East Chevington

East Chevington nature reserve lies adjacent to the Druridge Bay Country Park, south of Amble and north of Druridge Pools and Cresswell Pond. The site was passed to Northumberland Wildlife Trust following opencast restoration in 2003.

Reedbeds, grassland and woodland

In addition to the two lakes, Northumberland Wildlife Trust also owns farmland to the west but this is only accessible along marked routes.

The reserve is considered as one of the best birdwatching sites in the county with large numbers of water birds using the lakes and the margins including terns, water rails and snipe. Spring and autumn see a wide range of migrant birds with large flocks of pink-footed geese overhead. Skylark, stonechat and grasshopper warbler breed on the site and can often be seen around the grassland areas and along the coastal path.

The expansive reedbeds have resulted in reed bunting, reed warbler and bearded tits to breed onsite and bittern to overwinter. Marsh harriers also rely on the reedbeds and first bred here in 2009, the first recording in Northumberland for 130 years. Barn owls and short-eared owls are often seen hunting along the grasslands and passage birds have included osprey and other birds of prey.

East Chevington’s grasslands support a wide range of plants such as dyer's greenweed, bloody, meadow and cut-leaved crane’s bill and bird’s foot trefoil. Five species of orchid can also be found onsite: common spotted, northern marsh, marsh helleborine, bee and lesser butterfly. Two new areas of wildflower meadow were planted last year thanks to the Heritage Lottery funded Catch My Drift project.

Mammals onsite include roe deer, harvest mice, water shrew, stoats and hares. Our smaller pools are home to great crested and smooth newts, with toads and frogs also common. The reserve has a great record of invertebrates. Wall and small heath are among the 21 species of butterflies to be recorded.

Please note there is one locked hide at the entrance to the site which is not accessible to the public as it is for education sessions. There are number of other hides available for public access. There are toilets and a café at the Druridge Bay Country Park (run by Northumberland County Council).