Luecistic Shag

We have seen the wonderful Shag around the islands a lot lately but we have not been able to get a really close look until yesterday and today.

It is not as laid back as other shags and seems to be a little bit on edge the closer you get, and I can totally understand why, as its a beauty to see. 

That's two luecistic seabirds we have seen this year and both were special to see. Anyway enough talk here are some pictures for you. 

Shag Sightings 2015

Throughout the season we write down all of the Shag Tags or Darvic's we see. We write down location, time and place we have located them and send them away to be recorded. This season we got a very quick and great response from the CEH.
We had 49 individuals from the Farnes, which is not really surprising. 31 were from the Isle of May, 8 from the Firth of Forth islands and 2 from Aberdeenshire.

Myself, Andy and Tony are well chuffed with this haul and hopefully we will keep it up for many more years to come and you never know we might find a bird that is from miles and miles away or the oldest one recorded. Anything is possible at the Farne Islands when it come to seabirds.

Below are our results for 2015 and hopefully we will have more during the winter.

Pulli, means a chick that was ringed on the nest.
Adult, means that it was caught and ringed as an adult. 

Darvic BTO RingingAge RingingYear RingingLocation BAAI 1473930 Pulli 2014 Isle of May BABA 1473937 Pulli 2014 Isle of May BABH 1473941 Pulli 2014 Isle of May BACU 1473959 Pulli 2014 Isle of May BACZ 1473961 Pulli 2014 Isle of May BASX 1483056 Pulli 2014 Isle of May BBBS 1473879 Pulli 2014 Isle of May BCZJ 1472040 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BDAU 1472061 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BDZB 1472253 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BFJZ 1472356 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BFNL 1472398 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BFSI 1483414 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BHAP 1472459 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BHXJ 1485114 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BHZC 1485118 Pulli 2015 Isle of May BJPP 1443815 Pulli 2009 Isle of May BJUF 1443524 Pulli 2009 Isle of May BTTP 1452023 Pulli 2010 Isle of May BZBU 1444515 Pulli 2009 Isle of May GCAE 1465820 Adult 2014 Farne Islands GCDR 1465818 Adult 2014 Farne Islands GCEA 1465827 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCED 1465591 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCEN 1465873 Adult 2014 Farne Islands GCEP 1465833 Adult 2014 Farne Islands GCHE 1465867 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCJR 1465897 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCPE 1465864 Adult 2014 Farne Islands GCPR 1465856 Adult 2014 Farne Islands GCRN 1465893 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCWF 1465795 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCWN 1465792 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCWT 1465799 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCXW 1465765 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GCZR 1465766 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GDAE 1465886 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GDCW 1465906 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GDEP 1465598 Pulli 2014 Farne Islands GEBH 1472566 Pulli 2014 Inchkeith GECP 1472597 Pulli 2014 Inchkeith GECZ 1472656 Pulli 2014 Inchkeith GEJT 1478537 Pulli 2014 Inchmickery GENF 1478568 Pulli 2014 Inchmickery GENR 1478575 Pulli 2014 Inchmickery GERN 1478616 Pulli 2014 Inchmickery GERZ 1478623 Pulli 2014 Inchmickery GFHF 1380598 Pulli 2001 Isle of May GFPX 1380826 Pulli 2001 Isle of May GLAW 1486016 Adult 2015 Farne Islands GLFE 1465962 Adult 2015 Farne Islands GLHE 1465964 Adult 2015 Farne Islands GLPE 1486055 Adult 2015 Farne Islands GLWL 1486096 Adult 2015 Farne Islands GLWR 1486098 Pulli 2015 Farne Islands GLWX 1486077 Pulli 2015 Farne Islands GNDR 1486048 Adult 2015 Farne Islands GNES 1465961 Adult 2015 Farne Islands GNPC 1453141 Pulli 2011 Isle of May RAPF 1483086 Adult 2014 Isle of May RBBC 1461307 Pulli 2012 Isle of May RCER 1407490 Adult 2011 Farne Islands RLEC 1407201 Adult 2012 Farne Islands RLFE 1465533 Adult 2012 Farne Islands RLPE 1465549 Pulli 2012 Farne Islands RLWI 1465556 Adult 2012 Farne Islands RNWR 1394399 Adult 2013 Farne Islands RPAE 1407359 Adult 2013 Farne Islands RPEL 1465619 Pulli 2013 Farne Islands RRZD 1465678 Pulli 2013 Farne Islands RRZE 1465679 Pulli 2013 Farne Islands RRZF 1465680 Adult 2013 Farne Islands RRZT 1465688 Pulli 2013 Farne Islands RSFB 1397496 Pulli 2009 Strahangles Point RSSD 1428285 Pulli 2010 Bullers of Buchan RSZP 1407137 Pulli 2009 Farne Islands RTBJ 1377321 Adult 2009 Farne Islands RTBT 1394460 Adult 2009 Farne Islands RTDA 1343267 Adult 2010 Farne Islands RWNC 1465734 Pulli 2013 Farne Islands RWPZ 1465802 Adult 2014 Farne Islands RWRL 1377486 Adult 2014 Farne Islands RWRP 1465810 Adult 2014 Farne Islands RWRW 1465805 Adult 2014 Farne Islands WJBZ 1473499 Pulli 2014 Isle of May WJCS 1473510 Pulli 2014 Isle of May WLZU 1389639 Pulli 2003 Isle of May WNCF 1473648 Pulli 2014 Isle of May WNDH 1473664 Pulli 2014 Isle of May WZLU 1473843 Pulli 2014 Isle of May

Fantastic Farnes

Boy oh boy the weather has been just amazing over the last few days and if it stayed like this all summer the country would do ok as there would be no need to go abroad.

I have hardly had to touch the wheel on the boat this week as its been that clam the boat has steered itself. Say that it is a catamaran so that helps a lot. I have been floating on air a little after the blog awards and I have even been in local papers today and did a short interview on  Radio Newcastle which was unbelievable.

The response has been lovely and once again I thank everyone who voted for me.

We all know what the Farnes is all about and if you don't then you have to come and see it for yourself as it will blow you away.

The weather has been outstanding for this time of the year, hardly a drop of wind the noise level from the birds seems to have been raised a level or two. The hustle and bustle amongst the birds is the best kind compared to that of London traffic a week ago and I would not have it any over way. I'm not saying I don't like city's but when you breath in the fresh air from the countryside it makes you feel alive. Saying that, unless its really hot and the stink from the bird poo can make your stomach churn but its not for long.

The birds are doing really well and we have lots of Guillemots on eggs now and we also noticed a pair of Razorbills on eggs too. The Shags have also started but they are always first to lay.

We have seen lots of Puffins mating and they disappeared for a few days through the week but today they came back in their thousands and I think that will be them here now until the end of the breeding season.

It's really starting to get exciting now and a few more Artic Terns have been spotted roosting with the Sandwich Terns over the last few days which is always good to see. The Sandwich Terns are now up to 450 and the Farnes broke a record the other day with the first Little Tern arriving some 8 days earlier than the previous record in 2011.

The seals have also been enjoying the sunshine and who can blame them. You have to enjoy it while it lasts as you never know what the next day will bring.

Anyway here is a few pictures of the fantastic farnes over the last few days.

Do you mind I'm trying to sunbath here....

Angel of the (farnes) North

A wee bit busy here today.

Sandwich Terns looking good

Bridled Guillemot showing off its catch

and again...

view from my office window....its a hard life

A bit of blue on blue

          

Inner Farne

 

Puffinfantastic

 

Boy its hot today. I might take a dip to cool off.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

 

Yep I'm back...

 

this is my best side

I'm looking good today

Guillemots on eggs

Ha Ha my nest is bigger than yours....

 

come back here when I'm talking to you...

 

I'm not going to let this water spoil my sunbathing...Me neither.....or me.

The Waltons....

Fish Supper

 Years ago my dad was a fisherman and when my brother and myself used to work for him we saw loads of these types of fish and by crumbs they don't half have some big spikes on their spine and on the gills. We often got one stuck in your hand and you had to make sure you got it out straight away, because if you didn't your hand would swell up like a balloon.

Red Gurnard was the name but they were called a few other names from time to time I can tell you.

Never mind here is a few pictures of the Shag just about to eat a small Gurnard the other day. Pictures taken just outside the harbour entrance.

Feeding Frenzy

While our guests were on the Inner Farne the other day we were drifting on the south side of the Inner Farne enjoying the calm seas and the sun. Which makes a change. I noticed alot of gulls feeding, but as I glanced around their were lots of feeding frenzy's going on.

I decided to have a little noisy to see what all the fuss was about and with it being calm and sunny the first thing would be to take some pictures.

As I was clicking away I noticed lots of Gulls, Guillemots, Razorbills, Puffins Terns and Shags feeding on tiny tiny sand-eels. I started to take pictures of the birds with freshly caught sand-eels in their bills and then I got a bit to close and they all flew away. When they had gone I could see a black patch in the water and it was the tiny sand-eels they were feeding on, and then all of a sudden a Shag swims underneath them and bang, he had caught them by surprise and with a bill full sand-eels he broke the surface to eat them. It was just great to see and then it was the Guillemots turn.

With the camera in hand it would be a shame not to try and get a few pictures so here we go. Please they are not that good but you will see what I mean.

I suppose at the end of the day this is why the Farne Islands does so well as if there was no food for the birds they would not be here. Just aswell we have lots of sand-eels then.

Bath Time

Now I know I said I would blog alot more but I need to be out and about around the Farne Islands to get something to blog about.

This has been the worst start to a season we have had for many years, and if it's not been strong winds it's been heavy rain that has stopped play it's been totally dead. To make things worse we have now lost more days at the sea in April than we did for the whole of last year and we will probably lose more before the year is over.

Oh well life is here to test us I suppose. Never mind back to the birds.

I was sitting on the boat the other day watching Guillemots bathing themselves when I noticed that they were totally turning themselves upside down with their feet in the air. I had never noticed this before so I had to get a picture.

The shots I got are not very good and they are taken over a few days and some of the light is not the best, but I did manage to get some pictures to show you what I mean.

I also watched a Shag having a bath but this was more like some kids splashing around in their own bath.

 
On the bird front around the Farnes we have all our birds back now and alot are now sitting on eggs. The Artic Terns are back but they are not settled just yet. A few more days I think and they should start to settle and you know what happens after that......Oh Yes it's hard hat time.