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My name is David Brown and I've created this website to provide you with the opportunity to view a selection of my latest bird sightings and wildlife images.

My local patch includes a selection of sites in and around Bishop Auckland, which includes Etherley Moor, Bishops Park, The Batts, Escomb and Low Barns.  Gaunless Flats and a selection of other local sites of interest are visited throughout each year, but are not included in my patch list(s).

Living in Bishop Auckland places me in a perfect position to explore some of the excellent birds and scenery that can be found in County Durham with locations in Weardale, Teesdale, Teesside (Cleveland) and South Tyneside all within an hours drive from home.

  • Local Patch – (Bishop Auckland, Bishops Park, The Batts, Escomb, Low Barns, Etherley Moor & more)
  • The Dales – (Black Grouse, Red Grouse, Red Kite, Ring Ouzel & more)
  • Teesside – (Wildfowl, Waders, Rarities & more)
  • South Tyneside – (Red Kite, Seabirds, Wildfowl, Terns & Waders)

Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Cleveland & Cumbria border County Durham, which are occasionally visited when rarities are reported.  Trips outside these areas are usually confined to twitching new birds that are reported via Twitter, Birdguides and the RBN Network or the yearly camping trips I enjoy doing.

Indigo Bunting
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Mockingbird at Newbiggin, 8th May 2021
Black-browed Albatross at Bempton, 30th June 2022
Red-tailed (Turkestan) Shrike at Bempton, 30th June 2022
Lesser Yellowlegs
Brown Booby
Northern Mockingbird at Newbiggin, 8th May 2021
Northern Mockingbird at Newbiggin, 8th May 2021
Northern Mockingbird at Newbiggin, 8th May 2021
Northern Mockingbird at Newbiggin, 8th May 2021
Northern Mockingbird at Newbiggin, 8th May 2021
Great Northern Diver at Hartlepool Marina
Taiga Flycatcher at Trow Quarry
Black Grouse in Weardale
Large Tortoiseshell at Portland
Lulworth Skipper at Portland
Desert Wheatear at Whitby, 4th January 2018
Rock Thrush at Blorenge in Gwent, 22nd October 2017
Eurasian Scops Owl at Ryhope, 30th September 2017
Bearded Tits at Leighton Moss, 24th September 2017
Rose-coloured Starling at Billingham, 13th June 2017
Kentish Plover at Audenshaw Reservoir, 26th April 2016
Pied Wheatear at Redcar
Siberian Accentor at Easington, 14th October 2016
Blue Rock Thrush at Stow on the Wold, 30th December 2016
Harlequin Duck at Aberdeen, 8th January 2015
Firecrest at Hartlepool Headland, 7th April 2015
Isabelline Wheatear at Seaton Snook, 24th November 2014
Collared Flycatcher at Low Newton, 9th May 2013
Ivory Gull at Patrington Haven, 23rd December 2013
White-billed Diver at Brixham, 28th December 2013
Bluethroat at Hartlepool Headland, 11th May 2012
Black-throated Thrush at Newholm, 17th January 2010
Woodchat Shrike at Hartlepool Headland, 2nd October 2010
Hawfinch at Low Barns, 8th February 2009
Lapland Bunting at South Gare, 25th October 2009
Cattle Egret at Cardoness, 6th January 2008
Lesser Grey Shrike at Long Nanny, 5th June 2008
Steppe Grey Shrike at Grainthorpe, 8th November 2008
Two-barred Crossbill at Bilsdale, 9th November 2008
Snowy Egret at Caerlaverock, September 2002
Indigo Bunting at Whitburn, 18th May 2024
Dark-eyed Junco at Hartlepool, 24th April 2024
American Black Tern at the Long Nanny, 9th June 2022
Black-browed Albatross at Bempton, 30th June 2022
Red-tailed (Turkestan) Shrike at Bempton, 30th June 2022
Lesser Yellowlegs at Saltholme, 15th October 2022
Brown Booby at South Gare, 17th September 2023
Eleonora's Falcon at Worth Marshes, 2nd June 2022
Red-footed Falcon at Worth Marshes, 1st June 2022
Red-flanked Bluetail at Low Force, 9th January 2022
Red-eyed Vireo on Holy Island, 12th October 2021
Northern Mockingbird at Newbiggin, 8th May 2021
Great Northern Diver at Hartlepool Marina, 10th December 2020
Taiga Flycatcher at Trow Quarry, 17th October 2020
Black Grouse in Weardale, 26th October 2020
Large Tortoiseshell at Portland, 18th July 2020
Lulworth Skipper at Portland, 17th July 2020
Desert Wheatear at Whitby, 4th January 2018
Rock Thrush at Blorenge in Gwent, 22nd October 2017
Eurasian Scops Owl at Ryhope, 30th September 2017
Bearded Tits at Leighton Moss, 24th September 2017
Rose-coloured Starling at Billingham, 13th June 2017
Kentish Plover at Audenshaw Reservoir, 26th April 2016
Pied Wheatear at Redcar, 30th October 2016
Siberian Accentor at Easington, 14th October 2016
Blue Rock Thrush at Stow on the Wold, 30th December 2016
Harlequin Duck at Aberdeen, 8th January 2015
Firecrest at Hartlepool Headland, 7th April 2015
Isabelline Wheatear at Seaton Snook, 24th November 2014
Collared Flycatcher at Low Newton, 9th May 2013
Ivory Gull at Patrington Haven, 23rd December 2013
White-billed Diver at Brixham, 28th December 2013
Bluethroat at Hartlepool Headland, 11th May 2012
Black-throated Thrush at Newholm, 17th January 2010
Woodchat Shrike at Hartlepool Headland, 2nd October 2010
Hawfinch at Low Barns, 8th February 2009
Lapland Bunting at South Gare, 25th October 2009
Cattle Egret at Cardoness, 6th January 2008
Lesser Grey Shrike at Long Nanny, 5th June 2008
Steppe Grey Shrike at Grainthorpe, 8th November 2008
Two-barred Crossbill at Bilsdale, 9th November 2008
Snowy Egret at Caerlaverock, September 2002

Equipment
The gear I use for birdwatching and photography purposes includes the following:

Leica Televid 82 Angle Scope
Leica 25-50 zoom eyepiece
Leica 10x42 Ultravid Binoculars
Zeiss Victory SF 10 x 32
HikMicro Lynx LC06mm Thermal
Canon EOS R6
Canon RF 100 x 500 lens
Canon RF 24 x 70 2.8 lens
Canon RF 1.4 Extender

At this point, I need to make you aware that all images displayed on these pages are copyright protected, so please ask for permission if you intend to use the images and information for anything other than personal use (a small fee may apply if you are not a David Brown Website Design, Imaging & Photography customer or charitable organisation).