Staple Island - The approach

The morning had finally arrived. My day trip to the Farne Islands. I had been constantly checking my weather app for days, and it was at least looking dry. That's all I wanted. As I went to pay though I realised that the wind was also quite an important factor. If it's too windy with too much swell we wouldn't be able to land on Staple Island. After a tense fifteen minute wait, we were all systems go.

We set off on time at 9.30am. The islands look deceptively close from the shore. They're actually 2-3 miles away, and that takes quite a while by boat. I think it probably took 30 minutes to get to Staple, when it looked like it should be 10.

Glad Tidings 3. My boat for the day.

Bamburgh Castle seen from the boat.

Inner Farne and the lighthouse in the distance.

Eider Ducks will be one of my lasting memories of my time at Seahouses and the Farne Islands. A bird that I usually struggle to get on my year list is in abundance on the seas here. In the harbour at Seahouses on the boat journey across, and around the Farnes too. There are oodles of them. Super looking birds, and most had young with them.

Approaching Staple Island and you can see the cliffs heaving with Guillemots and Razorbills. Kittiwakes in the air, and an extraordinary smell.

I didn't really know where to look first, such was my excitement. I kept catching birds out of the corner of my eye as they took off from the sea. Others were flying in front of us. I was trying to bring the camera up every now and again but to no avail as everything was moving so fast. I need to remind myself that I am 41 and not 21. Should I be feeling this excited. The grin on my face was telling me YES!

The best I could do with a Puffin in flight shot from the boat.

A solitary Puffin on Staple Island as we approach.

Razorbills looking fantastic in the sunlight. My wishes for good weather had been answered.

Martin Mere

I thought I'd start my first entry at Martin Mere, an amazing wildfowl and wetland centre in Lancashire. At this time of year especially, it is teeming with thousands of swans and geese. It's a great day out, with lots of birds to be seen at all times.  There are plenty of hides along well laid out paths, and feeding stations too. Here you will find the usual finches and tit flocks. A Kingfisher can regularly be seen, and on the day I went, there was a Red Kite and two Marsh Harriers. Two great birds to see in flight.

Below are some of my photos from my day at Martin Mere in September. Some of these are captively bred, but they are still quite nice shots.

This Red Crested Pochard posed nicely for me.

This male Common Eidur Duck was constantly preening and splashing.

Here we have two Pink Footed Geese either side of a Barnacle Goose.

Here you can see the numbers that were starting to build up in September.

And finally, a Whooper Swan.