20/21- 10-07 Northumberland

Saturday we had to go to Kirknewton just past Wooler in the north of Northumberland and check out the walk to West Hills & St Gregory's which I have wrote about before I decided not to take my camera as it was very dull and overcast looks like we had come to the wrong area as further south according to the radio it was bright and sunny , coming around the base of West Hills and starting the climb up, a huge raptor lifted from near the top a few heavy flaps and it was gone from sight, I thought it would have risen from over the top and reveal itself it ,but it was not seen again when we eventually got to the top and looked over the College valley it was nowhere to be seen there was a slight breeze coming over the top which the bird had lifted into but probably not enough to soar on we sat for sometime scanning to try and find it ,hoping the passing Crows would help us to find it or it could have settled on a hillside or tree.
It was very large, with broad long wings and long tail, it looked all dark in the dull light but seen all to briefly, I can only think Golden Eagle if I had refound it I would have put the word out but as there was no phone signal and little chance of it soaring around plus the unconfirmed I.D. I left it at that.
I spent most of the day checking the sky especially as it later became warmer and brighter, oddly no Buzzards around today plenty of Fieldfares & Redwings over.
Sunday I don't know if anyone is familiar with this location it was new to me. we where really just out for a walk but had Kingfisher .4 Heron, Cormorant ,2 Mute, Mallard, Moorhen ,Grey & Pied Wagtail, Tree , Hedge & House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Goldcrest , Robins a plenty, Fieldfare & Redwings, Mistle Thrush etc;
two Roe Deer and I tried to string* a Border Terrier into an OTTER but you had to be there, it was creeping through the long grass towards the pool ,with a long pointed tail looking very convincincing perhaps I got a little carried away ,
back at the car for a very late lunch I had just sat down with tea in one hand and a sarnie in the other when I heard the mew of Buzzard looked up to see three, then four , then five and what looked like a sixth way off in the distance , so I had to try and get the lot in one photo but they just teased me eventually dispersing , also four Pinkfoot over and two Kestrel hunting the nearby field with Red Legged Partridge calling and towards the end of the day a Tawny called from the nearby wood.
*Looking on Surfbirds the other day in the names of the top five County Listers was a FRANK STRINGER, well I thought it was amusing anyway.
Somewhere in Northumberland but where?????

Northumbrian Birding