Monday 24 May 2010

Reedbed skulker...


That no Puffin - the bird on the left - a Water Rail!!

Monday 24th May comments:
The season continues to throw up surprises as the early nesting season was unexpected, the weather has been unpredictable (as ever!) and the islands continue to attract strange and wonderful birds from various parts of the globe. On Saturday it was the turn of a Water Rail to put in an appearance, a bird normally associated with reedbeds and not normally showy - unlike this one! The bird, an adult, was observed happily running down Puffin burrows on Inner Farne to feed on earthworms and the like whilst the watching Shags and Guillemots looked on amused. So the photo above may not be the best, but it captures the moment - birding Farnes style!
On the breeding seabird front, the first Kittiwake eggs have started to hatch, Razorbills are now parents and everything goes on as normal - although on the islands, I'm never sure what is normal! It won't be long before we are undertaking the biggest of all jobs - the annual seabird population counts and fingers crossed for some positive results - but watch out, Eiders crashing out....? We'll have to wait and see.

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