & fledged c10 young
December 10, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Zoom in on pic3, you can see the tiny bits of polystyrene !
We have confirmed 21 nests in a Tetrad in 2021, however one single Monad can hold more than 10 nests.
We are seeing more nests located high in canopies in recent years, some as much as 50’ up 👍🏻🎯🙂
We have confirmed 21 nests in a Tetrad in 2021, however one single Monad can hold more than 10 nests.
We are seeing more nests located high in canopies in recent years, some as much as 50’ up 👍🏻🎯🙂
Yesterday’s #BirdoftheDay was something to do with Side views
Here’s our first incubating Scolopax from earlier this year, viewed from both sides ☺️
We’ve had our first chicks hatched & away in previous years, even before the national survey had started 😀🎯👍🏻
Here’s our first incubating Scolopax from earlier this year, viewed from both sides ☺️
We’ve had our first chicks hatched & away in previous years, even before the national survey had started 😀🎯👍🏻
December 10, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Yesterday’s #BirdoftheDay was something to do with Side views
Here’s our first incubating Scolopax from earlier this year, viewed from both sides ☺️
We’ve had our first chicks hatched & away in previous years, even before the national survey had started 😀🎯👍🏻
Here’s our first incubating Scolopax from earlier this year, viewed from both sides ☺️
We’ve had our first chicks hatched & away in previous years, even before the national survey had started 😀🎯👍🏻
OTD 2024
Barnie in his Limestone cavern
They’re the perfect colour match
Guessed thats where some of them lived before man built barns (& put up boxes)
#NEBirding
Barnie in his Limestone cavern
They’re the perfect colour match
Guessed thats where some of them lived before man built barns (& put up boxes)
#NEBirding
December 9, 2025 at 9:38 PM
OTD 2024
Barnie in his Limestone cavern
They’re the perfect colour match
Guessed thats where some of them lived before man built barns (& put up boxes)
#NEBirding
Barnie in his Limestone cavern
They’re the perfect colour match
Guessed thats where some of them lived before man built barns (& put up boxes)
#NEBirding
Totting up some numbers
Linnet - a total of 6860 found so far during the TreeSpug census
(week 10 update 2moro)
3K of those are in NZ34 which had most coverage
A benefit of digital images is being able to check flock counts at home over a coffee ☕️😊
#NEBirding
Linnet - a total of 6860 found so far during the TreeSpug census
(week 10 update 2moro)
3K of those are in NZ34 which had most coverage
A benefit of digital images is being able to check flock counts at home over a coffee ☕️😊
#NEBirding
December 9, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Totting up some numbers
Linnet - a total of 6860 found so far during the TreeSpug census
(week 10 update 2moro)
3K of those are in NZ34 which had most coverage
A benefit of digital images is being able to check flock counts at home over a coffee ☕️😊
#NEBirding
Linnet - a total of 6860 found so far during the TreeSpug census
(week 10 update 2moro)
3K of those are in NZ34 which had most coverage
A benefit of digital images is being able to check flock counts at home over a coffee ☕️😊
#NEBirding
Hurworth Burn
Target TreeSpugs & WillowTits at the car park
GWEgret, calling WRail & Cettis added interest
Nice to get a Harrier trio with 2 cc Marsh & a ringtail Hen.
#NEBirding @teesbirds.bsky.social
Target TreeSpugs & WillowTits at the car park
GWEgret, calling WRail & Cettis added interest
Nice to get a Harrier trio with 2 cc Marsh & a ringtail Hen.
#NEBirding @teesbirds.bsky.social
December 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Hurworth Burn
Target TreeSpugs & WillowTits at the car park
GWEgret, calling WRail & Cettis added interest
Nice to get a Harrier trio with 2 cc Marsh & a ringtail Hen.
#NEBirding @teesbirds.bsky.social
Target TreeSpugs & WillowTits at the car park
GWEgret, calling WRail & Cettis added interest
Nice to get a Harrier trio with 2 cc Marsh & a ringtail Hen.
#NEBirding @teesbirds.bsky.social
All too often we hear negative news about birds & wildlife.
We have been fortunate to witness dramatic positive changes in Durhams Dipper population over the last 2 decades with 7 additional Hectads colonised in lowland Eastern areas, with confirmation in NZ33 just this season
Pic of Moulting bird
We have been fortunate to witness dramatic positive changes in Durhams Dipper population over the last 2 decades with 7 additional Hectads colonised in lowland Eastern areas, with confirmation in NZ33 just this season
Pic of Moulting bird
December 4, 2025 at 9:56 AM
All too often we hear negative news about birds & wildlife.
We have been fortunate to witness dramatic positive changes in Durhams Dipper population over the last 2 decades with 7 additional Hectads colonised in lowland Eastern areas, with confirmation in NZ33 just this season
Pic of Moulting bird
We have been fortunate to witness dramatic positive changes in Durhams Dipper population over the last 2 decades with 7 additional Hectads colonised in lowland Eastern areas, with confirmation in NZ33 just this season
Pic of Moulting bird
1K
NZ34 has at least 982 Tree Sparrow in a preliminary Oct/Nov census.
The last 2 days we have noted 2 flocks at opposite ends of the Hectad have an extra 120 individuals between them.
c1K in just one Hectad….
How many are actually out there 🧐🧮🎯
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
NZ34 has at least 982 Tree Sparrow in a preliminary Oct/Nov census.
The last 2 days we have noted 2 flocks at opposite ends of the Hectad have an extra 120 individuals between them.
c1K in just one Hectad….
How many are actually out there 🧐🧮🎯
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
December 3, 2025 at 11:21 PM
1K
NZ34 has at least 982 Tree Sparrow in a preliminary Oct/Nov census.
The last 2 days we have noted 2 flocks at opposite ends of the Hectad have an extra 120 individuals between them.
c1K in just one Hectad….
How many are actually out there 🧐🧮🎯
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
NZ34 has at least 982 Tree Sparrow in a preliminary Oct/Nov census.
The last 2 days we have noted 2 flocks at opposite ends of the Hectad have an extra 120 individuals between them.
c1K in just one Hectad….
How many are actually out there 🧐🧮🎯
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
Returned to a TreeSpug flock in a wild bird seed plot
By 15:45 they gradually started to move to leave for roost sites, allowing accurate count of *171 as they went
Small groups got up & stuck together but each group headed in different directions
Presumably to roost at respective colonies 🧐
By 15:45 they gradually started to move to leave for roost sites, allowing accurate count of *171 as they went
Small groups got up & stuck together but each group headed in different directions
Presumably to roost at respective colonies 🧐
December 3, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Returned to a TreeSpug flock in a wild bird seed plot
By 15:45 they gradually started to move to leave for roost sites, allowing accurate count of *171 as they went
Small groups got up & stuck together but each group headed in different directions
Presumably to roost at respective colonies 🧐
By 15:45 they gradually started to move to leave for roost sites, allowing accurate count of *171 as they went
Small groups got up & stuck together but each group headed in different directions
Presumably to roost at respective colonies 🧐
December 2, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Whispers of a couple of Durham/ TyneTees WillowTit Projects on the cards…
Better late than never
#NEBirding
Better late than never
#NEBirding
December 2, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Whispers of a couple of Durham/ TyneTees WillowTit Projects on the cards…
Better late than never
#NEBirding
Better late than never
#NEBirding
End of first 2 months a pleasing 982 TSpug noted in NZ34 (the whole Hectad visited & birds in x86 Monads).
County wide see registrations from 268 monads in 147 tetrads from 25 hectads 🎯👍🏻
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
County wide see registrations from 268 monads in 147 tetrads from 25 hectads 🎯👍🏻
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
Tree Spug tally for Oct / Nov gives 889 birds in NZ34 alone from the 80 out of 100 monads visited
This equates to c11 birds per occupied 1km square or 44 birds per occupied Tetrad
There are around 820 of these Tetrad squares in the County & the TS range covers around two thirds of this area
1/4
This equates to c11 birds per occupied 1km square or 44 birds per occupied Tetrad
There are around 820 of these Tetrad squares in the County & the TS range covers around two thirds of this area
1/4
December 1, 2025 at 1:24 PM
End of first 2 months a pleasing 982 TSpug noted in NZ34 (the whole Hectad visited & birds in x86 Monads).
County wide see registrations from 268 monads in 147 tetrads from 25 hectads 🎯👍🏻
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
County wide see registrations from 268 monads in 147 tetrads from 25 hectads 🎯👍🏻
@durhambirdclub.bsky.social
A little bit of bird news
Nothing major but we pick up a few waifs & strays on our rounds…
The Yaffle is elevated to Patch Gold nowadays what a negative turnaround for them 😕🧐
Crossbill x4 Low Haswell NZ3644
Raven Pittington NZ3244
GreenWoody Sherburn NZ3143
Not many Scolopax ? 🧐
#NEBirding
Nothing major but we pick up a few waifs & strays on our rounds…
The Yaffle is elevated to Patch Gold nowadays what a negative turnaround for them 😕🧐
Crossbill x4 Low Haswell NZ3644
Raven Pittington NZ3244
GreenWoody Sherburn NZ3143
Not many Scolopax ? 🧐
#NEBirding
November 27, 2025 at 11:24 AM
A little bit of bird news
Nothing major but we pick up a few waifs & strays on our rounds…
The Yaffle is elevated to Patch Gold nowadays what a negative turnaround for them 😕🧐
Crossbill x4 Low Haswell NZ3644
Raven Pittington NZ3244
GreenWoody Sherburn NZ3143
Not many Scolopax ? 🧐
#NEBirding
Nothing major but we pick up a few waifs & strays on our rounds…
The Yaffle is elevated to Patch Gold nowadays what a negative turnaround for them 😕🧐
Crossbill x4 Low Haswell NZ3644
Raven Pittington NZ3244
GreenWoody Sherburn NZ3143
Not many Scolopax ? 🧐
#NEBirding
Big changes are obvious on several arable farms
The NEast has a high uptake of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) we are the top region alongside East Anglia
This is a Corn Bunt nest in dense patch of Wheat this July in NZ34 the most northerly English CornBunts
The NEast has a high uptake of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) we are the top region alongside East Anglia
This is a Corn Bunt nest in dense patch of Wheat this July in NZ34 the most northerly English CornBunts
November 27, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Big changes are obvious on several arable farms
The NEast has a high uptake of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) we are the top region alongside East Anglia
This is a Corn Bunt nest in dense patch of Wheat this July in NZ34 the most northerly English CornBunts
The NEast has a high uptake of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) we are the top region alongside East Anglia
This is a Corn Bunt nest in dense patch of Wheat this July in NZ34 the most northerly English CornBunts
Passer montanus
A bit of a misnomer for what’s generally accepted to be a lowland bird
Most highly elevated residents we can find are at 340m/asl on the moorland fringe at Woodland between Weardale & Teesdale
A small colony has been established since 2017
A bit of a misnomer for what’s generally accepted to be a lowland bird
Most highly elevated residents we can find are at 340m/asl on the moorland fringe at Woodland between Weardale & Teesdale
A small colony has been established since 2017
November 26, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Passer montanus
A bit of a misnomer for what’s generally accepted to be a lowland bird
Most highly elevated residents we can find are at 340m/asl on the moorland fringe at Woodland between Weardale & Teesdale
A small colony has been established since 2017
A bit of a misnomer for what’s generally accepted to be a lowland bird
Most highly elevated residents we can find are at 340m/asl on the moorland fringe at Woodland between Weardale & Teesdale
A small colony has been established since 2017
Myth & Mystery
Seeing is believing !
and we see it several times a season
Scolopax is another in a long list of Durham species which buck the nation’s downward trends
Thermal technology has revolutionised the study of breeding Woodcock
#NEBirding
Seeing is believing !
and we see it several times a season
Scolopax is another in a long list of Durham species which buck the nation’s downward trends
Thermal technology has revolutionised the study of breeding Woodcock
#NEBirding
November 25, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Myth & Mystery
Seeing is believing !
and we see it several times a season
Scolopax is another in a long list of Durham species which buck the nation’s downward trends
Thermal technology has revolutionised the study of breeding Woodcock
#NEBirding
Seeing is believing !
and we see it several times a season
Scolopax is another in a long list of Durham species which buck the nation’s downward trends
Thermal technology has revolutionised the study of breeding Woodcock
#NEBirding
Tree Spug tally for Oct / Nov gives 889 birds in NZ34 alone from the 80 out of 100 monads visited
This equates to c11 birds per occupied 1km square or 44 birds per occupied Tetrad
There are around 820 of these Tetrad squares in the County & the TS range covers around two thirds of this area
1/4
This equates to c11 birds per occupied 1km square or 44 birds per occupied Tetrad
There are around 820 of these Tetrad squares in the County & the TS range covers around two thirds of this area
1/4
November 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Tree Spug tally for Oct / Nov gives 889 birds in NZ34 alone from the 80 out of 100 monads visited
This equates to c11 birds per occupied 1km square or 44 birds per occupied Tetrad
There are around 820 of these Tetrad squares in the County & the TS range covers around two thirds of this area
1/4
This equates to c11 birds per occupied 1km square or 44 birds per occupied Tetrad
There are around 820 of these Tetrad squares in the County & the TS range covers around two thirds of this area
1/4
The cold snap provides an ideal opportunity for picking out Jack Snipe.
This one, a Snipe & a Woodcock all sharing the same pathside ditch this morning.
#NEBirding
This one, a Snipe & a Woodcock all sharing the same pathside ditch this morning.
#NEBirding
November 22, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The cold snap provides an ideal opportunity for picking out Jack Snipe.
This one, a Snipe & a Woodcock all sharing the same pathside ditch this morning.
#NEBirding
This one, a Snipe & a Woodcock all sharing the same pathside ditch this morning.
#NEBirding
It’s Looking VERY Positive for Tree Spugs in Durham atm
*These are our current winter registrations*
Nice flock of 120 in NZ34 wild bird cover yday (c90 in pic) where at least 70% of monads have registrations
142 Durham Tetrads is already close to the Atlas total
#NEBirding
*These are our current winter registrations*
Nice flock of 120 in NZ34 wild bird cover yday (c90 in pic) where at least 70% of monads have registrations
142 Durham Tetrads is already close to the Atlas total
#NEBirding
November 19, 2025 at 9:54 AM
It’s Looking VERY Positive for Tree Spugs in Durham atm
*These are our current winter registrations*
Nice flock of 120 in NZ34 wild bird cover yday (c90 in pic) where at least 70% of monads have registrations
142 Durham Tetrads is already close to the Atlas total
#NEBirding
*These are our current winter registrations*
Nice flock of 120 in NZ34 wild bird cover yday (c90 in pic) where at least 70% of monads have registrations
142 Durham Tetrads is already close to the Atlas total
#NEBirding
Oops deleted the Tree Spugs post
Update as at 16/11/2025
x207 1km registrations
In x121 Tetrads from x24 10km squares
Only 5 months to go to map our Winter populations
Update as at 16/11/2025
x207 1km registrations
In x121 Tetrads from x24 10km squares
Only 5 months to go to map our Winter populations
November 17, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Oops deleted the Tree Spugs post
Update as at 16/11/2025
x207 1km registrations
In x121 Tetrads from x24 10km squares
Only 5 months to go to map our Winter populations
Update as at 16/11/2025
x207 1km registrations
In x121 Tetrads from x24 10km squares
Only 5 months to go to map our Winter populations
Called in at Budle Bay on our journey home, just as the tide was just receding
Superb selection of wildfowl & waders & great views
Pictured are Greenshank, Brents & both Godwits
Superb selection of wildfowl & waders & great views
Pictured are Greenshank, Brents & both Godwits
November 16, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Called in at Budle Bay on our journey home, just as the tide was just receding
Superb selection of wildfowl & waders & great views
Pictured are Greenshank, Brents & both Godwits
Superb selection of wildfowl & waders & great views
Pictured are Greenshank, Brents & both Godwits
Angry William
It’s been a productive few months for Crossbill passage.
Away from breeding sites I’ve had 111 Crossbill moving on 28 dates since June (That’s a 158 day period = so a record around every 5.5 days).
🧵1/3
It’s been a productive few months for Crossbill passage.
Away from breeding sites I’ve had 111 Crossbill moving on 28 dates since June (That’s a 158 day period = so a record around every 5.5 days).
🧵1/3
November 8, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Angry William
It’s been a productive few months for Crossbill passage.
Away from breeding sites I’ve had 111 Crossbill moving on 28 dates since June (That’s a 158 day period = so a record around every 5.5 days).
🧵1/3
It’s been a productive few months for Crossbill passage.
Away from breeding sites I’ve had 111 Crossbill moving on 28 dates since June (That’s a 158 day period = so a record around every 5.5 days).
🧵1/3
Surprise Ringtail HH hunting at Garmondsway Nr Kelloe during our Tree Spug recce
#BirdingNE
#BirdingNE
October 30, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Surprise Ringtail HH hunting at Garmondsway Nr Kelloe during our Tree Spug recce
#BirdingNE
#BirdingNE
After a rather uninspiring start despite a few late Sept birds, Jacks have picked up this week.
By 22/10, a total of x37 birds from a doz sites, with several locs still blank.
20 birds from x9 sites in core study area in NZ35/34
The regions max is 9 at Rspb Saltholme
Pics MH & pair by TM
#Birding
By 22/10, a total of x37 birds from a doz sites, with several locs still blank.
20 birds from x9 sites in core study area in NZ35/34
The regions max is 9 at Rspb Saltholme
Pics MH & pair by TM
#Birding
October 25, 2025 at 10:31 AM
After a rather uninspiring start despite a few late Sept birds, Jacks have picked up this week.
By 22/10, a total of x37 birds from a doz sites, with several locs still blank.
20 birds from x9 sites in core study area in NZ35/34
The regions max is 9 at Rspb Saltholme
Pics MH & pair by TM
#Birding
By 22/10, a total of x37 birds from a doz sites, with several locs still blank.
20 birds from x9 sites in core study area in NZ35/34
The regions max is 9 at Rspb Saltholme
Pics MH & pair by TM
#Birding