Nearly time

Common Terns grounded

Nesting female Mallard in old lobster pots (Will Scott)

Kittiwakes nest building (Bex Outram)

A recent visitor...Black Guillemot meets Eider (David Kinchin-smith)

Monday 13th May comments: The breeding season continues to gather pace and whilst a good majority of our seabirds are now incubating eggs, we still await others. Fulmars have become scarce in recent days as birds have departed for the open sea, a strange phenomena which occurs every May before they return and lay eggs. Although just a local term, the island team call this the 'honeymoon' period as birds will be away for a week before returning to lay.

Elsewhere Common Terns were observed landing on Inner Farne on their traditional breeding areas, whilst Arctic Terns continue to display high above the main colonies and it won't be long before these two Tern species are settled on the islands. Last but not least, Kittiwakes are still busy building and soon we'll have a complete set.

Interestingly, if you are visiting the islands, it'll be well worth keep your eyes peeled for our 'rarer' nesting species which have returned including Shelduck, Red-breasted Merganser and Ringed Plover amongst others. Its never dull on planet Farnes....

Eating Out

Sandwich Terns now on eggs

 

The main colony on Inner Farne



Saturday 11th May comments: Every day brings something new on the Farnes and birds continue to settle on eggs as the breeding season advances. Yesterday it was the ‘Tern’ of our Sandwich Terns, with the first eggs discovered in the large colony on Inner Farne.

Sandwich Terns have been arriving back since early April although ‘blocking’ easterly winds have kept numbers low. However slowly and surely birds are still arriving having spent the winter in West Africa, and hopefully the colony will be bustling with over 1,000 pairs in the near future.

Summer love

Razorbill love

Now on eggs...Razorbills

Kittiwakes in territory fight

Low in number but now on eggs; Shags

Ringed Plover now incubating

Oystercatchers join the egg club

Wednesday 9th May comments: After yesterdays influx of migrant birds, things started to return to normal although a few remained across the islands. As May progresses we are starting to turn our attention to the seabirds as we’ll soon be monitoring, ringing, sleeping and breathing seabirds.

The breeding season is now in full swing as the majority of our species on eggs. Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers are now on eggs, our large Gulls (Herring, Great Black-backed and Lesser Black-backed Gull) are now incubating, whilst Razorbills have joined Guillemots and Puffins on eggs.

The final piece of the jigsaw will be slotted together soon as Kittiwakes are frantically nest building, Fulmar will be on eggs by next week whilst our Terns are not far away. The evening roost of terns has attracted over 2,000 Arctic terns so things are looking good.

I Need a Collar...

A stunner: male Blue-headed Wagtail on Inner Farne (David Kinchin-smith)

Showing well...(Will Scott)

A cracking male Pied Flycatcher

Only on the Farnes.. Whinchat and Puffin

...and the male Collared Flycatcher at Low Newton - successfully twitched by the team

Wednesday 8th May comments: It’s been another epic day on the Farnes as the wind switched to the south-east bringing plenty of summer migrants, yet more seabird progress and then early evening drama.

As the day developed, south-easterly winds increased bringing the arrival of a good number of common migrants including up to 29 Willow Warblers and a stunning Pied Flycatcher. However the real star was a male ‘Blue-headed Wagtail’ which was seen on Inner Farne during the morning before departing west.

On the breeding seabird front, we discovered our first Razorbill eggs alongside the first Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher eggs. At long last, Kittiwakes started frantically nest building, so it won’t be long before they join the ‘egg club’. It’s now all go and our seabird city is very much alive and kicking.

And finally news broke of a cracking male Collared Flycatcher at Low Newton (just a few miles south of Seahouses) so the team were up and off to see this European beauty during the early evening. All-in-all, another good day and role on tomorrow…

Today’s highlights: Whimbrel 2, Purple Sandpiper 104, Common Sandpiper 2, Wood Pigeon 2, Blue-headed Wagtail male on Inner Farne – first since 2008, Meadow Pipit 4, Black Redstart 2, Wheatear 3, Whinchat 2, Skylark, Redwing 2 (late individuals), Collared Dove (second of the spring), Dunnock, Garden Warbler (first of the year), Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap 3, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler 3, Chiffchaff 6, Willow Warblers 29, Pied Flycatcher male and Goldfinch 2.

Rangers rocked in ten goal thriller

Farne Ranger team

Seahouses boatmen

Ciaran attacking for the Rangers

Seahouses captain Craig pushing forward

In action...

Every tackle won...

Farne Islands Rangers 4 – 6 Seahouses Boatmen

Tuesday 7th May comments: For the third consecutive game, the Farne Islands rangers fell short in a ten goal thriller despite leading at half-time. The highly competitive game swung backwards and forwards in an entertaining game which saw the Rangers lead 2-1 at half-time.

However defensive frailties were exposed once again as the boatmen claimed victory with five second half goals, to claim yet another win against their island rivals. The Rangers may have lost but they can hold their heads high and look forward to reversing their fortunes in the near future.

Match Day...

Eider pair displaying (Will Scott)

Nesting Eider

Black-headed Gulls now on eggs

Little Terns roosting during the evening

Monday 6th May comments: The breeding season is advancing as more and more birds arrive to nest and the Farnes are getting back to their best. The number of Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills continues to increase whilst Eider ducks are starting to nest across the islands. Without doubt the breeding season is much later than last, as we still await our first Kittiwake and Razorbill eggs whilst Shags have only started to nest; all these species were on eggs this time last year!

The weather has been kind in recent days, with glorious sunshine although with westerly winds prevailing, the number of common migrants has been low. However we don't have to worry about any of this tonight, as we are heading to the mainland for our annual football match against the Seahouses boatmen. We haven't forgotten our 4-5 defeat of last year, so we have a score to settle....full match report tomorrow and probably a few sore legs and ankles....

Older and wiser

How old can Puffins live?

Looking up...Puffins now on eggs

Wheatear saying hello to our Puffins

Better view of a migrant Wheatear

Fulmar's present in good numbers

Saturday 4th May comments: Things are looking up on the Farne Islands as our breeding season is finally underway following a very cold, slow start to the campaign. Several species are now on eggs including Puffins and it won't be long before we are celebrating the full set; with Sandwich and Arctic Terns not far behind.

Our knowledge about our Puffins continues to increase as following the disastrous seabird wreck in March, ringing recoveries have revealed some startling results. A bird washed up on a nearby beach at Cheswick on 28th March 2013 had been originally ringed as a chick on Inner Farne on 24th June 1982.

That is a staggering 31 years old (the UK record is 37 years) and reveals just how long our Puffins can live for. Amusingly the bird was older than any of the rangers currently living and working on the islands (excluding the author!) and is yet another piece of the jigsaw for our Farne Puffins. With a full census of the population to be undertaken this summer, we will hopefully reveal what impact, if any, the seabird wreck had during the late winter months.

On the migration front, things have slowed again with a first-summer male Black Redstart being the highlight of recent days, but otherwise westerly winds dominate and not much to boast about. However with seabirds now breeding, there is every reason why you should visit us. the Seabird City is alive.