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Birding in Northumberland in July - advice please! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter scampo
- Start date
I would suggest The Farne islands are a must and the Cheviot Hills will have plenty to offer.
A good cluster of reserves center on Druridge bay, including East Chevington, Hauxley, Cresswell and Druridge pools, all Northumberland Wildlife trust reserves more info on their website Holy island Budle bay all offer something.
Regards cuddy.
A good cluster of reserves center on Druridge bay, including East Chevington, Hauxley, Cresswell and Druridge pools, all Northumberland Wildlife trust reserves more info on their website Holy island Budle bay all offer something.
Regards cuddy.
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi Scampo,
Alnham is also a good spot for doing the Cheviot valleys from - not the best time of year unfortunately, but Red Grouse, Dipper, Tree Pipit, Whinchat & Wheatear should be easy, and Ring Ouzel not too difficult in rocky gullies above about 400m altitude. Redstart, Pied Fly & Wood Warbler are all in there, tho' won't be easy in July. Try the Ingram Valley (4 miles N of Alnham, tho' about 10 miles by road; spectacular waterfall at Linhope Spout up there too) and Upper Coquetdale (out west past Alwinton 6 miles southwest of Alnham), also Holystone Woods (NT 932 015).
There's plenty of Black Grouse on the Otterburd MOD ranges, but getting access to see them - that's another matter altogether (I've never been able to do so!)
Further afield, Kielder is good for raptors, though July is perhaps a touch early with young birds not yet fledged (there's a spell in late summer when newly fledged young birds are fairly easy to see, but that's more August than July); the official raptor viewpoint is at NT 628 920 (signposted with one of those brown duck signs !!!) but is getting rather closed in by surrounding trees growing up, a perhaps better scanning spot is from the roadside just short of the Scots border at NT 604 972; good chance of Goshawk and other interesting raptors.
Michael
Alnham is also a good spot for doing the Cheviot valleys from - not the best time of year unfortunately, but Red Grouse, Dipper, Tree Pipit, Whinchat & Wheatear should be easy, and Ring Ouzel not too difficult in rocky gullies above about 400m altitude. Redstart, Pied Fly & Wood Warbler are all in there, tho' won't be easy in July. Try the Ingram Valley (4 miles N of Alnham, tho' about 10 miles by road; spectacular waterfall at Linhope Spout up there too) and Upper Coquetdale (out west past Alwinton 6 miles southwest of Alnham), also Holystone Woods (NT 932 015).
There's plenty of Black Grouse on the Otterburd MOD ranges, but getting access to see them - that's another matter altogether (I've never been able to do so!)
Further afield, Kielder is good for raptors, though July is perhaps a touch early with young birds not yet fledged (there's a spell in late summer when newly fledged young birds are fairly easy to see, but that's more August than July); the official raptor viewpoint is at NT 628 920 (signposted with one of those brown duck signs !!!) but is getting rather closed in by surrounding trees growing up, a perhaps better scanning spot is from the roadside just short of the Scots border at NT 604 972; good chance of Goshawk and other interesting raptors.
Michael
Michael Frankis
conehead
'Bout the Farnes - mid July is a month past its best, the Guillemots and Razorbills will nearly all have left, though there will still be a fair few Puffins and plenty of terns about. Don't forget a padded hat, and remember that whatever the temperature is on land, at sea it won't be warm, so take warm clothes too.
Michael
Michael
Dear Steve,
A short historical note about Alnham.
Uncle “Wattie” who knew his way around geographically and was an Alnham hill herd, guided the 10th Duke of Northumberland, Hugh Algernon, to a secluded location near Selkirk for a clandestine assignation with the 8th Duke of Buccleuch’s daughter, Lady Elizabeth Montague Douglass Scott.
She accepted his hand thus ended a centuries old border feud.
And the date – 1946.
If I can enhance your trip in any way please P.M. me.
Regards to the Scampettes.
G B-S.
A short historical note about Alnham.
Uncle “Wattie” who knew his way around geographically and was an Alnham hill herd, guided the 10th Duke of Northumberland, Hugh Algernon, to a secluded location near Selkirk for a clandestine assignation with the 8th Duke of Buccleuch’s daughter, Lady Elizabeth Montague Douglass Scott.
She accepted his hand thus ended a centuries old border feud.
And the date – 1946.
If I can enhance your trip in any way please P.M. me.
Regards to the Scampettes.
G B-S.
Hi again Steve, sorry i could only hint at the sites in the area i had a time problem.
I was sure Michael would fill in the details, however if you ask again nearer the time im sure we can target anything worthwile in the area,as well as any other subjects that may interest you.
A new venture has started up here run by a local birdwatcher the addy is Birdwatchnorthumbria.co.uk.
As Michael states the Farne Islands are past there best in July but it will still be worth a trip out, Hauxley Nature reserve has Bird ringing and it has over a hundred species of wildflowers on the reserve and these are in all there glory.
A lot of ponds are now visited by otter so if your lucky you may have an encounter, if there is anything in particular that you hope to see just ask and im sure we will try to help you enjoy your visit.
Best wishes Brian.
I was sure Michael would fill in the details, however if you ask again nearer the time im sure we can target anything worthwile in the area,as well as any other subjects that may interest you.
A new venture has started up here run by a local birdwatcher the addy is Birdwatchnorthumbria.co.uk.
As Michael states the Farne Islands are past there best in July but it will still be worth a trip out, Hauxley Nature reserve has Bird ringing and it has over a hundred species of wildflowers on the reserve and these are in all there glory.
A lot of ponds are now visited by otter so if your lucky you may have an encounter, if there is anything in particular that you hope to see just ask and im sure we will try to help you enjoy your visit.
Best wishes Brian.
scampo
Steve Campsall
You and Michael do a grand marketing job! I think I'm convinced...
But seriously - thanks for all of your help. I will definitely get back neearer the time to check on what's happening.
We're always stuck with July/August holidays as I teach - a kind of in-between time for birds. My elder son, though, is keen on butterflies and moths, and my wife on wild flowers - so we always make the best of it!
But seriously - thanks for all of your help. I will definitely get back neearer the time to check on what's happening.
We're always stuck with July/August holidays as I teach - a kind of in-between time for birds. My elder son, though, is keen on butterflies and moths, and my wife on wild flowers - so we always make the best of it!
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