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The Northumberland Coast (Day Trip)
Tour Code: GBR86A birdwatching tour of Northumberland's rich coastline, featuring breeding seabirds, numerous waders and other exciting terrestrial species.
£60
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Throughout the spring and summer, the stunning Northumberland coast bustles with activity. Meeting in Cresswell, our walk will mostly be over flat ground, covering no more than 6 miles. Along the way, we will explore the shores, dunes, inland pools and wet grasslands, and we may hop in our cars once or twice to explore more habitats. Please click on ‘detailed information’ below to read about the seasonal highlights of this Day Trip in spring and summer.
- Warblers including Grasshopper, Sedge, Reed and Willow return from Africa and start singing
- Search for Red-throated Diver, Eider Duck in their glorious plumage and Red-breasted Merganser among the waves
- Northumberland's shoreline, inland pools and wet grasslands are home to numerous waders
- Explore a sand dune habitat in search of Linnet, Wheatear and Stonechat
- From early May see bustling seabird colonies of Puffin, Guillemot and Gannet
Spring (March/April Day Trips)
As spring unfolds the Northumberland coast is a fantastic place to be. In mid-March, winter waders can include scuttling Sanderling, dashing Dunlin and the evocative calling Curlew. Our lovely winter thrushes call from berry-depleted hedges and, with luck, we'll encounter an early spring Sandwich Tern, Wheatear or calling Chiffchaff. Out to sea we may see divers, seaduck and grebes, as well as the striking white Gannets and the more sombrely dressed Cormorants and Shags. The shores, inland pools and wet grassland provide homes for numerous waders and in the sand dunes one can find Linnet, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Stonechat. Along the sandy shore a seam of peat, laid down thousands of years ago when this area was a swamp, runs the length of the bay. As the tide regresses we can see perfectly preserved trees up to 4,000 years old buried in the peat.
Summer (May onwards)
Throughout the rest of the spring and into the summer months the stunning Northumberland coast bustles with activity, as breeding seabirds on the cliffs and islands constantly fly to and fro in search of food. Common, Arctic, Sandwich, Little and the rare Roseate Tern can all be found feeding offshore; Gannets from Bass Rock plunge into the sea and Cormorant, Puffin, Guillemot and Red-breasted Merganser bob up and down with the waves. Swallows and martins scoop up flies over the sand dunes and the songs of Sedge, Grasshopper and Willow Warblers are constant companions. The coast is also well known for the unexpected with unusual, or downright rare, birds possible anywhere and at any time!
Autumn/winter
Autumn brings large flocks of Pink-footed Geese, forming dramatic skeins against the winter skyline. Overwintering ducks and waders build up and this wonderful coast comes into its own on winter days, when the holiday makers have gone home. Out on the sea, divers can be picked out amongst the waves, along with scoter and rafts of Eider ducks. Redwings and Fieldfare visit the fields, vying with Mistle Thrushes for Hawthorn and other berries.
Day Trip Location
Dates & Prices
2025
Tour Leader: Andy Bunten
Andy Bunten has been an obsessive enthusiast about wildlife ever since he can remember. Educated at Cambridge, Newcastle and Imperial College, he then embarked on a career in nature conservation. He has worked for local government, wildlife trusts and, for 26 years, the RSPB. He initially worked in RSPB Scotland then headed south to be the Regional Director for the South East of England for 5 years before, in 1991, moving to the North of England to take up the reins of Director there. An experienced lecturer, Andy has cruised extensively completing over 20 trips ranging from South America to the Philippines and from Argentina to Svalbard. Now an Environmental Consultant, Andy is an enthusiastic traveller and has led wildlife groups to numerous places around the world including the Seychelles, France, Egypt, Costa Rica, Panama, Borneo, Norway and Spitsbergen. Over the last few years, he has led Naturetrek holidays in France, Romania, Hungary, Sweden, Spain and Scotland. He loves leading trips!
Tour Leader: Keith Buchanan
Keith Buchanan has more than 30 years' experience of working on biodiversity and landscape issues in the UK and internationally. Until August 2008 Keith was designing and leading a major project for Natural England to understand the impact of climate change on wildlife and landscapes. Prior to that he was a Programme Director within the Countryside Agency, and responsible for that Agency's work in relation to National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, climate change and land management. Since 2008 he has been freelance, and has led wildlife watching groups to many parts of Europe ,the Caribbean and South America and worked on biological expeditions in Indonesia, Central America, South America, Madagascar and South Africa.
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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