Another cracking day up the coast on our dawn to dusk trip. We started at Linton Lane and proceeded via QE 2, Woodhorn Flash, Snab Point, (+ the Drift Cafe), Cresswell Pond, Druridge Pools, Widdrington Lake, East Chevington, Druridge Bay CP, and Hadston Carrs. The plan to walk to Hauxley and view the reserve was amended to a stroll back along the beach which proved a good call. We then headed back to Druridge on an owl hunt and were rewarded with little owl. I still haven’t walked the new path right round Hauxley! We had 73 species and a brilliant day which started with heavy rain and ended in a glorious sunset in a clear blue sky, but would add the following comments and welcome replies.
• Missed out on whoopers which are harder to get than they used to be.
• No pochard at all.
• No yellowhammers or tree sparrows at Cresswell but lots of tree sparrows at Druridge Pools.
• Smaller numbers of pinkfeet noted and harder to see!
• Where do we look for great crested grebe?
• Why have they closed access to Hauxley from the beach?
• Is there a better coffee and walnut cake on the planet than the one in the Drift?
• Feeders at Druridge Bay CP appear to be locally sourced and maintained, what happened to the feeding station run by the centre?
• Chevington definitely needs drained and Cresswell was high as well.
• Greylags and Canada geese could do with a cull!
Main report is on the blog at
https://bangorwestndcp.blogspot.com. If any one wants a more detailed list of what we saw stick a comment on the blog or here and I will give you a list.