The Atlantic Puffins

I spent a lot of my time watching and photographing the Puffins while in the Farnes. It's hard not to stare in wonder at their cute faces and clown like eyes. They look rather sad and it makes me want to give them a big hug and say everything's going to be okay.
On a serious note, they are remarkable birds. Spending the majority of the year at sea. Only returning to land to breed. The young Pufflings will spend the first few years of life out at sea, where their wings are perfectly adapted to swimming under water. In fact when you see them fly you can understand why they spend most of their time on the water.
These were taken on Staple Island and from the boat as we went around the island.

Staple Island - Part Two

I tried to divide my time between the different species on the island, but it was very difficult to pull myself away from the Puffins that were flying in at all angles.

The Kittiwake is my probably favourite gull, so it was nice to get up close to these birds around the rocks, but also to see them at their nests. Sadly, they're a 'red status' bird these days. So hopefully an abundance of sand eels this year will help their breeding and improve their numbers.

 A nice sea breeze made it easy for them to hang in the air.

On the nest with the future generation.

There were a few Rock Pipits on the island. This one did its best to try and avoid me.

A bird that I was only able to add to my life list just a few months ago, was in abundance on Staple and around all the Farne islands. The Shag is smaller than a Cormorant, and in my opinion a lot better looking. I love that starry green eye and the hair tuft. Another bird now on the red list, with only 10 breeding sites around the UK. It's a bird I was happy to get up close with, and by close, I do mean within a few feet.

A nice contrast of adult and juvenile. Note the eye is blue and not green on the youngster.

In more familiar territory.

Staple Island

Once on the island I didn't really know where to begin. So many birds and only an hour on the island. It's not a very big island, but I really could have spent hours here. The sun was out, its was relatively warm and what I had been waiting for was all in front of me. I just had to get on and do what I came here for. Hold the camera up and press that button for as long as I liked. Absolutely perfect.

Kittiwake.

Being able to see so many Atlantic Puffins close up is probably the abiding memory I will have. I've seen them before, but not in such numbers at close quarters. Truly breathtaking.

Sand eels are what the Puffins eat. They're pretty clever at stacking them up too.

Sunning themselves on the rocks were the Razorbills. 

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.

Guillemots - The Farnes

Guillemots were in there thousands on and around the Farne Islands. A lovely dark chocolate brown and white bird, that sits on the rocks almost penguin like. They stay close together in their colonies alongside Razorbills and Kittiwakes. They can make quite a noise as they squabble with their neighbours.
They have been leaving the nest sights in the last couple of weeks, as they take their young out to sea to fatten up.

A small percentage of Guillemots have a white ring around the eye and a white line down towards the nape. These are Bridled Guillemots. These birds are still of the same race and not classed as a subspecies. The slight variation is quite striking though.

Common Guillemot

The Bridled variety.

A short phone video just to give you an idea of the noise on Staple Island.

Holy Island - Lindisfarne

After further stop offs for Osprey at Kielder Waters, and Red-necked Phalarope at Grindon Lough, I finally made my way to the North East.
Holy Island, Lindisfarne was my destination to finish the first day of my holiday. I had checked the tides and could see that from 2.30 I would be safe to cross the causeway. Twice a day the island is cut off from the mainland as the tide comes in. If you time it wrong you can be stuck for a few hours.
The weather was still quite good (dry and a little breezy) as I pulled into the car park.

Most people headed off to the castle, but I made my way down to the shore line to see what was about. There wasn't a lot, but it was more about quality than quantity. After a little scouring I spotted a Godwit working the beach. I assumed it was the Black-tailed variety, but closer inspection showed it to be a Bar-tailed Godwit, in very fine breeding plumage too.

The slightly upturned bill giving this bird away as Bar-tailed Godwit. It did take flight one stage to reveal and confirm it's barred tail.

 I spotted a Little Tern not too far out, and it came close enough to get some pictures. I was hoping for Terns on this trip, but the Little Tern was not one that I was expecting to see. Pretty glad though as I needed it for my year list.

Little Tern

Lindisfarne Priory. Built in the late 11th century, to a much better standard than we see it in today, I'm sure.

Lindisfarne Castle. Built atop a volcanic mound in 1550 to defend against attack from the Scottish, and anyone else that felt obliged to attack by land or sea. 

RSPB Geltsdale - Cumbria

On my way to the Farne Islands I decided to break up my journey with several stops on the way. I like to make the most of where I am and like to see new places, and quite often ones I've heard of quite regularly in the past.
My first stop off was in Cumbria, at RSPB Geltsdale. I set off on the circular 4.5km at 7am. The clouds were gathering and it was cold. This is the Summer right? I had three layers on and my fleecy hat.
Anyway, there was plenty of life. A brown hare met me on one path, and lots of Swallows were zipping around. Lots of birds were busy feeding young, and there seemed to be Meadow Pipits everywhere.

Meadow Pipit with lots of juicy treats for the babies.

There were lots of Reed Buntings singing this morning. Some were up on power lines and others on fence posts, wire fences and of course, reeds. This one was watching me as I walked past, so I stopped to say hello. He carried on singing regardless.

I was hoping to find a Whinchat on my way round, but had no luck. I did however come across this very good looking male Stonechat.