Tag: Ruff

  • Rising tide; Northumberland Coast Bespoke Birdwatching 09/10/2015

    Friday was Tony’s third, and final, day of bespoke birdwatching with NEWT and we headed north in similar weather to Thursday… Travelling north, Roe Deer seemed unsure which way to run across the road so dodged back and forth in front of us.  On the rising tide, Little Egrets, Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Dunlin, Redshank and…

  • Waders and wildfowl; Northumberland coast Prestige Tour 02/10/2015

    October is a fantastic month to be out birdwatching on the Northumberland coast.  If we haven’t had the mist, drizzle and easterly winds to shower us with migrants, there’s always a wealth of wintering and passage waders and wildfowl to enjoy… I collected Alison, Jon, Sally and Andrew from Tughall and we set out for…

  • Interpreting; Otter Safari 16/09/2015

    I’ve been finding and observing wildlife for well over 40 years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s that other wildlife will (almost) always be better at it than I am… Day four for Clare and Peter was an Otter Safari, and we collected Chris and Mel, and David and Mike, from Church Point…

  • Searching; Lindisfarne Safari 14/09/2015

    When we’re heading to the coast, and a generally easterly wind is accompanied by mist and drizzle, my pulse starts racing… I collected Clare and Peter from The Swan and we headed north to collect Phil and Susan from the Lindisfarne Hotel.  Holy Island can be a migrant hotspot, and the number of Song Thrushes…

  • Persistence; Druridge Bay Safari 13/09/2015

    Birdwatching is a mosaic of challenges; gulls, raptors, waders and seawatching can all test your ID skills, but at least you can usually see the bird… I collected Clare and Peter from The Swan for the first of their 5 consecutive days out with NEWT, and we headed across to the coast.  An impressive charm…

  • When the wind blows; Whales, waders and wildfowl 4-7/09/2015

    Last weekend was our ‘Whales, waders and wildfowl’ mini-break, with an extension to include our Farne Deeps pelagic. Day -1 (Friday 04/09/15).  A late cancellation left Sandra and Linda as the only guests on the holiday, and with conditions unsuitable for being offshore, we headed to the far north of the county.  Fulmars and Gannets…

  • Autumn passage; Northumberland Coast Bespoke Birdwatching 01/09/2015

    The start of the month brought returning clients, David and Mary who were out with us in 2009 and 2012 and who we see at the Bird Fair each August. Starting at Newbiggin we set out south down the coast and soon found ourselves standing on a track with nine Blackbirds ahead of us, along…

  • A chill wind; Druridge Bay mini-Safari 08/07/2015

    I arrived at Church Point to collect Ray and Joan & Ian and Kate, and we headed up the coast for an evening around Druridge Bay.  Mediterranean Gulls, Little Gulls, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and a huge flock of Lapwing flushed as a young male Marsh Harrier flew through, Goldfinch, Linnet and Tree Sparrow were busying…

  • Mini-beasting; Bespoke Otter Safari 02/09/2014

    It’s remarkable how often a theme seems to develop during a trip; flocks, migration, raptors, birds with similar names – all have happened over the last few years. I drove up to the Breamish Valley to collect Donna and Andy and we headed towards the coast and Druridge Bay with the plan of spending the…

  • Waders; Druridge Bay Safari 31/08/2014

    You wouldn’t think that birds which spend much of their lives face deep in mud would be that fascinating, but July and August is one of my favourite times on the coast, precisely because of those birds 🙂 I collected Carole and Gareth from Church Point and we headed a little way up the coast…