Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Here’s one hatching out in last few days of July in Weardale Briar. 010
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Cettis at a new location this morning Noisy little things Still quite a novelty in inland Durham Gaining a foothold now after a couple of mild winters 1/2 160
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Cracking SpotShank at St.Marys Island Northumberland yesterday A nice surprise, but has apparently been there a few days. 54 ssp noted, with total of 70 on 3 recent visits. A pleasant venue 050
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Report just in of around x30 birds on the wood edge & tree lined pastures at Muggleswick in August 🎯👍🏻 020
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 06/09/20262nd September Kings still busy rearing 3rd brood #NEBirding Licensed inspection for NRS. Lack of flooding has helped these over 2025/26 but other territories are suffering from lack of water 060
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Thinking along these lines ?? 🧐 (think this pic by C.Bell) 110
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/08/20263/3 Long-eared Owl on garden fence Honestly - it flew there… You can see why they were called Cat Owl 040
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/08/20262/3 Swallows over roost A very small pond Can't see the attraction here Much larger reedbeds on nature reserve close by 🧐 130
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/08/20261/3 Targeted the Swalla roost (Hoping for a Hobby 🧐 I don’t know if they attend hirundine roosts ??) c2,200 present in dull conditions Waited on till dark & sure enough the Leo 🦉🦉appeared & disturbed the roost,& went through to perch hunt from garden walls & fences #NEBirding 180
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/08/2026Cracking record 🎯 Very interesting Have picked up Noc Mig whilst out x3 times over the years First time I thought it was a goose or a grebe, but then managed to see it as it circled a pond several times 👍🏻 010
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/08/20267 various territories checked for 3rd broods, only the 1 active Banks can be traditional & used for many years A spot of maintenance is need every now & then, cutting back Brambles & uprooting Balsam Also made a start of facing off, a new alternative nest site Kingfisher #S1 #NEBirding #NRS 060
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/08/2026Swallows 2,000 in to roost at Elba Park as the Full Moon rose was magical After dark they erupted noisily… Two minutes later we had a Long-eared Owl flying high NEast from that exact spot Strong probability that it made an attempt at the roost 🧐 #NEBirding 050
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Well spotted Suppose you have to factor in replacement cost of lost wellingtons 😬😁👍🏻 010
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Under our noses the whole time ! Yesterdays events have been a long time coming HOBBY finally confirmed as having bred on our Houghton patch Delighted to watch a food pass to a very noisy fledged juvenile & just 400 m from the front gate ! #NEBirding NB: Pics from Tony Lee’s back catalog 0230
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Third clutch Kings on our Local Patch today These are c13 day old Estimated fledge date is 4th September It’s Hard to believe such bonny 🤩 birds start life in the most terrible foul nest site 🥴 #S1 NestRecordScheme #NEBirding 🤴🎣 @londonkingfishers.bsky.social 1130
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 25/08/2026We’ve added a few more last few days including Tree Pipit Whinchats Golden Plover 040
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 21/08/2026August Is August THE Month for us Land Locked Local Patchers ?? 112species for us so far this month, with Hobby added this am (SE) & Garganey yday (MH) All 5 owls present & correct However we are currently Whichatless 😄 Some details in images #BirdingNE #NEBirding 170
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Yes decent selection & perfect calm conditions Quite a few patch residents missing from that 84 tally, seen a few more this morning We thought about doing an August Bird Race years ago - certainly a good variety of species on offer 000
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 13/08/202684ssp noted Rainton 6-9am LWhitethroat defending berries & chasing everything in sight Also Swift Wigeon Yellow WagTSparrow Mandarin Yhammer GSand Treecreeper, juv LrPlover, Jay, Kingfisher Gcrest , Bullfinch, 74HMartin, GWagtail Cettis etc Ssp missed inc GPartridge ReedWarb Redshank #NEBirding 190
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Rudimentary Provisional Hectad Maps for Woodcock in VC66 + Startforth District Our current work from 2020shows Roding, Nests & Young from x30 Hectads (c300 Tetrads) The 2000 Atlas (1988 to 1993 fieldwork) confirmed an April to July presence in 22 Hectads (88 Tetrads) To be continued #NEBirding 070
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 08/08/2026Raptor fest, Out West 7-8pm 3HHarrier 2Merlin 6Shorty 4Buzzard doz+Kestrel all from one spot, also Stonechat BlackGrouse, singing Dipper Got home for dusk & managed to connect with a v.early Shortie on the dog walk 070
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 08/08/2026🎯 amazing Especially after 20 years 🙌🏻 thinking about your dates It may be you’ve had 2 pairs which had 2nd or replacements broods 🧐 000
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Evening dog walk on local reserve - had the whole place to ourselves Cracking 650 hirundine flock Wigeon GreenSand Snipe all back Busy families of GC + LGrebes & Common Tern Cracking Leo encounter with a juvenile coming in to check me & Flint out Amazingly ended up putting up a Woodcock 🎯 050
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Great work Stew You’ve illustrated another point here - that once fledged the family isn’t necessarily tied to what was the breeding territory even though the young are dependent. (I think I suggested the same to mr stew chat up on the coast - he had a surprise family party appear from nowhere) 🎯👍🏻 110
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 03/08/2026You’re very welcome We tend to think of Spotties as being showy, obvious & active - they can be quite the opposite… We’ve visited & inspected active nests & never saw or heard either of the birds on numerous occasions They can be very discrete 👍🏻 110
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Lovely little birds Things are starting to move now ! Hope you have a productive Autumn ringing 110
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 03/08/2026CRAZY This Scolopax feeding on a South Shields lawn on 1st August ! 😳😄🎯👍🏻 Ties in with recent return of coastal waders & recent full moon 🧐 Closest regular breeding sites are 15km inland August records in UK are few & far between #Scolopax26 #BirdingNE #NEBirding 070
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Like a Woodcock in a Shields garden on 1st August ! 😵💫🤩🎯🤣👍🏻 010
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 02/08/2026A few more Not too many active nests remaining now A phone call from a very experienced bird nester put us onto an active nest with chicks Close by were a fledged family & a couple of singles that ran rings around us 😵💫😀 Also saw Barn Owl Redstart & Greyhen with young #SpotFly26 040
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 02/08/2026Terrible news Only been once Tremendous place 😕 010
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 02/08/2026Getting to that point where you can expect the unexpected over there on the coast ! & familiar birds returning that have been missing for months. Plus it’s still sunny Enjoy mate & hope your Autumn is productive 🎯👍🏻 220
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 01/08/20262/2 The map ⬆️ dots are Tetrads, 2km x 2km squares We knew very little about them in 2020 Then we started Crawleyside nest site off Bri BirderSouth showed us a c6 Julie’s 1st find 70’ up a Larch Migwires 5 second nest box occupation Amazing what a bit of Targeted effort can achieve 🎯 010
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 01/08/2026SpotFly map (Durham 2000 Atlas) edited to show our 2021-2026 findings🎯 Dark Blue Hash = 2021-2026 registrations. Light Blue Circles = BOTH Summer Atlas 2000 AND 2021-2026 registrations. Black circles = Summer Atlas 2000 registrations only It’s certainly not a 92% loss in Weardale #SpotFly26 2/2 260
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 01/08/2026Belting Breeding Record ! Congratulations Stew 🎯 (this mirrors some of what we’ve seen 20km south in some of our Durham sites) #SpotFly26 010
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 01/08/2026Oh that’s great Stew ! 4 fledged is good 🤩 Hopefully they’ll entertain you for a while yet & they make it back again in ‘27 🎯 (Im laid up atm, so just starting with some rudimentary mapping & stats for what we’ve seen over last 5 years 🎯 Will post some here this evening) 101
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Fire Brigade lads should go round & confiscate the lot 030
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Very true Surely the pleasure from a garden comes from it being alive? 💐🌳 Presumably plastic grass sales will be booming if there’s hosepipe ban 🫤 100
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 30/07/2026They reckon more Northumbrian water is lost through leakages than would be saved via a hosepipe ban 🧐 100
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Government funding secured to further help Black Grouse Merlin & Scolopax amongst others. #Scolopax26 britishbirds.co.uk/news/gwct-se...britishbirds.co.ukGWCT Secures Funding for Seven Species Recovery Projects Under £60 m Natural England Programme | British BirdsEurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola, Jean-Lou Zimmermann The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has secured government funding for all seven projects submitted to Natural England's Species R... 030
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Breeding density in 2 Weardale Monads (1km x1km) with less than 33% tree cover in each square Stanhope: x22 pairs with x16 nests found Rookhope: x26 pairs with x16 nests found (previous max here has been x29 pairs but not as much coverage this year) #SpotFly26 0101
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Can’t beat Mr Mandy but how’s about Mr Scribblyjack 🤩🧐👍🏻 130
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Summer acrobatics We love the way the adults can take off & fly with their tails fanned Looking out for first brood fledglings helping feed the second lot which we haven’t managed to witness yet this season 🧐🎯 #SpotFly26 040
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 27/07/2026A local Great Tit today 27th July 2026 A genuine 2nd clutch in a garden nest box Male bringing in 90% of food (mostly insects from spiders webs), while the hen sits on the unhatched eggs. #NestRecordScheme #BirdingNE 021
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Lucy lives in a beautiful riverside Birch in Weardale. This is her second brood Looking like several of her neighbours have already departed?? 🧐 #SpotFly26 #NestRecordScheme 060
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Bullfinch hatching out today in roadside Briar at Stanhope this morning #NestRecordScheme #BirdingNE 060
Targeted Surveys @lymnocryptes.bsky.social · 27/07/2026We are just seeing our second broods fledged this weekend, hopefully you should see some young soon. They seem to be doing well in this hot weather We have some territories that are a flash in the pan & on the other end of the scale a box used for 30 consecutive years ! Good luck , let us know 🎯👍🏻 100
