The most Northern County in England, Northumberland is a veritable treasure trove for bird-watchers and twitchers. Bamburgh is ideally positioned between the Cheviot Hills to the West, contained entirely within the Northumberland National Park, and the Coastal Island of Lindisfarne to the East.
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More than 400 species of bird have been recorded in Northumberland, including the now extinct Great Auk. It’s also the county to boast sightings of the rare Slender-billed Curlew which is many a twitcher’s prize.
Spring is a delightful season filled with birdsong as many of the locals birds, like finches and thrushes, compete with the migrant birds from all over the world who come to the area to breed. Which is much to the delight of the predatory Peregrine Falcon and Goshawk who are found in the woodlands.
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At this time of year, there is also a lot of passing bird traffic along the coast, some just passing and others, like Whimbrel, stopping off for a snack.
Summer is renowned for its sea birds, particularly those comical fellows, the puffins who are numerous at this time of year on and around the Farne Islands, though you don’t have to go far to see some of the season’s sea birds, since the county is home to Britain’s largest mainland Arctic Tern colony.
It is Autumn and Winter which are of particular interest to visitors of Bamburgh. The proximity of the village to Lindisfarne or Holy Island, makes is great place to be for the colder months of the year and many bird-watchers make there way to this migration ‘hot spot’.
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Holy Island’s autumns are well known for Thrushes and Warblers who are an impressive sight to behold in the local fields. In winter the Island’s mudflats are populated by large numbers of wildfowl. Light-Bellied Brent Geese visit during this season and it is one of the largest gatherings worldwide.
It’s hard to miss the wondrous and diverse bird population in and around Bamburgh and, for the ardent bird-watcher, there are many tours and trails dedicated to the wildlife of Northumberland.
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