Northumberland (2 Viewers)

[Ian Whittle]

Hi Cuddy

Bothal Woods between Ashington (old slag heep village!) and Pegswood (another old slag heep village!), have quite a few Green woodpeckers, as well as nuthatch. Next to the old church is a house where the owner feeds the birds, you get the odd nuthatch there, and in the church yard you usually hear the green wood pecker then follow its distinctive call to get a sighting.
Kingfisher sightings too along the River Wansbeck, and on the subject of Otters, theres a holt on the river too, Cant be more specific though as we are still trying to keep the village yobs away!

 

[cuddy]

Hi Ian yes otters are now widespread throughout Northumberland and are on just about every waterway now and im glad to here about your green woodpeckers i know the area quite well, i understand your caution often visit Bothal pond (Coney Garth) and Longhirst Flash, but my Main Area is St Marys Island Whitley Bay good seawatching can be had from here.
We seem to have a good number of Northumberland birders on the forum.

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Cuddy,

The latest NWT Otter Survey found otter evidence on over 90% of the sites examined. There's even been otters on the Ouse Burn in Gosforth.

Great quote at the end there!

Next job now is to persuade the BF bosses to allow us our flag below our names . . . did you know it is probably the oldest flag in Britain? (dates back to King Oswald, 605-642)

http://fotw.vexillum.com/images/g/gb-nthum.gif

Michael

 

[StevieEvans]

Funny Flag...

Hey Michael !

THAT Flag....!

It looks like it should be on the BACK OF a SKIP !!!!

OR, should that be IN IT...?

S 3

 

[cuddy]

Thought that was just the County Council Flag Michael did not realise it was raised at Heavenfield where Oswald saw off Cadwallon, Im still hearing the distant sound of wailing Makem.

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Cuddy,

Here's some info about the flag:
http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/vg/flag.html

And about Saint Oswald, King of Northumbria:
http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/adversaries/bios/oswald.html

Worth pointing out too, he actually existed, unlike St George . . .

Michael

 

[guffers]

In fact otters HAVE been sighted in the city centre. A local otter enthusiast saw a mother and two cubs directly underneath the Tyne Bridge about three years ago!Wonder if they've checked out the Millenium Bridge yet !

 

[keithmills61]

Hi All Northumberland has enjoyed a golden period during the last couple of months.
The Druridge Bay area in particular has accounted for many rare species and a good supporting cast of quality birds.

Ian good to hear about the Nightjars but how about Green Woodpeckers in the Holystone area?

Kielder is great for raptors and there is always a chance of a passage Osprey.

OR seeing one of the pair of northumbrian breeding golden eagles or one of thier chicks?

 

[Cartman]

Hi all, I work all over Northumberland but live in South Tyneside, I am really new to this so could you tell me the best places to see raptors. I see some mention the Kielder viewing point, where is that? Is it near to the Bird of Prey centre?

Thanks