Trip reports
 | Sunday, 16 October 2011 It is always observed that the British are obsessed with the weather, but the bird watchers of Britain are all surely secretly practiced in the art of the sun dancing or earnest prayers... anything to stop the wind blowing the birds into heavens or into thickets of the densest gorse. More... |
 | Saturday, 15 October 2011 Wagon-way, Dene and Coast Local Walk 15th October 2011 This walk and the wonderful weather attracted twenty participants. More... |
 | Tuesday, 13 September 2011 Upland Hay Meadows. Indoor Meeting September 13th 2011. Upland Hay Meadows. Indoor Meeting September 13th 2011. This was a talk given by Rebecca Barrett; the development officer for the North Pennine Upland Hay Meadows designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.___________________________ More... |
 | Saturday, 10 September 2011 Blacktoft Sands 10th September 2011 Where the Ouse and Trent meet to becomethe Humber. More... |
Saturday, 27 August 2011 St Mary's Island Walk and Talk on Terns. 27th August 2011 After some technical difficulties and in front of 24 members, Brian gave a very informative and illustrated talk on 5 species of Terns from the largest in the world: Caspian tern to the smallest: little tern. More... |
 | Saturday, 23 July 2011 Bishop Middleham 23rd July 2011 It was a little cool and cloudy as we set off from the church in Bishop Middleham. More... |
 | Sunday, 12 June 2011 This was a day of contrasting weather - a bright morning spent in Dodd Wood with wonderful views of Bassenthwaite water and the surrounding Fells and a wettish afternoon spent in Whinlatter forest. More... |
 | Saturday, 28 May 2011 A very cloudy grey day on offer at the beginning of this trip. More... |
 | Saturday, 30 April 2011 Wylam Local Walk 30th April 2011 All of the walks are carefully researched before the event. More... |
 | Saturday, 16 April 2011 The old bus this time but nearly full and a comfortable picturesque journey up the Allen valley to the village square in Allenheads. More... |
 | Saturday, 19 March 2011 The weather forecast correctly promised a bright day for this trip into rural Northumberland. More... |
 | Tuesday, 8 March 2011 Report on Indoor Meeting 8th March 2011Coquet Island by Dr Paul Morrison Dr Paul Morrison gave a fascinating and entertaining account of the life of the birds and staff on Coquet Island. More... |
 | Saturday, 19 February 2011 We left Newcastle on a cold morning with few snow florets mixed with the rain but to brighten spirits More... |
 | Saturday, 29 January 2011 On a beautiful but chilly day our party - some would say international - set off by packed coach to visit the Northumberland coast. More... |
 | Saturday, 8 January 2011 Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve, Durham The participants arrived at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve, to find all ponds and other areas frozen solid. More... |
 | Saturday, 20 November 2010 Local Walk - Derwent Valley, Gateshead The twelve participants on the Derwent Valley walk can I think vouch for the fact that a few showers of rain and a little mist does not have a negative effect upon bird watching and being at peace with nature. More... |
Saturday, 13 November 2010 My planning for a trip starts the day before; research the site on Bird Forum for anything unusual in the area, thermals at the ready and then the dilemma of 'scope or not to 'scope. Although I have been known to forget me bins! More... |
 | Tuesday, 9 November 2010 Report on Indoor Meeting - Gannets: An Artists Perspective by John Steele A refreshingly different perspective on gannets was what we were given by John Steel at the AGM. More... |
 | Saturday, 9 October 2010 Everybody says that this is one of their favourite fieldtrips, and the trip today proved to be no exception. More... |
 | Saturday, 18 September 2010 Leighton Moss 18th September 2010 25 of us set off from Newcastle to cross the country to the RSPB reserve at Leighton Moss in Lancashire. After an uneventful journey, apart from sight of a Buzzard, we arrived safely. More... |
 | Tuesday, 14 September 2010 Report on Indoor Meeting - Salthome Reserve by Ben Calvert September 14th 2010 Ben Calvert, visitor and promotions officer from Saltholme gave a very enthusiastic update on the present and future of the reserve - a mission divided between people and wildlife. More... |
 | Saturday, 24 July 2010 For those who don't know it (and this included me, before we went) Smardale is a nature reserve run by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and is near Kirby Stephen. It is a section of a disused railway line, and stretches for just over three miles. It is also one of the only two places in England where the Scotch Argus butterfly can be found. More... |
 | Tuesday, 13 July 2010 Report on Social Evening & Indoor Meeting 13th July 2010 "The Galapagos Islands" by Noel Jackson.This was an indoor meeting with a difference as refreshments were provided before the talk so members could relax and enjoy more of a social evening than is possible at our normal venue. More... |
 | Sunday, 27 June 2010 Local Walk Rising Sun Country Park June 27th 2010 Report of Bird, Botanical and Historical Walk at The Rising Sun 27th June.Our continuing close relationship with the Rising Sun Country Park continues to flourish and another successful local walk was led jointly on this occasion by Brian Moorhead and Marie Ollerenshaw. More... |
 | Saturday, 26 June 2010 It was a comparatively small number of us who mounted the coach on a cloudy morning to travel the long distance to Bempton cliffs. More... |
 | Saturday, 22 May 2010 This is a magic place, this is! The route chosen for the main walk is a section of the Pennine Way. More... |
Sunday, 16 May 2010 Walk & Talk at Rising Sun May 16th 2010 The talk catered mainly for people who were relatively new to wildlife and ornithology More... |
 | Saturday, 1 May 2010 Wolsingham and Tunstall Reservoir 1st May 2010 This trip started with a slightly later pick up in Newcastle than normal as it was a fairly short journey into the rolling countryside of County Durham. (That suited me well as I had already been for a Dawn Chorus walk in the Rising Sun Country Park. The cooked breakfast would stand me in good stead for the day ahead!) More... |
 | Saturday, 17 April 2010 Local Walk Killingworth April 17th 2010 If you thought that Killingworth was a concrete jungle - think again. More... |
| Saturday, 13 March 2010 Field Trip - Richmond 13th March 2010 Our day started outside the Hancock Museum with the sun shining and the strange feeling of, maybe, being warm! More... |
%20(crop)%2090_tcm9-27939.jpg) | Saturday, 13 February 2010 Fieldtrip -Low Newton 13th February 2010 It wasn't exactly the first day of spring, but it was rather better weather than we had enjoyed(?) for quite a long time. More... |
 | Saturday, 16 January 2010 Fieldtrip -Caerlaverock 16th January 2010 Marie Ollerenshaw reports on a fieldtrip to Caerlaverock More... |
 | Saturday, 2 January 2010 Seasonal Local Walk - Killingworth 2nd January Brian Moorhead reports on a walk undertaken by seven hardy souls in deep midwinter More... |
 | Saturday, 12 December 2009 Fieldtrip - Berwick 12th December 2009 Jane Grey reports on a foggy fieldtrip to Berwick More... |
 | Tuesday, 17 November 2009 Report on Indoor Meeting 8th September 2009 - Bats in Durham Marie Ollerenshaw reports on a talk: 'Bats in Durham' by Noel Jackson from the Durham Bat Group More... |
 | Tuesday, 17 November 2009 Local Walk - St Mary's Island 29th August 2009 Brian Moorhead reports ... More... |
 | Tuesday, 17 November 2009 Local Walk - Holywell Dene 3rd October 2009 Mark Smith reports ..... More... |
 | Tuesday, 17 November 2009 Fieldtrip - Saltholme 19th September 2009 Harold Dobson reports on a trip to the new RSPB reserve. More... |
 | Tuesday, 17 November 2009 Fieldtrip - Holy Island 10th October 2009 Phil Jordan reports on 'A Quiet Day On Holy Island'. More... |
 | Saturday, 14 November 2009 Fieldtrip - Martin Mere 14th November 2009 Janet Porter reports on a fieldtrip to Martin Mere More... |
 | Tuesday, 10 November 2009 Report on Indoor Meeting - A Solway Gem Denise Morphet reports on a talk by David Fairlamb, Site Manager of Mersehead RSPB Reserve More... |
 | Sunday, 19 July 2009 Some of us who had lingered behind to watch for Grey Wagtails, and seen one juvenile, were delighted by a fabulous Kingfisher display. Not the usual quick flash of blue for us, but a full act - up and down the river, perching on this side then that side, then a farewell orange-bellied body-roll before flying off upstream. Fantastic! More... |
 | Tuesday, 7 July 2009 We were all equipped with a bat detector and we soon heard them in the church yard close to us before we even saw them. These were the common Pipistrelle Bats. More... |
 | Saturday, 20 June 2009 A Buzzard came too close, possibly looking for a meal of Osprey chick. Not to be. The male Osprey was out and at him. Quite a dog fight which the Osprey won on this occasion. I was told by RSPB volunteers that a common way the Osprey sees off unwanted guests is to fly high and, rather like a Zero fighter, come out of the sun from above, striking hard. More... |
 | Tuesday, 9 June 2009 Report on Indoor meeting - Birdwatching Pioneers of Northumberland - a talk by Ian Kerr We were told how the gun was at this time the accepted means of recording a 'sighting'. Hancock's 'sighting' (shooting) of a Yellow-browed Warbler was for 40 years Britain's only record. More... |
 | Saturday, 16 May 2009 Seeing a Redstart was new for me. I would not have seen or identified it if I had been out on my own. This is the benefit of walking with a group of people that includes experienced birders keen to share their knowledge. More... |
 | Saturday, 9 May 2009 During our lunch stop - in a sunny glade - our target bird was spotted:- the Pied Flycatcher. More... |
 | Saturday, 18 April 2009 Possibly the day's best sighting - a clear view of a group of Black Grouse - was enjoyed by the small group which had spent the day nearer to the village, climbed the hill above the Heritage Centre, and had a good view of the Grouse on the other side of the valley. ... More... |
| Saturday, 4 April 2009 Report of Local Spring Seasonal Walk - City Parks and Jesmond Dene This was the Local Groups first local seasonal walk. ... More... |
 | Saturday, 21 March 2009 We had wall-to-wall sunshine the day we visited Blanchland. .... More... |
 | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 The Teesmouth Field Centre, which is located on the site of the Hartlepool Power Station, is used for education with a large emphasis on the history of the area. It runs study groups for school pupils of all ages. .... More... |
 | Saturday, 21 February 2009 As we approached the harbour and the village, Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls were seen on rocks just offshore, and a single Turnstone. A lone Jackdaw was perched on a chimney. A good sighting of a Red-throated Diver by some of the members along with Pied Wagtail in the harbour itself. .... More... |
 | Saturday, 17 January 2009 We set off with some trepidation in the light of the 'Severe Weather Warning' which had been issued for Cumbria...... More... |
 | Saturday, 20 December 2008 Fieldtrip - Musselburgh and Aberlady Bay 'Our Friends From The North' .... More... |
 | Saturday, 29 November 2008 Fieldtrip to Teesmouth Field Centre and Saltholme ....... a great day to remember. Saltholme is opening to the public on the 21st January 2009 and all agreed that the range of birds there already is superb, and I will look forward to going there again very soon. More... |
 | Tuesday, 18 November 2008 Report on Indoor Meeting - a talk by David Mitchell, Ecologist, Natural England By way of introduction to the speaker the leader gave a brief outline of Dave Mitchell's background and explained that they had first met when Dave had led a fascinating botanical walk at the Rising Sun Country Park in 2007. More... |
 | Saturday, 18 October 2008 We saw some great birds - and a beautiful rainbow but there was no Short-eared Owl at the end of it! More... |
 | Saturday, 13 September 2008 We arrived at Blacktoft Sands RSPB Reserve at about 11 am. For those who don't know it, it is at the confluence of the rivers Trent and Yorkshire Ouse, and is the largest tidal reedbed in Britain; specialities are breeding Bearded Tits, Bitterns and Marsh Harriers, while it is also a hot spot for migrating waders at this time of year. More... |
 | Tuesday, 9 September 2008 Report on Indoor Meeting - The Birds of Holy Island - a talk by Ian Kerr. Ian Kerr, who has written on the birds of Holy Island, gave a very welcome presentation. The group was due to make a field-trip to Holy Island just over a week later. More... |
 | Saturday, 26 July 2008 The area around Bishop Middleham in Durham is one of the best for birds in the whole county and Durham Bird Club have been working with local farmers in doing important conservation work, especially at Castle Lake near the village...... More... |
 | Thursday, 17 July 2008 Our aim on this evening trip was to see the Long-eared Owls which have nested near Hurworth Burn reservoir (not far from Sedgefield) in recent years. .... More... |
 | Saturday, 28 June 2008 St Abb's Head is the best-known landmark on the dramatic Berwickshire coastline and is home to one of the most accessible of all sea-bird colonies ... More... |
 | Tuesday, 10 June 2008 Dr Golding gave a hard-hitting talk on the dangers we face and the short time we have to react. More... |
| Saturday, 24 May 2008 Upper Teesdale - Widdybank and Cow Green There was a choice of doing the walk past Widdybank Farm to Cauldron Snout, or staying with the coach to Cow Green and exploring around there .... More... |
| Saturday, 10 May 2008 Our first stop after meeting near Rothbury was to visit Harbottle Crags, part of which is managed by the NWT. It was a short uphill walk from the Foresty Commission car-park to Drake Stone, where nearby rocks have been scraped and polished by glacial ice-sheets. ..... More... |
| Friday, 18 April 2008 Fieldtrip report, with birdlist More... |
| Saturday, 15 March 2008 Report of a fieldtrip to the Northumberland Coast, with birdlist. More... |
 | Tuesday, 11 March 2008 Report on Indoor Meeting - Coquet Island, a talk by Paul Morrison Paul Morrison, RSPB warden for Coquet Island, described the development of the reserve. More... |
 | Sunday, 24 February 2008 North Shields Gulls and Waders A blustery stroll along the Tyne estuary. More... |
 | Saturday, 16 February 2008 Report of a fieldtrip to Arnside, with birdlist. More... |
 | Saturday, 19 January 2008 Report of a trip to the Alnwick area, with birdlist More... |
 | Saturday, 15 December 2007 An account of a trip to Dumfries and Galloway, with birdlist More... |
 | Saturday, 24 November 2007 A report of the trip to this RSPB reserve on the south Solway coast, with birdlist. More... |
 | Saturday, 17 November 2007 Report on Indoor Meeting - Northern Kites Project, a talk by Keith Bowey Keith Bowey told us about the successful project to reintroduce Red Kites to the Derwent Valley. More... |
 | Saturday, 20 October 2007 This is always a popular trip to Holy Island, whatever the October weather. I remember being drenched a couple of years ago, but fortunately this year we had a beautiful fine day and 33 of us enjoyed some excellent birding. More... |
 | Saturday, 22 September 2007 The group left Newcastle on a wonderful autumnal day full of anticipation as to what this new venture to this premier Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve would bring us. No one was to be disappointed. More... |
 | Tuesday, 11 September 2007 Report on Indoor Meeting - Campfield Marsh, a talk by Norman Holton Norman's excellent talk was illustrated with digital images of the reserve and its flora and fauna and covered the varying and important habitats to be found at Campfield Marsh, whilst emphasising its importance for birds and other wildlife. More... |
 | Saturday, 18 August 2007 This was a little different from our usual trips in that it was quite local to the Newcastle area. The walk had been chosen because it offers the variety of a small lake, woodland, a river mouth and the coast all within its three miles or so. Although well-known to one or two of us, the area was new to many others and I think it's a good example of not having to go too far for a good day out enjoying birds and other natural history. More... |
 | Tuesday, 17 July 2007 We were looking for Nightjars - like this one! More... |
 | Saturday, 14 July 2007 The weather forecast was fairly positive, and it was dry in Newcastle when we left.... More... |
 | Saturday, 23 June 2007 It only rained on the journey! More... |
 | Saturday, 9 June 2007 Upper Teesdale from Bowlees, June 2007 Visibility was poor when we set off, although Brian managed to spot Curlew, Jay and Wheatear on the journey..... More... |
| Saturday, 19 May 2007 Barnard Castle and the Tees, May 2007 We arrived at Barnard Castle in the middle of a sharp shower..... More... |
 | Saturday, 5 May 2007 I set off from Killingworth at 8:30am, the sky was overcast and I feared that a rainy day lay ahead.... More... |
 | Saturday, 14 April 2007 Garrigill & the South Tyne, April 2007 |
 | Tuesday, 13 March 2007
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 | Saturday, 3 March 2007
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| Saturday, 10 February 2007 Warkworth and Amble, February 2007 |
 | Saturday, 13 January 2007 Aberlady and Musselburgh January 2007 |
| Saturday, 2 December 2006 Coastal Trip (Low Newton/ Seahouses/ Bamburgh/ Budle Bay) December 2006
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| Saturday, 11 November 2006 Caerlaverock, 11th November 2006 |
| Saturday, 14 October 2006
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 | Saturday, 16 September 2006
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 | Saturday, 29 July 2006 Blacktoft Sands 29th July 2006 |
| Saturday, 8 July 2006 Boulmer & Craster 8th July 2006 |
| Saturday, 17 June 2006 |
| Saturday, 27 May 2006 |
 | Sunday, 7 May 2006 RSPB Local Group Trip to Kingussie Scotland 7th-12th May 2006 |
 | Saturday, 29 April 2006 |