Monday 22 February 2016

Abbey Tip Off

Met up with Stewart at Coquet Estuary, Braid Car Park, we had decided to check out an area not really known to me but which had, last week, an interesting flock of Redpoll courtesy of our good friend Nigel. So after quickly checking the Gulls in Amble Harbour off we headed.. south..

Widdrington Tip, former landfill site flanked by a former industrial site, doesn't sound good but these areas can be some of the best in our countryside. Its no 'nature reserve' as we'd more comfortably expect but a small area where wildlife can thrive.

Superb habitat, Birch, Alder, reeds, small ponds and ditches. I tried to take some photographs to show the habitat.



We did catch up with the Redpoll flock, or part of it anyway, or actually, some Redpolls. Mostly Lesser Redpolls with at least a couple of Mealy Redpoll present, really nice birds to watch, very active, sometimes sat up in low bushes and sometimes disappearing to ground either feeding or drinking. We also saw Woodcock, Snipe and Long Tailed Tit flocks moving around the area.




Track of the day; fringing the good habitat on one side and our green and pleasant and lifeless habitat on the other
Looking in from the Widdrington Village road

Track in from the north end
Spot the Peregrine, winner gets a slice of cake
Off we headed back north, checking out various other ponds on reclaimed open cast areas, good birds to be had. Our last stop was Druridge Bay Country Park, photographing the male Goosander, not that successfully as it happens.




and a Mute..
It really lifted my spirits this visit to Widdrington Tip, yes we may have to share these habitats and areas with air gun enthusiasts and countryside users that may not quite be on the same side of the barbed wire fence as we are but do you know, I think the wildlife is safer and better off..

3 comments:

  1. The "lifeless" side in your photograph has had a hundred or so fieldfares and a big bunch of redwings on it several times lately...

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    Replies
    1. Excellent.. short grass will attract those birds,sometimes in high numbers at this time of year, wish they'd been there when I was there.

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  2. Nice post John. I like the wild Northumberland countryside but I'm drawn back to these former industrial sites because of the diverse habitat and it's occupants

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