NORTHUMBERLAND WILDLIFE TRUST
Nearest Town: Cresswell village
OS Map: NZ272965 (OS 50 000 Sheet 81)
This 24ha SSSI, part of the Northumberland Coast SPA is part of a restored opencast coal workings and consists of a deep lake and two wet fields.
Location and access: There is car parking at the adjacent National Trust Druridge Links car park. From Cresswell village follow the coast road north for 2.5 km to the entrance of the National Trust Druridge Links. The reserve is 200m on the left. The 'Budge Screen' can be reached from a gap in the fence on the left. The 'Oddie' and 'Little Hides' can be reached by following the public footpath for Widdrington and the Preceptory, between the screening mounds.
The site is part of a restored opencast coal workings and consists of a deep lake and two wet fields. The reserve is managed to maintain and enhance the habitat for breeding, passage and overwintering birds, particularly breeding waders. The lake supports large flocks of wintering wildfowl, mostly wigeon and teal but including goldeneye. A group of whooper swans which spend the winter at Druridge Bay are often seen here. In summer, great crested grebes breed here and wading birds feed along the shores. The two adjacent wet fields are very good feeding sites, especially for snipe, redshank and teal. Ruff are regularly seen, along with occasional rarities such as pectoral sandpiper and black-winged stilt.