Northern Experience Wildlife Tours

Category: Birdwatching

  • Out with the old…

    OK, it isn’t 2010 just yet but the NEWT website has been replaced by a new(er) one.

    The only big cosmetic change is the blog.  We’ve opted for a contemporary look, and it adds a lot of functionality that we didn’t have access to previously.  Embedding images and video clips is just one of those functions, so we’re going to make the most of that whenever the opportunity arises.

    Much of the last few weeks has been spent at my desk, writing content for the website and checking links etc whenever Daniel has uploaded a new set of changes. 

    The NEWT office window bird
    The NEWT office window bird

    This means that most of my birdwatching has been focussed on one small section of southeast Northumberland; our back garden with it’s apple and ash trees, tangles of bramble, ‘wild’ allotment and ever-growing selection of bird feeders.  Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Bullfinches, Willow Tits, Redwings and Fieldfares have all visited in the last few days and the cold spell we’re in currently is accelerating the bird visits to the garden.  I still keep having this dream about Siberian Accentor…

  • Desolate

    The wind is whipping around my ears, bitingly cold. A real multi-sensory experience, with an eerie whistling as it carves through the dark towers of a nearby stand of pines. Against the inky blackness of the night sky a myriad of stars are twinkling and the moonlight is diffused through a thin halo of cloud. Birdwatching in the dark is an endeavour of surprises. The thin, high calls of Redwings carry on the wind; stragglers from the daylight feeding foray into the hinterland of Blyth and Newbiggin, the coastal towns of southeast Northumberland. Immersion in the darkness is always an exciting experience. Stripped of much of the visual world around us, other senses come to prominence; the scent of leaf-mould and fungi, the quavering hoots and sharp ‘kewicks’ of Tawny Owls, barking Foxes and rustling rodents, the tactile sensation of twigs and branches brushing against your face as you pick your way down a familiar footpath. Without the visual clues that usually lead you down the route, it’s like a whole new world waiting to be explored.

  • Shifting sands

    The sharp wind, and even sharper pellets of icy rain were stinging the backs of our necks as we walked along the beach from Cresswell to East Chevington yesterday. Once every month, between September and April, we walk this section of the Northumberland coast. Purposeful birdwatching; the waders and wildfowl that we encounter are logged a part of the WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) totals. The beach is an extraordinary landscape, rarely the same from one month to the next. Yesterday was a first for us, after several years of walking this stretch; the sand was so high at one point that we could see inland, over the top of the dunes. It opened up a whole new view. Some months the sand is so low that almost the entire journey is over exposed rocks, sometimes there are no rocks, sometimes the sand is very level, sometimes it’s steeply shelving, sometimes there are tank blocks visible like a row of sinister teeth. When you combine that with the variability of the sea, it’s almost a different walk each month. The only downside is that nice sunny mornings mean that there is a lot of disturbance, and wader numbers are low. Sanderling is the species most affected. These cute white waders, playing ‘chicken’ with the edge of the surf, with their clockwork toy leg action are sometimes present in good numbers and sometimes not so. Yesterday was a poor day, with only three of them along the 3.2 miles of our count area. One was colour-ringed though, so we have a good chance of being able to find out where it was ringed, and where it’s been seen since then. Maybe it’ll still be there next month. who knows? That’s one of the joys of survey work.

  • Call of the wild geese

    The last two days have featured a lot of geese. On Saturday we led a ‘drop-in’ birdwatching session in Budle Bay, for the Northumberland Coast AONB. Starting at 10:30, it was cold and breezy but the air was filled with Pink-footed, Greylag and Barnacle Geese for much of the day. The people who came along had varying interests and questions; some just wanted to know what “all of those geese” were, some were keen to learn the difference between Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits…and one was interested in identifying sub-adult gulls! We were able to oblige on all counts, and really enjoyed a day of engaging the interested, the not-so-interested and the much-more-interested than they were before.

    This weekend was also the start of the Icelandic Goose Census for this winter. Pink-footed Geese are counted at core sites in October and November, Greylags in November and December. Our site is one of few that have both species in important numbers so we get to survey in all three months – and it can be very, very cold at dawn in mid-December! We have to arrive early so that we can sneak into position before it starts to get light. The site has been heavily disturbed for the last two winters and the geese have been erratic in using it as a roost. The journey to the site yesterday morning was enlivened by the creatures that use man-made roads for hunting, feeding and as a route from A to B; rabbits, hares, frogs, rats, a hedgehog, two barn owls and a long-eared owl were all along the 15 min journey from home. There was no sound when we arrived, and it was too dark to see. Would the geese be there, or would we have to spend another winter trying to track them down? As the grey light of dawn began to cast a faint glow over the pool it was obvious that they were there. Over 3000 Pink-footed Geese, 250+ Greylags and we snuck in, counted and snuck out without the birds flushing. Back at the car we were able to watch as they began to depart for their daytime feeding areas. Big flocks of geese are one of the great spectacles of the natural world. Birdwatching is like that; so many stunning sights and sounds that you can have an excellent day out at any time of the year. Big winter flocks, whether they be of geese, starlings, corvids, finches, waders or ducks are right near the top of our list of things that can change perception of what birdwatching is all about.

  • A mixed weekend

    Saturday saw us making the short journey to Newbiggin, to attend the launch event for Scone Mad. Colin and Jackie, the owners of Nevins Nibbles, have an incredible range of scones and the public were voting to select the 100th variety. With the contenders including Jelly Bean, Boost and Chili & chocolate, the competition was going to be close. We’re looking forward to finding out the identity of the winner. Even this interlude had a birdwatching theme; 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls were soaring over Newbiggin as we sat out in the sun, and Nevins Nibbles has played host in the past to meetings of the legendary collection of hardy, seabird-obsessed Northumberland residents that form SWAN (Sea Watchers at Newbiggin).

    Later that afternoon we headed to Redesdale to pre-walk the route for this Wednesday’s ‘Birds of Redesdale’ walk. Common Sandpipers were swee-wee-wee-wee-weeing along the river, Roe Deer were bounding through the long grass and Painted Ladies were seen in very good numbers.

    Sunday was our first stint as wardens at the Osprey Watchpoint in Kielder Water and Forest Park. Over 80 visitors were entertained and informed by the four wardens and the weather was glorious (for most of the time anyway…). After 7 hours at the watchpoint we were driving home – towards some ominous looking clouds. Sure enough, the first drops of rain began to hit the windscreen, and then the heavens opened. Thunder and lightning accompanied the deluge and we rounded a bend only to find a cyclist in the middle of the road. The chain had come off his bike so, with the thunderstorm inching closer we suggested that he put himself and the bike in the back of our car. The journey to Morpeth saw us driving through a lot of deep flooded roads so he would have struggled to get himself home without getting into real difficulty. We dropped him at Ashington and eventually we arrived home, with a 1hr journey having taken 2hrs, and steaming mugs of hot chocolate were in order as we dried out.

  • Open Farm Sunday

    After spending Saturday at the Rising Sun Country Park, where the Newcastle RSPB Member’s Group were celebrating their 40th birthday, Sunday saw us spending a long day in the field. As part of Open Farm Sunday we were helping Ian Brown at Lee Moor Farm. We started with a (not quite the) Dawn Chorus Walk followed by breakfast at the Black Olive Cafe and then guided conservation tours were on offer right through the day. As we wandered through some excellent wildflower habitat, marvelling at the amount of Ragged Robin Lychnis flos-cuculi, lots of birds were in evidence. Buzzards were seen on each walk, Willow Warblers were singing their descending scales, Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat were both seen as were Siskin and Goldcrest. The recent influx of Painted Lady butterflies was mentioned by one walker, who had witnessed the huge numbers of this beautiful insect arriving in Sussex in late May…and Sarah’s sharp eyes soon picked up one as it raced by. Eventually 3 were seen as they settled on the track in front of us, and we all pondered on the fact that, although we may regard butterflies as delicate, they had travelled the distance from North Africa and the middle-East to be in Britain for the summer. As shadows lengthened, guests began to arrive for the evening barbecue and Bat & Moth walk. Just as the sun slipped below the horizon, the bat detector crackled into life and our first Pipistrelle of the evening appeared close by, hunting insects over a small pond. Everyone, young and old, was able to see this tiny mammal, which was soon joined by a 2nd, then a 3rd. A dispute between two of the bats saw a high-speed chase, before one returned to swooping and diving just feet away. As a spectacular moonrise illuminated the fields around Lee Moor, attention turned to the moth trap and it’s first ‘customers’ of the evening. After close study they were released unharmed into the vegetation, and we left Lee Moor after a long and successful day.

  • A change in the weather

    Clear frosty nights are what we’re enjoying at the moment. After several days of strong westerly winds (that have uprooted our garden fence again) we’ve got a gentle easterly breeze and clear skies. We left the house at 9:15 last night and walked along the River Wansbeck. Mute Swans were feeding serenely, Rabbits were scattering in front of us, a Herring Gull was dive-bombing a Grey Heron (and kept up the assault even once the heron got the message and flew upstream) and Dunlin were callling in display over the tidal mud. The staccato rattle of the bat detector alerted us to Common Pipistrelles, hunting the few insects that were braving the cold night air. We’ve blogged before about the transition from day to night in the autumn and winter, but it’s a special time of day at any time of the year.

  • The Early Birder catches a big breakfast

    It was cold, dark and wet this morning as we headed out of bed and up the A1 for our Dawn Chorus Walk at Lee Moor Farm. We were however quietly optimistic as the weather forecast had promised that the showers would die away and the cloud lift as the dawn rose.

    A Roe Deer by the side of the A1 and a Barn Owl flushing from the old tree where it had been ‘on duty’ looking out over the fields at Lee Moor filled us with hope. We arrived just as it was getting light followed by our eager participants. As we were busy getting coats and gloves on, for whilst the days may be warm the nights can still be very chilly, Common Gulls flew overhead and Wrens were starting their early morning song. Wrens can sing very loudly for such a small bird and the farm has a healthy population.

    As we walked the field edges towards the wooded areas Hares could be seen bounding around, Wood Pigeons began their softly cooing song and a Whitethroat did its best to make itself heard. Jackdaws that make their nest in the kestrel and barn owl boxes that are attached to old telegraph poles began to stir and Skylarks ascended to great heights for their aerial song. As we approached the wooded areas of the farm Willow Warblers could be heard, keeping their neighbours in check by clearly marking their territories with song. Song thrushes and Chaffinches were busy announcing their presence and then in the hedge was a very distinctive song; that of the Sedge Warbler. It was just a few feet away but could only be glimpsed when it moved deeper into the hedge! Those stalwarts of the Dawn Chorus, the Blackbird and Robin were also heard. Ian Brown, farmer at Lee Moor Farm was able to provide interesting information on how his stewardship of the farm and his management of it for conservation had helped attract the wealth of wildlife that we were able to see and hear. As we headed back to the farm we were all then very hungry and eagerly anticipating the hearty Northumbrian cooked breakfast that was waiting for us and we were not disappointed. The Black Olive café did a fantastic job of filling us up after our early morning start! As we left the warmth of the café the sun was beginning to warm the morning air and the clouds were indeed lifting, and the birds were still singing. We are all looking at our diaries to see whether we can arrange a ‘not quite the Dawn Chorus’ walk in a few weeks time. Birds continue to sing until mid morning and so a start at say 7am should still enable us to hear the magnificent bird song of the early morning. As always, we’re waiting for your enquiries and bookings on 01670 827465.

  • An early start

    4am, and we’re heading out of the house and up to Lee Moor Farm near Alnwick. The reason for such an unearthly hour seeing us already on the road was next Sunday’s Dawn Chorus and Northumbrian Breakfast. ‘Prior practice prevents poor presentation’ so we were going to pre-walk the route for next week. Early mornings are Sarah’s favourite time of day for wildlife watching and as the sun’s first rays peeked over the horizon we weren’t disappointed. Yellowhammers were belting out their own top of the pops ‘little bit of bread and no cheeeeeeese’ (number one for all eternity, apparently), whilst Willow Warblers were practising their descending scales and newly arrived Whitethroats were busy marking their territories with their own rather scratchy warbling. Lee Moor Farm has been specially managed for wildlife and Tree Sparrows were evident around the farm buidings and hedgerows, Skylarks soared in song, a pair of Roe Deer watched us intently from the opposite end of the track and Brown Hares bounded across the fields. Our walk took us through a variety of habitats and, as the sun began to warm the still chilly air, Kestrels could be seen on the hunt for breakfast, then later, when the sun really came out, Buzzards could be heard and then seen, getting caught in a thermal and spiralling higher and higher until eventually they were out of sight. We were well and truly energised and looking forward to our early start next Sunday when we do it all again, and will be able to showcase the magnificent sights and sounds of the Dawn Chorus to celebrate International Dawn Chorus Day. Why not call us on 01670 827465 if you’ve got any questions or you want to come along and join us?

  • A Sunny Sunday

    Sarah had been feeling a bit under the weather for a few days, but was almost herself again this morning so we decided to head for the Northumberland coast for a few hours birdwatching. Our first port of call was Lynemouth, hoping to relocate the Water Pipit that Martin photographed on Friday. There were very few wagtails or pipits to be seen, and no sign of the Water Pipit, so we drove the short distance up the coast to Cresswell. The Avocets and Green Sandpiper seen earlier this morning had departed but we still had excellent close views of Skylark, Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtail. Alerted by a fellow birder to the presence of two Bottlenose Dolphins a few miles up the coast we headed to the spot described and found two Harbour Porpoises. Further north, we were looking for late-lingering Long-tailed Ducks and Slavonian Grebes. We found one of each but both birds were distant and not photographable. Another Harbour Porpoise appeared close inshore as we stood with the rising tide crashing against the rocks and Sarah’s videographic skills were tested to the limit with a small group of Sandwich Terns feeding just offshore. As we drove home, checking a Little Owl nest site on the way, we were handling an enquiry and booking for our Kielder Safari this coming Wednesday. Now that’ll be quite different to the last few days on the coast…