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

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.

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