A small group of us have booked a long weekend away birding based at Bambergh for the first weekend in March and just wondered if anyone had any bright ideas for sites.We have been birding in the area before and are famliar with sites like Stag Rocks,Holy Island,and Beadnall Bay.On the way up we will probably visit Hauxley or Cresswell but any other suggestions welcome,as the only non driver I have the job of organising the itinery so would like one or two different sites to show I had done my homework.
birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,just enjoy it while you can.
I know michael m is around this area + knows it a lot better than I do sofingers crossed he pops in for you!! SaraWest is also here abouts at the moment + is out + about alot. There was a good thread not that long ago that she started + had some good ideas, found it but can't get the link to work. Hey ho.
Is it mainly coastal sites you are interested in?
What are you hoping to see?
'In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks' John Muir.
Excuse wobbily dyslexic spelling!
Hi seaman St Abbs head is a brilliant spot for seabirds and raptors, then the harbour area can come up trumps, great spot. have fun. Alan
always many sides to an argument
St Abbs head is a bit out of the area we hope to visit Alan,we have visited there before and it is quite impressive.Osprey,I think we will be doing mainly coastal sites,on previous visits we have picked uo L.T.Duck,Eider and the odd diver,but anything that flies will be our target.I recalled Sarah thread but I was unable to find it I will have another look later today if I get chance.
I will try + link it again but it didn't work for me last night ;-(
www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/1920
Can't get it to work arrgghh written around 23/01/12 called 'Birding sites in North Northumberland' started by Sarah West.
Can't get any of my pics to load either, perhaps they aren't good enough seeing the standard of most photos these days!! Lol!!
The Holy Island is wonderful I love stopping before we get on the rd over the Brent Geese can often be seen around there. The causeway is also really great for getting close without stretching the legs. The Barn at Beale is said to be good for a meal + they do falconry there as well.
There are some great places near Bambourgh - Seahouses is wonderful + of course The Farnes are accessed from there.
Dunstunburgh Castle http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunstanburgh-castle/ is wonderful, with good sea views from an elevated position if you go in, either NT / Historic Eng (remember your cards its a long way back to the car for them!! ;-)) The cliffs to the north are great breading areas for kittiwakes etc which should be around by March + the kippers at Craster are yummy!! We tend to walk in from the north along Embleton Bay past the 'stone' wave (called Greymare Rock on OS pink sheet 75) + cliffs to the castle but the walk from the south is good as well, lovely + flat + easy.
There are great coastal views from the top the 'craggy cliff' area just of the coast rd travvelling south. There is a 10,000 yr old dwelling (OS sheet 81 gridref 255 163) that has been rebuilt there which although rather unkept its really interesting. I love the wee beaches between the rocks just east of Longhoughton + tend to find lots of birds there getting really close to eider, oystercatcher, wigeon, red shank, curlew + lots of gulls last time I was down.
Then there are all the great Northumberland Wildlife Trust reserves down by the Druridge bay areahttp://www.nwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/nature-reserves-guide
If the weather is a wee bit of for the coast then the Gardens at Howick http://www.howickhallgardens.org/ are brilliant, I prefere these to Alnwick Gardens http://www.alnwickgarden.com/ but they are both wonderful + so close to one another.
Less than an hour north is the wee coastal town of North Berwick where the sea bird centre is www.seabird.org/home.asp + there are also trips out to the bass I'd reckomend the Sula trips from the harbour for a slower journey http://www.sulaboattrips.co.uk/ + the rib if you fancy a thrill seaking adventure. The gannets are definately worth the trip up + the puffins should just about be back on the Craig.
I'm sureothers will come up with more places. Let me knowifthere isany thing elseI can do to help!! Sorry none of the pics loaded +tiny is asleep in my arm that is nowasleep aswell!! Lol!!
Blimey Osprey you need to have a job in tourist industry, I have filed all your stuff for next year thanks, we love it up there, but going south this year, all the best. Alan
Cheers Osprey,plenty to look at there,never got to Drurage bay or Cresswell pools on previous visits so we hope the check that out.The crossing times for Lindisfarne is good on the Saturday so that will be top of the list I think,such a magical place.
No probs folks.
Seaman the Druridge area is fantastic - the NWT have some great places, with brilliant hides, really friendly volunteers, well worth a look. Can be a wee bit tricky to spot the turnings from the rds so go slow, tricky as the traffic can be in a bit of a hurry.
Allan might have a few other places discovered by the time you are heading north. There are brilliant moors + wonderful old oak woods I have to discover yet!!
Love St Abbs Head, knew Frederick Watson who had the wildlife gallery there untill his death. Have a couple of his framed sketches which were painted there. Not been for a wee while due to wee ones + high cliffs, well they don't mix well really.
ospreyot been for a wee while due to wee ones + high cliffs, well they don't mix well really.
I know what you mean there Osprey,when we look after our grandson, who is 2 yrs old, we have to be careful which sites we choose
Hi seaman, if you have any target species I'll try and dig out some sites, but the druridge bay complex is brilliant ( 6/7 smews at the minute) 3 scaup. I think my self foun bewicks have moved on an I'll message you a link to a whooper swan area. You'll cover most sites I'd recommend on the coast and a day probably covering the bambrugh to holy area, a day at the druridge complex ( there's 5 reserves there) would be time well spent. I'd recommend other days doing similar stuff or looking for particular target species, looking for those you missed etc.
Thanks fo that Michael,I was hoping you would come in on it,the Druridge area is a fairly new to me,I remember twitching something there many years ago.We like to do Stag Rocks but is the big lay-by along the coast road still good for Beadnal Bay on the right tide?.Thanks again,may be picking your brains nearer the date but we have no real target species yet as it will be our first coastal trip of 2012 so any sea bird will be fair game.