Northern Experience Wildlife Tours

Tag: Mallard

Breezy; Otter Safari 28/03/2015

With the end of March approaching I was hoping for less breezy weather than we’ve been having recently. Not my lucky day though…

I collected Melissa, Graham and Marjorie and we set off to spend the day exploring Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland. Hormones coursing through the veins of Red-breasted Merganser, Shelduck, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Goldeneye, Teal and Mallard meant there was a lot of activity everywhere we went. Cormorants were doing their very best Otter impressions, Little Grebes kept catching the eye as they dived beneath the waves and then, finally, the sign I’d been watching for. A pair of Mallards sitting in the edge of a reedbed suddenly sat very upright, staring intently into the same corner of the pool that had produced an Otter on our previous Otter Safari. This time though the wind had lifted the water’s surface into a series of rolling waves that could have hidden the Loch Ness Monster itself, and the cause of the duck’s distress remained unseen by our eyes.

After a run of successful Otter Safaris, with some days where conditions really weren’t favourable, there was bound to be a day when they didn’t play ball…

03/04/2015
Sunday morning ;Druridge mini-Safari 15/03/2015

I arrived at Church Point to collect Gayle, Ish, Amelie and Jacob for a morning exploring Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland, with the weather looking much nicer than it had been recently 🙂

With spring in the air Shelduck, Red-breasted Merganser, Goldeneye, Mallard and Canada Goose were all being crotchety and territorial. A Grey Heron flew past and landed just upstream from us, although out of sight so Amelie and Jacob stalked quietly along the river bank before the heron took off with a loud squawk and settled on a fence railing. A flock of roosting Redshank were admired through the telescope and a Rabbit hopped along the opposite bank. The morning passed quickly, but we’ve got a family stargazing session to look forward to later in the year 🙂

01/04/2015
Wind tunnel testing; Otter Safari 02/03/2015

Wild and windy conditions invariably lead to fewer wildlife sightings, and it’s easy to understand why getting your head down and avoiding suffering the effects of the wind as far as possible is a good idea…

I collected Colin, Carol, Jessica, Alex and Tom (and Kelsey and Winnie) from Lowick and we headed down the coast towards Druridge Bay and southeast Northumberland for a day searching for Otters. The pressure of having a particular target species is one thing…but the pressure of having a client who works with your father-in-law is something else altogether 🙂 Cormorant, Grey Heron, Goldeneye, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck and Mallard were all battling against the wind, which had whipped up the surface of the rivers and pools into a frothy white mess. Site A didn’t produce an Otter, Site B didn’t produce an Otter…so on to Site C, and yet more white water. A noticeable movement of Tufted Duck, Mallard and Canada Goose away from one side of the pond heralded the arrival of the star of the show and we watched an Otter for nearly an hour as it twisted, turned and dived. Each time it surfaced we could see that it was chomping on some small prey item, but then it surfaced with a big Eel which it slowly dragged towards the edge of the pond before disappearing into the reeds. A few minutes later it was back out and hunting, travelling quickly along one side of the pond before again vanishing from sight.

Winnie (possibly the tiniest dog I’ve ever seen) provided some insight into the absence of wildlife in windy conditions, as she kept laying down facing directly into the wind. I’m sure if she could have, she would have crept off into a nearby reedbed to get even more shelter 🙂

01/04/2015
Plan A, Plan B; Otter Safari 07/02/2015

A question I’ve been asked a few times recently is “What if we hadn’t seen an Otter there?”. The answer, of course, is that we have a Plan B (and Plan C and Plan D as well, just in case…).

I collected Bing and Martin and we headed out towards the coast for their bespoke Otter Safari. Just over an hour later, and Plan A wasn’t looking good; there were Cormorants, Goldeneye and Little Grebes as far as the eye could see, but no sign of our target species…however, good things come to those who wait, and when Bing mentioned that she’d just seen something diving I looked across in the same direction, and up popped an Otter 🙂 Here’s an image of an Otter at ‘Plan A’ in mid-January.

We watched it for a few minutes before it slipped out of sight, and I thought it would be sensible to put Plan B into action. First though, it was time for lunch. We paid a visit to probably the most endearing star of our recent days out

and then we sat on a cliff top as Turnstone, Sanderling, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit and Curlew scurried, stalked, prodded and probed their way along the shoreline below us. Plan B proved to be much more successful, as we watched an Otter as it startled Redshank, Curlew, Mallards, Canada Geese and Greylag Geese. We lost track of it for a few minutes, then suddenly it was right in front of us, getting out of the water briefly, before heading off into the reflection of the sun, and creating the typical ‘ring of bright water’, each time it surfaced 🙂 A Stoat provided some entertainment, as they always do – this one was photographed on New Year’s Day, when we were checking Plans A, B, C and D 🙂

Another species that we’ve been watching regularly over the last few weeks provided a vivid splash of colour in the fading light of the afternoon,

and then it was time to return Bing and Martin to their hotel, with the goal of seeing an Otter in the wild reached via Plan A and Plan B 🙂 If you’d like to search for Otters in the wild, or any of Northumberland’s other stunning wildlife, then give us a call on 01670 827465 – wildlife is unpredictable, but the one thing we can guarantee is that we’ll always do everything we can to make sure you’re in the right place at the right time!

10/02/2015
Snowstorm; Otter mini-Safari 04/02/2015

I’ve never made any secret of the fact that my enthusiasm is raised by the winter, and snow in particular. I love it, and always have done. We’ve only had a few trips over the last seven years with snow on the ground, and generally only a light dusting…

06:00 and there’s a very light covering of snow on the ground.

08:00 and it’s starting to snow properly

08:15 I’m on my way to Lesbury to collect Phil and Carol, and it’s picturesque; sunshine, blue sky, pristine glistening snow blanketing the fields

08:30 now it’s bleak – not so much a white-out as a murky, unpleasant grey-out; heavy snowfall and the roads are completely covered

09:15 I arrive at Lesbury, and it’s picturesque again 🙂

10:00 We’re watching our first Otter of the morning when a proper snowstorm hits. This is wildlife-watching at it’s finest; an elusive predator hunting a little distance away from us, and the elements chucking a good amount of the white stuff in our direction 🙂 As the snow passes it turns into a quite pleasant morning; sunny, not too cold, although we can see snow in the distance. Then a second Otter appears, covering a lot of distance, but performing briefly within range of Phil’s camera. A hovering Kestrel found itself on the receiving end of a sustained attack by a Sparrowhawk, Mallards watched warily as the Otters swam by, Cormorants flying inland looked prehistoric and incredibly, we’d been watching the Otters for over two hours 🙂

Here’s an image from mid-January of one of the Otters that we’re seeing regularly just now.

We’ve added another Otter mini-Safari to our calendar, on February 27th, and there are a couple of spaces still available so give us a call on 01670 827465 to book your place 🙂

06/02/2015
New Year, quality wildlife; Otter Safari 22/01/2015

During quiet periods of the year, we keep going out and checking excellent wildlife sites all around Northumberland. Although we can never predict exactly what we’ll see, and where, those days out on our own are the basis of successful days out with clients…

I arrived at Church Point to collect Gordon and Michelle and we set off in search of Otters. I love the pressure of a client being obsessed with Otters but never having seen one in the wild, it keeps me focused 🙂 Soon we were watching a distant Otter as it fed in mirror calm water! A slow, steady approach took us much closer and then another two Otters appeared, eventually coming so close that we could hear a splash, each time they dived in search of fish, and the crunching, munching sound of them devouring their catch 🙂 We’ve been watching this group of Otters since mid-December, so we’ve got a few images of them…

After 90 minutes they’d moved on and so did we. Our next wildlife star of the day was another one that we’ve been watching and photographing over the last few weeks – a Little Owl.

As the afternoon passed, and the cold damp air held us in it’s icy grip, more stunning wildlife put on a show that demonstrated just how good Northumberland is during the winter. An array of wildfowl in breeding finery is a highlight of the winter months; Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mallard, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Eider and a Long-tailed Duck. A Barn Owl, ghostly white, bringing death on silent wings to unsuspecting mice and voles is always a crowd pleaser while Kestrels, Buzzards and a brief view of a Hen Harrier were the reward for a session of raptor watching as dusk approached. Another ghostly white winter speciality put in a typically fleeting appearance – a Stoat in ermine 🙂 Possibly my favourite land mammal, here’s an image of one from last winter.

Finally, as the light faded to the point where it was getting difficult to see anything and flocks of Pink-Footed and Greylag Geese peppered the sky, one of our most elusive birds wandered out into the open and entertained us. Probing and prodding at the marshy ground between two reedbeds, the Water Rail gave obligingly prolonged views. Surprisingly small, remarkably beautiful, and a great way to end the day with clients who’ve persuaded me (almost…) that there are destinations so spectacular that I really need to get on a ‘plane at some point next year…

23/01/2015
Under a darkening sky; Northumberland Coast 27/10/2014

Yesterday was a safari day on the Northumberland coast, with a plan to enjoy the birdwatching around our regular Otter sites and then a stargazing session in Druridge Bay.

I collected John and Pam from home in Cullercoats and we drove up the coast. As we ate our picnic lunch in the shadow of Bamburgh Castle, we could see Gannets diving offshore, beyond the rafts of Common Eider that were surfing the gentle swell. Kestrels were seen throughout the afternoon and a real ‘from the car’ bonus came in the shape of three Roe Deer. As so often happens as we approach the winter, wildfowl dominated the birdwatching. As well as the Eiders, with males resplendent in their breeding finery, Teal, Mallard and Goldeneye looked at their best. As a Grey Wagtail perched on a mid-stream rock, and fish swirled and leapt from the water, a male Kingfisher perched on a branch overhanging the river, flocks of geese peppered the sky wherever we were, and a flock of Greylag Geese began to flush as the search and rescue helicopter passed noisily overhead. Whooper Swans looked as stunning as ever, flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover swirled in the stiff breeze and, as dusk approached, Pink-footed Geese began arriving to roost. Flock after flock of Pink-feet appeared out of the gloom, announcing their imminent arrival with their yapping calls, eventually in near darkness when they were just a black speckling against the dark grey brooding clouds.

28/10/2014
Once Bittern; Druridge Bay mini-Safari 22/10/2014

Yesterday afternoon brought quite different conditions to Tuesday evening; still cold and windy, but the clear skies had been replaced by gloomy cloud as I collected Charlotte, Ali, Ben and Thomas from Newbiggin for their second NEWT trip in two days.

In difficult light, and occasional rain, we didn’t manage to find an Otter, but there was a wealth of birdlife to enjoy; a Cormorant was drying it’s wings as Little Grebe, Shoveler, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Moorhen and Mute Swan fed nearby, flushed briefly by a Sparrowhawk that landed on a small rock in the water before heading off to menace something else. As dusk approached, although it was hard to discern any difference from mid-afternoon, Starlings began a murmuration, Greylag and Pink-footed Geese arrived noisily to roost, Whooper Swans were whooping loudly and there was the ‘is it a heron, is it an owl?’ moment as a Bittern flew lazily from the reeds, passing by us on it’s way to another reedbed 🙂

23/10/2014
The Chase; Kielder Safari 14/10/2014

We’ve always tended to stick to the coast during the autumn and winter, but our Dark Skies experiences are attracting a lot of interest, particularly with clients who’d like to combine a wildlife tour with stargazing. Of course, the stargazing is rather weather dependent…

I collected Lorraine, Steve, Debbie and Gary from their holiday cottage in Longframlington and we headed west, along the Coquet Valley, nestled between the Cheviot Hills and Simonside and across into Kielder. The border forests aren’t blessed with quantity of wildife at this time of the year, but there’s no doubting the quality 🙂 Red Squirrels were the main target species for the trip, which Lorraine had booked as a wedding anniversary surprise for Debbie and Gary, and they didn’t disappoint, with two animals engaged in a furious chase around the trees as they struggled for dominance over a feeder. One quickly prevailed and began hoarding nuts, coming so close that you could almost reach out and touch it. Ravens were soaring over the road, and the one bird that was present in good numbers, as expected, was Chaffinch. We crossed over the border into Scotland, enjoying close views of Common Buzzards as they held position in the breeze above a ridge, a Kestrel perched on a telegraph pole and Stonechats in roadside vegetation. A covey of Red Grouse burst from the heather, then another, and then the source of their distress drifted by – a ringtail Hen Harrier 🙂 The harrier quartered back and forth over the moor for a few minutes before dropping out of sight and we made our way onward over the desolate moorland road.

As daylight faded and roosting Cormorants squabbled noisily, a Roe Deer was grazing quietly by the water’s edge. It came right down to the water to drink and then we could hear the splashing of ducks frantically trying to take off from the reeds. Had the deer disturbed them? No, by the edge of the reeds an Otter made its way menacingly along from where the ducks had flushed…and then got out of the water, spooking the deer and chasing it a few metres up the bank 🙂 It would have had to be an optimistic Otter to try and predate a Roe Deer, so they may well have just startled each other.

We made our way back across Northumberland, hoping for a break in the weather and a starry sky but it wasn’t to be and the first drops of rain peppered the windscreen as we reached Longframlington. Then I just had a short journey home to a delicious birthday dinner 🙂

15/10/2014
Wading through coastal flocks; Druridge Bay mini-Safari 21/08/2014

Changeable, that’s the thing I love about Northumberland’s weather. Thursday’s mini-Safari in managed to feature bright sunshine, strong winds and torrential rain – all in just a few hours.

I collected Diana and Aveen from Alnmouth and we headed down the coast towards Druridge Bay. Starting with a brief seawatch, we found Eider and Common Scoter on the sea, and Redshank, Oystercatcher and Turnstone on the rocks just above the crashing waves. Curlew, Avocet, Dunlin, Knot, Ruff, Lapwing and Redshank were roosting at Cresswell, and flushing frequently although we couldn’t see the cause of their concern. A Little Egret added a touch of grace and elegance, Little Grebes swam amongst Tufted Ducks and Mallard and at one point we had no less than five Kestrels in the air at the same time. Two lovely clients, and the Northumberland coast delivering the sort of birdwatching experiences that it does so well 🙂

25/08/2014