Trip reports

Water rail feeding at waters edge

Saturday, 16 January 2010

Marie Ollerenshaw reports on a fieldtrip to Caerlaverock More...

Seasonal Local Walk - Killingworth 2nd January

Saturday, 2 January 2010

Brian Moorhead reports on a walk undertaken by seven hardy souls in deep midwinter More...

Fieldtrip - Berwick 12th December 2009

Saturday, 12 December 2009

Jane Grey reports on a foggy fieldtrip to Berwick More...

Report on Indoor Meeting 8th September 2009 - Bats in Durham

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Marie Ollerenshaw reports on a talk: 'Bats in Durham' by Noel Jackson from the Durham Bat Group More...

Local Walk - St Mary's Island 29th August 2009

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Brian Moorhead reports ... More...

Local Walk - Holywell Dene 3rd October 2009

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Mark Smith reports ..... More...

Fieldtrip - Saltholme 19th September 2009

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Harold Dobson reports on a trip to the new RSPB reserve. More...

Fieldtrip - Holy Island 10th October 2009

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Phil Jordan reports on 'A Quiet Day On Holy Island'. More...

Adult whooper swans feeding in fields

Saturday, 14 November 2009

Janet Porter reports on a fieldtrip to Martin Mere More...

Male wigeon swimming

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Denise Morphet reports on a talk by David Fairlamb, Site Manager of Mersehead RSPB Reserve More...

Fieldtrip - Wharfedale

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...

Fieldtrip - Bats evening

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...

Fieldtrip - Bassenthwaite

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...

Report on Indoor meeting - Birdwatching Pioneers of Northumberland - a talk by Ian Kerr

Tuesday, 9 June 2009

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...

Male redstart perched on branch

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...

Fieldtrip - the Derwent Gorge

Saturday, 9 May 2009

During our lunch stop - in a sunny glade - our target bird was spotted:- the Pied Flycatcher. More...

Wheatear in spring

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...

Nuthatch on branch

Saturday, 4 April 2009

This was the Local Groups first local seasonal walk. ... More...

Male chaffinch singing on branch

Saturday, 21 March 2009

We had wall-to-wall sunshine the day we visited Blanchland. .... More...

Adult and child birdwatching

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...

Fieldtrip - Craster

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...

Oystercatcher wading in shallow water

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...

Fieldtrip - Musselburgh and Aberlady Bay

Saturday, 20 December 2008

'Our Friends From The North' .... More...

Male lapwing in breeding habitat

Saturday, 29 November 2008

....... 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...

Report on Indoor Meeting - a talk by David Mitchell, Ecologist, Natural England

Tuesday, 18 November 2008

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...

Fieldtrip - Holy Island

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...

Tidal reedbed and muddy creek at RSPB Blacktoft Sands nature reserve

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...

Report on Indoor Meeting - The Birds of Holy Island - a talk by Ian Kerr.

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

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...

Yellow wagtail in winter wheat

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...

House martin in flight

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...

Pair of kittiwakes on rock

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...

Puffin with sandeels in beak

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...

Oystercatcher wading in shallow water

Saturday, 24 May 2008

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...

Wheatear in spring

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...

Nuthatch on branch

Friday, 18 April 2008

Fieldtrip report, with birdlist More...

Water rail feeding at waters edge

Saturday, 15 March 2008

Report of a fieldtrip to the Northumberland Coast, with birdlist. More...

Report on Indoor Meeting - Coquet Island, a talk by Paul Morrison

Tuesday, 11 March 2008

Paul Morrison, RSPB warden for Coquet Island, described the development of the reserve. More...

North Shields Gulls and Waders

Sunday, 24 February 2008

A blustery stroll along the Tyne estuary. More...

Arnside and the Kent Estuary

Saturday, 16 February 2008

Report of a fieldtrip to Arnside, with birdlist. More...

Hulne Park & Stag Rocks

Saturday, 19 January 2008

Report of a trip to the Alnwick area, with birdlist More...

Mersehead and Loch Ken

Saturday, 15 December 2007

An account of a trip to Dumfries and Galloway, with birdlist More...

Campfield Marsh RSPB reserve

Saturday, 24 November 2007

A report of the trip to this RSPB reserve on the south Solway coast, with birdlist. More...

Report on Indoor Meeting - Northern Kites Project, a talk by Keith Bowey

Saturday, 17 November 2007

Keith Bowey told us about the successful project to reintroduce Red Kites to the Derwent Valley. More...

Holy Island

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...

Long-tailed tit perched on branch

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...

Tree sparrow on twig

Tuesday, 11 September 2007

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...

Great spotted woodpecker on branch

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...

Nightjar on ground among heather

Tuesday, 17 July 2007

We were looking for Nightjars - like this one! More...

Rydal Water, July 2007

Saturday, 14 July 2007

The weather forecast was fairly positive, and it was dry in Newcastle when we left.... More...

View of Bempton Cliffs

Saturday, 23 June 2007

It only rained on the journey! More...

Upper Teesdale from Bowlees, June 2007

Saturday, 9 June 2007

Visibility was poor when we set off, although Brian managed to spot Curlew, Jay and Wheatear on the journey..... More...

Male redstart perched on branch

Saturday, 19 May 2007

We arrived at Barnard Castle in the middle of a sharp shower..... More...

Harthope Valley, May 2007

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...

Willow warbler

Saturday, 14 April 2007

We set out from a rather misty Newcastle and, thankfully, the weather blossomed into a glorious spring day. En route, members spotted Kestrel, Lapwing, Jackdaw, Crow, Rook, Red-legged partri More...

Heather moor at Geltsdale

Tuesday, 13 March 2007

This fascinating account of the developments at the Geltsdale RSPB reserve was enjoyed by over 40 people, including a number of non-members (soon-to-be-members we hope!).
Brian Moorhead  More...

Whooper & Bewick's swans feeding in ploughed field

Saturday, 3 March 2007

Or, more correctly, Barnacle Goose song. Not a Swan in sight, although Brian reckons he saw one. Probably to make up for the Coot.
Saturday March 3rd dawned dry and bright. I had expecte More...

Snipe perched on fence post

Saturday, 10 February 2007

For once Sheila's weather charm didn't work, and a mere 18 hardy (some might say foolhardy!) souls set out to brave the rain and biting east winds on this trip to the Northumberland coast. T More...

Male goldeneye

Saturday, 13 January 2007

I went to bed the night before the trip to the sound of a gale-force wind roaring and whistling through the trees in my back garden. The forecast for the morning was for the wind to drop a l More...

Oystercatcher wading in shallow water

Saturday, 2 December 2006

This trip is affectionately known, to senior members of the group, as "The Hopscotch".
We arrived at Low Newton just after 10 o'clock. As we walked down the hill there was an atmospheric More...

Adult whooper swans feeding in fields

Saturday, 11 November 2006

It was a rather rainy and blustery day as we headed over to Caerlaverock but on arrival we soon forgot about this and were rewarded with good sightings of Whooper Swans at feeding time on th More...

Drake teal profile

Saturday, 14 October 2006

Do Twitchers Actually Twitch?
A Red-Breasted Flycatcher without a red breast; a Barred Warbler without any bars. Welcome to the confusing world of the twitcher: a species which migrates  More...

male stonechat perched on bramble

Saturday, 16 September 2006

An extended fieldtrip report to reflect this newsletter's theme of local conservation.

Members who joined the fieldtrip to the RSPB Gelltsdale Reserve on September 16th were treated More...

Estuary at sunset, Mersehead RSPB reserve

Saturday, 29 July 2006

We left Newcastle in the warmth and sun and arrived at the reserve in even greater warmth and sun. It was a day for shorts and sun cream for some members. Neither for me! I thought the hides More...

Oystercatcher wading in shallow water

Saturday, 8 July 2006

On this occasion the editor failed to ask anybody to provide a report, sorry! Philip Jordan has however kindly made his bird list available. A total species count of 44 is recorded, includin More...

Puffin with sandeels in beak

Saturday, 17 June 2006

Numbers of members on this trip were not high, but expectations certainly were and were happily surpassed. Everything fell into place nicely, warm weather and a North Sea like a mill pond.  More...

Wheatear in spring

Saturday, 27 May 2006

There can't be many more scenic drives in England than the one from Tyneside to Upper Teesdale and the day's enjoyment began right after leaving Newcastle. After a short break at Stanhope, w More...

Osprey in larch tree

Sunday, 7 May 2006

As a visitor, from the other side of the water, I wasn't quite sure what to expect on the Newcastle local group holiday to Kingussie. Certainly, I knew only one other person on the trip (Bri More...

Bittern feeding in reedbeds

Saturday, 29 April 2006

I stumbled across Leighton Moss, quite by accident, many years ago as I was returning from Morecambe with a friend who was and remains very dear to me, so I have some very fond memories of t More...