It's Windy !

Inner Farne - 04.07.2025

To finish up on the blog post on the recent Farne’s Islands trip. 

I’m back on Inner Farne although the star species on Inner Farne are the puffins the other major attraction you’ll encounter are Arctic Terns, but it’s easy to overlook other stuff rushing about in the brief one hour slot. I’ve manage a second trip so hopefully I can catch up with the other less common species missed first time round.

At the jetty area a Ringed Plover has set up territory, it’s giving the tern chicks a hard time relentlessly attacking any that ventures near it’s nest, it landing on rocks quite close but slightly obscured by a rope, I don't want to move and flush it and I rattle off a few shots, time to move on and spend some time with the terns.

As I walk up the track a pipit calls and lands on a post...it's a Rock Pipit, a few pairs I'm told breed close by. It only stays a few seconds but it's facing in the other direction, I'm holding off pressing the shutter button and then it turns...boom !

This year the Arctic Terns are mainly located only around the church buildings, sitting on walls they are very vocal adding to the the cacophony of noise, just keep your wits about you avoiding the arial attack, oh and the “white stuff”

The wind’s up today much stronger than yesterday so much that I’ve had to remove the lens hood to keep the lens from swing about. After more of the same shots I'm finishing off in the last remaining minuets with the puffins. And that’s it....time over and back to the boat.

See you next year.

Ringed Plover

Rock Pipit

Arctic Tern

Atlantic Puffin

Grey Seal

Avian Bird Flue Closes Farne Islands

Inner Farne - 24.6.2022

After the morning session on Staple Island it's off to Inner Farne where generally there's more action where you can see Arctic, Sandwich and Common Terns, with the Arctics being the most common. At the lighthouse Puffins, Shags, Guillemots and Razorbills are all present but as it's a one hour landing I'm concentrating on the Arctic Terns.

Last year there were very few Arctic Terns on Inner Farne preferring Brownman Island which was all down to the hight of the vegetation, normally the wardens create an ideal habitat by cutting the vegetation but due to Covid restrictions this didn't happen....but they are back, still not back to the numbers of pervious years but the dive bombing action and white deposits seem as constant as ever.

Footnote.

I'd planned a second tript next week unfortunately I've just received an email stating the National Trust has closed the islands due to an outbreak of Avian Bird Flue which is wreaking havoc amongst the sea bird population on the east coast cancelling landings for the remainder of the breeding season, just happy I've managed at least one trip this year.

Arctic Tern

Bottlenose Dolphin

If you very lucky on your return trip you might get to see Bottlenose Dolphins, I say lucky because I must of had over twenty trips and this is the first time I've had an encounter on the boat, apart from seeing them from the carpark !

Last Of The Images

Farne Isles

Last few images not publish previously from a number of trips up to the Farne's over the last three weeks to round off the blog, I will add more images as I often come across images I think...yes, that looks ok how did I miss that !

Arctic Tern & Chick

On my last visit it was very noticeable that the Artic Tern breeding season was almost over with around ninety five percent of the chicks now having fledged gathering in large groups along the shoreline, occasional the mass group spectacularly taking to the air in a crescendo of sound and only a matter of a short time before they depart further south.

This chick was one of only around maybe around six seen on the day that had yet to fledge which was sat a wall, how on earth in got up there I can't imagine but would assume that's where the tern decided to lay the egg, at least it had one of the best vantage points on Inner Farne.

Atlantic Puffin

On landing on Staple Island I don't tend to charge off up onto the island preferring to stay around the jetty where the Puffins gather in social groups relaxing now that the Pufflings (young Puffin) have fledged. I watch this individual for some time picking up and walking around with various bits of vegetation, surly to late in the season to breed so I guess it was just displaying to it mate

The yellow colour in the image is Lichen which covers large areas of the rocks making for a very unusual image.

Sandwich Tern

Around the middle part of Inner Farne you will find the Sandwich Tern colony, noisy, full of action and what appears to us just total chaos. The terns can be a bit distant and you can easily find yourself moving on up to the lighthouse but it's always worth spending some time trying for shots of the terns flying around with a prize fish displaying to it's mate 

Shag

These images again taken at the jetty on Staple Island showing you don't have to venture far to get some reasonable shots. Images taken with the Canon 5D mkIV and Canon 500mm f4 mkII

It's Off...No It's Back On

Inner Farne  - 25.6.19

June/July is always a great time to visit the Farne Islands giving the visitor the opportunity to get close and photograph seabirds that you would normally only see at distance, a trip that never disappoints. If you're planning a visit for more than a few days finding accommodation at the busiest time of year can be an issue so advance booking accommodation is a good idea, the only problem is you can't book the good weather in advance.

It's grey and windy on our arrival and the forecast for the next few days doesn't look that good for getting out on the Farne Isles, checking with Billy Shields all the boat trips tomorrow are cancelled suggesting we check again tomorrow for more up to date information, disappointed we retreat to the Neptune for a fish and chip supper before heading back to the accommodation. The following morning a phone call confirms the boat to Staple Island is cancelled, the good news is the boat to Inner Farne is back on !

With no improvement in the weather the crossing to the nearest island Inner Farne is a little rough but once amongst the islands improves, we take in some sights, sounds and smells of the breeding birds which is always worthwhile, no camera just looking and smelling...just great !

Now landed I am always amazed by how bold Arctic Terns are, hovering millimetres in front of you face, screeching and then diving bombing your head, with only two hours on the island I press on. With it being a grey day I'm not going to bother with flight shots just concentrating more on static shots something a little different, well that's the plan, we'll just have see what pans out.

Yours Truly

If they're not dive bombing you they are sat on your head ejecting excrement all down your back, on our visit getting stabbed on the head was the norm, other areas which were favourite included ears and hands, both hands drawing blood ! ....iPhone image taken by Jan

Quite funny really watching hunched up people with hoods pulled down over their heads running about screaming and shouting..."shoo"

Arctic Tern

Atlantic Puffin

Almost time to leave but I thought I'd spend the last half an hour further towards the lighthouse for some Puffin shots, but more of the Puffin on tomorrows trip.

Arctic Tern "City"

Inner Farne, Northumberland - 17.7.18

Over the last week or so I've been getting updates from "Bird As Art" American photographer Arthur Morris who is visiting some of the well known bird locations around the North East of England including the Farne Islands, so no sooner than my return from Skomer it's a quick decision to head up to Seahouses for a trip to Inner Farne and Staple Island.

The Farne's are a cluster of small low lying islands located a couple of miles off the coast near Seahouses and during May to July have up to twenty three different species of breeding sea birds, as it's quite late in the season there's only a very short period of time before all the breeding sea birds depart for the open sea.

The last time I visited the Farne Islands was quite a few years ago as part of a local club Scuba Diving trip, but today its not so adventurous opting for my new career in bird photography. Arriving in Seahouses the night before my trip I have a walk around the harbour and a couple of local sites, Bamburgh Castle is sat on the headland in the distance with Lindisfarne further on, time to check out the B&B.

Today I've joined a Billy Shiel's all day boat trip visiting many of the islands with a couple of two hour landings on Staple Island and then Inner Farne, each of the islands is quite different in terms of breeding birds and in this post I'm on Inner Farne which is the main breeding location for the Arctic Tern. As there's so many images taken of different birds I though in this post I'd concentrate on the very engaging Artic Tern.

At the landing jetty Arctic Terns are everywhere, its a cacophony of sound with terns squabbling and constantly calling, fledgling terns are sat on the boardwalk not the slightest bit concerned by my presence but get too close a nest site, or the many day old young and you'l be dive bombed so be warned a hat is essential.

Most people have now made there way further up the small island but I've decided to remain at the roped area near the jetty where there's an uncluttered backdrop of blue sea and sky. I'm using the 500mm but it isn't really necessary as the birds are only 4-5 meters away but I like the separation the "big white" gives with that nice even out of focus background.

Now with hundreds of images taken it's time to move further up the island for some flight shots of terns, I'm sat down on the boardwalk near St Cuthbert's Chapel where there are a number of young terns being fed sand eels at a never end rate, I'm now using the 100-400 and it's a case of picking out a bird and tracking the tern as it approaches and rattling off a load of frames just as the bird lands. All of the images where taken at less than 150mm FL.

All too soon my time is nearly up, a quick look at the Sandwich Tern colony further towards the lighthouse and it's time to head back the the jetty for the return to Seahouses taking in on our return some very close views of Grey Seal.

A one day tour of the islands is never going to be long enough with only a couple of two hours sessions on the islands, I suspect to do justice photographing birds at such close encounters several trips would be the recommendation, but a heads up, boat fee's are £40 and on top of the National trust landing fee of £28 it gets expensive so it might be worth joining the trust.

It's been a good trip if you are interested in bird photography, the weather has been kind loosing some of the harsh sun over the last couple of days, next time I just may make a week of it.

Arctic Tern

This image would be superb if the tern had shown it's head, but I still like the wings posture

Arctic Tern - chick

Arctic Tern - even smaller chick complete with egg tooth on the end of the bill, must be only one or two days old

Further into the centre of Inner Farne not too far from the two ponds look out for the small Sandwich Tern colony hidden amongst the vegetation, during July they fly around overhead carrying fish for the eagerly waiting young always vocalising with their characteristic grating..."kerrick" call

Sandwich Tern