Needles Eye, a dramatic Stack isolated from the Red Sandstone cliffs running north from Berwick-upon-Tweed is an amazing hive of activity at this time of year. About 60 Kittiwakes formed a white cloud as they circled in front of the cliffs where at least as many more were sitting on nests or ledges, the cliffs resounding to their evocative calls. More than twenty Razorbills were on the stack, with many more on the sea just offshore, whilst one pair of bridled Guillemots were also showing well on the top. A larger gathering of Guillemots (>100) could be seen on the ledges just to the south of the stack, with a constant flow of birds flying in and out. Many Fulmars also have their nest sites near the top of the cliffs, more to the north of the Needles Eye. A few Cormorants and Shags were hanging out on the top of the stack, along with the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, no doubt waiting for an opportune moment to raid an unguarded nest. Along the grassy cliff tops there were Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, with Skylarks calling overhead.
Perhaps the fact that the most direct access to the site involves a daunting short section of footpath alongside the A1 dual-carriageway plus a footpath crossing of the equally busy East Coast Main Line ensures that it will remain an under-visited little gem! (There are longer routes along the coastal footpath from Berwick or Marshall Meadows.)
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