Summer Plumage Great Northern Diver

Friday was just a beautiful day and it started with an amazing sunrise. As I left the harbour you could tell it was going to be a good sunrise so I decided to steam up to the Inner Farne to try and get it coming up over the Island. I did and it was a beauty.

I was chuffed to bits the other day with my pictures of the Juvenile Great Northern Diver but on Friday we were just about to get to arrive at Staple Island and out of the corner of my eye I spotted another one.
As I turned the boat to get a closer look I noticed it was still in it's summer plumage. Wow, just beautiful.

Friday proved to be a good all round. The weather was great, the seas were calm and the birds were great.

Friday's Sightings

11 Bewick Swans flying south over the Wideopens
1 Great Northern Diver resting at Staple Island
1 Juvenile Common Scoter resting at Knocks Reef
72 Pink-footed Geese flying south over the Wideopens
2 Merlin resting. 1 on Big Harcar and 1 on West Wideopen
1 Peregrine resting at Staple Island
1 Bar-tailed Godwit feeding at the Kettle
1 Barnacle Goose flying west then east over the Inner Farne
3 Red-throated Divers flying south in the Inner Sound.
1 Little Gull feeding in the Inner Sound

Great Northern Diver

I went down the harbour at 6am this morning, as I had to move the boat out into the bay as the tides are really big at the moment and it was low water at 9.20am. If I did not go out into the bay I would not be able to pick my customers up until 12pm, and as they were booked on for 10.30am I had to get out.

As I stepped onto the boat I slipped over straight onto my arse. This was the first morning that the deck was frozen and with the clear skies it looked like it was going to be a cold day.

After I left the harbour and steamed out to the Inner Farne to anchor up in the Kettle. On the way out I stopped to take a picture of The Inner Farne as the sky was beautiful.

After I had anchored up the boat, I turned of the engines, made a cup of coffee and picked up my book as was going to be a long morning. As was indulged in my book I got such a fright when my mobile rang. It was Graham, a warden on the Inner Farne telling me that there was a Great Northern Diver just outside of the kettle. 

He had not even finished his conversation and I already had the engines started. I let go of the anchor and headed for the area where it was last seen.

Bingo, got it, and what a show off it was to. It seemed to be a real poser for the camera. As I was taking pictures it was diving down looking for food it popped up with a crab in its bill. I was gob smacked as I understood they only eat fish. Bang goes that one eh.

During the day we saw 2 Little Auks, 2 Merlin's, 1 Peregrine, 1 Red-throated Diver, 3 Rock Pipits, 12 Teal and lots of seals. A great day even though it was freezing cold.

2 day's of great birds

We had a great day on Tuesday and Wednesday, with lots of birds passing. Yesterday we saw a male Peregrine hunting a blackbird near Staple Island. It was fascinating to watch this beautiful bird doing what it does best, but this time  it did something that I have never seen before. It hit the Blackbird with so much power, that it stunned the bird and it fell into the water, but the Blackbird was not going to give up. It tried so hard to get out of the water, but the Peregrine never give it a chance. Next thing we saw, was the Peregrine hitting it again, killing it,and then grabbed it with it's claws and of into the sky. It flew towards Staple Island with the Blackbird tightly gripped in it's claws and then landed on the rock with it's kill. Nature is cruel but it was amazing to watch. The picture is not very good but it shows the Blackbird in it's claws.

We also saw a lovely Merlin watching the Pigeons, but then it spotted us and did not hang around for long. Well just long enough for me to get a picture.

On Wednesday it was windy but we had beautiful blue skies and on Thursday we had no wind but rain in the morning and very overcast. When it gets to this time of the year Keith and myself try to keep a look out for as many things as possible as we don't have the thousands of breeding birds around, and people still ask if the Puffins are still here. When you say NO they are a bit disappointed, but if we can find a Peregrine they seem to be more than happy. Yes it's harder work for us but it can be very rewarding, especially when I get we see people faces and I get some good pictures.

This is just a mixture of pictures I got but we see lots more.

Wednesday

2 Arctic Skua's flying North

1 Great Skua flying North

1 Pomarine Skua flying North

1 Puffling feeding

21 Curlew resting on Longstone Island

22 Common Scoters flying North

1 Peregrine on Staple Island

1 Merlin on Staple Island

6 Guillemots feeding

1 Sandwich Tern feeding

2 Rock Pipits

4 Kittiwakes

1 White Wagtail on The Inner Farne

16 Fieldfare flying West

Lots of Gannets, Turnstones, Oystercatchers and Purple Sandpipers.

Thursday

5 Arctic Skua's flying North

1 Great Skua flying North

2 Adult Puffins

1 Adult Razorbill

17 Guillemots feeding

2 Short Eared Owls flying West from the sea and landed on Longstone Island

6 Red-throated Divers feeding

1 Great Northern Diver feeding

62 Fieldfare flying West

1 Rock Pipits

Lots of Gannets, Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers. 

Recent Highlights

The breeding season is at the end now, with many birds leaving the islands for their first winter.

As our birds leave we are starting to get a few interesting birds to pass by.

The first highlight was a Honey Buzzard which drifted pat the Inner Farne on the 18th May and only the 9th for the islands.

A Red-breasted Flycatcher arrived on The Brownsman on 26th May. Only the fourth ever spring record.

We have has 3 Spoonbills so far and the first 2 were spotted flying past the bow of the boat on the 28th May and I nearly fell of the seat. Great sight. The other was spotted on Longstone Island on the 15th June.

A Black-headed Bunting was discovered on Staple Island on 31st May and showed well for a few hours. This was the fifth bird for the islands following birds in 1971, 1999, 2004 and 2009.

A Black Tern on the Inner Farne and good numbers of Manx Shearwaters flying north through Staple Sound.

We were also lucky to see 2 Great Crested Grebe's flying north. Over the last few days we have seen a few Harbour Porpoise, Bottle-nose Dolphins, 70 Common Scoter's,  Purple Sandpiper's, Knots, Turnstone's, Golden Plovers, top count was 90+, and 8 Arctic Skua's.

Yesterday on the way home about 5pm we saw 2 Red-throated Divers flying south and 1 Great Northern Diver also flying south.
Things are now starting to move around so hopefully we will get to see some nice things soon.

Catch of the day

Well we are back after a 6 days off. I just wish this weather would calm down and give us a sporting chance to get out and marvel the wonder of The Farne Islands.

British weather I suppose.

Iit was a beautiful day today. The sun was shining and the seas were calm.

As we let the ropes go and headed out of the harbour we came along 5 Great Northern Divers all heading north.
A little further out we came across 10 juvenile Guillemots and 2 juvenile Puffins all feeding. As I looked at my echo meter I noticed that the water was just full of feed. This must be the reason why they are staying around the area. What's the point in leaving the area and heading out deep into the north sea when all this food is on your doorstep.
As we arrived at the islands we spotted  50+ Sooty Shearwaters flying north over Knocks Reef and on the West Wideopen we saw a Peregrine.

Now I know when the wind blows it brings the birds in but i just wish it would blow enough to let us get out to see all this. Don't get me wrong I was really enjoying this but i wish it was everyday and not once a week.

All day long we were spotting all kinds of birds. Now i'm not the best at spotting birds as I'm still learning but sometimes you just don't see them as if I'm concentrating on steering the boat and watching out for reefs and rocks I'm not bothered if I miss the odd bird. That's when my crewman comes into his own.
There he is talking to the guests one minute and the next he has spotted a Pink-footed Goose flying north.


As we dropped our customers of on Inner Farne for their one hour visit we went to the west of the island for a little fishing.
Bang - straight away he caught a mackerel. He decided to slice a bit of the fish and use it as bate to entice something else.
As I sat back in the chair with a cup of coffee I heard a shout.
"Andrew come quickly I think I have a big fish here"
I ran out onto the deck I saw his rod bending over double and I knew there and then it was a big one, and not only was it a big one it was fighting like hell.
Now what was a little bit of fishing for his tea turned out to be a battle of the big guns. Needless to say he won. As we pulled it along side the boat their she was a Tope or a Dog fish as we used to call it.

You Beauty

OK you won

There is only one winner

Well there it is. Catch of the Day.
As we marvelled at the size of the thing we had to let her go.

It does not end their as last week I encountered something a bit special too.
I have divers out at the Blue Caps diving with the seals when a seal came across to the boat.
As we lay there I put my hand into the water thinking that it might come across to say hello.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would but then over it came and there I was scratching it, patting it and playing with it.
Its was just like playing with a small puppy dog. Just amazing. I will have a video of it soon for everyone to enjoy.

Playing with the seal

Having a look at the camera

A bit to close to my camera thank you

Other birds we saw today.

1 Merlin
4 Teals
10 Velvet Scoters
5 Sandwich Terns
17 Guillemots
6 Brent Goose
12 Red-throated Divers
32 Barnacle Goose