Teesmouth Bird Club

this year i would like to watch the pied flycatcher and the common redstart breeding does any one know any good places to view these spieces last year i watched the spotted flycatchers breeding.
i did find some thing on the net before about them breeding some were in northumberland (wooler) before,but cannot find it again

Quote from: linnet on April 07, 2009, 05:58:38 PM
this year i would like to watch the pied flycatcher and the common redstart breeding does any one know any good places to view these spieces last year i watched the spotted flycatchers breeding.
i did find some thing on the net before about them breeding some were in northumberland (wooler) before,but cannot find it again

There are closer places but one of the best areas I visit is Backstone Bank Wood by Tunstall Reservoir near Wolsingham in Weardale - http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=406693&Y=541010&A=Y&Z=115. Several pairs of Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler and Wood Warbler can be seen from the path and quite often Tawny Owl.

Just follow the path over the dam and up the bank as far as the hairpin bend. From the point of the bend a path leads off left through the wood. From the start of the path onwards for 500m you hit birds. Early May (9th) last year had Pied Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Redstart, Tawny Owl plus Cuckoo. A revisit on 29th May added Wood Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher plus the previously seen species. No doubt they were present a few days earlier for both lots - those are just the dates I visited.

Also Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail along the dam.

i tried up there 2 years ago and saw nothing on wood and willow warblers went right along past the old pheasant pen my m8 says there is a little stream up there also wer eyou can see grey and yellow wagtails breeding

Visited the wood as per Ian's directions 10 May. Immediately saw a pair of redstart which look like they are nesting in one of the nest boxes within 50 yards of the hairpin bend in the main path. Also pair grey wagtail on reservoir, nuthatch, GS Woodpecker, treecreeper, sparrowhawk, various tits.

Quote from: simon on May 13, 2009, 12:43:22 PM
Visited the wood as per Ian's directions 10 May. Immediately saw a pair of redstart which look like they are nesting in one of the nest boxes within 50 yards of the hairpin bend in the main path. Also pair grey wagtail on reservoir, nuthatch, GS Woodpecker, treecreeper, sparrowhawk, various tits.

Glad to hear you saw them 

I was there yesterday - I arrived at around 9.30am and parked by the end of the dam. Common Sandpiper along the dam wall along with Redshank, Pied Wagtail. Half a dozen House Martin feeding over the wall and Goldfinch x3, Meadow Pipit x2 and Grey Wagtail x2 over the grassy bank. Halfway along the wall a Goshawk flew from west to east over the reservoir and over the trees at the top of Backstone Bank Wood where it was calling. Another pair of Grey Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail were feeding in the slipway. A Heron and another Common Sandpiper were in the corner of the dam. As I set off up the hill a Cormorant and half a dozen Greylag Goose landed on the reservoir.

Halfway up the bank a Garden Warbler was calling from the bushes just above but giving only fleeting glimpses. A Pied Flycatcher was calling from slightly higher.

On entering the wood there were lots of birds in song. Mostly Robin, Wren, Willow Warbler and a Chiffchaff calling but heading up the farm track to the right the Pied Flycatcher was in view. A Redstart gave fleeting glimpses but wasn't singing.

Heading back down the bank and along the track into the wood were loads of Willow Warbler, Wren and Robin calling and no end of Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Long-tailed Tit.

By the second fenced area a Pied Flycatcher was calling and another 50m further along the path. Searching out both in the tree tops paid off leading to discovery of the nest holes where the females were taking in food. Great Spotted Woodpecker (m & f ) in the area as well as several Treecreeper and Nuthatch all gathering food. Whilst stood waiting 40 mins until the next food delivery a Tawny Owl flew low through the wood down towards the reservoir.

Little else seen until reaching the end of the mature wood where another Redstart was in the tree tops. Lots of Willow Warbler in the young trees with several still gathering nest material.

Retracing my steps there was nothing new until reaching the end of the path again where a Wood Warbler was calling every now and a again about 50m up the bankside. It seemed to be moving back and forth c.100m though I never did spot it as I didn't fancy a scramble up the bank.

Re-crossing the dam Swift c.12 and Swallow had joined the House Martin.

The Flycatchers and Redstart maybe either on eggs or have a few young. I usually find around the 23rd May there are more birds around as they're still feeding young and by then the Spotted Flycatchers are back as well - usually loads of them plus singing Wood Warbler.

Common Redstart breeds along the wooded beck coming down from Fryup Dale Head, and around the old and partly disused farm buildings there.  They often give good views.