Welcome July

Puffin chicks have started fledging 

 Sandwich Tern young will soon be on the wing

Shag chicks starting to fledge 

Cow Seals fattening up

Sunday 1st July comments: Where has time gone and what really has happened to our summer? It’s now the 1st July and the seabird season has peaked with lots of youngsters getting ready to take to the wing for the first time. So what can a July visit to the Farne islands bring you?

The Farnes will be experiencing yet more change as the first Fulmar chicks will start hatching during the first week, Arctic and Sandwich Tern young will be flying by the second week, whilst Guillemots and Razorbills will continue to lead young off to the safety of the open sea and almost the entire population will have departed by mid-month. Young Puffins will start fledging under the cover of darkness (to avoid predation) while the cliff tops will be a buzz of activity as young Kittiwakes and Shags will be fledging.

As well as the seabirds, the islands will have good numbers of Grey seals loafing around as pregnant females continue to fatten up whilst July should signal the start of potentially even more exciting things like our first Minke Whales of the year. Its never dull on the islands and well worth a July visit.

So keep on following the blog and I ask only one thing, can we have some better weather please?