Teesmouth Bird Club

Club Member Christine Corbett is leading two short walks from Hartlepool Headland Library on Friday 14th March, as part of a nature themed project the library is running, called the Culture Nature scheme. She wants to include a spell of sea watching if possible and has asked if any birders might be on hand with a scope set up, to point out anything on the sea.  The walks are 10:30 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 14:30.
Graham Megson

NB: The minutes include some records that have only recently been submitted and completed their circulation, hence the delay.

January 2020 Records sub-committee minutes including recent decisions on rare and scarce birds.

Attached are the notes of the recent Records sub-committee meetings.

This year the Little Tern colony has relocated from Crimdon Dene to Seaton Carew and the Little tern partnership is looking for volunteers to help with the wardening effort.
Please consider offering to help safeguard this 'jewel in the crown' of the Tees Valley's coastline.
Breeding activity may continue into August and will extend into the school holidays when Seaton Carew will become especially busy with day-trippers and holidaymakers.  Currently the large site is cordoned off and notices have been put out, but with so many people about a greater conservation presence is needed on a daily basis.  Mandy Bell from Durham Wildlife Trust is coordinating the warden coverage, with support from the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, Hartlepool Borough Council, Durham Heritage Coast and INCA.  Unfortunately, Seaton Carew car parking charges still apply for volunteers, but funding is being sought to cover this.  Cars can be left for free in the North Gare car park, but that involves a 1 mile walk each way. 
Little Tern is a Schedule 1 legally-protected species, with fines for deliberate disturbance.  Hartlepool Borough Council is liaising with the police who have already responded to one potential offence.  Birders and photographers should observe from a safe distance. 
For further information contact Mandy Bell – 07713 461520. Email: abell@durhamwt.co.uk

The River Tees Rediscovered Landscape Partnership is holding a Family Fun Day at South Gare on Sunday 28 April 2019, 1-5pm.  A shuttle bus will be provided from Tuned In for those wishing to use the Majuba Road Council car park.  Please see the attached poster for details.  If any TBC members wish to help show birds to visitors, please contact Christine Corbett - your help would be much appreciated. 

As part of their project activities, the River Tees Rediscovered Landscape Partnership is holding a Volunteer action day at South Gare on Wednesday 24 April 2019, 10:00 to 15:00 hours.  Please see attached flier for further information and contact details for Christine Corbett.  There will be a tern fencing task and a beach clean.  Please contact Christine if you are interested, so that she has an idea of numbers.

Attached are the latest Records sub-committee meeting minutes.
Graham

The Records sub-committee has reviewed outstanding records to the end of 2018 via email, and this set of notes acts as the 'minutes' recording the decisions.  It also lists the records currently with the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC).  The minutes note changes to the sub-committee membership, including thanking Tom Francis and Graeme Joynt who are stepping down, and welcoming the Club's new recorder from Jan 2019 - Alan Crossley.

Please see attached minutes, including details of new Recorder and Bird Report Editor (from 1st January 2019).
A huge thanks to Tom Francis and Graeme Joynt for years of dedicated work.

Superb - thanks.  Good to have seen the bird and such instructive images
Graham

Thanks Jamie. You are right there is no doubt an awful lot of work goes into managing the tables so thanks to Graeme et al who do this.  I guess an unavoidable aspect of county life lists is that they don't change much, so newcomers to the Club have no realistic chance of having their tally recognised.  That's not to say birders couldn't do a yearlist or similar - I was astounded to see how many different lists were on surfbirds.  Not that I fancy a carbon neutral county yearlist attempt.

Good to see the updated county life list - though it is a shame that only 23 birders are represented. Is there an opportunity to lengthen the list?  I see that the Yorkshire birding league includes 58 people (I believe all who have submitted their list).

Thanks Toby - still trying to secure my first sighting!
Graham

I missed this on my local patch!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3949473/Topless-shoot-is-a-rare-sighting.html

... and the Sun's photo is a yellow-browed and not a Hume's - poor editing!

Graham