Jollies Tuesday & Wednesday

Tuesday dawned as predicted with heavy rain, that meant only one thing, Alnwick day, shopping. Well we needed supplies and as the Queen was due to visit on Wednesday it was a good day to get it out of the way, it also meant that I could visit my favorite book shop, Barter Books (BB). It's a place where old books go to die and they BB. occupy the entire now defunct railway station, it out does Hay-on-Wye for secondhand books hands down, even if you have no interest in books it's well worth a visit if your in that neck of the woods.
Wednesday
I got up and went to make a cuppa and as I walked past the patio doors two woodpeckers flew off the wall....so they are here after all. On and off for the rest of the holiday they appeared on a regular basis mainly one of two juveniles and the female parent I only saw the male once.

Female great Spotted Woodpecker



Juvenile



Feeding Time



I hadn't done the twelve mile stint of upper Coquetdale so far, so my mission for the day was to put that right. The single track road to Coquet Head beneath the Roman fort of Chew Green holds delights at every twist and turn. These days I don't venture too far from the car, but that's fine as there are plenty of places to squeeze the car in while I go to explore my favorite nooks and crannies.

Common Sandpiper are numerous in Coquetdale



Plenty of common sandpiper with young in tow, and some very scrappy wheatear again with their young, pairs of oystercatchers on the many scrapes up and down the river along with dippers and grey wagtail patrolling their stretch.
Oystercatcher


Sand Martin


Swallow


With posting swallows and sand martin quite close by on my return down it made for another memorable trip.
Fortitude