Teesmouth Bird Club Newsletter April 2019 (No.72) Reg.Charity No.508850 CONTENTS 1 Monthly Summaries MONTHLY SUMMARIES 3 Local Outings Martin Blick reviews the birding highlights of the November to February period. 4 Where are Guisboroughs Swifts NOVEMBER 2018 4 Titbits November was also rather exciting, rare and interesting birds turning up on almost every 6 A Book Worth Reading day of the month. 7 Hurworth Burn Reservoir Three Bearded Tits on Seaton Common on 1st were likely to have been the same three 8 Chopping and Changing noted by the Long Drag in Oct, a singing male Cetti’s Warbler was at Bowesfield from 10 Learning with Dinosaurs 2nd, a ringtail Hen Harrier came in off the sea at Hartlepool on 3rd, and a fourth Cetti’s 11 BTO News Warbler was heard at Haverton Hole from 5th. 13 Treasurers Report On that same day a White-tailed Eagle was found a mile or two South of the Cleveland 15 Report from the Chair boundary near Sleddale, but, despite numerous birders watching it for the next 17 Wetland Bird Survey three days, it did not venture into Cleveland. A Slavonian Grebe was on Bran Sands from 19 Club Membership 6th, a Pallid Swift was reported at North Gare on 7th and two at South Gare on the same 21 TBC Publications day, and three White-fronted Geese were at Scaling Dam on 9th. 22 TBC Clothing Sunday 11th November was Remembrance Day and the 100th anniversary of the signing of the treaty that ended the First World War. To the Cleveland birders this will long be remembered as the day that brought single Pallid Swifts to Hartlepool and Seaton Carew, but more importantly, Cleveland’s second (and Durham’s first) Little Swift to Hartlepool. Found mid-afternoon on 11th, it flew up and down the seafront with the Pallid Swift and was seen to go to roost on a house by the Memorial Garden. Next morning it left the roost, flew around for about four hours, then disappeared. Approaching 200 birders White-tailed Eagle, Sleddale Sylvia & Mick Brennan saw it during its 20-hour stay. 1 Interesting birds continued to be found, with Great Northern Divers were at Hartlepool and Rough-legged Buzzard at Scaling Dam and Seal Sands on 9th. An elusive Black-throated Hooded Crow at Hartlepool, both on 13th, Diver was also at Hartlepool from 9th. Hen Harrier on Cowpen Marsh, Bittern on Another ten Waxwings were in RSPB Coatham Marsh and small numbers of Scaup Saltholme car park on 11th, the same day as a and White-fronted Geese, all on 17th and a Shore Lark was found at Marske, 11 White- very tame (unringed) adult Night Heron in fronted Geese were around Saltholme on Locke Park on 18th and 21st. 13th, the last Great White Egret of the year A small movement of Dark-bellied Brent was on Seaton Common on 14th and a Geese was evident on 19th, two Velvet Lapland Bunting was at South Gare from Scoters were on Scaling Dam (again) on 20th 15th. and a Wheatear at Skinningrove from 20th to The last ten days of the month were rather 24th was ‘just’ a Northern Wheatear. A eventful with four Waxwings at Skelton, a juvenile male Smew graced the Petroplus Bearded Tit on Dormans Pool and a pool for a day on 21st and another Bearded Slavonian Grebe at Skinningrove, all on 22nd, Tit was at RSPB Saltholme on 23rd. another five Waxwings beside Seaton After being closed for around four months the Common on 23rd, a Black Guillemot at South Saltholme hide re-opened on 24th, the same Gare and two Bearded Tits on Dormans Pool day as six Taiga Bean Geese were located on on 24th, increasing to four Bearded Tits on Seaton Common and two more Cetti’s 29th. Warblers were heard at Bowesfield. Next day, The biggest flock of Waxwings this winter two Bewick’s Swans graced Back Saltholme, (so far) were 43 by Sainsbury’s, a Long-tailed Duck began a seven-day stay on Middlesbrough on 28th, a Glaucous Gull flew Cowpen Marsh and a Hawfinch was over the Zinc Works Road on 29th, the same photographed at Hutton Lowcross. day as the Green-winged Teal was relocated The 26th saw most of Cleveland’s birders on Dormans Pool, but the most spectacular spending the day in the Wildlife Watchpoint bird to be seen in 2018 was a White-tailed hide at RSPB Saltholme after a Little Bittern Eagle over Sleddale on 31st. was reported by one observer. A Great White This time, assuming it was the same bird, it Egret was on Cowpen Marsh on the same did venture into Cleveland, but was only seen day. Interesting birds continued to arrive, with by one (lucky) observer. Where had it been 2 Tundra Bean Geese on Cowpen Marsh from during the intervening seven weeks? 27th, a Richard’s Pipit at the same place on 28th, then the Little Bittern was seen again on JANUARY 2019 29th by one observer, but crucially, was photographed. Consequently many birders spent many hours over the next few days Quite a lot of interesting birds stayed over staring at the reedbeds from the Wildlife from 2018, including Black Guillemot and Watchpoint, this being the first to be recorded Lapland Bunting at South Gare, Hen Harrier in Cleveland since 1852. around the North Tees Marshes, Bearded Tit and Green-winged Teal on Dormans Pool, DECEMBER 2018 Slavonian Grebe at Skinningrove (which died on 2nd) Taiga and Tundra Bean Geese on Inevitably December was rather quiet, though Seaton Common, Green Sandpipers at there were more Short-eared Owls around Portrack, Spotted Redshank on Saltern Teesmouth than has been the norm in recent Wetlands and several small groups of years, and the first wintering Hen Harrier Waxwings around Cleveland. since the 1986-87 winter was around the Seven Whooper Swans on Scaling Dam on North Tees Marshes. 3rd were the first of the year, a Hawfinch was The Richard’s Pipit was seen on Cowpen at Skelton Castle on 4th, another Slavonian Marsh again on 7th, three Waxwings graced Grebe was off Hartlepool on 9th, 12 RSPB Saltholme car park on 8th, and single Crossbills were in Westworth Wood on 11th, 2 a drake Red-crested Pochard was on Wynyard would not normally come out of hibernation lake on 14th-15th and a Black-throated Diver until April. was in Hartlepool harbour, also on 15th. An icy North wind blew on 17th bringing LOCAL OUTINGS APRIL 2019 TO AUGUST snow showers which did not last. A pale- 2019 bellied Brent Goose joined the Canada Geese at Haverton Hole, and an early Marsh Harrier was over Dormans Pool, both on the same COWPEN BEWLEY WOODLAND day. Three White-fronted Geese were at PARK Scaling Dam from 18th, the same day as two Scaup were on Coatham Marsh and a Great Tuesday 23rd April 2019 Northern Diver was off South Gare. Relatively little was seen for the remainder of Join Dave Nelson to explore this local nature the month; two Hawfinches were at Skelton reserve. A good selection of common Castle from 22nd, a Glaucous Gull was in the woodland species should be seen and early Hartlepool area, also from 22nd, and a summer migrants such as Willow Warbler, Rough-legged Buzzard was on Liverton Moor Chiffchaff and Blackcap should be well on 28th. established. Meet at the nature reserve car Night time temperatures were regularly below park at 10.00 a.m. freezing in the last week and all areas of Leader: Dave Nelson Tel: 01642 824755 freshwater froze over to some degree; the lowest temperature was -7 C on the last SUMMER MIGRANTS AT FLATTS morning of the month. LANE COUNTRY PARK MIDDLESBROUGH FEBRUARY 2019 Tuesday 7th May 2019 A significant fall of snow was evident on 1st- 2nd although relatively little was seen. Meet in the car park at 9.15 a.m. at Flatts A Ruddy Shelduck was at Scaling Dam on Lane Visitors Centre for a walk in search of 4th and 11th, a presumed returning Black summer migrants and other resident birds Swan was on Stockton Riverside from 5th with Geoff Myers, who knows this area very and a Black-throated Diver was at South Gare well. Hopefully summer visitors should on 6th. include the usual warblers including Lesser The first named storm of the year (Storm Whitethroat, Blackcap and possibly Garden Erik) tracked North East above Scotland on Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler. Many 8th, bringing us strong winds and rain, but the other resident woodland species should also only bird displaced was a single Little Auk be present. that passed Hartlepool on 9th Leader: Geoff Myers Tel: 01642 461850 The first Red Kite of the year was over Stockton on 14th, followed by one over NIGHTJARS Grinkle Park next day, the first two Avocets of the year were on Seal Sands on 16th, the June 2019 same day as a Caspian Gull was on Dormans Pool and the Green-winged Teal was re- A very popular annual outing to Guisborough located on Dormans Pool on 20th. Forest to see the Nightjars. It is intended to The last week of the month was unseasonably visit here on a June night. Seeing and hearing warm and sunny with temperatures of 15C- them is very much influenced by the weather. 19C on several days. This brought a male It is therefore the plan to advertise this walk Marsh Harrier from 24th and a movement of at a later date on the website whenever the Whooper Swans on 25th but also significant weather conditions look favourable.