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Warbling 🙂 Kielder Bespoke Birdwatching 03/05/19
I collected Nick and Mel (for their 3rd day out with NEWT) and John and Heather from Bellingham and we took a short drive up the North Tyne valley for a day out around Kielder and the Scottish Borders… Birdwatching in a dense forest in early May is a challenge and a small flock of…
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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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One plus one makes three; Cheviot Valleys Safari 07/06/18
Having arranged all of our clients for last Thursday’s Cheviot Valleys safari to meeting at the same location I arrived in Powburn and collected Vicky, Dave and Babs, Diane and Ruth before heading along a grassy verge buzzing with bees and hoverflies and bejewelled with Common Blue Damselflies and Red and Black Froghoppers. Ruth proved…
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Spotted; Cheviot Valleys Bespoke Photography and Birdwatching 26/05/18
For the second year running we had a day out with David, and John, as part of his prize from the North East Wildlife Photography Awards. This time we were heading into the centre of Northumberland to explore the Cheviot Valleys… Exploring a roadside verge produced Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies, Red and Black Froghoppers…
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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…
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…and more persistence 🙂 Bespoke Cheviot Valleys birdwatching 29/04/18
Driving towards Bywell to collect Peter and Pat for a day in the Cheviot Valleys I was considering the weather forecast that had suggested it would be dry, bright and breezy. I was mainly considering it because it was raining… Dippers were carrying food to their nests, and carrying faecal sacs away to throw in…
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Another raptor day 🙂 Kielder Safari 05/04/18
When we’ve got a day in and around Kielder and the Scottish Borders ahead of us what I’m hoping for is blue sky, not too much cloud and a nice breeze…exactly what we’d got as I collected Ian and Ian from Newbiggin, Joan and Jerry from Hexham and Duncan and Laura from Bellingham… As Chaffinches…
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Omens; Focus on Northumberland Day 1 and 2 17-18/02/18
Day 1 17/02/18 After collecting John and Dani from Hexham we headed to The Battlesteads; our base for the next three days. Saturday’s evening session at the observatory featured some clear sky and we managed a quick binocular tour of Orion, Leo, Gemini, Cassiopeia, Auriga and the Plough before the rain eventually drove us back…