Beschreibung
At Weetslade Country Park the old mine spoil heap, now landscaped and grassed over, offers a good lookout point for visible migration. The area is nesting habitat for Feldlerche and Wiesenpieper, and feeding habitat for migrating Steinschmätzer on the north and west sides, and Dorngrasmücke, Fitis, Goldammer and other scrubland birds on the Gorse- and Hawthorn-covered south and east sides. Elsewhere, the small bird feeding station attracts many birds including Weidenmeise. Two pools and their surrounding wetland hold Schilfrohrsänger and Teichrohrsänger, and often one or two Seidenreiher, a recent colonist this far north. In winter, Rotdrossel and Wacholderdrossel are common on the fields at the west end of the site. Raptors include regular Mäusebussard, Sperber, and Turmfalke, and occasional passage Rotmilan and others.
Details
Zugang
National Cycle Route 10 (Reivers Way) crosses Weetslade Country Park, and is the best way to cover it. Bus services 43 and 45 from Newcastle upon Tyne are 5 minutes walk from the west end of the site, and there is a car park at the east end (plus limited on-street parking at the west end).
Note that most of the paths become very wet throughout the winter, and after heavy rain at any time of year, as the ground is heavily compacted and with poor drainage.
Terrain und Habitat
Feuchtgebiet , Landwirtschaft , Vereinzelte Bäume und Büsche , Grasland, Wiesen , Plateau , Schilfflächen , Stadt/DorfBedingungen
Flach , Hügelig , Sumpfig , Kein Schatten , Offene Landschaft , Hochwasser möglich , RutschigRundweg
JaIst ein Spektiv nützlich?
Möglicherweise hilfreichGute Beobachtungszeit
GanzjährigBeste Beobachtungszeit
Winter , Frühjahrszug , Herbstzug , FrühjahrRoute
Normaler Weg , unbefestigte StraßeSchwierigkeitsgrad der Tour
DurchschnittlichErreichbarkeit
zu Fuß , Fahrrad , RollstuhlBeobachtungshütten oder -türme
JaZusätzliche Informationen
Please approach the feeding station slowly, to avoid spooking birds using it! The seats for the feeding station are usually wet, so a sit-mat is useful.


