Monday 3 August 2009

Sunrise

Stunning: dawn over the Farnes this morning
Sunrise - yes I was up early today!
Monday 3rd August comments:
Another busy day on the islands, as the sunny weather and school holidays brought out lots of people but finding Puffins to keep people happy was easier said than done! However with good numbers of Kittiwakes, Shags alongside Sandwich and Arctic Terns, there was still plenty to see! As its August, Inner Farne is now open all day so the team are working hard to meet demand and as usual, rising to the challenge – it’s a credit to my team just how well things have gone this year.

However we’re expecting another weather front to hit tomorrow, so I suspect we’ll be closed to visitors (but it may bring more migrant birds!). Otherwise all quiet and the last of the breeding seabirds are continuing to raise young as the summer progresses. The birding continued to pick-up as the first Willow Warbler of the autumn arrived (they’ll be many more to follow) whilst seawatching picked up in the evening with a reasonable total of Manx Shearwaters passing.

Seawatching: mainly in late evening - Manx Shearwater 155N and Arctic Skua 3N

Highlights: Sanderling 2 summer plumage, Snipe (first of autumn), Golden Plover 100, Knot 20, Curlew 90, Roseate Tern 5 (including 1 juv), Swallow 12 (including our family party – yes they’ve fledged four chicks!) and Willow Warbler (first of the autumn).

Butterflies: (Inner Farne only) a good day - Green-veined White 12, Small Tortoishell 5, Large White 33, Small Whites 7, Peacock 10, Red Admiral 5, Painted Lady 7 and Wall.

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