Hides

I’d looked at a map of the reserve before setting off. It seemed simple enough. There was a lake with a few islands in it and there was a trail that took visitors around the lake. Several hides were scattered about along the trail. Top Hide was the first hide I came to, but I found the door was locked. Hmmm…not a good start. I had more success at Skua Hide. This hide was at an elevated position and actually looked seawards. It had some bird feeders below it that were being used by a good variety of birds. It was nice to see some Bullfinches; I don’t see many of them near where I live. Some Pheasants were clearing up below the bird feeders. It was a hive of activity and I stayed there quite a while. I was eventually driven away by the strong wind that was coming from the sea and straight through the hide’s window.     

I took a tributary path to the Tern Hide, but found that to be locked to. I made my back to the circuit path and found myself behind half a dozen pensioners. I followed them into the Willow Hide and as might be expected, there was no window seat for me. I sat on one of the ‘back’ seats to see if I could get any sort of view. I saw enough to show me that it was a decent hide with plenty of birds that were reasonably close. I could see why this hide was popular. The pensioners had unpacked their telescopes and so I didn’t rate my chances of getting a window seat in the near future. I got my coat. 

The Ponteland Hide was empty and so I grabbed a seat before anybody else came in. There weren't as many birds visible as in the Willows Hide, but it wasn’t bad. There was a group of Curlews on my left that were feeding in the water. On my right was a Goldeneye. A Little Grebe that kept disappearing under the water before I could get a decent photo. Occasionally some Canada Geese would fly along the lake. I spent about 20 minutes in the hide and moved on. 

Three Herons had been quite close to the trail before I disturbed them. They flew their gangly bodies over to one of the islands. The good trail ran out and a grassy path continued. It would have been a nice path if it hadn’t rained every day for the last six weeks. It was a little like the Glastonbury Festival on a soggy weekend. Clumps of mud clung to my boats. It was only for about 400 yards and then I diverted down to the West Hide. This was quite a good hide with a fine view across the lakes to the islands. I could see one of the Herons that I’d disturbed earlier. Lapwings performed aeronautical acrobatics above the lake. I could hear the Curlews, but they’d hidden somewhere out of sight. A Goldeneye bobbed its way along in front of the hide and kept diving for food. It had been a good hide to finish my tour. 

The hides had left me somewhat chilled and I decided that I’d have another coffee to warm me up before making my way back to the car. As I used the bristled boot cleaner to try and remove some of the chunks of clay from my boots, the half a dozen  pensioners I'd met earlier, also turned up. They’d obviously returned down the good path rather than venture down the muddy one. Just as I’d completed my boot cleaning, the last one of them entered the café. I followed him in and found that the group had commandeered the last free tables. I gave up. I decided to make my way back to my car. 

I didn’t visit Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre on a particularly good day. It was grey, dark and rainy. Even so, I could see that it was a great reserve with a good number of hides and a fine selection of birds on show. You may have to outrun any pensioners if you want to grab a seat though.