Wheatear, Long Nanny
Water Rail, Newton Pool
Turnstone, Seahouses
Rock Pipit, Seahouses
Rock Pipit, Seahouses
Redshank, Newton Pool
Redshank
Grey Heron, Newton Pool
Spot the first winter Med Gull - in the flock on Beadnell beach
Great Black-backed Gull, Seahouses. In winter hundreds of these birds congregate around the harbour!
Drake Eider moulting from eclipse plumage
Curlews in flight, Long Nanny
Waders on rocks in Nacker's Hole, Beadnell Bay
Beadnell Beachxxxx
The prevailing weather during our stay in Northumberland was of strong, westerly winds, grey skies and alternating showers and sunny spells. The wind direction meant that sea watching was pretty pointless. It was good to be back visiting the Beadnell Towers Hotel where the food is absolutely superb. Birding walks were as much about walking off the meals as any desire to go birding!
Xxxx
On Tuesday morning I took Billy and wandered over to Low Newton-by-the-Sea for a mooch. Feeding along the banking next to the shoreline were around 300 Linnets with a separate flock of around 80 Goldfinches further along. Plenty of chatter with brief forays into the air by the combined throng. Marvellous – it was sunny too! Turnstones, Redshanks, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers were present in small numbers feeding amongst the rocks.
Xxxx
I then walked round to Newton Pool. The usual flash on the way had dried up and was now a saucer sized puddle which attracted nothing. Newton Pool was full of water and was also a little quiet. On approach a couple of Willow Warblers flitted past in the bush by the hide. A pair of Swans with young, a Heron, 2 Wigeon, a Little Grebe and a few Teal were noted – after five minutes a Water Rail also kindly walked across the muddy fringe in front of the hide. A Sedge Warbler also showed in the reeds opposite.
Xxxx
Back on Beadnell Beach a small group of terns consisted of five Sandwich and two Arctic – they were joined by a first winter Little Gull. In the afternoon during a trip out I managed 20 minutes or so in Seahouses harbour. Plenty of gulls on the rocks plus Turnstones, Redshanks and a couple of Rock Pipits. Off shore were 45+ Gannets, 20+ Sandwich Terns and a Fulmar. Around 45 Eiders were present in or around the harbour. This was followed by a quick scan of Budle Bay – the Black-headed Gull flock was now up to around 1300 birds floating on the water at high tide. I didn’t have time to scan them for something interesting, however 10 Gannets were feeding in the bay and I found a Greenshank in the wader flocks. Again no other birders present – I could have spent a couple of hours scanning this lot! Late evening and from the cottage I could see around 5000 gulls in the roost on Beadnell beach where the burn Long Nanny cuts through it. I set off with Billy and walked the three quarters of a mile along the beach, stopped to start scanning the flock and the heavens opened! I couldn’t see a thing and walked back absolutely soaked though curiously I felt exhilarated too.
Xxxx
On Wednesday morning a wander out to Monkshouse Pool produced the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper again. Also there were 164 Teal and a Dunlin while in the dunes opposite were a few Mipits and both male and female Stonechats. At high tide early afternoon I sat with Karen and Billy on a bench overlooking small bays called Nacker's and Lady’s Holes – part of Beadnell Bay where lines of rocks create a natural breakwater. On the rocks I found 102 Oystercatchers, 91 Ringed Plovers, 42 Turnstones, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 44 Redshank, 8 Dunlin, 29 Curlews, 22 Sandwich Terns, 1 Golden Plover and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers. Around 45 Eiders were swimming in the bay – a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon!
Xxxx
Late afternoon I decided to go for a walk behind the sand dunes from Links House at High Newton-by-the-Sea to the Long Nanny. Two Wheatears showed nicely on some fence posts, however it was reasonably quiet until I reached the burn. Here around 175 Curlews had joined a large gull flock by the stream with a dozen or so Redshanks and a Greenshank in the water. A couple of Snipe flew over – I then spotted another gull flock building up on the beach. I wandered over and soon had a first winter Med Gull in the flock which included at least 1200 Common Gulls. I then decided to walk round to view the Med Gull closer – just as I arrived at a decent view point some tosser decided to walk right through the flock and flushed them. Bastard! On the walk back a Swift flew through heading south and male and female Stonechats lined up on wires with four juveniles.
Xxxx
Xxxx
On Tuesday morning I took Billy and wandered over to Low Newton-by-the-Sea for a mooch. Feeding along the banking next to the shoreline were around 300 Linnets with a separate flock of around 80 Goldfinches further along. Plenty of chatter with brief forays into the air by the combined throng. Marvellous – it was sunny too! Turnstones, Redshanks, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers were present in small numbers feeding amongst the rocks.
Xxxx
I then walked round to Newton Pool. The usual flash on the way had dried up and was now a saucer sized puddle which attracted nothing. Newton Pool was full of water and was also a little quiet. On approach a couple of Willow Warblers flitted past in the bush by the hide. A pair of Swans with young, a Heron, 2 Wigeon, a Little Grebe and a few Teal were noted – after five minutes a Water Rail also kindly walked across the muddy fringe in front of the hide. A Sedge Warbler also showed in the reeds opposite.
Xxxx
Back on Beadnell Beach a small group of terns consisted of five Sandwich and two Arctic – they were joined by a first winter Little Gull. In the afternoon during a trip out I managed 20 minutes or so in Seahouses harbour. Plenty of gulls on the rocks plus Turnstones, Redshanks and a couple of Rock Pipits. Off shore were 45+ Gannets, 20+ Sandwich Terns and a Fulmar. Around 45 Eiders were present in or around the harbour. This was followed by a quick scan of Budle Bay – the Black-headed Gull flock was now up to around 1300 birds floating on the water at high tide. I didn’t have time to scan them for something interesting, however 10 Gannets were feeding in the bay and I found a Greenshank in the wader flocks. Again no other birders present – I could have spent a couple of hours scanning this lot! Late evening and from the cottage I could see around 5000 gulls in the roost on Beadnell beach where the burn Long Nanny cuts through it. I set off with Billy and walked the three quarters of a mile along the beach, stopped to start scanning the flock and the heavens opened! I couldn’t see a thing and walked back absolutely soaked though curiously I felt exhilarated too.
Xxxx
On Wednesday morning a wander out to Monkshouse Pool produced the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper again. Also there were 164 Teal and a Dunlin while in the dunes opposite were a few Mipits and both male and female Stonechats. At high tide early afternoon I sat with Karen and Billy on a bench overlooking small bays called Nacker's and Lady’s Holes – part of Beadnell Bay where lines of rocks create a natural breakwater. On the rocks I found 102 Oystercatchers, 91 Ringed Plovers, 42 Turnstones, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 44 Redshank, 8 Dunlin, 29 Curlews, 22 Sandwich Terns, 1 Golden Plover and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers. Around 45 Eiders were swimming in the bay – a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon!
Xxxx
Late afternoon I decided to go for a walk behind the sand dunes from Links House at High Newton-by-the-Sea to the Long Nanny. Two Wheatears showed nicely on some fence posts, however it was reasonably quiet until I reached the burn. Here around 175 Curlews had joined a large gull flock by the stream with a dozen or so Redshanks and a Greenshank in the water. A couple of Snipe flew over – I then spotted another gull flock building up on the beach. I wandered over and soon had a first winter Med Gull in the flock which included at least 1200 Common Gulls. I then decided to walk round to view the Med Gull closer – just as I arrived at a decent view point some tosser decided to walk right through the flock and flushed them. Bastard! On the walk back a Swift flew through heading south and male and female Stonechats lined up on wires with four juveniles.
Xxxx
On Thursday morning it was raining. At Monkshouse Pool a juvenile Ruff was showing nicely and a Swift was feeding around the dunes opposite. 116 Teal and 154 Lapwings were present on the pool with 9 Curlews and 4 Black-tailed Godwits. For some obscure reason I walked over to the sand dunes opposite and decided to have a 30 minute sea watch in howling wind and occasional showers. It was immediately obvious a major seabird movement was underway – in the half hour I was there at least 750 Gannets headed past, heading north, and most close in to the beach. Around 22 Sandwich Terns and 6 Fulmars were seen plus a single Manx Shearwater. The best bit was saved for last – just as I was about to leave I spotted 2 very pale and Commic sized terns heading south along the beach. As they drew level I realised they were Roseate Terns – superb! I have noticed in the past that Common and Arctic Terns appear even darker grey in gloomy lighting conditions – the Roseates looked even paler, almost pure white. I also watched the flight action with the shallow wing beats in contrast to Commic Terns. And due to an unforeseen minor emergency at home, that was that – Northumberland holiday over. Within a couple of hours we were heading back down the A1 and home – but as Arnie says, “I will be back!”
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