Trip reports

Hurworth Burn

Sunday, 16 March 2008

After taking the A19 northerly and following signs for Dalton Piercy, we turned off for Trimdon and continued on to Hurworth, meeting up at the car park near the disused railway bridge. Fifteen of us then headed off northwards towards the reservoir. The pathway gave us easy walking and allowed us splendid views of the surrounding farmland and stretches of water. Wigeon were apparant in significant numbers in the fields and there were great crested grebe and goldeneye on the reservoir to the west of the path. A small group of redshank were spied on the edge of the water. In the hedge bordering the walkway we spotted long-tailed tits, robin, chaffinch, blue tit, great tit, dunnock and greenfinch. On the farmland to the east, we saw a small group of shelduck with canada geese and lapwing. Further on, pochard and gadwall were seen. There was no shortage of coot and tufted duck to see, together with assorted gulls. Taking the northern 'spur' we spotted goldfinch and robin, before doubling back round the reservoir and returning to the road. In optimistic frame of mind, we headed towards the farm in the hope of seeing tree sparrow. No such luck - chaffinch ruled! This track, however, gave us a good sighting of a yellowhammer and a couple of over-flying fieldfare. Add to our list for the day heron, moorhen, greylag goose ( including one hybrid greylag/canada goose) and we felt we had not done too badly - as the photo shows! (albeit missing one of our company who proved excessively camera-shy.) I'll bet you can't guess who it was forget his gloves!