Over the summer, a red squirrel was discovered, early in the morning, sitting on the bench inside the visitor centre, calmly admiring the view of the lake through the window.

Even when the front door was opened to let it out, the squirrel would climb up the corridor’s gabion wall and peer through the glass door of the Lookout Café, before leaving.

Now, it’s the turn of a nosey mallard hen to regularly waddle into the building area for a quick ‘gander’ and a quackingly good inspection of the Wildlife Discovery Centre, before heading back to swim on the lake.

Elsewhere, on the reserve, volunteers top up the bird feeders to keep the birds ‘fuelled’ and now, one of the bolder resident robins has become so tame it sits on their hand waiting to be fed.  No doubt, it’s only a matter of time before it also looks inside the building.

The reserve at Druridge Bay is well known for its wonderful residents with visitors regularly experiencing hares, weasels and stoats scampering across the footpaths in front of them, red squirrels running up and down the trees next to the car park and baby tawny owls walking around the car park.

Only this week, a flock of Egyptian geese returned to the reserve. Having spent a number of weeks there during the summer, it was assumed that they had migrated, but they’re back and just in time for the autumn half term holiday.

Alex Lister, Druridge Bay Landscape Manager says:

“Who knew our local wildlife could be so entertaining? This year alone we have had a curious red squirrel, tame robin and now, the nosey mallard hen who wanders in when she feels like it.

“So, if anybody fancies a day away from all the politics on the telly and gloom and doom about the cost of living rise, a visit to our Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre is just what you need. You never know who or what you may come across.”