Northern Experience Wildlife Tours

Category: Northumberland

  • The icy grip of the old year

    We’re just back in from a very, very cold trip up to Alnwick. Along the side of the A1, Buzzards perched immobile – perhaps frozen to their perches by the -3C temperature of midday. Bizarrely, the overcast gloom and sub-zero temperatures were accompanied by no frost whatsoever. A wander round Hulne Park was intended to clear the system. Red Squirrels could be seen raiding the feeders at the entrance, and a host of woodland birds clammered around. Buzzards could be heard with their eerie mewing but the gloomy conditions precluded a view. As we strolled through the park and the woodland gave way to pasture flocks of birds were the definite theme: wood pigeons, starlings, jackdaws and partridges were all gathered with their friends and relatives; just the thing for New Year’s Eve.

    As the icy air chilled our bones we headed off for a hearty lunch in a warming inn, passing flocks of starlings and redwings on our way. Warmed, watered and fed we made our way back home, pondering on what 2009 might bring.

    We wish all of you very warm wishes for the New Year and enjoy your celebrations, whatever they may be!

  • Holy Island

    The first of our post-Christmas walks was on Holy Island this morning. As we gathered in the car-park a Sparrowhawk flew through, causing panic among the Starlings. A Wren was foraging in the bottom of a bare hawthorn, paying us no heed as it searched for the food it would need to survive another cold night on Northumberland’s north-east outpost. Stonechat, Herons and Teal enlivened the next section of the walk, and a Jack Snipe was an excellent find. Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Oystercatcher and Pale-bellied Brent Geese all looked superb through the telescope and we hardly noticed the bracing easterly wind whipping in off the North Sea. Walking off the excesses of Christmas and watching wildlife with good company really can’t be beaten. Then there was the Red Fox that was enjoying a post-lunch nap in a field by the road as we drove back down the coast. Tomorrow we get to do it all again, meeting in the car-park at the mainland end of the causeway at 10:00. It’ll almost certainly be different, because that’s just the way that wildlife is…

  • “Much better than on the telly”

    The road beneath our wheels was a clear sheet of ice as we proceeded cautiously, past several drivers who hadn’t. The day promised clear skies and sunshine, but the strong northerlies overnight had whipped the sea up to the point where taking a boat trip would have been foolhardy at best. Of course, we always have a Plan B…so as the tide receded we were by the Holy Island causeway with a Landrover full of clients. Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit were all probing the soft mud as Pale-bellied Brent Geese and Shelduck walked along the water’s edge. Then, mayhem…waders in the air as far as the eye could see. Tight flocks of Dunlin and Golden Plover weaving this way and that. It could really only mean one thing…and there was that one thing – a Peregrine Falcon tearing through the maelstrom. Eventually it settled, sentinel-like, on the mud and the waders settled back down. At the other side of the causeway a flock of Twite were shuffling amongst the seaweed and we set out on a walk in the biting cold of this winter’s day. A Common Seal (not common at all in Northumberland) was feeding in the surf just offshore from the end of the Crooked Lonnen and a flock of Curlew, Oystercatcher and Lapwing lifted from a field as a Carrion Crow harassed each bird that gained the prize of a juicy worm. A few Grey Seals were seen as well and we left the island, stopping to eat our lunch at a site overlooking the mudflats.

    Heading south down the coastal route we eventually arrived in Druridge Bay. As a stunning sunset developed Whooper Swans flew over our heads, softly calling to each other, and a Starling roost began to form. Small flocks flew by on their way to this evening rendezvous, eventually becoming bigger flocks, and then there they were; above the skyline, twisting and turning like one amorphous being. More and more birds joined the throng until there were probably 10000, circling and circling over the roost site until the climax of the dance and the final headlong dive into the reedbed.

    Like Rooks going to roost, Minke Whales feeding on Herring shoals, a Peregrine Falcon stooping at prey…a Starling roost really is a must-see.

  • Let it snow, let it snow…

    On Saturday we woke to a proper covering of snow. The feeding station was surely going to be hectic, but unfortunately we weren’t going to be there to see it. First destination was Thirsk Racecourse, for the Northern England Raptor Conference. Lots of interesting talks, and a fascinating flock of Jackdaws and Rooks which spent the best part of seven hours displaying and chasing around just outside the window of the conference room, tumbling in the icy-cold, strong breeze. Then it was off to visit family in West Yorkshire. This morning there was even more snow, and plenty of Chaffinches, Goldfinches and Blue Tits. The journey home after lunch was thankfully not plagued by any adverse weather; in fact, it was a beautiful afternoon. So, we decided to make a brief detour to check a herd of Roe Deer not too far from home. They weren’t where we expected them to be, but something was moving through the long grass…then it leaped in the air before dropping out of sight again; a strong healthy-looking fox, complete with white-tipped bushy tail. We watched it for over half an hour as it crept backwards and forwards, melting in and out of our vision. Then, in the next field, we found the deer. At least two could be seen, watching us from among the waving grass stems, although there have been as many as eight at that site recently. As the sky darkened and the last rays of daylight faded we completed our journey back to home, a warm bath and a mug of hot chocolate.

  • “Have you seen…”

    …a big, black, hairy bull? He’s got a ring through his nose” Not exactly the words you want to hear from a farmer on a quad bike, when you’re in the middle of nowhere doing some more tetrads for the BTO Atlas. No, we hadn’t seen him, and weren’t entirely reassured by the farmer’s assertion that the bull was very placid. So, we headed on into the forest anyway. No sign of any bulls, friendly, angry or otherwise, and no sign of any birds. The howling, icy-cold gale was probably encouraging them to keep themselves tucked away in the densest areas of vegetation. Eventually we did find a tit and ‘crest flock. Plenty of Long-tailed Tits, those entertaining balls of pink, black and white fluff, Goldcrests, Coal Tits and the regular churring of Wrens (now there’s a species with ‘angry little bird’ syndrome) along our route. Then, nearing the end of our eight mile walk, there he was; contentedly munching the pathside vegetation, and clearly very placid.

  • The magical hour

    We’re sitting quietly, dressed in full camo, overlooking a badger sett. Red Squirrels are leaping through the nearby hawthorns, oblivious to our presence; we’re privileged to watch as they quietly snuggle down into their dreys, close to our lookout position. Daylight is drawing to a close and Blackbirds, Goldcrests and Coal Tits suddenly increase their volume of conversation. Perhaps it’s a final reassurance to each other that they are still together as a flock before settling down for the night. Our dark-adapted eyes reveal at least two Woodcock, leaving the camouflage of the woodland floor and heading into the night to search for food. The sharp ‘ke-wick’ of a Tawny Owl cuts through the descending mist and the quavering ‘hoo-hooo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoooo’ reply is echoed by a distant rival. As we reach the point where our own visual acuity is no longer enough to resolve either shape or movement, even with the assistance of the finest optics that Leica and Zeiss have to offer, we melt into the night – leaving the wood to the Badgers, Foxes, Deer, owls and other denizens of the dark.

  • While Martin was out…

    Martin was leading an Otter and Red Kite safari today, and I wasn’t feeling well so stayed at home. No sooner was he out of the house than I looked out of the office window and saw a Red Squirrel in our apple tree! Normally they run around a bit and quickly disappear into the trees but this one hung around for half an hour, scrabbling about in the shrubbery, swinging on the bird feeders and checking out our squirrel feeder from every conceivable angle. Plenty of time to find Martin’s camera, check the settings, put in a blank memory card and then fill it with images of the squirrel 🙂 and, just for good measure, I took some decent shots of a Willow Tit as well. When Martin got back he was full of tales of Red Squirrels, Red Kites, kids swimming in one of our favourite otter spots and flocks of Jackdaws heading to roost (that seems to be developing into a bit of an obsession). So, I showed him the photos…

  • Like a millpond

    Today featured two very unusual occurences; a mid-November boat trip and all three of the Northern Experience guides on one trip together.

    Watching the weather forecasts for the last few days meant that we were confident the trip would go ahead; and our confidence wasn’t misplaced. Twelve enthusiastic participants gathered at Seahouses harbour at 10am and we boarded the Glad Tidings VI. Heading across to the Farne Islands, the sea was calm and blue, visibility was excellent for many, many miles around and it was just cold enough to make it a proper pelagic experience. Shags and Eiders were around all of the islands but the main entertainment was provided by the Grey Seals and the many pups that they have produced so far this year; little white bundles of fur, marked with bright orange, yellow or red so that the wardens know if a pup has already been counted in their regular surveys of the breeding colony. A seal falling off a jetty in to the sea had several of our participants laughing so hard it’s a wonder they didn’t join it for an impromptu dip. The photographers on board had frame-filling opportunities to fill the memory cards in their cameras.

    Searching around the Gun Rock and the Megstone failed to produce any sightings of Black Guillemot (a rare winter visitor in Northumberland) but a majestic Great Northern Diver flew close past the bow of the boat as we headed back towards Seahouses. Back on dry land we arranged an otter safari for tomorrow with two of today’s participants and answered a few queries about our next boat trip; an exclusive winter cruise taking in the Farne Islands Grey Seal colony, Holy Island and the seaduck of the Skate Road.

  • Wild Goose chase

    For several years now we’ve been involved in the Icelandic-breeding Goose Census, and our survey work has enabled us to enjoy some spectacular flocks of birds departing their overnight roosts as daylight breaks, not only the geese but there’s also a roost of several thousand starlings at East Chevington, the site we count. Barn Owls are a regular feature of our early morning visits there as well. However, 2007 produced fewer geese than we expected and last month’s count revealed the presence of very few Greylag Geese and no Pink-footed Geese at all. We know they are around in southeast Northumberland – after all, we see birds regularly and it isn’t unusual to hear them calling in flight over our house at night. This month’s count was scheduled for this weekend so we headed out at 05:30 this morning, and headed for separate sites. Very few again at East Chev, but Sarah saw several flocks flying in over QEII Country Park. We haven’t found the roost site yet, but eventually no less than 1700 Pink-feet were gathered in one field…only 10mins from our house! Some map-work has revealed the possible roost sites so we’ll be out early again tomorrow. Maybe the census will have to change the site that is required to be counted in southeast Northumberland, although East Chev still holds some birds so we may have to carry out our own co-ordinated count at multiple sites to determine the exact number wintering in our area.

  • Lovely weather for…

    …ducks and geese. On Tuesday we were out on a tour in Druridge Bay, and were luckily sheltered from some torrential rain. Quite a lot of the day was spent discussing how to identify different species of duck, and relating head/bill profiles to what each species eats. Some nice waders were found as well; Wood and Purple Sandpipers were the highlights, but Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits were together at Cresswell, allowing a comparison between these two sometimes tricky species. A couple of hours sitting on Church Point, Newbiggin, yesterday evening revealed an almost total absence of seabirds – but lots of wildfowl. Nearly 1400 Barnacle Geese, 450 Pink-footed Geese and 7 Velvet Scoters (gorgeous birds – if you’ve never seen one then click this link) all flew past as the sky darkened and looked increasingly ominous. Maybe these NW winds that are bringing so many Leach’s Petrels to the west coast will send a few our way…