The hunt is on!

Big Unit - Female Peregrine takes a Turnstone (Jack Ibbotson)

Dinner time - Peregrine tucking in (Jack Ibbotson)

On the lookout - Merlin scouting for prey (Jack Ibbotson)

Thursday 11th October comments: Firstly, a quick reminder to anyone wishing to come out on the Seal Tours this October. We are still awaiting the birth of our first pup on Staple Island and the tours cannot begin until we have one! As soon as the first pup is born we will broadcast the news on the blog and on twitter and set the date for the first tour!

In other news: it’s feeding time on the Farnes! At this time of year we get thousands of migrant birds passing through the islands, with some using them as a stop off point before heading off on their migration. And with thousands of birds comes..... Raptors! With such a wide variety of birds, the Farnes can be rich pickings for birds of prey, as they patrol the islands on the lookout for any potential stragglers.

Some of these migrants will have flown hundreds of miles across the sea to be here and need a rest! However, for a wily Peregrine capable of hunting at over 200mph or a quick, agile Merlin, it’s like Christmas has come early. These hefty hunters will often become resident on the islands, making themselves comfortable for the autumn and winter months. In the past few days we have recorded at two Peregrines, a Merlin and a monstrous female Sparrowhawk. October can be a great month for migrants and so a great time to see some raptors in action, so keep your eyes peeled if you’re planning a visit and remember; the hunt is on!

Spray day

One seal pup, ready to be tagged

Newly born and counted!

Curious - seal pup taking interest in the rangers

Tuesday 9th October comments: So, the first Grey Seal pup count of the year is complete! The team all headed out for the first time across the islands on Sunday, scouring the land for any sign of white fluff. Our preliminary count was eleven births, with eight survivors. Unfortunately the mortality rate on seal colonies can be very high, usually standing at around 40-50% on the Farnes. The reason for this is simple. North Sea weather! The islands are quite low lying and any storms at this time of year can mean bad news for our noisy neighbours.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom!  Our first pup Rocky is still fighting fit and starting to moult his first coat. Soon he’ll be ready to take the plunge into the briny depths and discover what being a Grey Seal is all about (mainly fishing, sleeping and lazing in the sun).  It will be a while before Rocky comes back to the islands to breed, with Bull seals usually able to defend a territory at around ten years old. It’s hard to think that this fluffy white pup will turn into an angry Bull seal weighing up to a quarter of a ton! Until then, good luck out there Rocky, we’re all rooting for you!

We’re still waiting for our Seal Tours to begin, with this depending on our first pup being born on Staple Island, so keep following the blog and twitter for news, when we know, you’ll know. 

A Turtle in the hand’s worth two in the sea!

Catching some sun - our resident Turtle Dove on the North Rocks (Ciaran Hatsell)

A turtle in the hand - what a beauty! (Bex Outram)

Intricate patterns - the more you look, the more detail you see (Bex Outram)

Sunday 7th October comments: With the westerly winds rolling back in, it’s been great to still have some migrant birds lingering on the Farnes, allowing the rangers and several visitors the chance to enjoy excellent views of both the lingering Turtle Dove and the stunning Grey Phalarope.

With ringing activities continuing we have also had some great opportunities to show people migrant birds up close and personal. We catch birds to attach a small metal ring to their legs in the hope that they will be caught elsewhere, enabling us to gain valuable insights into the mysteries behind bird migration. The beauty of ringing on the Farnes is that more or less every bird we catch at this time of year is on its way somewhere (usually to somewhere warmer!), so the chances of it being caught elsewhere are surprisingly high! During ringing activities, the Dove found its way into the net and enabled us to have a closer look at this beautiful bird.

Considering Turtle Doves winter south of the Sahara Desert, a small island in the North Sea isn’t the best place for it to be right now! The bird wasn’t carrying much fat, which is probably the reason it hasn’t moved on yet. With this being the 13^th day of its stay, it may be using the islands as a fueling station before it heads off on its long journey south. Let’s hope he makes it! If you’re planning a visit to the islands, we’ll do our best to show you some migrant birds. For now though, it’s those cheeky Grey Seals grabbing most of our attention as the ranger team begin the task of counting every single pup born on the Farnes this year. Our first pup Rocky is still doing well, so just 1500 more to go! More on those pesky seals tomorrow...

Seal Tours

Rocky looking big and strong 

Rocky on the rocks - our first Seal pup

Today we have launched an exciting new experience to visit England’s largest breeding population of Grey Seals. This will allow you to witness first hand the trials and tribulations that young pups face in the first weeks of their life on the Farne Islands.

In accordance with Natural England (to minimise seal disturbance) we are offering a very limited landing experience to see adult and pups on Staple Island. Only two boats per day will be licensed to land between the 13th and the 31st of October with all landing parties accompanied by National Trust rangers.

However please note the following information:

• Tours are expected to commence on Saturday the 13th of October although this depends entirely on the date of our first seal pup on Staple Island! Please see Farne Islands blog for news (http://farnephoto.blogspot.com)

 

• Viewing of the Grey Seals will be at a safe distance to ensure public safety and ensure no undue disturbance is caused to the seals. Visitors are respectfully requested to take instruction from National Trust rangers during their visit.

• Tours are weather permitting and the National Trust is advising that people should wear sturdy footwear and warm clothing, including waterproofs.

• The Staple Island landing charge will be £10 for adults and £5 for children for both National Trust members and non-members.

• Tours take place at 12 noon and 1pm daily departing from Seahouses Harbour (weather dependant). Spaces are limited and booking is advisable through the Glad Tidings boat company on 01665 720308. Please note however that there is a separate charge for the boat trip.

• Inner Farne will remain open as usual from 10.30am to 5pm throughout the seal tour period and normal admission charges apply.

Fifty shades of Grey

Up close and personal...Grey Phalarope off Inner Farne (Graeme Duncan) 

Grey Phalarope on the sea (Graeme Duncan) 

Stunner in flight (Graeme Duncan) 

Eastern delight...Jack Snipe in the hand (Laura Shearer) 

In the bag...Jack Snipe with the stripes (Bex Outram) 

Detail of a Jack Snipe (Bex Outram)

Friday 5th October comments: Its been a good few days on the Farnes with light winds and pleasant weather (sunny conditions!). The bird of the day went to our first Grey Phalarope of the autumn, a very confiding bird which was discovered off Brownsman before being relocated off Inner Farne soonafter. This little 'spinner of the sea' showed extremely well and the Farnes is a major hot spot for this species in Northumberland - we had six together last November!

Alongside the Phalarope, another eastern visitor was hand caught - a Jack Snipe - a smaller version of our resident Common Snipe. The bird was ringed and released unharmed by the pond, where it got back to its feeding habits.

SEAL NEWS: On Saturday I will be bringing you some exciting news about how we are opening up Staple Island for an exclusive chance to visit the breeding Seal colonies for two weeks in late October. This opportunity will give you the chance to see adult and young pups so check out the blog tomorrow...

Coming soon...

Plenty of these.... 

.....and these..... 

...and not forgetting these.

Tuesday 2nd October comments: To celebrate the start of seal season, I've posted some photos from recent autumns. The Farnes will change over the next few weeks, as the seabird cities have given way to the beasts from the sea. The Grey Seals are here and no-one is stopping them. I'll bring you the highs, lows and everything in between over the next few months. Mother Nature is going to throw a lot at us (and them) before we eventually leave in early December so keep reading...the fun is just about to begin....

Seal season

'Rocky' the first Seal pup loving life on the rocks (Graeme Duncan) 

Growing up strong (Graeme Duncan) 

Rocky on the rocks...no storms touched him! (Graeme Duncan) 

Sun on the rocks...Rocky on the look out (Graeme Duncan)

Day seven - our long staying Turtle Dove still here (Will Scott)

Monday 1st October comments: Its the first day of the month (time is flying!) and it heralds the start of our next adventure on the islands, for this is Seal season. The first Grey Seal pups of the autumn have already been born (we now have six!) and over the next two months, we'll have another 1,500 born across these islands.

Our first pup of the year, a young male called 'Rocky', has survived the easterly storms of recent and is growing stronger by the day. His attentive mother remains close by and you can see the pounds being put on, on a daily basis (putting on weight is a good thing for a Seal pup!) We hope Rocky is leading the way for the rest of the young seals, and lets hope for a great autumn...at least better than our summer!

On the bird migration, a few birds continue to linger including our Turtle Dove, which has now spent seven days on Inner Farne...a long stayer by our standards! With October now here, anything is possible and the Farne Islands may have a few more surprises up its sleeves over the next few weeks, but only time will tell...