An early start on Thursday saw us close to home, birdwatching in southeast Northumberland. 6am at Church Point as I collected Mick and Helen was sublime; warm, still and very quiet. Starting with a woodland walk we had excellent views of Red Squirrel and Great Spotted Woodpecker. In the bright sunshine our regular Little Owl was sitting at the entrance to it’s nest. These conditions at this time of the year mean that insects feature prominently in our safaris; Blue-tailed Damselflies and Silver Ground Carpet moths seemed to be everywhere that we walked. Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings were singing from the reedbeds and Grey Herons stalked patiently along the edges of coastal ponds. The quality of conversation made the morning seem to fly past; environment, conservation, sustainability and renewable energy are all important things to NEWT and it’s always a pleasure to share our love of the northeast and it’s wildlife with clients who know the area and the countryside so well. Mick’s keenness on video recording and photography of the wildlife he sees was enjoyable, and Helen managed to photograph a Sedge Warbler using her mobile ‘phone. All too soon, Thursday (part 1) was over…
Tag: Grey Heron
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A lazy summer afternoon
It’s that time of year again. Bright sunshine, insects are on the wing and in Southeast Northumberland, birdwatching is taken at a steady pace.
On yesterday’s Druridge Bay trip Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies were flitting about in front of us and every so often would stop and rest, giving everyone an opportunity to see just how stunning they are. Butterflies were around in good numbers as well and we had close views of one of my personal favourites, Small Copper. Other wildlife was taking advantage of the sun as well; a Brown Hare crouched by a fence with flies buzzing around it’s nose and a very obliging Little Owl was sitting in the entrance to it’s nest. A quick stare to check us out and then it dozed off again. Grey Herons flapped by, Lapwings were calling and trying to distract attention away from their chicks, Dunlin, resplendent in breeding plumage, probed the mud around the edge of Cresswell Pond and, in what seemed like next to no time, the day was done and we were heading back to Newbiggin.
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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 I make a mental note to do this again tomorrow to get some sound recordings.
Walking along the River Wansbeck I can see a pointed snout sticking out of the water distantly. Closer inspection reveals a Grey Seal. A Grey Heron flies by, croaking and screeching as a pair of Carrion Crows harrass it until it turns through 180 and heads away from the annoyance. I move on as well, heading towards Druridge Bay. With ethereal mist rising from a coastal pool, Sedge Warblers are singing from the bushes around me, and I’m concentrating on the mimicry that they employ, when a group of Rabbits suddenly scatter and Lapwings, Black-headed Gulls and Common Terns begin circling and alarming. A movement in the grass reveals itself as a Red Fox; wary, immaculate and healthy – this isn’t the urban scrounger so familiar to many people, but rather what a recent client described as “that’ll be one of those rural foxes then”.
Then, one of those moments that take me back the best part of four decades; a Cuckoo starts calling. My first Cuckoo, all those years ago, was on an early morning birdwatching cycle ride to a site several miles from home. With nobody else anywhere to be seen, and all of the sounds of the early morning to myself, that haunting sound carried from nearby trees before the pointy-winged long-tailed shape of the bird raced across my field of view. I stand and marvel at the bird. It’s fascinating breeding ecology and migration still grip me the way that birdwatching did when I was a little lad. Perhaps I need to start setting the alarm for very early every morning 🙂