Saturday 23rd May 2026: Cresswell and Druridge Pools

 Ever creatures of habit, we started our Northumberland holiday at Cresswell. I was disappointed to find no sign of the House Martin colony at an outbuilding near the toilet block. Normally this is buzzing with activity, but today there was silence and emptiness, although nest cups remained beneath the eaves. There were plenty of Swallows swooping across the skies as some small compensation.

We had arrived just after high tide, with few rocks exposed,  but a few Eiders loafed with the Herring Gulls offshore. Tim spotted a flock of 22 Whimbrel which flew past, curved bills clearly visible. We took a walk along the shore, scrambling across the rocks, then balancing slightly precariously on a sea wall, before reaching an area where a sandy beach and rocky ridge were exposed as the tide receded. A colony of Sand Martins were nesting in the cliff banks here, and we enjoyed watching their antics for some time. A Skylark fluttered its wings rapidly as it soared skywards behind them. Three Oystercatchers tracked past, their piping calls echoing above the waves. Next a few Fulmars appeared, flying close to the beach, giving brilliant views. Sandwich Terns patrolled offshore, gleaming white in the sunshine and performing their spectacular plunge dives.

Sand Martins

After lunch, we stopped at Cresswell Pond, where wheeling Lapwings, a single Avocet, and a pair of Redshanks were all added to our holiday tally. A few Shelduck rested on the banks and a Reed Bunting showed well, singing softly from the reedbed. On the grassy dunes a pair of  Stonechat, pirouetting  Meadow Pipits  and bouncy Linnets were all found.

We continued on to Druridge Pools, where there was sadly no sign of a reported Pectoral Sandpiper, but we were pleased to find two Wood Sandpipers and a pair of summer plumaged Dunlin wandering around the vegetated mudbank. Three Whooper Swans and two bathing Spoonbills were both an unexpected bonus, with the Spoonbills putting on a great display as they splashed their bills and flapped their wings.

Spoonbills

There were still plenty of ducks here, including Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Wigeon. From the screen we observed eighteen Curlew roosting on the water’s edge,  a pair of Red-legged Partridge scurrying through the grassy margins and a small group of Swifts acrobatically dancing overhead. 

With a final tally of over 50 species it had been a pleasing start to our holiday.