November

Red SquirrelHere are some of the things you can expect to see in November in Northumberland National Park ...

Red Squirrels can be seen throughout woodlands in the National Park gathering food for the winter before resting in their dreys. They are often easier to see when there are no leaves on the trees and they are busy at the moment.

Salmon and sea trout are making their way up-stream to spawn and leaping at water falls. Good places to see them include the River Tyne, River Breamish including Linhope spout and College valley at Hethpool Linn.

At this time of year birds from Scandinavia and Russia think it is mild here in Northumberland and arrive to eat berries like rowan and hawthorn. Look out for members of the thrush family including redwings and fieldfares, often in large noisy flocks.

Whooper swans, ducks such as goldeneye, teal, wigeon and geese like barnacles, white-fronts and greylags can be seen gathering at the Roman Wall loughs Greenlee, Broomlee and Grindon to feed. These birds have come all the way from the arctic where they bred in summer.

Hedgehogs are starting to hibernate as the weather turns colder. Check your bonfire or piles of leaves before you burn them to protect these garden helpers who eat loads of slugs in the summer!

Many visiting birds have left the upland areas of the National Park at this time of year but you can still see and hear red grouse if you walk in the heathery hills.

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