Pete's Favourite Things

Bridge across River Aln

Alnmouth is a wonderful coastal village in Northumberland. It is situated on a spit of land bounded on one side by the River Aln as it makes its way down the sea and on the other by the North Sea. One of my favourite walks here begins at the bridge where the road crosses onto the spit. From here it is a pleasant walk down the river.  In previous years (May in 2014 and April in 2015) this has been very busy with birds as they made their way to their breeding grounds, but at this late time in the season it seems much quieter. A large party of Mute Swans can be seen along with parties of Greylag and Canada Geese. Grey Heron can be found in the reedy edges and a single Oystercatcher can be heard calling. The river is usually a good place to see Eider but on this occasion only a single female can be found sitting on a grassy peninsular.

River Aln

The Estuary

At the end of the spit, the House Martins are nesting on their usually houses and swallows join them in feeding over the dunes. A small group of Herring Gulls were present on the far bank of the river outflow.

The marsh pools

The Beach

Returning via the sand dunes, a pair of Meadow pipits keep a close eye from a post. No doubt they have young somewhere in the dune grass. On the marsh a Coot and a Moorhen are feeding along with Crows and Jackdaws. Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin and Wren provide the morning serenade from the trees.

Common Pheasant [sp] (Phasianus colchicus)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Eider [sp] (Somateria mollissima)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)
Eurasian Wren [sp] (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Song Thrush [sp] (Turdus philomelos)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)
Meadow Pipit [sp] (Anthus pratensis)
European Greenfinch [sp] (Carduelis chloris)