Returning home
Dunstanburgh Castle
Barefoot Birding
Tern Colony
Tern Colony
Mute Swans
St Cuthbert's website
With stomachs rumbling we drove slighting further north to Low Newton by the Sea to have lunch at the famous Ship Inn. This local boozer serves fresh Kippers (which were duly eaten) and has its own brewery. With glorious weather the pub was very busy however the service and quality of food was fantastic. As we tucked in to our Kippers Little and Arctic Terns treated us to fly pasts.
Along the beach at Low Newton Sand Martins were nesting and feeding. I did try and get an image but they were far to quick for my ageing camera. Sandwich and Little Terns were diving for food right along the shore line. Behind the beach there was a pool that had a Black-Tailed Godwit on, looks like Autumn migration was starting !
We then drove up to Beadnell where it was shoes off for some barefoot birding with an ice cream in hand. We headed south to an area called the Long Nanny. This site is home to a spectacular colony of Arctic Terns and around 30 pairs of Little Tern plus Ringed Plover.The National Trust operates a round the clock watch and there is a small observation platform.
As I set my scope up a Cuckoo flew through the colony putting every bird into the sky, a true spectacle. The photos don't really do justice to what we observed. Along the dunes there were also Stonechat, Sky Larks and Linnets.
We did make one final stop along a beautiful weir where a number of Mute Swans were in the presence of 6 Goosander, Grey Herons, Common Tern and a Sea Trout. It was great to reach our fantastic luxury accommodation at St Cuthbert's in Seahouses. St Cuthbert's had won the Gold Medal in the Visit England National Awards for best Bed & Breakfast for England. A very warm welcome awaited us by Jeff and Jill who made our stay throughly memorable. I'd urge anyone heading the Farne Islands to look up this converted church as you won't be disappointed.
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