leighton moss and northumberland

[Sprout]

we've just returned from 10 days away and have become even more hooked on watching the birdies!
we visited leighton moss 3 times and clocked up 12 new birds there, although the elusive bittern wasn't one of them
over in northumberland, on the coast between berwick on tweed and lindisfarne we added a further astonishing 19!!
our best 'spot' at leighton moss was a great crested grebe, and in northumberland loads of eider ducks, just because they look so interesting.
at one point, we spent half an hour trying to decide if we were looking at purple sandpipers, having been told by a chap who looked like he knew what he was talking about that they were dunlins. they weren't though, they were definately purple sandpipers. we've found the detective work is all part of the enjoyment and won't contemplate ticking a bird off unless we're absolutely sure.
the only downside is that now we're back, our garden birds seem to have deserted us, i think they're sulking at having to go without food for 10 days!

[ron1863]

Looks like you enjoyed yourself. Nature is addictive

[cherrywaff]

hi sound like youve had a great time , i like northumberland a lot we stay there for a few days when we go to scotland , i remember seeeing my first eider there as well. have you been to the farne islands and seen all the sea birds, puffins are brilliant.
cherry

[Sprout]

cherry, unfortunately they aren't running the boat trips to the farne islands yet (still too wintery) which was a great shame, i would have loved to have seen the puffins, they're next on my list of 'must see' birds. northumberland was a complete revelation to us, never having been there before. we had no idea, until we got there, how important that stretch of coast is in terms of birdwatching and nature, and being a heritage coast. i have no doubt at all that we'll be going back at some point, we only really scratched the surface. and of course the different seasons bring different birds too.

[Ruth Daniel]

Glad you enjoyed your time at L.M Sprout....we love it there and will be visiting again shortly!
Here's a Purple Sandpiper that we saw recently.