Written by Kevin O'Hara, conservation officer at Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Where do they all go in winter? - Part 1
Recently I felt the first twangs of winter; the 'first frost' gripped my garden, the chickens came skidding out of their ark, and I had to break the ice on their drinking water. I really like those first days, when we still have some daylight left to enjoy the wonderful colours and smells. I take the camera and binoculars with me when I walk the dogs, keeping an eye out for winter thrushes or other visitors. The clocks have altered and we start the long haul of winter - not until February will some real light return to the sky, and warmth to the sun.
It is during these months that we wonder where, exactly, many of our resident wildlife species go to survive the coldest and wettest days of winter, especially those that are more delicate and less mobile.
Peter Arris sent in this attractive shot of Newbiggin for the community website. He reported it was "very cold and windy - not a soul in sight."
Send your pictures to northumberland@ncjmedia.co.uk
Tri Northumberland hosted their second qualifying event of the year on Sunday 11th Sept. This time the prize was qualification for the Eilat ETU Sprint Triathlon World Championships on what turned out to be an epic day for all concerned.
This week we look at one of the more interesting characters from South East Northumberland's history. But can anyone cast any more light on why he had his unusual name?
Billy the Whaler was one of Newbiggin's real old notable characters.
Here we have two photographs of Billy. On the right, we have Billy at the sea front. On the left, he is seen posing with two Newbiggin fisher-lasses, Bella Jefferson and Ann Wake Jefferson.
Newbiggin Sprint Triathlon is traditionally the North East Regions final open water triathlon of the season set in the lovely Northumbria coastal town, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, approximately 14 miles North of Newcastle uponTyne. This year, British Triathlon awarded the race a prestigious major event, an ETU European Championship Qualifying for Eilat, Israel in April 2012. Hopeful athletes from all over the UK will arrive on the weekend attempting to grab one of those precious slots on offer.
In March 1849, fisherman at Cullercoats found floating in the sea a fish of "uncommon length and of silvery and dazzling brightness".
It was later identified as one of the rare Gymmetrus species, 12ft 5in long, 13in in depth and three inches thick, with a crest of 14in in height.
The fish caught at Cullercoats in 1849
In 1846, other fishermen had caught off Alnmouth the first specimen in British waters of Trichiuvus Lepturus (the Blade Fish), 13ft 9in long.
Families in South East Northumberland were set the challenge of completing a short distance run along Newbiggin Promenade as part of the London 2012 Open Weekend supported by BP - a series of sporting and cultural events taking place across the UK which will see hundreds of thousands of people participating in events to celebrate the 'One Year to Go' countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The hunt is on to name Newbiggin's latest couple.
The Sea Explorers - an animated boy and girl - will welcome children to the Newbiggin Maritime Centre, which opens on 21 July, and help tell the story of a community's life by the sea.
They are the creation of local illustrator and Centre volunteer Amy Telford and it is hoped they will become as well known as Newbiggin's other couple Ebb and Flo - the UK's first offshore sculpture.
The countdown has started to the opening of the North East's newest attraction, the Newbiggin Maritime Centre.
The Centre has confirmed that it will open its doors on Thursday 21 July - the culmination of seven years hard work from a group of dedicated volunteers - the Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Heritage Partnership - who have raised £3m.
Partnership chairman Richard Martin said: "Even before our first visitors arrive the building has become a welcome and distinctive landmark on the North East coast."
Fishermen in Newbiggin were telling a whale of a story in May 1959.
This is the story of a battle at sea with a 40-foot whale which tangled up in the nets of the coble Green Pastures and had to be killed by rifle fire.
Mathew Stanton, 39, and 19-year-old Henry Rowe, both of Newbiggin, were quietly fishing for salmon a few hundred yards offshore in Druridge Bay when a whale larger than their 30ft boat charged into their nets.
Newbiggin
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