Wild Intrigue is a nature-based social enterprise, hosting intriguing wildlife experiences and urban rewilding projects across Northern England. Co-Director Heather Devey shares two of the seasonal highlights of North East England; an urban seabird colony, and a rural wetland architect.
Tyne Kittiwakes
Wildlife spectacles might not be the first thing to come to mind when exploring the urban landscape. However, from our base in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, we welcome the return of one of a wild sensory experience each spring. As the precipice of winter into spring arrives, often late-February, we hear the first: “kittiwake, kittiwake”
The Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside is home to the most inland nesting colony of Black-legged Kittiwakes in the world. Nesting on the urban ‘cliffs’ of iconic bridges and historic architecture, the Kittiwakes bring an essence of their wintering grounds – the wild Atlantic Ocean – into the heart of the city each year. Since the 1950’s these pelagic gulls have made their way further inland, following the River Tyne from the North Sea, with around 2000 nests from North Shields to the Quayside.
One of the most tranquil spots to watch the birds is the Saltmeadows Kittiwake Tower – a designated Local Nature Reserve – on the south of the Tyne. Close views of the birds, their gentle courtships and impassioned disputes, can be studied at close range here. Setting up the Leica APO-Televid 65 scope brings a new dimension of study to explore the finer details of the Kittiwakes, such as their prominent red eye rings, and we’re looking forward to using this to watch chicks as they develop.
Red Listed on the Birds of Conservation Concern index, Black-legged Kittiwakes have found successful breeding grounds in the urban climate of Newcastle-Gateshead. To support their coexistence with the human residents of the cities, we host annual Tyne Kittiwake experiences each summer, explaining the ecology and intrigue of these gentle gulls.
Northumberland’s Beavers
Urban nature is particularly close to our heart at Wild Intrigue. However where natural processes can be restored, so too can opportunities for diverse wildlife, and there are fewer landscapes with more potential than the rural lands of Northern England. One such landscape in Northumberland is being curated and engineered whilst many of us sleep, by an impressive natural engineer, which is slowly becoming reacquainted with water, land and communities across Britain. Tucked into the National Trust Wallington’s estate, a family of Eurasian Beavers have been restoring a wetland since their arrival in July 2023. Having worked with Beavers and communities for around 10 years, it has been wonderful to finally welcome their return north of the River Tyne in England. Even better, we work in partnership with the National Trust to host guided Beaver experiences throughout the year, from dusk and dawn watches, to daytime wetland explorations.
Diminishing light can be problematic when watching and studying crepuscular wildlife. This month (April) we undertook our first Dusk Beaver Safari recce’s of the season, to determine the main areas of foraging and socialising. The sharp image of the Leica Noctivid 10×42 binoculars enabled us to spend longer watching the Beavers into sunset, in particular, more family members socialising as they emerged from the lodge through the evening.
In the uplands of Northumberland, plant life can take longer to establish in spring, so the herbivorous Beavers are currently enjoying a woody diet of Willow, Birch and Rowen here – until the bounty of their favourite summer food source, Meadowsweet, flourishes.
