Category: Uncategorized

  • Omens; Focus on Northumberland Day 1 and 2 17-18/02/18

    Day 1 17/02/18 After collecting John and Dani from Hexham we headed to The Battlesteads; our base for the next three days.  Saturday’s evening session at the observatory featured some clear sky and we managed a quick binocular tour of Orion, Leo, Gemini, Cassiopeia, Auriga and the Plough before the rain eventually drove us back…

  • Harrying; Otter mini-Safari 26/10/17

    I collected Jan and Hannah, and Tony and Mary, from Low Newton and we headed south towards Druridge Bay… In contrast with recent weather we had blue skies, fluffy white clouds and even some sunshine 🙂  A flock of Whooper Swans were heading south offshore and the assemblage of waterfowl included Greylag and Canada Geese,…

  • mid-October birding; Otter Safari 19/10/17

    There isn’t much that’s better than mid-October birdwatching.  The quiet periods of waiting and observing during an Otter Safari can be filled with all sorts of marvels at this time of the year… I collected John and Stella from home in Cramlington and we headed to the coast.  The first of several flocks of Redwing…

  • A Little Spoonful; Otter Safari/mini-Safari 01/08/17

    When the Otters fail to perform during an Otter Safari, there’s always something else to take centre stage… I collected Eileen from Warkworth and the first half of the afternoon was spent intently studying the behaviour of birds along a river, looking for any indication that they were concerned about something. The cries of Oystercatcher…

  • Making the most of the weather; Bespoke Cheviots Safari 08/06/17

    I have a bit of an obsession with the weather.  It can have a real influence on the outcome of our trips and we always try to be as flexible as we possibly can.  If the forecast is really poor we always offer clients the option of rescheduling; either for a different time on the…

  • The Tall Ships are coming!

    If you’d like something different, and outstanding photographic opportunities during the Parade of Sail during the Tall Ships regatta on August 29th, we’ve got a boat reserved (sailing from Amble at 10:30 and returning there once the Parade of Sail has finished which will probably be mid-afternoon) that will sit offshore from Blyth as the…

  • Batty; Otter mini-Safari 28/07/16

    We’ve always said that NEWT has something for everyone, and occasionally we have very young participants… I met up with Kay, Spencer and Kai, and shortly after Matthew, Harriet and Florence (15 months old!) arrived and we set off along the coast for a few hours searching for Otters around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland. …

  • Mini-beasting; Bespoke Otter Safari 02/09/2014

    It’s remarkable how often a theme seems to develop during a trip; flocks, migration, raptors, birds with similar names – all have happened over the last few years. I drove up to the Breamish Valley to collect Donna and Andy and we headed towards the coast and Druridge Bay with the plan of spending the…

  • A mixed bag of wildlife; Lindisfarne Safari 12/08/2013

    As I collected Jaap, Nancy, Maartje and Laura for their Lindisfarne Safari it was good to see that we’d made the right decision in postponing from the previous Monday (which would have been an unpleasant day to be out and about on Holy Island). Lindisfarne is an excellent birdwatching location in the winter months, and…

  • Wild goose chase and an owl prowl

    Spray from the overnight rain kicks up as I drive along the dark coast road. It’s early, but I’m on a mission to be at my intended destination before the first rays of daylight illuminate the seaward edge of the dunes. Then, glowing in the beam from the car’s headlights, perched at the top of…