Ewarty Shank 
Ewarty - 2 Cuckoos flying around this wood saturday/sunday
Brinkburn priory
Druridge at 06:30am
CresswellSorry havent had time really to do this until today...busy week.
Got up really early saturday and drove up to druridge and hauxley, the sun rising was awesome its my favourite time of the day in the summer, the place is just starting to come alive..lovely.
Had brekky then drove up to Ewart shank but passed Brinkburn priory on the way. Now this place seems to have been closed to the public for a long time now, but its re-opened now so couldnt resisit a quick look around to see how they're getting on with it. Entry is £3 each and you can take dogs but only on a lead if theyre well behaved. Its like all old churches and priories etc they smell damp and foisty, but its a beautiful old building and the grounds are fantastic. You can walk around the old manor house on the ground floor but the first floor etc are in a bad state of
repair so theyre blocked off to the public..worth seeing though.
Then off in the car again up to Ewarty Shank with the dog, its always really peaceful up there apart from the odd hikers you dont see anyone, which is nice after a busy week its nice to get away from people. We sat in the car having sandwiches and thought we were hearing things?...a cuckoo!!...2 cuckoos.
Last time we saw or heard a cuckoo was in druridge country park about 5 years ago so we were really chuffed, but couldnt get a picture of them though as they were fliting about to quickly then dissapeared into the small woods.
Sunday started out nice so we went up to another favourite spot, the coquet valley. Normally we see dippers there but this is the 2nd visit in the last 2 weeks and weve not seen any at all! which is a bit dissapointing, but the amazing number of meadow pipits, pied wagtails, grey wagtails and wheatears made up for it.
On the way home the curiosity got he better of us and we couldnt resist another detour to ewarty shank to see if the cuckoos were still there...yes they were...great!
The weather started to turn late afternoon and it came downin buckets so we headed off home back down the coast calling in at cresswell before we got home where we watched the barn owl for abot 10 minspicking up dinner around the dunes to take back to the barn.
Had a really good weekend which was made special seeing those amazing cuckoos :)
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