The difference between an NE23 and NE13 postcode. All I get is spuggies (as nice as they are)! :-O
You hit the nail on the head there Chris, you do need to be lucky. They do still visit the feeding station - i saw one there on two separate visits in December one of them hung around for a good 20 mins or so, the other just passed straight through...
Went down to Blyth for the Snow Bunting (can anyone tell me how to find them)
eveRyONe - they are here.
If you walk SW along the road/path from the SE corner of the cemetery, and about half way along look north towards said resting place, they are in there somewhere. Unlike the mixed finch flock that inhabits the hedgerow to your left, they are not always mobile but wait 15/20 minutes or so and they usually lift. Once settled, unless close to the path or you can look up the stubble 'furrows', they can hard to locate imo.
Good luck!
Annual visit to the NE this weekend. Hoping to be out from dawn on Saturday whenever that is. Usually start at Linton Lane then Cresswell, Druridge pools, East Chevington, Country Park and Hauxley. Is there anything en route or just off route we could be looking for? For NI birders good ticks would be any owl or woodpeckers, snibs, waxwing, shore lark, Pinkies or bean geese, bittern(?) twite, partridge (I know, we don't have any!), smew, etc. All advice gratefully accepted and looking forward to a dry day, the temperature is incidental!!
Bob - on the subject of peckers, did you meet Mrs Green this week? :eek!:
Derek
Although incidental, I hope it's warmer than it was today. It was seriously cold at Bamburgh, Budle Bay and Warkworth - it hurt! A large flock of Twite at Stag Rocks was the pick there but you should get some just north of Cresswell. In fact, your itinerary should pick up most of the birds you mention. Recently, there has been a Smew at QE 11 lake and a Bean Goose with 4 White Fronts closeby at Woodhorn. It's a good year for SE Owls and again Cresswell may produce the goods. Not aware of any Shorelarks or Waxwings in the County at the moment. One of us will be able to give you precise directions if you're not sure about QE11 or Woodhorn.
Much of the still water here (as opposed to the sparkling stuff :-O) is frozen. Goosander are usually regular on the river at Morpeth to the rear of the leisure centre. Here.
PS I am based in Cramlington and have birded at Arcot - once saw a barn owl there, it flew across the road at Arcot Lane. I usually drive that way but a few years ago I skidded on ice into the ditch at the double bend near the railway, so the wife is prone to say stick to the main road and don't go looking for barn owls!!
PS I am based in Cramlington...