Spring has sprung? Otter mini-Safari 23/02/19


After a break from Safaris and blogging, after I was diagnosed with a rare illness last year and had surgery in early January, it was great to be back out in the field with clients yesterday.

I collected Paul and Jennifer, Paul and Kirsty and Alastair and Jess from Newbiggin and we set off for a few hours around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland. With temperatures in double figures, Robins, Chaffinches and Dunnocks were singing and a noisy flock of Long-tailed Tits moved through the riverside vegetation. Goldeneye, Gadwall, Mallard, Little Grebe and Cormorant were on the water and a Little Egret was stalking along the edge of a rapidly filling tidal channel. Grey Herons were nest-building and you could be forgiven for forgetting that it’s still winter here…

As daylight faded small flocks of Starling were heading to roost, a Roe Deer was close to the water’s edge and Whooper Swans noisily heralded their arrival. A pair of Canada Geese were looking alert and agitated then Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and the geese took off in a panic. From the direction they scattered we could tell where the source of their consternation was…hidden from view by a reedbed in front of us.

As darkness began to exert it’s grip on the eastern sky hundreds of Pink-footed Geese arrived at their nighttime roost, still coming in from all directions when they were only visible as a dark speckling against a leaden grey sky and we headed back to Newbiggin.