Teesmouth Bird Club Newsletter Is Published Three Times a Year

Teesmouth Bird Club

Newsletter

December 2017(No.68) Reg.Charity No.508850

CONTENTS MONTHLY SUMMARIES Monthly Summaries 1 Chris Sharp reviews the birding highlights of News from the Committee 6 what was a fairly quiet autumn period News from Conservation Sub-committee 8 JULY 2017 Local Outings 9

Breeding Bird Survey follow up 9 Recommended Book 9 10 BTO News 12 Margrove Ponds site update 15 Poole Hospital Woods site update 17 TBC publications 18 TIT-BITS 19 TBC clothing 21 Autumn WeBS summary 22 TBC Subscription renewal form 24

The Teesmouth Bird Club Newsletter is published three times a year. Compilation and layout by Eric James, web download by Jamie Duffy, distribution by Chris Sharp. Material for inclusion always welcome Red-backed Shrike,South Gare Brian Martin An unseasonal male Red-backed Shrike showed Contact details: well at South Gare from 1st to 3rd [email protected] Or : E.T.James 7 Hilderthorpe Nunthorpe Middlesbrough TS7 0PT Don’t forget. The (modestly priced) subscriptions are due in the new year. Pay at a Club meeting or use the form on page 24.

Great White Egret, Saltholme Ian Forrest

.A Red Kite was at Low Worsall on 1st. Great White Egret is now seen annually on the North Tees Marshes and a single bird was at RSPB Saltholme on 1st. It remained in the area until at least 22nd, occasionally visiting Greenabella. 1 Tees Marshes and a single bird was at RSPB impressive 37 Common Sandpipers at Scaling Saltholme on 1st. It remained in the area until at Dam. least 22nd, occasionally visiting Greenabella. A Cuckoo was at Zinc Works Road on 23rd. This July usually sees the first returning waders of the species continues to become rarer in the county. autumn. One or two Wood Sandpipers were at A Great Northern Diver was off Huntcliff. Another Dorman’s Pool and RSPB Saltholme from 3rd. Cory’s Shearwater was off Old Nab on 24th along Black-tailed Godwit numbers also increased with with two Sooty Shearwaters and two Bonxies. up to 50 at RSPB Saltholme by 9th. Ten Common Scoters were a good inland find at Scaling Dam on 7. The numbers of summering Little Gulls on the North Tees Marshes have been decreasing in recent years. 2017 saw a continuation of this trend with just two birds reported on 7th and a single bird 10th to 12th. A Goosander on Seal Sands on 8th was unusual. A Mediterranean Gull was at RSPB Saltholme on 13th. A Green Woodpecker on Hartlepool Headland on 14th was very unusual for the Egyptian Goose, Saltholme Ian Watson location. A Curlew Sandpiper was at RSPB A few more passage waders were present late in Saltholme on this date and four Arctic Skuas on the month with two Little Stints around RSPB Seaton Snook were the first of a series of records Saltholme, Wood Sandpipers here and at South from here. It is not that many years ago when Gare and a couple of Greenshank on the North double figure counts were a given on most Tees Marshes. Four Egyptian Geese joined the summer days at this locality. Up to 12 Whimbrel Canadas and Greylags on 30th and remained in were also present here. the area throughout August. A Great Northern Diver passed Skinningrove on 14th and two Mediterranean Gulls were at Saltburn on 15th. A Scaup was at RSPB Saltholme on 16th116 Little Terns were at South Gare on 18th suggesting a poor breeding year at the Crimdon colony. Less than ten birds fledged this year.

Wood Sandpiper, Saltholme Ian Forrest AUGUST 2017 It was slow going for the first few days of the month. Black Swan numbers at RSPB Saltholme increased to four early in the month. Two Marsh Harriers were also at Scaling Dam on 2nd with another on the North Tees Marshes. A Great Northern Diver was on the sea off Marske on 6th

Cuckoo, Seaton Snook Ian Forrest and Short-eared Owls hunted over Cowpen and Greenabella Marshes on 7th. The returning adult Mediterranean Gull was back at Newburn on 20th only to disappear later in the Two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls were off autumn. Sea watching from Old Nab on 19th Saltburn on 9th. A Balearic Shearwater and three produced a Bonxie, 52 Manx Shearwaters and Bonxies passed Hartlepool on 9th though it was to 481 Common Scoters. A Cory’s Shearwater prove a poor month for sea watching along the passed here on 22nd. The same day saw an Cleveland coast. A Little Stint was at Seaton Snook. Roosting Terns began to appear here with a Roseate Tern on 12th and a Black Tern on 13th. Large numbers of Dunlin were present on Seaton A Caspian Tern the following evening was Snook from late August. A little Stint was amongst unfortunately only seen by the initial observer. them on 25th with a Cuckoo nearby in the Zinc The rarest wader of the autumn was also seen on Works bushes. A Balearic Shearwater passed Old 14th. A White-rumped Sandpiper was at Nab on 26th with a Black-throated Diver off Greatham Creek. It was also seen briefly at Saltburn on the same day. Saltholme Marsh the following day. A quiet end to the month saw an increase in A Hobby was over Skelton on 16th. No falls of wader numbers on the North Tees Marshes. migrants occurred in August. Finding even the Three or four Green Sandpipers were seen along usual common passerine species associated with with two Curlew Sandpipers, Wood Sandpiper, 31 these falls proved difficult this autumn. A few Black-tailed Godwits and ten Ruff. The highlight Whinchats were at Zinc Works Road and RSPB however were the three Pectoral Sandpipers at Saltholme mid-month. Phil Stead hide from 31st. These birds stayed for a week and attracted many a photographer.

nesting Roseate Terns, Coquet Island Eric James A Night Heron showed well briefly at RSPB Saltholme on 19th. It was also seen at dusk in flight. It was a poor late summer for Garganey on Pectoral Sandpiper, Saltholme Ian Forrest the North Tees Marshes with only one bird present 19th to 21st. With the increasing numbers SEPTEMBER 2017 of Roseate Terns now breeding on Coquet Island Teesmouth is reaping the benefit in post-breeding dispersal Late August seems to be the best time for this and South Gare held up to five birds and Seton Snook saw up to seven birds.

Green Sandpiper, Billingham Beck Ian Forrest

Roseate Tern, Seaton Snook Ian Forrest Sea watching on 23rd produced the first Pale- bellied Brent Geese of the autumn with two past Hartlepool along with 141 Teal. A Pied Flycatcher was at South Gare on this date. A Black Tern joined the Roseates on Seaton Snook on 24th. A Spoonbill on nearby Seal Sands re-appeared at RSPB Saltholme the following days Curlew Sandpiper, Saltholme Ian Forrest The first half of the month saw a constant westerly airflow and consequently little in the way of sea bird movement or falls of passerines. The first few days saw a single Curlew Sandpiper at Calor Gas pool. A Red-necked Grebe flew past Old Nab on 3rd and a Black Tern was at North Gare on 4th with another off Marske the following day. Curlew Sandpiper numbers rose to six at Yellow-browed Warbler ,Hartlepool Headland Brian Martin RSPB Saltholme on 5th with a single Little Stint also present. A Garganey was also seen at this time. A Pomarine Skua past Old Nab on 7th was one of only a handful of records for this species during the autumn. A Wood Sandpiper at Portrack 8th and 9th was present alongside the usual two wintering Green Sandpipers at this site and made for a nice comparison. Single Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stint were at South Gare at this time. A Red-necked Grebe was also off here 9th to 11th and small numbers of Roseate Terns continued to be seen from here. The sea watching finally began to improve from 14th when six Sooty Shearwaters were off Old Nab and a Long-tailed Skua flew past Hartlepool. The following day saw a Cory’s Shearwater off Old Whinchat, Hartlepool Headland Tom Horne Nab with presumably the same bird later passing Hartlepool. A Sabine’s Gull was also seen off OCTOBER 2017 Hartlepool along with two Sooty Shearwaters. In stark contrast to last October the prevailing Another Sabine’s was off Hartlepool on 16th along wind was westerly throughout the month and with single Pomarine and Long-tailed Skuas. An consequently no falls of note took place or any additional Sabine’s Gull was off south Gare and 44 good sea watching. Bonxies flew past Saltburn. An impressive three A late Swift was over Seaton Carew on 1st.Up to Sabine’s Gulls were off Hartlepool on 17th. four Little Stints remained around RSPB Saltholme for the first half of the month along with up to 28 Ruff, two or three Marsh Harriers and a Merlin. A good movement of Pink-footed Geese took place on 3rd with many flocks seen on their way south. The following day saw 25 Whooper Swans at Saltholme and another three past Hartlepool. Four more were at Saltholme on 6th. The same day saw a Black-throated Diver past Hartlepool

Barred Warbler, Fox Covert Tom Horne along with 5 Bonxies. A Yellow-browed Warbler at Small numbers of passerines occurred at the Zinc Works Road was one of the few October coast at this time. a Barred Warbler was at records this year. Another was at South Gare the Redcar Fox Covert from 16th to 22nd with following day another at Hunt Cliff on 18th. The now expected A good passage of ducks on 7th included 15 Yellow-browed Warblers began to appear from th Velvet Scoter and 14 Pintail off Hartlepool. The 18 when singles were at Hartlepool and 8th saw a significant movement of Barnacle Huntcliff. Just a few Lesser Whitethroats and a Geese with 1,015 logged past Hartlepool. A Jack Garden Warbler at Hummersea were the only Snipe was at Margrove Ponds and a Spotted other passerines of note. The first returning Twite Redshank was on Dorman’s Pool. This species was at Seaton Snook on 19th. was very scarce this autumn

The rarest bird of the autumn was at RSPB Saltholme on 27th. A Cattle Egret here was only the third County record. It was present for around90 minutes as it was two days later. The Great White Egret continued to be reported in the same area at this time. 30 Twite were at Dorman’s Pool on 28th. Single Hawfinches were at Lockwood and Guisborough on this date. Small numbers of Bonxies passed the coastal stations on 29th. A Snow Bunting was at Seaton Reach on 30th. A Slavonian Grebe was on Bran Sands, 2 Scaups were off Redcar and a Little Stint was on Saltholme Pools on 31st. Again, it proved to be a very quiet month for Little Stint, Saltholme Ian Forrest scarce birds in Cleveland. Maybe the last two months of the year would salvage something .....? COMMITTEE REPORT Barbara Crinson summarises the Club’s efforts to attract birds to feeding stations and also attract the interest of young children. (See next pages) New bird feeding station at Lockwood Beck

The private fishing enterprise which operated at Lockwood Beck Reservoir has recently disbanded. In its place, Northumbrian Water, the land owners, have set up a coarse fishery but the site will also be regarded as a nature reserve. Following a meeting with the Leisure Operations Manager and their Conservation Team Leader, Cetti’s Warblers were regularly reported from RSPB Saltholme at this time with up to three birds involved. Hopefully they will remain to over winter. Two Long-tailed Ducks off Redcar Hawfinch,Hutton Lowcross Neil Simms remained into November.12 Whoopers were at A good passage of ducks on 7th included 15 Saltholme on 11th and the Great White Egret was Velvet Scoters and 14 Pintails off Hartlepool. The seen there again on 14th. This bird also remained 8th saw a significant movement of Barnacle on the North Tees Marshes into November but Geese with 1,015 logged past Hartlepool. A Jack was often elusive. Teesmouth Bird Club was given Snipe was at Margrove Ponds and a Spotted permission to set up and fund a new bird feeding Redshank was on Dorman’s Pool. This species station. Many birdwatchers who frequent the site was very scarce this autumn were keen for this idea to come to fruition and now, the facility is operational, albeit in its A Black-throated Diver joined the Great Northern developmental stages off Marske on 26th. More Whooper Swans were recorded with 25 at RSPB Saltholme and 11 past Hartlepool. Two Hawfinches were at Scaling on this date.

Cattle Egret, Saltholme Brian Martin Volunteers at Lockwood Beck Following a meeting with the Leisure Operations English. None are from privileged backgrounds Manager and their Conservation Team Leader, and there are travellers’ children within the mix. Cetti’s Warblers were regularly reported from When you visit the school, there is a real sense of RSPB Saltholme at this time with up to three birds happiness, with evidence of older children helping involved. Hopefully they will remain to over the younger ones, contented staff and critically, winter. Two Long-tailed Ducks off Redcar they have a wonderful caretaker! remained into November.12 Whoopers were at Saltholme on 11th and the Great White Egret was The grounds are spacious and secure, so we were seen there again on 14th. This bird also remained happy to erect nest boxes on the numerous on the North Tees Marshes into November but mature trees around the site, plant buddleia was often elusive. Teesmouth Bird Club was given bushes and in August this year, the feeding permission to set up and fund a new bird feeding station was erected. This was achieved with the station. Many birdwatchers who frequent the site invaluable help of Martin Blick, John Cutter, Bert were keen for this idea to come to fruition and Mitchell and John Money. now, the facility is operational, albeit in its developmental stages. There is somewhere to sit, Elaine, the headmistress, has recently informed we have created some screening and also have me that the children love being involved and that plans to extend the shelter overhead if all goes some have asked parents for binoculars this well throughout the first winter. The lodge is also Christmas, so they can watch birds away from available for use, complete with a functioning school! electricity supply. We are also placing a memorial seat, dedicated to Ted Parker, at the site and The key to the success of this project is hope to have this in position by the end of undoubtedly the enthusiasm of the headmistress November. and having a dedicated work party, who repeatedly rise to the challenge, only with the The work has taken place thanks to the efforts of meagre promise of my providing butties and cake! a diligent work party, comprising Martin Blick, Barbara Crinson, John Cutter, Brian Foster, Ron Gash, Bert Mitchell and John Money.

SCHOOL NEWS

DONATED BINOCULARS AND BOOKS

I am sure that all members who very kindly donated their old binoculars will be delighted to hear that those trusty well-used optics are experiencing a new lease of life! Pupils who have Volunteers at St. Cuthbert’s School joined the bird club at Yarm School use the equipment for an hour and a half every Thursday. The teacher who formed the Club is also creating a library using all of the donated books, so that when weather is unfavourable, the youngsters can browse through the literature.

Once again, huge thanks to all those who have contributed.

ST. CUTHBERT’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

Earlier this year, we decided to create and help fund a bird feeding station within the grounds of St. Cuthbert’s Primary School in Stockton. Attending the school are 217 pupils and the intake comprises an extremely diverse mixture of children. Twelve languages are spoken, so it is multi-racial and a lot of the parents do not speak Martin Blick putting up a nest box at St. Cuthbert’s off his extensive library .A second-hand book dealer has already bought many books, and Denis Alistair McLee describes the present work of this committee is donating the money (£900) to the Club. Our Hurworthburn Res - Proposed leisure centre thanks for this generous gesture. There are many & aquatic sports other books, a selection of which John Fletcher will have for sale at Club meetings The Club has been made aware of a damaging planning application for this site. We and Durham Bird Club plan to object. Also a local champion of A BOOK WORTH READING the site Mr Anderson is gathering bird sightings On the subject of books, Eric James recommends another and their activities for last year (and, I presume, outstanding book by Tim Birkhead earlier ones will be appreciated too. Send to Promiscuity (Tim Birkhead) Faber and Faber 272 ([email protected]). pages A book with this title sounds like something from Your Club is aware of the proposal and have the bonkbuster genre of Jilly Cooper and Jackie already been in liaison with Durham B. C . I Collins, but with Tim Birkhead as author, you are attended a simple demonstration of the guaranteed an informative book with insights into developer's aspirations in Trimdon village hall. As animal behaviour. This is not a bird book, though yet, there is no formal application posted on they do feature throughout it. The title refers to Durham's planning website upon which to the behaviour of females ,who ,unlike males, have formally comment. I shall publicise this as and been regarded as naturally monogamous. when. It is important that individuals comment as It might be thought that in sexually breeding the total number of objections does carry some species, the breeding pair would co-operate to weight. produce the largest number of offspring. In fact, So make an objection and don’t just bleat about each sex tries to maximise its own offspring and it. the book describes how the subsequent battle of the sexes is carried out. For the males, it just Greatham Creek / tidal pools / sea defence involves illicit mating with other females, though there is still competition from other males to In an earlier Club newsletter I mentioned plans by ensure paternity .The female’s aim is to have fit the Environment Agency ( EA) to further raise and and strong offspring. She will therefore welcome strengthen the sea wall on the south side of the attention of any male who appeared to be in Greatham Creek, to the east of the road bridge, superior condition. affecting the tidal pools and the avocet breeding island's pool. The application to Stockton to perform this work is underway and the Club has 2018 made comments on this already. The work is HARTLEPOOL HEADLAND scheduled to run in the summer months from SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY 2018 April to October in 2017 and 2018, if approved. I Join Chris Sharp and look for sea-ducks and presume access along the path will be closed for wintering gulls around the headland. Waders, the time. such as Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone and Knot If you want to read further on the proposed should also be seen along with divers and grebes. mitigation measures, see Stockton's planning site There is also a chance of a Mediterranean or app ref. 16/1461/EIS. Glaucous Gull. Meet at 9.30 a.m. by Heugh Gun Battery car park. Leader: Chris Sharp Tel: 01429 865163 STILLINGTON WOODS Thursday 22nd February 2018 Join Barbara Crinson for a visit to this woodland area. The club have recently helped to create a feeding station here. Hopefully a good selection of woodland birds will be on offer. There is also the chance of a Green Woodpecker here. Meet at MONEY FROM BOOKS 10.00 a.m. at St. John’s Church, Lowson Street, Stillington TS21 1JB. Grid Ref: NZ376236. The Denis Summers-Smith, one of our oldest church is very visible from the main road in the members (or the oldest member),is moving from village which is called Morrison Street. Strong his house to smaller accommodation and is selling boots or wellingtons are recommended. Leader: Barbara Crinson ERIC JAMES HISTORY OF SEATON SNOOK HARDWICK PARK Eric James describes the industrial history of this popular Friday 9th March 2018 birdwatching area There can’t be many Club members who haven’t Join Brian Clasper for a walk around this ever been round Seaton Snook and along the Zinc changing site. A good selection of ducks should Works road. But how many know about the be present on the lake and the recently history of this area? constructed feeding station affords good close views of woodland species such as Nuthatch. Those old enough to remember West Hartlepool Meet at 9.30 a.m. in the car park. Note a small Corporation Transport, will remember the Zinc charge is payable for car parking here. Works as one of the bus destinations Leader: Brian Clasper Tel : 07796 448421 Tramping across the North Gare Sands in winter in search of Twites and Snow Buntings, it is difficult to imagine anyone living in such a COWPEN BEWLEY WOODLAND PARK desolate area . In 1911,in fact, there were 202 Tuesday 17th April 2018 people living at Seaton Snook. It was initially Join Dave Nelson to explore this local nature thought that the zinc works would support 400 reserve. A good selection of common woodland jobs species should be seen and early summer migrants such as Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and The Zinc Works were built in the early 1900s and, Blackcap should be well established. Meet at the after a slow start, the first metal was cast in1908. nature reserve car park at 10.00 a.m. The zinc ore, sphelerite (zinc sulphide : the Leader: Dave Nelson company was known as the Sulphide Corporation) Tel: 01642 824755 was mined at Broken Hill in Australia, but, because of cheaper labour costs in Britain, it was BREEDING BIRD SURVEY FOLLOW UP worthwhile to transport the ore half way round It was Spike Milligan who said the first the world to process it. It was unpleasant work and many of the workers in 1911 were German telephone to be invented was useless ,Russian, Belgian and Irish immigrants (hence the until the second one was invented. The low labour costs). Despite the heavy and same applies to some extent to breeding dangerous nature of the work, some women were bird surveys ,as appreciated by the BTO employed during the First World War. The works which organise their large comprehensive had trouble finding labour after the war when the Government repatriated 36 skilled Belgian surveys at 20 year intervals. The workers. However, more local people were Cleveland breeding bird survey started obliged to work here during the depression when in1999 so 2018 will be the nineteenth other jobs were hard to find. The Snook Cottages anniversary were primitive with few facilities, water and coal having to be obtained from the zinc works . The I have already done a repeat survey of works telephone had to be used if a doctor was the tetrad I live in and the results were needed. Other buildings were a school, a shop a striking (see the 2014 Cleveland Annual mission and a club. The school was a ’tin’ building brought over from Bishop Auckland and opened in report).What has now been proposed is a 1911; it was burned down shortly after by a local partial repeat of the Cleveland Survey. fisherman and the mission was used instead .The What I hope to do in the near future is to school closed in 1939 and the children were transferred to Graythorp school. The shop was select a number of tetrads to be surveyed run by the foreman’s wife and they were the only in 2018.These will be distributed over the people to own a car. whole Cleveland area and cover a range For anyone wanting entertainment on a Saturday of habitats. With this coverage, it should night, there was a bus at 5pm to Seaton and be possible to see meaningful population West Hartlepool. The only catch was that there trends. The repeat tetrads will be was no return service so the evening would end announced via the website Forum or in with a mile walk from the Tees Road the next Newsletter. in search of Twites and Snow Buntings, it is difficult to imagine anyone living in such a desolate area . In 1911,in fact, there were 202 The zinc works closed in 1930s but re-opened people living at Seaton Snook. It was initially during the second World War, with the last cast of thought that the zinc works would support 400 zinc being made just after the war, production of jobs sulphuric acid, which had been a by-product continued for much longer During the Second The Zinc Works were built in the early 1900s and, World War, the Snook was also the location of a after a slow start, the first metal was cast in1908. GCI (Ground Control Intercept) radar station The The zinc ore, sphelerite (zinc sulphide : the remains of the guardhouse were not finally company was known as the Sulphide Corporation) removed until 1988 was mined at Broken Hill in Australia, but, because of cheaper labour costs in Britain, it was worthwhile to transport the ore half way round the world to process it. It was unpleasant work and many of the workers in 1911 were German ,Russian, Belgian and Irish immigrants (hence the low labour costs). Despite the heavy and dangerous nature of the work, some women were employed during the First World War. The works had trouble finding labour after the war when the Government repatriated 36 skilled Belgian workers. However, more local people were obliged to work here during the depression when other jobs were hard to find. The Snook Cottages were primitive with few facilities, water and coal having to be obtained from the zinc works . The Guardhouse in 1980s Bob Clary works telephone had to be used if a doctor was http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/s/seaton_snook/) needed. Other buildings were a school, a shop a Map of Seaton Snook, showing the extent of the Zinc Works is mission and a club. The school was a ’tin’ building on the next page. brought over from Bishop Auckland and opened in 1911; it was burned down shortly after by a local fisherman and the mission was used instead .The school closed in 1939 and the children were transferred to Graythorp school. The shop was run by the foreman’s wife and they were the only people to own a car. For anyone wanting entertainment on a Saturday night, there was a bus at 5pm to Seaton and West Hartlepool. The only catch was that there was no return service so the evening would end with a mile walk from the Tees Road House boats were a feature of the North Gare Sands (The Blue Lagoon) in the 1940s. Many were converted from ships’ lifeboats. Families used them during holidays and weekends. The children played in the deserted cottages and wartime pill-boxes. For baths, men and boys could use the showers in the works, but some of the women and girls had to make do with a trench filled with rainwater and a couple of buckets of hot water from the works. By the end of the 1960s,there were 25 boats left, and the owners were told to remove them as tides were becoming higher and rising more quickly, supposedly as a result of the dredging of the river. With nowhere to take the boats, most owners were obliged to burn them.

Map of SeatonSnook showing Zinc Works (zoom in to see details

Acknowledgements Alan Betteny for use of information published in the Journal of Cleveland Family History Society

Brian Stockton, the Journal Editor

Frances Wilson who wrote the article about Alan’s talk

The Hartlepool History then and now website http://hhtandn.org/

John D. Watson for providing the map

John Fletcher for bringing the original article to my attention

Typical winter birds at the Snook Twites Ian Watson

Snow Buntings Eric James Snow Bunting Eric James MARGROVE PONDS SITE GUIDE :UPDATE left marking the boundary of the Tilery Woods. There are several gaps in the hedge giving acess Eric James updates the Margrove site guide. to the Pond, but the most convenient one is about Since the previous guide to Margrove Ponds, ¾ of the way down the field .This leads to a small some changes have occurred. The vegetation is spit giving good views of the Pond at a point spreading over the two small ponds at the far end where a pipe crosses it. and has completely covered the left hand one. However, there are other ponds in the area. One is by the former tile manufacturing area and the Ruins of tile kiln other on the site of the South Skelton iron ore mine. The map below shows the locations.

Remains of railway hut The old mine Pond is at the other end of the track in the far corner of the mine site. Access is no problem, though the building next to the Pond is currently being restored, possibly as a house so access might become more difficult. Birds Any birds normally seen on the Main Pond can Ponds in the Margrove and Boosbeck area turn up on the other Ponds. The most frequent breeders are Mallards and the common rails, though Canada Geese have nested on the small island on the mines pond. If swans are missing from the Main Pond, there is a good chance they will be on the Tilery Pond, where there is less disturbance. Other species recorded on the Tilery Pond include Common Sandpiper and Kingfisher. The surrounding trees have the usual Woodland species, including Great Spotted Woodpecker For views of the Pond, see the next page Rather oddly, the Google satellite view showed the water as grass, but this has now been corrected

Ruins of tile kiln Access The Tilery Pond could at one time be reached from the track along the former railway, but this has now been blocked off .There is also a crudely painted sign warning that shooting is in progress, though I have yet to hear any gun shots. Having passed the ruins of the tile kilns among the trees on the left and a brick-built hut on the right, there is a small gate across the track; about three or four yards before this ,there is a small path off to the left, leading to a field. The path continues Satellite view showing water down the side of the field, with a hedge on the

The Tilery Pond

View of the old mine site. After the mine closed, the area was used briefly as a farm and then left to decay and vandalism

Pochards enjoying the peace and quiet of Tilery Pond

LOCAL SITES: POOLE HOSPITAL WOODS from further along the access track. Empty lager AN UPDATE, (CALLED FISHPOOL cans suggest that the local youth are aware of this. You cannot reach the lake from here PLANTATION ON OS MAPS) because of wide and very deep drainage ditches Eric James brings the site guide up-to-date.

Public footpath sign

Since the site guide was written, some changes have been made. Access was originally permissive; there is now a public footpath through the woods though this does not make access to the west end any easier, in fact it is more difficult because the lake is now fenced off. If the object was to produce a profitable angling lake, then it does not seem to have succeeded.

Public footpath sign

The lake can still be seen from the access track. It is possible to reach the woods behind the pool from further along the access track. Empty lager cans suggest that the local youth are aware of this. You cannot reach the lake from here because of wide and very deep drainage ditches

Views of pond from the access track

BTO NEWS DECEMBER 2017. identified in an attempt to improve surveying and Vic Fairbrother, in his last BTO contribution, summarises the monitoring of Tawny Owl, Barn Owl and Little Owl latest survey results and introduces his replacement as the with some additional work on both Short-eared local BTO Regional Representative and Long-eared Owls. Initial survey work is Breeding Bird Survey & Waterways planned for autumn 2018 but how much is Breeding Bird Survey. possible over the next two years very much Local volunteers surveyed 25 BBS/WBBS squares depends on the success of the appeal. identified in Cleveland in 2017. Online data entry closed at in an attempt to improve surveying and the end of October but any outstanding survey monitoring of Tawny Owl, Barn Owl and Little Owl forms can still be returned to me or directly to with some additional work on both Short-eared BTO. and Long-eared Owls. Initial survey work is planned for autumn 2018 but how much is The following Cleveland squares are still available to allocate for 2018. Only two visits during the possible over the next two years very much depends on the success of the appeal. breeding season are required so please consider surveying one of these squares. NZ3114 Lingfield, Darlington area. Seabirds Count Census. NZ3717 Larberry Pastures. NZ4438 Hesleden area. JNCC are currently leading this census in NZ5411 Greenhow Hill, Great Ayton. collaboration with the Seabird Monitoring NZ6914 Moorsholm area. Programme. Census work began in 2015 and All BBS squares are valuable to the survey and it although this is not a BTO project in 2018/19 would be great to have full coverage. JNCC will be seeking help from local volunteers to Full details of both surveys are on the BTO increase census survey coverage. Further details website www.bto.org where you can register or to follow. you can contact Vic Fairbrother directly who will be happy to provide additional information. BTO Regional Representative (01287 633744) [email protected] As members will know from previous meetings The Breeding Bird Survey 2016 Report, and newsletters I have been hoping for some incorporating the Waterways Breeding Bird Survey time now to stand down from my role as the local Report has been published and copies sent to all BTO Regional Representative, a post I have held BBS/WBBS volunteers. Population trends for 111 since 2005, following in the footsteps of Denis common and widespread breeding birds and nine Summers-Smith and Russell McAndrew. of the UK’s easily detectable mammals have been I am pleased to announce that Mike Leakey has calculated. Declines for Swift, Spotted Flycatcher, now volunteered and he will be submitting an Wood Warbler and Garden Warbler are noted but application to the BTO. Mike has played a key role there are encouraging reports of Chiffchaff and in our area having retired last year after 25 years Nuthatch doing well. The report is bigger than in with Natural England/English Nature, where his previous years with additional articles relating to responsibilities included Teesmouth National research and outputs from BBS. Nature Reserve. Since October last year Mike has The report can be downloaded from been working for INCA. Many members will also www.bto.org/bbs/results/bbsreport.htm know Mike from his invaluable work as the Cleveland Organiser for WeBS counts from 1993- Heronries Census. 2016. I hope to formally introduce Mike to The 2016 population calculations have now been members at a Club meeting early in the New completed by BTO and the estimate of 10,977 Year. apparently occupied nests (AON) represent a slight drop from 2015. The report will be I have thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of published in BirdTrends 2017 later in the year. contributing to the work of the BTO in this role BTO is keen to improve the coverage of Heronries and have been enormously grateful to bird Club across the UK in the build up to the 90th members and other volunteers for their vital and anniversary of the scheme in 2018. Please report much appreciated support in ensuring a strong any new Cleveland nesting sites. local input to national BTO surveys. During my time in office many members have faithfully Project Owl. contributed to the annual breeding bird surveys, the waterways surveys and the heronries census. An appeal leaflet for Project Owl is being I have also been indebted to those of you who distributed by the BTO. Six objectives have been volunteered for the many special surveys, including for example Peregrine, Woodcock, weight in persuading other people that something House Martin, Winter Thrushes and Breeding needs to be done. Waders of English upland farmland. There are currently 3837 UK 1km survey squares, but more are always welcome The longest and most intensive effort came during the period 2007-11 in support of the BTO MONITORING STATUS AND CAUSES OF CHANGE Atlas Project when even more members came The trends we produce not only indicate which forward to contribute tens of thousands of Roving species are faring better or worse, they also allow Records and 35 members undertook numerous us to delve into underlying causes. By combining Timed Tetrad Surveys in Cleveland. square-level trends in numbers of birds and deer Words cannot express how grateful I am to all the we’ve been able to show that deer browsing is local volunteers and to the officers and committee negatively impacting five of 11 birds of woodland members of the Club who have been so understorey, including the red-listed Nightingale supportive in other ways. and Willow Tit. For a wider suite of 59 species, I hope to continue to take part in surveys and will the two factors that most clearly distinguished be available to offer advice and support as increasing and declining species were their needed. Please continue to give your breeding habitat and migration strategy. For wholehearted support to Mike as he endeavours migrants, species wintering in different parts of to ensure that Cleveland continues to make a first Africa declined at different times. This ground- class contribution to the work of the BTO in breaking BBS study has been the inspiration for monitoring population changes locally and much of our recent tracking work. Closer to nationally. home, we found that BBS squares that are good Vic Fairbrother. for birds are generally also good for butterflies, Tel : 01287 633744. giving some reassurance that monitoring one email : [email protected] group of species well is useful more widely Examples of results see below: (though never the complete story).Analysis of patterns of change in Curlew populations across the country is providing important evidence about the likely drivers of those changes, which can be used to inform conservation responses.

.... and a loser

Goldfinches taking advantage of free food Eric James

We all might have noticed that there are a lot more Goldfinches, and that Turtle Doves are Turtle Dove Dave Keightley We’d all like to see (and hear) more of these! increasingly rare, but actual numbers carry more TIT-BITS Items of bird related news and facts

POLAR BEARS’ CHANGE IN DIET The effect of the disproportionate warming of the Arctic has been mentioned in previous Tit-bitts ,the latest effect is Polar Bears having to, change their diets as their favoured food ,seals, are more difficult to catch .They have instead turned to Reconstruction of the bird Cheung Chung Tat goose eggs .research with tagged bears shows they can It appears that these birds hatched with flight feathers already formed so could fly at an early age (and get stuck in find a goose nest in 30 seconds and eat the clutch in a sap!) minute

It must take a lot of eggs to replace a seal and eggs are not an ideal diet for the bears, ,having too much protein and not enough lipids, and they can cause diarrhoea.

All this is not doing the goose populations any good and declines of 90% in nesting birds have been observed The effects doesn’t stop with the geese as arctic foxes are dependent on goslings, and grazing by geese helps reindeer find their food more easily.

ANCIENT BIRD FROM THE AGE OF THE DINOSAURS It’ s not too unusual to find insects preserved in amber and there have been even remains of some dinosaurs ,but the discovery of a reasonably intact bird is much rarer. One such has been found in Myanmar .It was on only a few days old when it fell into a pool of sap oozing from a conifer tree .The amber preserved the feather and flesh detail, though very little of the colour. there was no usable DNA so no chance of a Jurassic Park type of resurrection

The bird is about 100 million years old and lived ,at a time when there were two different types of bird: one survived the mass extinction and became the ancestor of modern birds. The preserved bird was one of the other type, the so-called opposite birds. The’ opposite’ refers to the most obvious structural difference between the two types, which is how the shoulder blade is attached to the body.Both types of bird had ball and socketjointbut the opposite birds had the arrangement reversed The opposite birds were successful and diversified widely, until they died out with the dinosaurs. Although the preserved bird sounds exotic, it turned out to be a little brown job. INGENIOUS PARASITES Evolution has produced some ingenious solutions to the problems of parasites whose life cycle takes them through a series of different hosts. Toxoplasma gondii ,for example, normally infects cats but first infects mice The infected mice lose their fear of cats and are more likely to be eaten by a cat. The eye fluke Diplostomum pseudospathaceum has an even more complex life cycle. The mature parasites lay their eggs in the digestive tract of a bird and they are shed in the faeces .The larvae hatch and infect water snails. They grow and are released back into the water where they find a fish and penetrate its skin before making their way to the fish’s eye. As the parasite matures, it starts to control the fish’s behaviour and making it behave in such a manner that it is more likely to be eaten by a piscivorous bird where the cycle can start again. Next time you hear an angler moaning about Cormorants or Goosanders ,point out that the fish might want to be eaten.

BARN OWLS HAVE NO HEARING LOSS WITH AGE If you’ve reached the getting to the age when you find people are mumbling and you wish they’d speak more clearly, then prepare to be envious of Barn Owls who have been found to keep their acute hearing with age. Although it is frequently thought that owls have good night vision, no species can see well enough to hunt in very dark locations such as woodland at night ,and they depend on sound to locate their prey .The pressure of survival ensures that they keep their hearing as a deaf owl will soon become a dead owl. KIWIS LOSING THEIR SIGHT

The pressures of survival might have guarnateed the Barn Owl’s hearing, but regressive evolution can work in reverse and dispose of unneeded abilities

Three specimens of the Okarito brown Kiwi have been found to be completely blind and many others had eye lesions or other eye problems. The birds were otherwise healthy and in good condition. Kiwis are nocturnal and hunt by touch, hearing and smell so vision is a pointless waste of resources, and the species is in the process of losing it. Similar things have happened in cave-dwelling fish and some moles. Kiwis, of course, have already lost the ability to fly.

Aristotle and Cuckoos

Cuvkoos and their breeding habits have fascinated people for a long time, but, until Edgar Chance’s careful investigations ,there was a great deal of misunderstanding .Even Aristotle, who was right about many things, was wrong on this subject :

“Some say that when the young Cuckoo grows it ejects the other young birds which then perish. Others say that the foster mother kills them and feeds the Cuckoo with them, for the beauty of the young Cuckoo makes her despise her own offspring. People say that they have been eye-witnesses of these things.”

Don’t believe everything you’re told, Ari!

Teesmouth Bird Club

Teesmouth Bird Club clothing merchandise with professionally embroided emblem ,various colours, any size. Produced locally.

ITEM DESCRIPTION SIZE QUANTITY UNIT PRICE S, M , L, XL,XXL,XXXL FRUIT OF THE LOOM POLO SHIRT NAVY BLUE £16.00 FRUIT OF THE LOOM POLO SHIRT BOTTLE GREEN £16.00 FRUIT OF THE LOOM POLO SHIRT BLACK £16.00

REGATTA FLEECE , ZIPPED FRONT, NAVY BLUE £22.00 REGATTA FLEECE, ZIPPED FRONT,BOTTLE GREEN £22.00 REGATTA FLEECE , ZIPPED FRONT, BLACK £22.00

ACRYLIC BEANIE HAT, BOTTLE GREEN £8.00 ACRYLIC BEANIE HAT, NAVY BLUE £8.00

BASEBALL CAP NAVY BLUE £9.00

SIZE CHEST S 34-36" NAME ...... M 38-40" TEL. NUMBER ...... L 42-44" ADDRESS ...... XL 46-48" ...... XXL 50-52" ...... XXXL 54-56" ......

POST CODE ......

Return to Brian Clasper,1 Queens Drive, Sedgefield, Co.Durham TS21 2JJ

(email: [email protected]). Cheques made payable to `Teesmouth Bird Club`.

WETLAND BIRD SURVEY - AUTUMN 2017 SUMMARY A good rate of coverage was achieved with 99 out of 104 potential sectors counts completed. The estuary retained its status of international importance for gadwall in autumn (722,August). Meanwhile both pochard and tufted duck had a poor autumn with figures comparable to those recorded in the early 1990’s. Ringed plover recorded their greatest autumn maximum total (505,August) whilst at the other end of the spectrum redshank recorded a record low peak count (614,October). Snipe (14,August) also had a poor showing, however understandlingly their cryptic camouflage surely results in an undercount. A single great white egret in July provided the scarcity interest for counters during this period. Following this series of counts the estuary held nationally significant numbers of cormorant, little egret, ringed plover, ruff and greenshank (utilising BTO threshold levels).

ADAM JONES Local Organizer Tees Estuary Wetland Bird Survey

November 2017

All WeBS data are collected on behalf of the WeBS Partnership, which retains exclusive rights to the sale or supply of these data for commercial purposes

Table of counts on next page

Species July August September October 23 20 17 15 Little Grebe 28 89* 68 77 Great Crested Grebe 15 12 1 6 Cormorant 417** 293** 114 102 Little Egret 56** 56** 31 42 Grey Heron 59 33 32 15 Mute Swan 54 73 71 70 Greylag Goose 88 385 382 897 Shelduck 23 23 44 166 Wigeon 16 63 411 1222 Gadwall 292** 707*** 722*** 375** Teal 27 324 864 913 Mallard 260 290 288 229 Pintail 0 0 28 45 Shoveler 15 138* 83 163* Pochard 37 36 10 11 Tufted Duck 101 110 74 96 Coot 554 777 832 614 Oystercatcher 647 1249 488 884 Avocet 15 14 0 0 Ringed Plover 66 505** 92 111 Golden Plover 0 1 24 187 Grey Plover 1 3 5 48 Lapwing 616 459 862 1393 Knot 96 4 41 41 Sanderling 59 90* 73 56 Little Stint 1 0 2 0 Curlew Sandpiper 0 0 1 1 Purple Sandpiper 0 0 0 0 Dunlin 81 376 627 768 Ruff 0 0 4 17** Snipe 5 14 2 10 Black-tailed Godwit 21 80 8 33 Bar-tailed Godwit 3 0 27 23 Whimbrel 16 2 0 0 Curlew 681 453 288 298 Spotted Redshank 0 0 0 0 Redshank 204 499 491 614* Greenshank 2 10** 8 7 Green Sandpiper 1 2 0 1 Common Sandpiper 8 1 0 0 Turnstone 35 85 37 37 Sandwich Tern 662 433 34 0 Common Tern 346 743 120 0 Arctic Tern 2 1 0 0 Little Tern 85 0 0 0 TEESMOUTH BIRD CLUB PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are due on 1st January and the current rates are: Reg. Charity No.508850 Standard/Individual £12.00 Family £16.00 Junior £5.00 Please forward your cheque made payable to ‘Teesmouth Bird Club’ to Chris Sharp, 6 Maritime Avenue, Hartlepool, TS24 0XF. If you prefer, you can set up a Standing Order. ______I enclose my subscription of £ ...... for the year...... Name...... Address...... Post Code...... Email address...... Cut here ------STANDING ORDER MANDATE – TO BE SENT TO YOUR BANK To: The Manager...... Bank Bank address...... Code...... and Bank Account Number...... agree to pay a yearly Standing Order of £...... to TEESMOUTH BIRD CLUB, Sort Code 40-22-27 and Bank Account Number 90799599 to commence on ...... and to continue until further notice. SIGNED...... Date...... Cut here ------TEESMOUTH BIRD CLUB GIFT AID DECLARATION Surname...... Forename(s)...... Address...... Post Code...... I want the TEESMOUTH BIRD CLUB to treat all subscriptions/donations I have made since the date of this declaration, until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations SIGNED...... Date...... To qualify as a Gift Aid donor you must be a taxpayer and have paid or will pay an amount of tax equal to the tax we reclaim on your subscriptions/donations. Should you cease to be a taxpayer, please notify the Club so that further claims under this declaration may be cancelled. ______IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE, PLEASE SIGN THE GIFT AID DECLARATION IF YOU HAVEN’T PREVIOUSLY DONE SO. IT COSTS YOU NOTHING BUT ENABLES THE CLUB TO RECOVER THE TAX ON YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS/DONATION.