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Here comes the summer; Druridge Bay 15/05/2015
The transition from winter, to spring, to summer often seems to come in little bursts, then suddenly it’s really the breeding season and the range of species we find on our trips is very different to just a few weeks earlier. I collected Angela and Debs from Warkworth and we set off down the coast…
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Moorland magic; Bespoke birdwatching 16/06/2014
Heading up the coast to Embleton to collect Pete and Janet for their fourth day out with NEWT (plus a couple of days with their local natural history society on a Northumberland visit in 2009), I had a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. It’s always a pleasure to have them on a tour, but this…
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One Cuckoo flew over the pipit’s nest; birdwatching in the Cheviot Valleys 09/06/2013
Sunday was another trip into the Cheviot Valleys, with two of our returning clients. We first met Pete and Janet at the Bird Fair in 2008 and this was their third trip with us (plus a trip that they organised for their local Natural History Society in 2009). It’s always a pleasure to meet up…
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Three days in early June
We started June with three trips in the first four days of the month, all focused around our ‘local patch’; Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland. On Friday morning I collected Gary and Claire from their holiday base in Proctor Steads, and we headed down the coast. Even though we’ve lived close to Druridge Bay for nearly 12…
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Sound
As I collected Jason and Jane for a bespoke day of birdwatching in the beautiful Cheviot valleys, the first few raindrops pattered against the windscreeen of the car. As we headed south from Melkington the rain stopped and visibility improved, so I was sure were in for an excellent day. The day featured all of…
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Lightning strikes twice
Trips with existing clients are always a pleasure, not only because it’s very gratifying to get a booking from someone we’ve taken out before, but also because we already have shared memories. I had 3 things vivid in my mind from when I took Pete and Janet out in September 2008 – it rained, we saw 11…
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Birdwatching; Northumberland in the rain
I’ve always maintained that, whatever the weather (with the possible exception of a howling gale), it’s always possible to have a really good day birdwatching in Northumberland. Yesterday’s forecast didn’t promise too much in the way of good weather though and, as it turned out, we had to contend with drizzly rain for the whole…
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Early to rise
4am, and the insistent ringing of the alarm prises me out of bed. Stagger down the stairs, get dressed, find binoculars/hat/gloves and head out into the chill early morning Southeast Northumberland air. The Dawn Chorus is in full flow; Blackbirds are leading the way, and dominating the soundscape around our house, Chiffchaffs are singing from the churchyard and…
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Slow, slow
Yesterday was the first of two days out with the winners of last year’s Birdwatching Northumberland prize draw. After collecting Andy and Jean from the Bamburgh Castle Inn our destination was the Harthope Valley in the Cheviots. It’s one of our favourite locations; stunning landscape, interesting geology and, of course, excellent wildlife. As we reached…