Kielder Osprey Watch
Northumberland Wildlife Trust has been making plans to ensure Osprey Watch wings its way back this spring.
The RSPB has noted the following key features to look out for with ospreys:
- Males and females look very similar, with brown upperparts and white underparts
- Juvenile birds have buff tips to their feathers, giving them a scaly appearance
- Females are larger and tend to have a ‘necklace’ of brown feathers on their chest
- White head with distinctive dark eye ‘mask’
- Black beak
- Adults have yellow eyes, juveniles have orange eyes
- Pale grey legs, not yellow as in many other birds of prey
- Wings angled at the ‘wrist’ making Ospreys look a bit like gulls at a distance
Since 2009, breeding pairs of ospreys have nested in Kielder between March and September. There is expected to be activity on the nest throughout July and August as the chicks hatch, are fed and then learn to fly and hunt.
Northumberland Wildlife Trust has announced that they will be “running Osprey Watch, whatever the weather, from the osprey cabin at Tower Knowe Visitor Centre in Kielder every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 4:00pm, from Saturday 4April (Easter Saturday) until mid-August, so make a note in the diary”.
Osprey Watch is an ideal way to learn more about this marvellous bird, found in tropical and temperate regions across the world.
Katy Barke, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Head of Nature Recovery commented:
“This time of year is always one of anticipation and excitement as spring progresses and species return to the UK from all over the world. The osprey must rank as one of the most spectacular migrant birds and we are very fortunate to host so many pairs at Kielder Water’s Forest Park, which we love to show to visitors. Keep your eyes peeled and you might just be lucky enough to see them and don’t forget to let us know if you spot any.”
Haining House receives Wild Residence Award for Northumberland Wildlife Trust
On 4 March, Northumberland Wildlife Trust was delighted to be able to announce that a prestigious award had gone to its very first holiday home.
The home that has won the coveted 2026 Customer’s Choice Award is Haining House, which is situated on the Haining reserve near Elsdon in Northumberland. To win the Customers’ Choice Award, an owner must have a holiday home which achieves a consistent score of (or above) 4.75 out of 5 for the overall rating through Feefo guest satisfaction feedback.
Haining House and its nature reserve were given to the Trust in the autumn of 2022 and include woodland, pastures, and hay meadows rich in wildflowers through which footpaths run down to the meandering course of the local river or “burn”.
On the site there are two plantations of Scots pine, and around these have been planted a larger group of around 40 hectares (100 acres) of trees.
Now that we have reached spring, the woodland is alive with rabbits, deer, birds, and squirrels. A visitor is also able to see a wide range of dragonflies and butterflies, including common hawkers and small skippers, which will soon be gearing up to make an
appearance at the woodland edges and glades.
When summer arrives, there is a burst of colour in the hay meadows, as plants such as common spotted orchids and yellow rattle make an appearance. Meanwhile, an excellent range of toads inhabit the small ponds, while otters use the Elsdon Burn. Bats and barn owls can often be seen hunting and generally flying over the grassland at dusk and dawn.
Mark Dowell, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Buildings & Facilities Coordinator, commented, “We are delighted to have received this award after all the hard work we have put into Haining House over the past eighteen months to ensure it looks its best. Thank you also to the conservation volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure the reserve looks its best for visitors”.
“This amazing piece of land is a wildlife hotspot well worth escaping to from time to time. It’s even better that dogs can stay in Haining House thanks to the fencing around the garden”.
Easter and other April events with Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Northumberland Wildlife Trust are running a number of events over Easter, including the following:
- Easter Egg Trail at Northumberlandia in Cramlington will be running from Friday, 3 April – Monday 6 April between 10:00am and 3:00pm.
- Spring Photo Trail at Hauxley Nature Reserve near Amble – Friday 3 April – Sunday ,19 April between 10:00am and 3:00pm. Individuals or groups can follow the photo trail around the site.
- Wagtastic Easter Meet-Up for dogs at Weetslade Country Park, on Saturday 3 April between 10 am – noon.
- Nature Celebration Day at St. Nicholas Park reserve in Gosforth will take place on Saturday 11 April between 10.30 and 3.30 pm.
According to Frances Smiles, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Events Officer, “There’s something for everybody this Easter, whether you like peering into ponds, have four legs and a tail, want to do some arts and crafts or simply just stroll in peace and quiet away from the hustle and
bustle of life, head to the coast at Hauxley, or inland to Northumberlandia, Weetslade Country Park or the Gosforth suburbs”.
Based on press releases from Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
