Windy last morning walk along the cliffs in Berwick-upon-Tweed with Stonechats, Meadow Pipit and Linnets - 15th May 2026

Lighthouse in the distance in front of a rough sea

Stonechat perching on a log at the edge of Little Beach

Meadow Pipit singing while standing on a log

Linnet gathering nesting material

Male Stonechat on the move while Meadow Pipit perching at the other end of the log

Male Stonechat perching on diagonal piece of wood

Young Stonechat flying towards a large log on the beach

Young Stonechat perching on the log

Pied Wagtail strolling on the beach

Female Stonechat perching at the end of a very thin stem

Male Stonechat perching on a twig on the left with the lighthouse in the distance

Male Linnet in daisy-covered grass

Goldfinch collecting nesting material from wildflowers in the grass

The male Linnet decided to come closer and perched on the top of a wooden post

then went back to collecting nesting material

Female Linnet collecting nesting material

Both Linnets collecting nesting material

Large waves were washing over the lighthouse wall

Time to go back to the holiday park, collect my luggage and walk back to the station - I had a lovely week in Berwick-upon-Tweed, visiting Seahouses, the Farnes and Holy Island and hope to be back soon

Wet and windy few hours on Holy Island - 9th May 2026

It was raining when I got the bus from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Holy Island where I spent a few hours.  Unfortunately, it was damp and very windy all day - but I still managed to see some interesting things before getting the bus back to Berwick at around 4.00 pm.

Lindisfarne Castle on top of a small steep hill

Two Ringed Plovers on the beach

The markers on the land opposite Holy Island

Oystercatchers on the wet beach

Pretty pink Clematis in Gertrude Jekyll's garden

A thistle-like flower in the garden

Sheep sheltering from the strong wind

Fluffed-up male Reed Bunting on the edge of a tree

Female Roe deer

and with a male

Sheep with black heads

Blackbird parking warden!

Swallows landing on the narrow road while feeding

and joined by a Pied Wagtail

Huge Gorilla outside the takeaway - a very strange animal to find on Holy Island!

 

Birding visit to RSPB Pulborough Brooks on 25th April 2026

I went from London to Pulborough Brooks on a coach trip with a birdwatching group

The first bird I saw when I arrived was a distant Common Whitethroat

Nightingale perching on a tree in part of a woodland area

The Nightingale moved to a bramble beneath the tree

 There was some excitement when someone pointed out a Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly that had just emerged from its nymph skin and was hanging from it in order to harden up its body in the sunshine

The new dragonfly was hanging off a thin leaf in a small pond

Damselfly hanging from a leaf in the same small pond

Great White Egret wading around in a large lagoon in front of a bird hide

Little Egret in the marsh land

Two Mute Swans flew across the lagoon

Distant Buzzard flying overhead

Male Northern Shoveler at the edge of the lagoon

Posing Lapwing

Rather handsome male Pheasant

Well-disguised Common Redshank against a mud bank

Wood Pigeon having a bath

Greater Stitchwort flowers

with a helpful label - thanks!

When I returned to the small pond where I had seen the newly-emerged dragonfly, only the empty nymph case was left

Lovely white blossom along the edge of the path

Bluebells in the woodland walk

Song Thrush in the woodland area

Impressive trees on the hill

Returning along the path in the woodland, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was hanging off the side of a large tree trunk

Looking back at the path through the woodland

Dunnock on the path

Tiny Pied Wagtail and giant wooden Owl at the visitor centre

 It was a very interesting day spent in Pulborough Brooks and I would love to return there some time