Tag: Long-tailed Duck

  • Mud, mud, glorious mud; Lindisfarne Safari 21/11/19

    Yesterday was Colin and Charlotte’s second day out with NEWT this week and this time we were heading north to Lindisfarne… A quick look at Monk’s House Pool on the way up the coast revealed the continued presence of the Long-tailed Duck that we saw with Sue earlier this month and then we headed to…

  • Wind-blasted; Bespoke Lindisfarne Safari 05/11/19

    I collected Sue for her 10th NEWT safari and we headed north in weather that didn’t seem to be quite certain of what it was… Along the causeway, with the tide only just receding from the road, Curlews, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers were probing the freshly exposed mud as Pale-Bellied Brent…

  • Fireworks; Bespoke Druridge Bay Safari 04/11/18

    If there’s one thing that’s even less predictable than wildlife it’s the weather, so when I collected Ted and Elaine for an afternoon and evening around Druridge Bay searching for Otters, with stargazing planned for the end of the trip, we were at the mercy of both… Dense flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing were…

  • Ravenous; Otter mini-Safari 13/02/18

    As I collected Simon, Judith, Susanna and Phoebe from Newbiggin ahead of an afternoon searching for Otters around Druridge Bay the sky darkened and rain turned to sleet turned to snow… Under an overcast sky with barely a hint of a breeze, the uniform colour of the water made it easy to spot any movement. …

  • Crashing waves; Druridge Bay Safari 01/02/18

    Arriving at Church Point to collect Jenny and Peter, and Lynne, it was looking like we’d have a dry, but cold and windy day around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland… With a stiff breeze, every bit of water we looked at, whether river, pool, pond or roadside flash flood was being whipped up into a…

  • Snowmelt; Otter Safari 23/01/18

    Double figure temperatures, blue sky and hardly any hint of a breeze were a revelation as I collected Kellie and Sean from The Swan for a day around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland searching for Otters. Improved weather and the forecast gales and torrential rain were nowhere to be seen…what could go wrong?  Flight views…

  • Winter; Otter mini-Safari 28/12/17

    I collected Stephen from Church Point and we set out for an afternoon around Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland… One thing that has stood out in the last few weeks is the great number of Goldeneye and Little Grebe that are wintering here, and this trip was no exception.  Cormorants were diving alongside them in…

  • Lurking; Otter Safari 06/12/17

    I collected Steph for her 4th day out with NEWT and we headed toward Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland for a day searching for Otters… Great Northern Diver, Long-tailed Duck and squealing Water Rails started the day, as three Mute Swans hissed and grunted while staring into a reedbed, although whatever was provoking their ire…

  • 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,…

  • Ducks in the dark; Druridge Bay Bespoke 24/10/17

    I collected Nicola and Bill from Lesbury and we headed down the coast for an afternoon and evening around Druridge Bay… We’ve reached that time of the year where wildfowl numbers are starting to really grow, and Greylag, Canada and Pink-footed Geese were all heard and seen.  Whooper Swans remained aloof and apart from Mute…