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Overview
This seven mile bay stretches from Amble to Cresswell. Opencast mining in much of this previously flat and and almost featureless landscape has allowed the creation of many wetland areas and lakes which are a magnet for wild life. The planning of these goes back right to the 1960s when the Druridge Bay Country Park was first proposed as a joint effort between Northumberland County Council and the National Coal Board.
This was followed later by the creation of the Hauxley Nature Reserve[1], Druridge Pools[1] and finally the 100 acre reedbed and deep water pools, purpose designed at East Chevington[1] in the 1990s.
The deep-mining subsidence flash at Cresswell completes this chain of wetlands at the south end of the bay.
Birds
Notable Species
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Rarities
To do
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Greater Scaup, Common Eider, Common Goldeneye, Smew, Red-breasted Merganser, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Sanderling, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Jack Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Razorbill, Little Auk, Common Wood Pigeon, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Skylark, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Winter Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Stonechat, Eurasian Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Jay, Common Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Reed Bunting
Summer visitors still to be added.
Other Wildlife
To do
Site Information
Areas of Interest
Hauxley Nature Reserve
The lake with islands and reed beds, along with the surrounding trees attract large numbers of birds, including Bewick Swan, Shoveler, Lapwing and Purple Sandpiper
Visitor centre, hides and feeding station.
Druridge Bay Country Park
Swans and ducks on the lakes, which is also used by non-motorised water craft.
The meadows and dunes are home to four species of orchid and bloody cranesbill.
East Chevington Nature Reserve
Two large lakes with reed beds, surrounding grassland and woodland. Greylag Goose and Pink-footed Goose are often seen, along with Skylark, Stonechat and Grasshopper Warbler.
Druridge Pools Nature Reserve
This site consists of a lake and two wet fields and supports large numbers of winter wildfowl, mainly Wigeon and Teal, also breeding Great Crested Grebe
Cresswell Pond Nature Reserve
This SSSI is a shallow lagoon behind the sand dunes, with surrounding saltmarsh and reed bed.
Cresswell Dunes and Foreshore Nature Reserve
Breeding grounds for Lapwing and Skylark with Barn Owl often seen hunting in the evening.
Linton Lane Nature Reserve
This reserve consists of two ponds with surround woodland and grassland, which attracts Whooper Swan, Yellowhammer and Tree Sparrow
Druridge Links
This National Trust Site adjacent Druridge Pools, is an extensive area of sand dunes. Wild flowers, such as Bloody Cranesbill and Restharrow, grow here, along with common blue butterflies.
Amble Dunes
At the north end of the bay, beside the village of Amble. Coastal birds can be seen here and the area consists of dunes, and rock pools.
Ellington Pond
A shallow pond in a small reserve run by local residents. It attracts many waders.
Access and Facilities
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External Links
- Northumberland Wildlife Trust
- Northumbrian Birding thread
- Hauxley
- Druridge Bay Country Park
- East Chevington
- Druridge Pools
- Cresswell Pond
- Cresswell Dunes and Foreshore Nature Reserve
- Linton Lane Nature Reserve
Maps
- Druridge Bay on Streetmap
- Hauxley on Streetmap
- Druridge Bay Country Park on Streetmap
- East Chevington on Streetmap
- Druridge Pools on Streetmap
- Cresswell Pond on Streetmap
- Cresswell Dunes Reserve on Streetmap
- Linton on Streetmap
- Druridge Links on Streetmap
- Amble Dunes on Streetmap
- Ellington on Streetmap