Young Arctic Tern chick ready to go! 
Gone but not forgotten - a few Eiders linger
Adult Kittiwake with chickFriday 17th July comments:
The season marches on and we’ve hit another weather ‘snag’ as today has brought continuous rain and increasing wind, so sadly no visitors. Where now at the end game and fingers crossed (once again – we always hope for good weather out here!), the poor weather won’t continue for too long.
As the season progresses, our personnel changes and Stuart, our Farnes researcher departed the islands yesterday after a six week stay. Stuart has contributed a huge amount to the study of the Farne seabirds this year, especially Arctic Terns and also encouraged the lads to help in the ringing process. He’s been a great help and fitted in well with the team and the lifestyle of living on a rock in the North Sea. So many thanks Stuart, thanks for all the hard work.
It’s not only Stuart moving on, as it’s the time of year when wardens depart for well earned short holidays and Jason is off to some far flung destination, in the hunt for….birds. You can take a Farnes warden off the Farnes, but you can’t take the Farnes out of a Farnes warden.
Breeding birds: Fulmar chicks continue to hatch across the colonies whilst large numbers of Shag chicks are fledging and Cormorants have been very successful. Oystercatcher chicks are now flying whilst at least nine Ringed Plover chicks appear to be well on the way to fledging – a good number for the Farnes! Yet more Arctic, Common and Sandwich Tern chicks fledge on a daily basis – the islands are inundated with flying Tern chicks – it’s a great sight! The Roseate Terns continue to incubate but will the weather be there undoing? The majority of Guillemots and Razorbills have now gone – the cliffs are bare and it’s a very strange and silent sight. The Puffins have been gathering momentum and it’s only a matter of time before we’ll see them leave and when they leave, they go, all at once and before the end of July, so watch this space.
Highlights: Still quiet although waders have started moving through with recent count of Turnstone 165, Knot 76, Purple Sandpiper 52, Curlew 37, Whimbrel 1, Dunlin 5, Redshank 24 and Common Sandpiper 2.
The season marches on and we’ve hit another weather ‘snag’ as today has brought continuous rain and increasing wind, so sadly no visitors. Where now at the end game and fingers crossed (once again – we always hope for good weather out here!), the poor weather won’t continue for too long.
As the season progresses, our personnel changes and Stuart, our Farnes researcher departed the islands yesterday after a six week stay. Stuart has contributed a huge amount to the study of the Farne seabirds this year, especially Arctic Terns and also encouraged the lads to help in the ringing process. He’s been a great help and fitted in well with the team and the lifestyle of living on a rock in the North Sea. So many thanks Stuart, thanks for all the hard work.
It’s not only Stuart moving on, as it’s the time of year when wardens depart for well earned short holidays and Jason is off to some far flung destination, in the hunt for….birds. You can take a Farnes warden off the Farnes, but you can’t take the Farnes out of a Farnes warden.
Breeding birds: Fulmar chicks continue to hatch across the colonies whilst large numbers of Shag chicks are fledging and Cormorants have been very successful. Oystercatcher chicks are now flying whilst at least nine Ringed Plover chicks appear to be well on the way to fledging – a good number for the Farnes! Yet more Arctic, Common and Sandwich Tern chicks fledge on a daily basis – the islands are inundated with flying Tern chicks – it’s a great sight! The Roseate Terns continue to incubate but will the weather be there undoing? The majority of Guillemots and Razorbills have now gone – the cliffs are bare and it’s a very strange and silent sight. The Puffins have been gathering momentum and it’s only a matter of time before we’ll see them leave and when they leave, they go, all at once and before the end of July, so watch this space.
Highlights: Still quiet although waders have started moving through with recent count of Turnstone 165, Knot 76, Purple Sandpiper 52, Curlew 37, Whimbrel 1, Dunlin 5, Redshank 24 and Common Sandpiper 2.
can i thank you and your team for doing such a great job this season its been a pleasure to read all your comments
ReplyDeletePeter