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Back on track and tracking the storm; Druridge Bay mini-Safari 04/07/21
With so many postponed trips last year, it’s been great to get out again and start meeting clients who we’ve been chatting to via email for a long time 🙂 I arrived in Druridge Bay and met up with Phil, then Melanie, then Marjorie and Ollie for an evening searching for otters and other wildlife.…
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This is the sound of the summer; otter mini-Safari 10/06/21
As I arrived to meet up with with Peter and Melanie, and Kristina and Paul, for an evening in Druridge Bay, the sky overhead was fluffy white clouds on an azure background but away to the north it looked grey and ominous… Tufted ducks and Canada geese were alert as a Marsh Harrier drifted by,…
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About tern 🙂 Farne Islands Safari 20/06/19
Yesterday was an opportunity to head to ‘the Galapagos of the North‘ and I collected Ruth D from Newbiggin then Ruth S and Margaret from Seahouses before heading a few miles down the coast for a morning walk to the Long Nanny… With brilliantly coloured Common Blue butterflies, some very worn Painted Ladies and a…
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Getting ahead of the weather; Cheviot Valleys Bespoke Birdwatching 04/06/19
I collected John from Cramlington, earlier than originally planned because the weather forecast wasn’t looking great and I wanted to stay ahead of what promised to be some heavy rain, ahead of a day in the Cheviot Valleys and we headed north west in bright sunshine… Roadside verges left unmowed are a haven for invertebrates…
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Group birdwatching; Druridge Bay and Lindisfarne 21-22/05/19
We usually limit our tours to a maximum of 6 participants, and our increasingly popular bespoke tours to 2 participants, but over the last 11 years we’ve done a few tours for larger groups. 34 members of an RSPB group was on a different level though… With Sarah and Tom assisting we separated the group…
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Exultation 🙂 Bespoke Lindisfarne mini-Safari 05/05/19
On Sunday I collected Nick, Mel, John and Heather for another day out with NEWT – this time heading to Lindisfarne… Blackbirds and Robins flitted out of the hedgerows as we walked along the Straight Lonnen, Swallows swooped overhead, Meadow Pipits were song-flighting and ten Roe Deer were quietly grazing and resting in one field…
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Everything ‘adding’ up to a great day; Cheviot Valleys Bespoke Birdwatching 28/03/19
Yesterday was Sue’s 9th day out with NEWT, and the first time we’d headed into the Cheviot Valleys together… In warm sunshine and under blue skies we started with a search for Adders. Sue’s sharp eyes spotted two, and we watched both from a respectful distance so they continued basking in roadside vegetation. Great Crested…
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In the bleak midwin…wait a minute 🙂 Kielder Safari 24/03/19
Yesterday’s Kielder Safari was filled with returning clients; Stephen on his 3rd trip, Andy and Jill on their 3rd and Gordon and Mandy on their 7th. We’d got one species in particular on the target list for the day… The forecast was for blustery showers but it started off fairly fine. Once we were out…
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Hazy, lazy afternoon; North Pennines Safari 17/05/18
I collected James and Emma from Hexham and we headed into the North Pennines for a day searching for the flora and fauna of the hills and moorland… We were soon watching our first Black Grouse of the day, which remarkably also proved to be our only Black Grouse of the day, as Common Snipe…
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Into the arena; North Pennines Safari 03/05/18
After collecting David from Newbiggin we headed across to Hexham and quickly found Becky, for her 2nd day out with NEWT, and then Emma and Rob before heading into the North Pennines, with one particular experience high on everybody’s wish list for the day… In a bitterly cold westerly wind, birds were mainly keeping their…