Northern Experience Wildlife Tours

Tag: Cuckoo

  • Druridge Bay mini-Safari 12/08/2020

    With COVID19 having brought about some changes to how we deliver our mini-Safaris, I arrived at Druridge Bay to collect John and Jo for NEWT’s first land-based tour since February… Our tour model for the last 12 years has been built around the use of the NEWTmobile (initially our Land Rover Defender, and more recently…

  • Spotted; Cheviot Valleys Bespoke Photography and Birdwatching 26/05/18

    For the second year running we had a day out with David, and John, as part of his prize from the North East Wildlife Photography Awards.  This time we were heading into the centre of Northumberland to explore the Cheviot Valleys… Exploring a roadside verge produced Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies, Red and Black Froghoppers…

  • …and more persistence 🙂 Bespoke Cheviot Valleys birdwatching 29/04/18

    Driving towards Bywell to collect Peter and Pat for a day in the Cheviot Valleys I was considering the weather forecast that had suggested it would be dry, bright and breezy.  I was mainly considering it because it was raining… Dippers were carrying food to their nests, and carrying faecal sacs away to throw in…

  • Seabird Spectacular; Birdwatching magazine Reader Holiday 25-28/06/17

    Day 1 25/06/17 After collecting Malcolm, and then John, from Alnmouth railway station we headed to Seahouses and the Bamburgh Castle Inn for the start of a short break concentrating on the seabirds of the Northumberland coast.  Nigel, Janice and Cliff and Lesley had already arrived and at dinner we discussed the plan for the…

  • 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 golden hour; Bespoke coastal birdwatching 07/06/17

    I collected Nicky and Mick from Newbiggin and we set off for an afternoon and evening exploring Druridge Bay and south east Northumberland.  The weather was somewhat nicer than it had been 24h earlier, in fact postively summery although with a fairly stiff breeze.  Sometimes I could write a blog post by skipping to the…

  • You never know what’s around the corner; Cheviot Valleys Safari 01/06/17

    Always expect the unexpected is a good philosophy to hold when you’re out and about searching for wildlife… I collected Steph from Kingston Park and we headed north for a morning exploring the Cheviot valleys.  Along the streams and rivers Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail and Dipper were all sitting on rocks or flycatching, Willow Warbler…

  • Chorus of the valleys; Bespoke Cheviot Valleys Safari 12/05/17

    I collected John and Kate from Church Point at 06:00 and we headed westwards towards the Cheviot massif… Stepping out of the car in a cold breeze, the density of bird song was like a wall of sound.  Willow Warbler, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were all belting out their best tunes,…

  • Showstopper; Otter Safari 04/06/2015

    Every so often, there’ll be an experience during a trip with clients that is simply jaw-dropping… I arrived at Church Point in summary weather and set off with six clients to explore Druridge Bay and south east Northumberland in search of Otters.  Avocets with eggs and chicks were delicately, elegantly beautiful, a Whimbrel flew around,…

  • A hailstorm of quality; Cheviots Prestige Tour 19/05/2015

    As I arrived at Spindrift to collect David and Margaret for their second trip with NEWT, following a day in the North Pennines in 2013, I was thinking about how to structure the rest of the day.  The weather forecast suggested that there would be heavy showers by early afternoon, so I thought it would…