Farne Time

Seahouses - 02.07.2025

So it's a return visit to Seahouses on the north east coast of England after a three year absence, a great part of the country with options of great walks in some stunning countryside. The seaside town still looks the same after a few years away a mixture of a holiday resort and working fishing port, I’m happy to be back.

I have a loose plan as previous visits, before venturing out to Inner Farne to spend a couple of hours photographing the Eider Duck particularly in the harbour then it’s out to the islands, so that's the plan for this evening. Eiders are very obliging ducks that often come way to close so it’s better to have an assistant (wife) with you to act as a distraction ensuring the ducks are a little more at distance.

Just like the last few visits the National Trust has restricted landings only to Inner Farne, access to Staple Island probably the best of the islands has now stopped with the excuse to limit the spread of Bird Flue, no matter this gives me the opportunity to experience and reacquaint myself with the warm welcome of the Arctic Tern if you know what I mean, a hard hat is highly recommended.

Anyway back to this evening, I’m laying down on the mud/sand waters edge using a plate and gimbal, the tides incoming and I keep finding I’m actually laying in the water, hey ho, that’s what you do.

Tomorrow I’m of to Inner Farne for Puffins and Tern’s possible something else, who know’s what you might see, watch this space !

Eider Duck - female

It's The Farne's Time Again !

Seahouses Harbour - 23.6.2022 

Well it's that time of year when I like to make a couple of trips up to the Farne Islands, this being the first. With all the restrictions on island access after Covid last year I was hopping the all day trips would be back on the cards, unfortunately they aren't so again i have to make do with the one hour access.

First off on the day of arrival I always like to spend an hour with the very obliging Eiders down in the harbour late afternoon, a bit of laying down in the muck getting the low angle shot, but you have to !

Eider Duck

Third Time Lucky

Staple Island & Inner Farne - 23.7.19

Its back to Seahouses today for a last visit of the season out to the Farne Isles, well you have to get your moneys worth of National Trust membership and as this is the seventh trip for the both of us in a little over a month we are quids in.

Today weather forecast is more suited to Southern Spain with blue sky's and expected temperatures of around twenty five degrees, don't get me wrong I love being at the seaside in nice warm sunshine but when it come to photographing birds it can cause all sorts of issues getting the exposure right "blowing out" the whites or just loose all colour in the harsh sunlight.

After my last abortive trip failing to get on Staple Island once again I'm back at the harbour for the 9.30am departure full of expectation today is the day I finally make it. I'm always amazed that these mid-week boat trips are so popular with today being no exception, the boats chock-a-block full of the usual suspects, European tourists enjoying the sights and sounds not usually found in other parts of Europe and of course people of leisure....like me.

Before I get into the report I thought I'd touch on what I lens I generally use. Recently I read on a forum I sometimes visit on recommendations on camera lens for photographing birds at such close distances, some prefer "going light" with lens up to 300mm but personally I like to use a 500mm f4 on occasion with the 1.4 extender giving better bird to background separation, for flight shots I use the flexibility of the 100-400 zoom, but this a personal preference and other people may go a different route, but I have to admit sometimes I wonder lugging all the gear around....is it worth it.

Well it looks like we are going to make on to Staple...third time lucky !

Work in progress...... 

Atlantic Puffin

Sandwich Tern

Next up on the days activities is Inner Farne, after landing you immediately enter the "danger zone" !....the main Arctic Tern breeding area where dive booming by the parent birds trying to move you along is the norm, but as this is not the first visit of the season to Inner Farne I'm pushing on up to the lighthouse. 

On the way up at the centre of the island is the location of the noisy Sandwich Tern colony where terns fly around constantly calling whilst carrying a fish they aren't prepared to give up, land with more fish waving only to promptly take off into the air again, managing few images of the aerobatics it's time to press on.

Rock Pipit - juvenile

Keen too push on up to the lighthouse to get one of the few unobstructed positions on the small viewing area I'm the first to arrive and straight away pick up a juvenile Rock Pipit calling incessantly on the nearby rocks, the ranger tasked to make sure we all behave confirming they had successful bred nearby. The sunlight is harsh, oh for some nice cloud cover..I manage some images and within a minuet or two the pipit disappears over the cliff edge...now that was a lucky start !

Eider Duck - female

Returning back to Seahouses after your days island hopping it's always worthwhile on a low tide visiting the small bay at the back of the harbour where you can usually find Eider Duck feeding amongst the rocks, they will even come investigate if they think there's some free offerings going, surprisingly thou I see that many males and one image of a male in full breeding plumage would be just fine.

Eider Duck - juvenile

Couple of images of one of the juveniles that were in tow of two females.

I'm Back

Seahouses - 2.7.19

After last weeks rain affected visit to the Farne Islands never actually making it onto Staple Island I wasn't going to be put off and a quick return was always on the cards, so checking the weather forecast for the coming week I'm back, hopefully this time making it onto Staple Island.

Checking in with Billy Shields that all's well for tomorrow we spot a group of Eider Duck in the harbour, like Mallard on the local pond they come and investigate if we are prepared to share some of the ham sandwiches Jan is carrying...that's photo op number one sorted...tick

The light isn't that great but its a fun session getting close and listening to the Eider "cooing" like call right under your feet...and way too close really when your wheeling about a 500mm lens.

Eider Duck - female