Early summer is a magical season for wildlife in Northumberland. Why not join us for some outstanding birding at a wonderful time of year and experience the other wildlife that this beautiful county has to offer?
The beginning of summer is a wonderful time for wildlife right across the British Isles, but nowhere is better than the remote and rugged coastline, the islands and the moors of Northumberland. The Farne Islands are deservedly world-famous for their accessible - even at times too friendly! - colonies of arctic terns, Sandwich terns, puffins, razorbills, guillemots, shags, fulmars, kittiwakes and eiders, and their handsome grey seals.
Nearby, Coquet Island has many of the same birds, plus the UK's only colony of the exquisite roseate tern. Elsewhere along the coast there are colonies of common and little terns, while in early summer Northumberland's inland habitats offer breeding dipper, goosander, grey wagtail, tree pipit, redstart, red grouse, spotted flycatcher and more.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Arrive in Seahouses before an afternoon of birding
We meet early this afternoon at our hotel in Seahouses where we check in before heading out to a local nature reserve to see our first Northumberland wildlife.
Later, we may well visit Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Druridge Pools and Cresswell Pond reserves, both of which attract spring migrant birds and support many breeders in summer, the latter hosting the UK's most northerly nesting avocets.
We have four full days over which to explore Northumberland's stunning coastline and coastal islands, the majority of which is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and experience its diverse inland habitats for their birds, butterflies, flowers and other wildlife.
We devote one day to visiting the magnificent Farne Islands from Seahouses. In early summer this is a place like no other, where arctic terns deliberately nest as close to public paths as possible (because this affords them better breeding success, due to reduced predation from gulls) but attack human intruders along the paths with angry pecks on the head! The islands are also great places to get to know Atlantic puffins and common guillemots, in addition to smaller numbers of razorbills. Shags, kittiwakes, fulmars and abundant grey seals are also among the highlights of a visit to the Farnes.
On another day we take a boat from the village of Amble to Coquet Island. Though it is not possible to land, we should see some of the gorgeous roseate terns that nest here, in the UK's only colony.
We visit Holy Island too, planning our visit around the tide which covers the causeway twice a day. Holy Island is special for a number of reasons, including the chance to see little terns, for its migrant birds and its long and rich cultural history.
Northumberland's wonderful inland habitat will not be neglected either. Dipper, common sandpiper and grey wagtail breed along quiet streams, while woods here still support red squirrels. Up in the Cheviots, many scarce or declining birds may still be found, including cuckoo, redstart, tree pipit, red grouse and spotted flycatcher.
However we spend our time in Northumberland's beautiful and diverse habitats, we will be sure to see a wonderful range of birds and other wildlife in unique and dramatic scenery.
Day6: Final morning excursion before departure
We have one last morning to explore coastal habitat close to our hotel, prior to our tour ending around midday.
Key info
Duration and price excluding international flights: 6 daysfrom £1,195 pp
Born in East Yorkshire, but having now spent more than half of his life north of the Tyne, Martin is a wildlife, photography and astronomy guide.
For the last 12 years he’s coordinated the North East Cetacean Project, mapping cetacean and seabird abundance and distribution off the Northumberland coast, to inform marine protected area decision-making processes, and he was the main cetacean species account author for Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles of the North East. He’s a past author, and editor, of Birds in Northumbria, who’s had a fascination with everything in the natural world around him since a very young age.
The northernmost county in England, Northumberland is noted for its undeveloped landscape of high moorland and rugged coastline much of which is largely protected. Whilst exceptional wildlife can be seen throughout the year in the county, it is the early summer which is particularly magical.
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Where: Northeast England
Ideal for viewing: Atlantic puffin, roseate tern, dipper, Arctic tern, grey seal
Situated in the village of Seahouses overlooking the harbour, the Bamburgh Castle Inn is the perfect place to stay whilst exploring the county of Northumberland and its stunning wildlife. The hotel is close to many of the county’s key wildlife locations and offers excellent accommodation.
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