Good Morning Farnes!

Good morning Farnes...the view from Inner Farne

View across Inner Sound towards Bamburgh..sea picking up

Thursday 10th October comments: Good morning from the Farnes! It's an impressive start as gale force northerly winds are currently battering the islands and it really is time to batten down the hatches. I'll bring a full report later.

7 Up!

Welcome to the world...Grey Seal pup

Hello world!

New born on the rocks

Wednesday 9th October comments: Despite the interchangeable weather, life on the Farnes is ticking along as normal (as normal as it can ever be). The seabirds have long gone, most to warmer climes further south (they have more sense!) as our attention now focuses on our Grey Seals.

Yesterday's weather allowed access to the Grey Seal nurseries and we were delighted to find not one, but seven pups; five on South Wamses and two on North Wames. These little bundles of joy are doing well alongside their attentive mothers and we'll soon have a lot more to shout about as we welcome in Seal season.

On a different note, a cast back to the seabird breeding season can be relived on tonight's episode of The Great British Year on BBC1 at 9pm - well worth watching especially the stunning Guillemot jumpling sequences.

Inside the National Trust

The RDF team and presenter Michael Buerk 

TV camerman Graham following us for the season



...and what does go on behind the scenes?

Saturday 5th October comments: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the Farne Islands? Who make up the team, what life is really like on those rocky outcrops and what makes the place tick? Well you’re about to find out….

This autumn, broadcast journalist Michael Buerk will rediscover some of Britain’s best loved landscapes, uncover hidden secrets and meet the people behind the scenes of the National Trust in a new 20 part series on ITV 1 from 6th October.

The ‘docu-series’, showcases six very diverse places, from the wildlife on the Farne Islands to Georgian life at Wordsworth House, an insight into the Victorians at Cragside, life on a working estate at Wimpole and introduces the Strickland family who have lived at Sizergh in Cumbria for 700 years.

So you can follow the Farnes team from the first few minutes of landing back on the islands in mid-march, to the completion of the full Puffin census and even take a sneak look at how we live!

Inside the National Trust was made by RDF for ITV. The first hour long episode airs on Sunday 6th October. So tune in and watch the Farnes like you have never seen it before! 

Simply the crest!

Little Firecracker!!!! (Bex Outram)

Hide and seek! Our first Firecrest in four years! (David Kinchin-Smith)

Thursday 03^rd October comments: So, it’s been another wet, wild and windy day on the islands with big seas and strong winds. And with strong winds from the south-east come........ BIRDS!

It never ceases to amaze how migrant birds battle the elements and make the journey hundreds of miles across the sea to be here. This feat is particularly impressive in the case of the crest family. Goldcrests are common migrants on the islands and through our ringing studies, we know they migrate here from Scandinavia and they often weigh just five or six grams! Today we had some Goldcrests drop in and amongst them was an angry little sprite; a Firecrest! This is the first record since 2009 and another great bird for the islands. It was a new bird for some of the team and was enjoyed by all as it fed at close range. 

The weather is set to ease in the next few days so hopefully we’ll get some more migrant birds and some migrant visitors to share them with too! Our first seal pup is also still alive and well and going strong, feeding up and piling on the pounds. Soon it will have plenty of company as the seal season gets underway and there are little white bundles of joy all over the islands. It’s all go on Planet Farnes!

Good Night

Record shot of the Nightjar (David Steel)

Over the sea and away (David Steel)

Little Bunting makes day three (David Steel)

No chance of boats at our jetties (David Steel)

Wednesday 2nd October comments: September and October are the peak months for bird migration and the east coast can experience some exceptional days if the weather is ‘right’. However it takes a combination of easterly winds and rain to produce those perfect conditions.

Over the last few days we’ve had strong (gale force) south-easterly winds although sunny conditions, so not everything was perfect but we’ve had some great birds from two Little Buntings to a Richard’ Pipit.

However this afternoon the islands produced another bit of magic as a Nightjar was discovered on Brownsman. The bird was flushed from close range and was seen hovering in the strong winds giving great views before eventually departing west towards the mainland.

This migratory healthland dweller remains a rare discovery on passage and this was only the third record on the islands in thirty years!! The islands total has now reached ten and this represented the first ever autumn record.

As well as this stunning sighting, the Little Bunting remained for its third day and the Mealy Redpoll also did likewise. With more easterly winds forecast, we are not finished yet…not by any stretch. So for today, it’s good-Night from the Farnes!

Boo Hoo-poe!

Big seas dominate (David Steel)

Little Bunting lingers for second day (David Steel)

Northern visitor; Mealy Redpoll showing well (David Steel)

Goldcrest eating spider (David Kinchin-smith)

Migrant Song Thrush and Redstart (David Steel)

Tuesday 1st October comments: Welcome to October. The winds have continued to blow from the south-east although have cranked up a notch today with mountainous seas pounding the islands. As a result the islands remained closed and it may be a few more days before we see any visitors or the outside world.

Birding has been productive again with the star bird of yesterday; the Little Bunting, still present on Brownsman with a supporting cast of Yellow-browed Warbler, two Lapland Buntings and Ring Ouzel across the islands. However we did miss out on one special visitor, as a Hoopoe was reported at nearby Bamburgh mid-morning. Had it flown over the islands? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, we didn’t see it. BOO HOO-POE!

Little Mix

A small bundle of delight; a Little Bunting (David Steel)

One of two Little Buntings today (David Steel)

A cold stunner from the north; Mealy Redpoll (David Steel)

The North Sea building

Monday 30th September comments: The easterly weather front which has been building for a number of days finally intensified resulting in heavy seas and no boats sailing. Interestingly it appears we’ll be stuck in this weather pattern for a number of days, so the team are well and truly cut off from the outside world. Welcome to the autumn!

On a more positive note the easterly winds have produced as more migrant birds have poured into the islands. Redwings, Song Thrushes and Brambling have given the islands a very wintry feel although with a good scattering of summer migrants including Ring Ouzel, and several warbler species, it brings it home that this is migration period.

Amongst the throngs of commoner migrants, we’ve also had some rarer arrivals (as usual!). The major highlight came in the form of two Little Buntings which arrived on Brownsman before one departed west towards Inner Farne and the mainland. Other highlights included a Richard’s Pipit on Inner Farne, four Yellow-browed Warblers (but one was found sadly dead), a Short-eared Owl, a stunning Mealy Redpoll (a very pale bird!) and a Hooded Crow!

It’s been a great year for migrant birds so far and with more easterly winds in the forecast, things are warming up nicely! Binoculars at the ready everyone!