David Simpson has been undertaking the Herculean task of working through his 50-plus years of birdwatching notes and notebooks to collate his interesting records and perspectives of his ‘local patch’. Such a long-term local study, even from one person, can provide genuine insight into the real changes in numbers, over time, of some bird species and also helps to reveal changes in the occurrence and composition of the county’s wider bird populations; not to mention some extraordinary nuggets of information. Tiny tasters of some of David’s observations from years gone by include:
- Black-necked Grebe - A pair summered at Thornley Flooded Field, June 26th to end of August 1954. Breeding was suspected but not proven, also seen by Mr P.L. Hogg of West Hartlepool and, on the 8th August, a moulting adult was seen
- Golden Oriole - One was seen and heard singing in Edder Acres Dene, 23rd June 1956
- Turtle Dove - My first record for Shotton Colliery was one in Edder Acres Wood on 19th May 1957, then the species was seen regularly and on 14 August 1962 I found a nest with two young in Edder Acres Wood. After this, they increased greatly and singing birds could be heard in Calf Pasture Dene, Edder Acres Dene and Edder Acres Wood. Up to eight birds were heard in a walk out, also singing birds (up to three) were in Castle Eden Dene and up to three in woods near Wheatley Hill. However by 1990, numbers were dropping and the last I heard was in Edder Acres Wood around 1995. So I saw the first bird in 1957, numbers built up then they were ‘all gone’ by 1995! A very sad story. I think these birds came from the Hurworth Burn Reservoir area and followed the railway line network
... posted by Keith Bowey
