Southern Coast of Northumberland (Day Trip)

Spring

In early spring, waders are still present and getting their beautiful breeding plumage. Dunlins with their black bellies may just be going a few miles to the North Pennines to breed while the harlequin Ruddy Turnstone has a much longer journey to Arctic Scandinavia and Russia. Out to sea we may still see divers, seaduck and grebes while Shag and Great Cormorant, which breed nearby, are in their smart summer plumage.

The shores, inland pools and wet grassland provide homes for numerous waders and in the sand dunes and fields one can find Linnet, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Stonechat. The smaller migrants are starting to appear now and Chiff-Chaff, Wheatear and Sand Martin provide anticipation of the summer to come.

Along the sandy shore at Druridge Bay 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 trunks of perfectly preserved trees up to 4,000 years old buried in the peat.

Late Spring/Summer

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 even the rare Roseate Tern can all be found feeding offshore; Gannets from Bass Rock plunge into the sea and Cormorant, Puffin, Guillemot and Razorbill bob up and down with the waves. With luck a piratical Skua may be heading northwards taking the opportunity to steal a meal from the terns or gulls.

Swallows, House and Sand Martins scoop up flies over the sand dunes and the songs of Sedge, Grasshopper and Willow Warblers are constant companions.

Looking out to sea there may be Harbour Porpoise, Bottlenose Dolphin or even rarer cetaceans. Grey Seals are common here while terrestrial mammals such as Roe Deer and sometimes Otter can be seen.

From June we will also find Northumberland’s national flower – Bloody Cranesbill. 

Autumn & Winter

In the early autumn terns and auks are still feeding on shoals of Sand Eels, sometimes with accompanying cetaceans. Skuas, including Arctic, Great (Bonxie), Pomarine, and even occasional Long-tailed, can be seen in hot pursuit of terns, gulls and gannets. The seas can hold Red-throated, and sometimes Black-throated, Diver as well as Common Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, various grebes, auks and cormorants.

The shores, inland pools and wet grassland provide homes for numerous waders, Pink-footed Geese as well as cavorting Otters. The sand dunes support Linnets, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and Stonechats and winter specialities like Snow Bunting and Shore Lark are a possibility later in the year. Slightly inland the low trees and bushes are a magnet for tired migrants, Fieldfare and Redwing.