'Tit-bits from Temperley' - Durham Bird Club

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Tit-bits from Temperley
The Birds of Durham Heritage Project
‘Bringing the wildlife of the past, to the people of tomorrow’
Temperley said that it was noted, “in winter in varying
numbers, it has bred” and it was often associated with
redpoll. The first reference to the species in the County
was from the „Allan document‟ of 1791, when it was
referred to as a winter visitor, though not known to breed.
By the first half of the twentieth century, Temperley said, “a
pair or two, occasionally remains to breed.” In ‘A History’,
George Temperley documented that, Hancock (1874)
reported that a nest had been „taken‟ on 7 th May 1848 near
Brancepeth, it contained four eggs.
Hornemann’s (Arctic) Redpoll
George Temperley called this a very rare vagrant. A bird was „taken‟ on sea banks at
Whitburn on 24 April 1855 with a „clod of earth‟. It had been observed for a few days
before this. This was the first spring record of the species for Britain.
Twite
In Temperley‟s time this was an “irregular winter
visitor in small numbers”. He thought that „a few
pairs may still breed on western moors‟ but there
were, then, no recent records. Hancock (1874)
said it was not an uncommon breeder on heather
moorlands in both Durham and Northumberland.
Pine Grosbeak
The first British record of this species was once collected at Bill Quay (in modern
Gateshead) „sometime before 1835‟. It was a female-type bird, of a yellowish colour,
possibly a first winter male.
Crossbill
Temperley said that the first reference to the species in Durham was from Hogg
(1827), who recorded that a „hen bird‟ was taken sometime „before 1810‟ in a garden
at Norton on Teesside. Some years later, on 14 July 1810 a male and a female were
shot in a garden at the same place. Hutchinson, 1840 said, “flocks…not infrequently
met with from July to September”. In July, 1828 it was said to be abundant in
woodlands near Lanchester, birds were met there until the following March; a female
killed there 23 rd April and three pairs said to be there on 25 th April. A family party,
including young birds thought to be bred in that area were noted around this time, but
no definite proof of breeding in the County was obtained until 27 years later. Thomas
Grundy found the first nest in Durham on
24 February 1856, at Coalburns near
Greenside, in what is now west
Gateshead. On 1 st March, this
contained three eggs. On July 14 th
1856, the same Thomas Grundy found a
pair nesting at High Marley Hill.
Two-barred Crossbill
The first record for Durham was of a party of five at Forest Lodge, Wolsingham from
10 th to 28 th January 1943. They were often in the company of common crossbill,
which were there throughout the winter.