Its on its way...

Its a cracker: day two for the male Bluethroat

© Joe Cockram, National Trust

Incoming - a migrant Painted Lady butterfly - our first of the year

A showy Chiffchaff on the Solar Panels - we've got no trees!

Thursday 14th May

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It’s coming and there is nothing we can do about it apart from batten down the hatches and hold on. This evening’s shipping forecast crackled across the airwaves

“Forth Tyne Dogger: East 5 or 6, increasing 7 to gale 8, perhaps severe gale 9 later. moderate becoming rough or very rough. Rain later. Good becoming moderate or poor”,

Bad? You want to believe it. Its got the entire North Sea to cross, bringing with it huge swell which will only stop when something’s in the way and I’ve no doubt the Farnes will be battered. As part of the planning, nothing has been taken to chance, as the islands boats and equipment have been moved to a safe zone away from the jetties, because it’s going to get ugly.

Today has seen plenty of sunshine but strong wind, preventing any boats from sailing, and the pattern will continue over the next few days even into the weekend. Despite this the day was brightened by the Bluethroat, present for its second day whilst a female Black Redstart was a reasonable discovery.

Weather: E4-5 occasionally 6, bright and sunny

Highlights: Whimbrel, Bluethroat male present for second day on Brownsman, Black Redstart female on Inner Farne, Lesser Whitethroat 4, Whitethroat 3 and Chiffchaff 5.

Butterflys: Painted Lady on Brownsman – a migrant

Breeding Birds: Eider chicks! The first chicks hatched today on Brownsman – it feels early as we’ve still got plenty to nest, but the early nesters are starting to produce. Over the next 24 hours, she’ll take the young to sea, direct west to the relative safety of the coastal mainland. On Inner Farne a total of 480 pairs on Sandwich Tern have settled in the mina colony along with 13 pairs of Common Tern – so still plenty to come in. Arctic Terns continue to build although nest activity appears slow this year and the first eggs are some days away at this moment.