A preamble to Amble and beyond; Northumberland 31st May-1st June 2018

Our annual trip to Scotland and this time we're heading back to our beloved Cairngorms which we'd missed last year after taking in the Outer Hebrides instead. But first we'd have a couple of days birding in Northumberland, mainly just relaxing and exploring an area we know little about and to hopefully see some good birds, plus the luxury of a couple of country hotels to spend the nights in.

The main object of this diversion was to see a special and scarce seabird that in the summer is generally found only in this part of the UK since it breeds on a small island just off the coast of Amble. I had booked Mrs Caley and myself on a boat trip that cruises out to the island and that was leaving at 14:30 so plenty of time to get to Amble beforehand since we'd left home at 08:00. It's a long old journey though, some 275 miles, but it went well with no hold ups and as we ate breakfast at a cafe somewhere near Scotch Corner I hatched an alternative plan. As I am prone to do! It would be a preamble to the preamble! (Sigh)

An hour later at 12:30 we pulled up alongside a shallow body of water very close to Hadrians Wall known as Grindon Lough. An American Wigeon had been present here for a few months and was pretty reliable so it was worth a look. I reckoned we had about 45 minutes to find the bird before leaving for the boat trip. I scanned the eastern end of the lake, the area where the duck was supposed to frequent, but could only find Eurasian Wigeon and a couple of Teal. We moved to the other end of the Lough and scanned again but once more it was just our common species that were seen. This wasn't going to plan at all and my hopes of a relaxing few days were dissipating rapidly and I was already getting stressed. At 13:00 I turned around and threatened to give it up and leave but thankfully stopped at the eastern end again and this time saw the American Wigeon close in to the near shore. Thank goodness! It must have been under the bank and hidden by overhanging grass when I first looked and hence I had missed it but now Mrs Caley and I enjoyed reasonable scope views albeit at some distance and distorted by a heat haze. After a few minutes the duck, accompanied by a female Eurasian Wigeon, hauled out onto the bank which was at least a bit closer and allowed me to take a few record shots. Not the first I've seen, in fact I think it's 6 now in the UK, but nice after dipping one in Inverness in February.

American Wigeon

It was now after 1 o'clock and we were still around an hour away from Amble so we hit the road again. All was well until we came to a hold up at some roadworks on the A1 by Ashington. I had to, even though I didn't like to and much to the disgust of other motorists, sail all the way down the outside lane and push in right at the last opportunity into the single remaining lane. Needs must! I also decided on a small diversion which thankfully paid off (for once) and we finally arrived in Amble about 25 minutes before the sailing time. Parking was easy (and free!) so now we could relax and feel like the holiday was properly beginning. 

The boat was operated by "Puffin Cruises" lasted just an hour and carried just 12 passengers so would be a pleasant little trip. It was now a blazing hot day and as we waited for the boat to be readied we watched some beautiful Eider ducks (and drakes) swim and feed amongst the slime and weed in the rather filthy inner harbour. As we looked towards a young herring gull it viewed us just as intently (probably hoping we had chips).

Eider 

Juvenile Herring Gull

We boarded the boat and the skipper, after eyeing me up stated, "I know what you've come for" and then added "it's a low tide afternoon so we won't be able to get in close". Give me a break! Who ever mentioned the tides? Apparently they're important to seafarers, right Captain Harris? Amble is a small coastal town but was bustling with holiday makers and day-trippers so I was glad when the boat left the noise (and the smell of chips) behind and we moved out into quieter surroundings. The estuary was fairly calm although a noticeable swell rocked the boat once we'd ventured out into open water. Just offshore a fog descended and we could see no more than 50 yards in any direction! That wouldn't do at all and my stress levels rose once more. The fog bought some reward though in the form of a Great Skua which passed low overhead. Unfortunately because of the poor visibility it was right on top of us before I could positively identify it so it went unrecorded by the camera! But there'd be more Skuas later in the holiday so I wasn't too bothered. I should clarify now that the boat was sailing out to Coquet Island and although landing isn't permitted, we would do a complete circuit enabling good views of the birds that nested there. If the mist lifted that is! Eventually however the mists did thin out and we could see the lighthouse, crafted in the style of a castle (the story of why was related to us but I've already forgotten), and thousands of seabirds milling around as well as hundreds of common (I think) seals. 

Coquet Island

There were many terns coming and going but most were Sandwich Terns with a few Arctic Terns and no sign of the target bird. Better still there were lots of Puffins both flying past and floating on the sea. The boat passed very close to some of them enabling me to get some good photos and from a perspective that I'd not managed before being usually stuck up on a cliff watching them fly to and from their burrows. 

Sandwich Tern

Arctic Tern

Puffin

There were also Guillemots and Razorbills and a few Kittiwakes noisily went on their way. In addition to the Sandwich and Arctic Terns there were Common Terns around too now but still no sign of my target bird which prompted me to inquire of the Skipper whether we'd see any? The reply was both encouraging and disappointing when he said that "Aye, they'll be around but with the low tide we won't be able to get within 50 yards of them". I didn't think that sounded so bad until he also added "on a high tide we can get within just a few yards"!

Guillemot's

Razorbill

Kittiwake

The boat was manoeuvred to a point opposite some "garden" sheds and where a number of nest boxes had been sculpted out of some wooden pallets and set into a dry stone wall (you can make these out on the photo of the lighthouse above, just to the left of the little church). This is where the UK's largest (and only?) breeding colony of Roseate Terns was based, a bird that I'd only seen a few times before and not for a fair few years. I tried to pick some out but it wasn't easy so I resorted to taking some random photos of the designated area in the hope that I'd get a few Roseate's to view later. Looking through binoculars at the nest sites was tricky owing to the rocking boat but I did eventually manage to observe them. In fact once my eyes were adjusted they were reasonably easy to pick out since they appear very white, particularly in flight, and have very long tail streamers compared to the accompanying Common and Arctic Terns. They also have a very subtle pink wash to the breast, hence the name. I failed miserably in getting a flight image though! We were however, treated to a pair getting down to the business of making more Roseate Terns. Oooerrr!

Roseate Tern's

The visit was brief and we soon left for the harbour but there were more Puffins to see as well as the support cast, including a juvenile Gannet that appeared to having fishing line and a hook attached to a wing which served as a reminder to the perils that our birds are facing every single day.

Puffin

Juvenile Gannet (with trailing fishing line)

Adult Gannet

Back on dry land the noise and the waft of chip fat returned but we consoled ourselves by enjoying one of the best ice creams that I've ever had (almost as good as the one by the Trevi Fountain in Rome many moons ago). Our hotel for the night was only a few miles away so we had time to go to a nearby (and quite famous) nature reserve, the Druridge Pools, which at all times of the year holds good birds. We were looking for a long staying Glossy Ibis but there was no sign of it on the flashes. Lots of waders were feeding there, Turnstones, Dunlin and Sanderling were all seen but there was no sign of a reported Pectoral Sandpiper. 

Ringed Plover

A couple of Whooper Swans were very late in still being here at the end of May but the best bird and biggest surprise was seen after I had committed a cardinal sin. I returned to the car to collect my scope so that I could search through the wading birds more precisely but for some inexplicable reason had left the camera with Mrs Caley. As I walked along the path a fantastic female Merlin buzzed straight past me in pursuit of a Skylark. I could have taken some crippling shots of a bird that I rarely see let alone photograph and the bloody camera wasn't on my shoulder. I am never making that mistake again!

Skylark (pre Merlin attack)

The first hotel was lovely with very nice food even though we were given a room right at the back and above the kitchens so the aroma of chips (or rather sautéed potatoes) pervaded once again. Perhaps they had placed us well away from other guests since they had heard that I can snore for England!

At breakfast we watched the only Nuthatch that we'd see on this trip (they are extremely rare in the Highlands) before leaving for another crack at the Glossy Ibis. Again there was no sign on the floods but this time we got chatting to a couple of locals and they advised us to try an area known as the Budge Fields which are located further down the reserve. Almost as soon as we'd looked out of the rudimentary viewing screen Mrs Caley exclaimed "there it is!" and sure enough it was. Not close but a nice bird nonetheless and the day was off to a good start. 

Glossy Ibis

The shallow pools on the Budge Fields also held about 20 Black-tailed Godwits in various stages of plumage. The brick red summer plumaged birds being particularly eye-catching (but not photogenic).  

Black-tailed Godwits

We moved a few miles down the road and joined a small band of "Toggers" who were assembled at a place where a Barn Owl could reliably be seen. This morning though it had been hunting at some distance away and had apparently flown off out of sight. We chatted for a bit and learned of a Little Owl that we must have drove past earlier without seeing; "it was sat on the stone wall right by the road!". Oh well you never see them all. I scanned the fields in front of our position and spotted the Barn Owl stood atop a fence post about half a mile away. Another long distance "record shot"! The "Toggers" one and all remarked "how did that get there without us seeing it?". I thought to myself that "maybe they should invest in some binoculars and use them rather than standing around comparing pictures!" To be fair though they were good chaps and quite informative about the local birding scene and I apologise if any of them are reading this but it's poetic licence.

Barn Owl

Cresswell Pond was next where a couple of Avocets were sifting through the mud at the shallow end. These birds are possibly the furthest northern breeding Avocets in England? The Barn owl could be seen from there too but was now about a mile away! A male Reed Bunting sang weakly (as only they can) from the reeds nearby. On our way out we briefly looked for the Little Owl but there was no sign so we decided to head elsewhere.

Avocet

Reed Bunting

Our original plan was to do some birding on Holy Island (Lindisfarne) but there wouldn't be enough time to make a safe exit from the island (it's connected to the mainland by a causeway that is flooded at high tide) and also, after many scarcities and rarities had been seen there the week before, it had gone quiet with nothing reported of note through the previous couple of days. So as an alternative we went to Low Newton by the Sea to view a small lagoon where a Wood Sandpiper had been seen the day before. The whole area there is owned by the National Trust so parking was only available a half mile away for a fee or even further away without. The NT don't deserve any of my money so we walked the extra yard or two and arrived by the scrape 30 minutes or so later. Needless to say there was no sign of the Wood Sandpiper but we did pick up some Ringed Plover and Dunlin and also found 4 fine Yellow Wagtails which were unexpected. 

Yellow Wagtail

The bushes here held a few Sedge Warblers and Common Whitethroats both of which would be hard to find further north. 

Sedge Warbler

We lingered a while just enjoying the beautiful surroundings and tranquility and watched various birds use available perches to preen and as song posts.

Goldfinch

female House Sparrow

male Stonechat

Swallow

We decided to head to our second hotel near to Melrose in the Borders early for a change since the weather was beginning to look a bit threatening with the forecast thunderstorms gathering. The Dryburgh Abbey Hotel is stunning and looks a bit like Downton Abbey off the TV (so our daughter remarked anyway)! The gardens are beautiful and the River Tweed runs right alongside the grounds. After checking into probably the most spacious room that we've ever stayed in (at the front of the hotel!) we explored the riverside and found a couple of loafing female Goosanders on rocks in the shallow water.

female Goosander

A pair of Oystercatchers had obviously nested on one of the hotels balcony's since one was stood sentinel on a parapet as the other busily collected worms from the lawn to feed (presumably) a chick or chicks. 

Oystercatcher

Thunder was now rattling not too far away so we took in the bar and enjoyed a couple of drinks. A local cyclist annoyed the hell out of me with his declaration that all Scots are behind the England team in the forthcoming World Cup! Yeah, right? I think not somehow! 

Midway through the night we were serenaded by two Tawny Owls having a sing song ding dong at each other but it was too dark to make them out in the trees. I looked in likely spots before breakfast but couldn't find them.

so it was on to the remaining 170 miles drive north and to our cottage for the next fortnight where we can settle in and get into some serious birding and hopefully find the special birds that make the area so appealing.