Northumberland 01.12-05.12.2024 - Why did I ever leave?

 I had a couple of days out in NE England and some incidental birding in Northumberland whilst visiting family. What a place! And what changes since I grew up there!

On 1st December we visited several nature reserves which have come into being as the result of mining - either due to subsidence following traditional coal mining or ponds that have been made following opencast mining. 

I started on the beach at Newbiggin with some Med Gulls svartehavsmåke and a good selection of waders.

Sanderling sandløper

Mediterranean Gull svarthavsmåke

Next up was Cresswell Ponds where good numbers of Lapwing vipe, a good variety of wildfowl, a Little Egret silkehegre. 10 Little Grebe dverdykker, a flock of Pinkfeet kortebbgås and plenty more besides.

Lapwing vipe and Wigeon brunnakke at Cresswell

Druridge held good numbers of wildfowl including a nice female Scaup bergand. A few Buzzard musvåk hunted over the fields here too.

Scaup bergand at Druridge pools

East Chevington produced a surprise for me - two singing Cetti's Warbler sumpsanger. From being an extreme rarity this species is now a resident breeder!

Hauxely was the last stop, more of the same here with plenty of Gadwall snadderand, Shoveler skjeand, Little Grebes dvergdykker and so on. A highlight for me here was getting onto a roosting Tawny Owl kattugle having been alerted to its presence by Blackbirds svarttrost and other birds mobbing it.

Male Gadwall snadderand

Little Grebe dvergdykker

Tawny Owl kattugle

The following day there was not much in the way of birding but a short trip to Holy Island causeway and Budle Bay produced some birds.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese ringgås at Holy Island

Shoveler skjeand at Budle Bay

A day at the RSPB reserve at Salthome, Teeside produced some excellent birds for a Norwegian birder. Highlights here were at least one Water Pipit vannpiplerke, Spoonbill skjestork, Barn Owl tårnugle, Water Rail vannriske, Little Egrets silkehegre, 800 Golden Plover heilo, a few Pochard taffeland, Stock Doves skogdue and much much more (well over 50 species just at this locality!). The challenge here was that were a lot of birders being social so the noise levels in the hides prevented picking up things on call.

Male Gadwall snadderand

Little Egret silkehegre

Moorehen sivhøne

Female Shoveler skjeand

Stock Dove skogdue

Stonechat svartstrupe

Water Pipit vannpiplerke

Water Rail vannrikse

Nice to see the UK version of  Long-tailed Tit stjertmeis here too:)

A short walk on the beach at Stag Rocks on 5th December produced the usual variety of waders, Rock Pipits skjærpiplerke, a couple of Meadow Pipits heipiplerke, a big flock of Common Scoter svartand and a couple of Stonechat svartstrupe were among the sightings here.

Purple Sandpiper fjæreplytt

Stonechat svartstrupe

Goodness knows what a week of real birding would have produced!