Hexham Swamp

Hexham Swamp

Hexham Swamp lies on the north edge of Newcastle about two and a half hours drive up the road. There are always reports of interesting birds showing up there now and again but, up until now, I'd never been to visit.

A week ago I read a report of a pratincole being sighted at the swamp but it had all gone silent since then. It was down the pub on Friday night that Paul persuaded me that there were no more reports because there aren't any bird-watchers in Newcastle and we should get up there to find the bird because it was sure to be around still. Coming all the way from the arid interior, probably somewhere up around Broome, it wasn't about to turn round and head back there before it had caught it's breath. Unconvinced, but fancying a road-trip anyway, I headed up to Hexham on Sunday with Paul and Emily. When we reached the swamp my confidence was immediately buoyed as a Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo perched up next to the car. Several raptors were cruising over the reeds and the place just felt 'birdy'.

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo

Black Kite

Swamp Harrier

The swamp consists of extensive reed-beds, a bit of mangrove and some samphire salt marsh which is where the pratincole had been sighted previously. We staked out a likely spot and waited. And waited. A family of White-fronted Chats kept us company and the reeds were full of cisticolas and wrens but no pratincole.

Great Egret

After a break for lunch we returned and after a few more hours waiting the sun began to set. I'd given up but then, at 5.30pm and with only about 20 minutes to go before the sun disappeared, the Australian Pratincole #482 showed up. It looked spectacular in the fading light as it flew in and proceeded to dance about on the edge of the water catching flies and giving us all a great view.

Getting darker

Pratincole! 

And so it turned out that Paul was right all along. You just have to be positive!

 A milestone for my trusty Focus