Farne Islands

Martyn Jones · Status: Offline

RE: Farne Islands

Stephen Fuentes · Status: Offline

Hi Martyn,

I usually go twice a year, staying near Seahouses, and I'd say the best time to go is June for the seabirds as the breeding season is in full swing by then, and you might even get some good whether. But as already mentioned, if you go onto Inner Farne wear a hat ! (see my avatar of me being attacked by an Arctic tern on Inner Farne !!).

A word of advise, the most popular boat trips are run by Billy Shiels 'Glad Tidings' boats. These can be very very popular, especially at that time of year, and can be quite cramped on board. However, if you go for one of the other, lesser known, boat companies, of which there are two or three, then sometimes you can almost have the boat to yourself. They do exactly the same trips at the same price.

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers,

Steve.

Martyn Jones · Status: Offline

Many thanks to all who have replied, it's been a great help.
Cheers, Martyn

Mike Baron · Status: Offline

Hi Martin

We used to holiday regularly at Beadnell which is a top spot for birding and I regularly visited the Farnes. Top tip - you will have a very target rich environment - take spare cards and batteries for your camera! You will need them.

Have a good one

Mike

Paul Richardson · Status: Offline

Martyn we went last year in the 2nd week of July, thus missing most of the Guillemots, but there were still 100s of Puffins and Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns on Inner Farne. The Tern chicks were quite big, and I think it's said that the adults are a little less aggressive at that stage than when they are on the eggs.

It's a great experience, though by no means lonely - Inner Farne is very busy with visitors.

We had booked the full day including Staple Island, but although the sea was not really rough, the skipper decided there was too much swell to land on Staple in the morning, so we did a round trip, came back to Seahouses for lunch, then had 3 hours instead of 2, on Inner Farne where it's easier to land.

Was disappointed to miss Staple, siad to be the main Puffin habitat, but there are plenty of Puffins on Inner Farne.

Also really loved being able to stand and look down on nesting Kittiwakes and Shag - they are not bothered by the visitors, so the inhabitants nearest the clifftop are really close to the observation points. There weren't many Fulmar but maybe that's just as well with their habit of regurgitating over intruders!

Big highlight is also the Atlantic Grey Seal colony - again very habituated to tourists, so excellent photo ops.

Paul

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Wednesday 16th of May 2012 05:08:56 PM

Pete Hines · Status: Offline

More details here

Joe Wynn · Status: Offline

Martyn Jones wrote:

Hi All

I'd like to do a half or full day trip to the Farne Islands for some bird photography this year. Has anyone got any hints and tips about the best way to do it, i.e. when to go, which trip / boat to book, which islands to visit etc and any other photographic tips?

Cheers, Martyn

I went with 'Billy Shields' on the boat 'Glad Tidings' last year. I went late may last year and no chicks (aside a single puffin one!), might be worth going mid-June? I'd do a full day, Glad Tidings does a cruise to Staple Island and Inner Farne of about 6 hours. When we went this got us all the farne essentials; Puffin, Razorbill, Shag, Guillemot, Eider, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Fulmar and Lesser Black Backs. That's VERY satisfying! Bring a spare battery and as many memory cards as you can find, its one busy day! I used a grand total of 5 4GB memory cards when I went! Oh yea, worth bringing a hat, things take a TERN for the worst on Inner Farne!

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Fantastic part of the world! I have camped here a few times. Go now - don't wait till later in the summer. I caught a boat in August and of course seabird breeding was over apart from 'one lowanlee poofin' pointed out by the capatain off the port side. Several boats run regularly from Seahouses all summer. Just turn up and wait for the next one. Don't miss Beadnell Bay and Embleton Bay area for birding and further down the coast you've got Druridge Bay, the fantastic East Chevington reserve and the RSPB run trips out to Coquet Island for the breeding Roseate Terns (something I haven't done but have always planned to do). Also Eiders assemble in the harbour at Amble.

Martyn Jones · Status: Offline

Hi All

I'd like to do a half or full day trip to the Farne Islands for some bird photography this year. Has anyone got any hints and tips about the best way to do it, i.e. when to go, which trip / boat to book, which islands to visit etc and any other photographic tips?

Cheers, Martyn