David Sowerbutts

Birds, bats, botany; Bibliophile

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Dark red helleborine count at best known Durham site on 17 July - 1839 flowering spikes. Lack of rainfall (presumably) results in lowest count since 2019, but still above long-term average @ukorchids @durhamwildlife

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

@ScarecrowNeste1 A very useful link. People use the "nature-depleted" slogan too often without understanding the comparisons implied in the original research.

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

@KittiwakesTyne @SeggsySteve @DurhamBirdClub @durhamwildlife @SouterNT Last count I know of was by boat in 2019 (reported in The Lek, Nov 2019) - national Seabird Monitoring Programme https://t.co/i1F9lnSdkw is looking to develop regular coverage of "Marsden Cliffs" among other areas. @smp_seabirds

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Distribution of Curlew in winter. New study over 17 years at https://t.co/ILlSlEAUlM shows importance of coastal habitats with wider variety of land covers in February. (heavily statistical approach). @ScarecrowNeste1

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

@ScarecrowNeste1 @teesdalebirder @ecoevoenviro @DurhamBirdClub @Gameandwildlife Accepted! Interesting topics re Curlew - to what extent do VC66 breeders stay in the county in winter? [Ward, 2003] Origin of coastal winterers? Extent to which lowland winter sightings are high tide displacements? Roost locations of birds not thus displaced?

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Dark red helleborine count at best known Durham site on 24 July - 2289 flowering spikes. Slightly down from the last three years, but still the fourth highest since counts began @ukorchids @durhamwildlife

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

@conway_greg @ScarecrowNeste1 Like Turtle Dove, Spotted Flycatcher spends less than half of its year in the UK, so we need to look further afield to understand all the factors involved

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Dark red helleborine count at best known Durham site, 21 July - 2355 flowering spikes - 2020 to 2022 have produced the 3 highest counts in a 31-year sequence. Four of the 7 counts in excess of 2000 in last 5 years. @ukorchids @durhamwildlife

[Mark Eaton @Mark_A_Eaton]

Is it a good year for Nightjars? Ten churring males at one site this evening @NTBirdClub

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

@ScarecrowNeste1 @DurhamBirdClub Woodland near Durham City, 26 March - Quiet drumming tailing off at end - not like normal GSW - about 9.00 a.m. GMT. Heard twice within a couple of minutes, then not again. To investigate further when weather improves!!

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Species seen on @WeBS_UK count at Tunstall Res, 24/03/2022 included Greylag (47), Mallard (36) - both down on normal - Oystercatcher (c.30), Redshank (2), Heron (4), Teal (4) and G.C. Grebe. Treecreeper seen and Grn Woodpecker heard in wood.

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Tried a site in the Durham dales this morning for the @DurhamBirdClub Lesser Spotted Woodpecker survey. Lovely day - no LSW but perhaps someone will be lucky. https://t.co/nHq42nhZXZ

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Tunstall Reservoir today. Mobile flock of almost 50 Oystercatchers, 200+ small gulls, mostly Common but a few B/H, 57 Greylag, 95 Mallard and a Cormorant.

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

@ScarecrowNeste1 Hashtag was launched by @DurhamBirdClub 28/4/2021 originally for a week, but then extended. Latest occurrence traced for last year was 03/06/2021. Does not appear to have been picked up by many observers.

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Dark red helleborine count at best known Durham site, 22 July - 2360 flowering spikes - down from last year's record 2502, but still the second highest in a 30-year sequence of counts @durhambotany
@ukorchids
@durhamwildlife

[David Sowerbutts @dls60843]

Tuesday evening, 1 June. Woodcock roding over moors by B6278 to the S. of Edmundbyers. @DurhamBirdClub #DurhamWoodcock

[Durham Bird Club @DurhamBirdClub]

DBC is asking local birders to look for, and report, roding Woodcock, especially over the next week. A mysterious bird - we don't know as much as we should - https://t.co/Xc4OHpUabQ Please use #DurhamWoodcock

[Durham Bird Club @DurhamBirdClub]

What is the distribution of Woodcock in Durham? We are seeking all reports of roding (date, time, location, no of passes) at first between 1-8 May. Forest, lowland woodland and heathland. Please tag @DurhamBirdClub and #DurhamWoodcock

[Ian Forrest @IanFouk]

Goldeneye -am- east pond @RSPBSaltholme
@teesbirds1