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In what has become an annual summer tradition, I have been visiting seabird colonies. My main aim has been to enjoy the stunning spectacle of thousands of puffins gather to breed.

Though it is New Years Eve and not the height of summer as I post this, but visiting Inner Farne was a truly special wildlife event of my 2024 and I hope I will have the opportunity to do sometime very similar in 2025.

Let me wish you a Happy New Year and a wonderfully wild 2025!

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This is the penultimate blog about my visit to the Farne Islands. I saw so much in a single day and I loved every minute.

All the photos in this blog are of all the bird species I have not yet posted about, not forgetting a seal too!

I did not want to forget the beautiful Guillemots, Shags, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Oystercatchers, Fulmars, Turnstones, Mergansers, Eider ducks and Seals. Such an amazing variety of life and so much of it too!

I will have one final Farne Islands blog, this one will be all puffins!

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Welcome to the third instalment of my Inner Farne blogs. This one is a little different my usual wildlife theme, as I want to share some of the Beautiful landscapes of the Farne Isands.

These are more than than rocks sticking out of the sea; they are a home to the tens of thousands of breeding seabirds each summer and a window into our unique British history.

A place were St. Cuthbert secluded himself in worship of our Lord and, where Grace and William Darling saved the lives of 9 people from a sinking ship on a dangerous stormy night.

Our British isles are full of such amazing and special pieces of history to be treasured. Many are so engrained, they are written into the very landscape itself!

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As I mentioned in my pervious blog, I would post a few new blogs with extra photos from my amazing visit to Inner Farne. This blog is dedicated to the wonderfully elegant Arctic Terns.

Ground nesting delicate looking birds that are not afraid to dive at your head using their razor sharp beaks to see you away from their tiny eggs and cute fluffy chicks!

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I had the good fortune to have the opportunity to visit the Farne Islands at the start of July. I had chosen to visit there as I knew is was a great place to see Puffins (the main attraction for me) and potentially Eider Ducks. I got to see both of those and my goodness so much more! Wow!

It was a very long drive up to a tiny place called Seahouses, where my friend and I had booked tickets for a boat trip with Billy Shiel. We patiently waited with a crowd of people all booked on for different boat trips, all equally anticipating the beautiful sights that the Farne Islands.

The boat trip I had booked us on, was for a tour around the islands concluding in an hour long visit to Inner Farne. This particular island was home to St. Cuthbert, who lived as a hermit on the island for many years. He was also the gentleman who brought about the first protection of any bird, the Eider Duck; targeted for its soft warm down. In the region this duck is known as Cuddy's Duck in honour of St. Cuthbert's work to protect the precious bird. A small chapel exists on Inner Farne Island, with a stunning Victorian stain glass window in recognition of his long and loyal hermitic stay on the island.

The trip around the islands was worth the booking alone, the captain of the boat 'Glad tidings' told us about the seals and birds that we saw and also a bit of the history of the islands. He also passed by the bottom of a small cliff face filled with nesting seabirds. It was really quite something to see the birds from sea level.

After that we were dropped off at the island. After a hand sanitise and a foot dip, we could then walk up the board walk to the rest of the island. Myself and my friend stopped to admire the chapel and for a quiet moment of reflection before heading to see else this small isle held. Almost instantly we were drive bombed by the Arctic Terns that were nesting along the path, they are beautiful and fearless birds. My friend described them as looking like they were cut out of silk! I've always had a soft spot for Terns, they are such elegant birds, to see them here so close was rather special. A little further up was Puffin territory. This was why I was here, and wow that was special. I walked around with a goofy grin of pure delight plastered all over my face! To see so many of them all together was wonderful, I was able to hear them call as well. It was like a dream! While I took some photos, I wanted to take everything in, to be able to remember every moment. I saw many puffins bringing in lots of sand eels, I watch them run the gauntlet of gulls aiming to steal the hard work of the puffins, some made it back to their burrows and others sadly had to head straight back out to sea. I spotted a pair billing, all their neighbours gathering to watch. I spent a moment just taking in the shear number of birds around me. I was told there was 90,000 puffins across the islands!

After the hour was done it was a short boat ride home. We ended the day at Seashouses with a big bag of chips to recharge our batteries for the journey home. What a truly amazing day! Memories to last a lifetime!

Below are a few photos from the day, I will post a couple more blogs of other photos I took of the beautiful birds I saw during my visit.

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Deer are a delight to see any day of the week, but this is the time of year to be impressed by the handsome stags.

I visited Bradgate Park about a month ago to enjoy the sounds of bellowing stags and the sight of large deer herds. Both beautiful and impressive!

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Bempton Cliffs
17th January 2024

Last June I had the awesome opportunity to visit a very special place that I will remember for the rest of my life, Bempton Cliffs.

On cold quite winter days I like think warm thoughts of summer months and wildlife excursions. So my mind has taken me back to strolling along the cliffs, listening to the cacophony of calls, with the pungency of smells and the frenetic flights that make up the metropolis of seabirds.

Graceful gannets, cute kittiwake chicks, rakish razorbills and best of all … pretty puffins.

With so much going on, it was all wonderful and memorable. That said, for me the puffins won my heart! They are now, quite possible my new favourite bird! Smartly turned out in black and white, with colourful accents on their beaks and feet. These birds are charmers and make me smile every time I think of them.

I will make a return visit to Bempton Cliffs, though my journey will not be as long or as impressive as the journey these beautiful birds will make to their busy, cliff top breeding grounds. If you have not been to witness this wildlife wonder, then I would recommend you do … and perhaps the puffins will win your heart too!

You can find my accompanying videos HERE.

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I had the pleasure of a lovely walk around Burbage Common recently. I hadn't been for a while, so it was great to see little had changed. Lots of birds make the woodland their home, helped I'm sure by the kindness of local dog walkers who put up and top up bird feeders!

You can lose hours watching the darting passerines, the cautious corvids and the steadfast squirrels visiting the mush appreciated feeders. Though they will quickly disappear on the approach of a dog, they very soon return once the canine is out of sight.

On my last visit, I spotted a low perching buzzard, almost regal in its stance. It was unperturbed by my presence. I watched and photographed the beautiful predator in all its strength and elegance.

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May your 2022 be brilliant and bright!

My first bird of the year of was a Robin. I would love to hear what yours was!

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Happy Easter!
4th April 2021

There's nothing more Easter or spring than lovely fluffy lambs! Happy Easter everyone!

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Urban Wild in Nuneaton

3rd April 2021

While waiting for my car to go through its MOT, I had the chance to explore the the wild urban areas of Nuneaton.
I watched the pigeons in the park and a squirrel too, admired a handsome blackbird foraging. I saw large cunning rats explore the river bank, as a little egret successfully fished next to an abandoned piece of furniture!
A little later, perched on a church tower, I had a gorgeous view of a pair of kestrels.
It was a lovely and truly urban wild day!

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Bright and beautiful Blue tits

21st March 2021

I really do have a soft spot for Blue Tits, I think they are so bright and beautiful.
The time of year I think they shine their best is winter. With no leaves or blossom to compete with the bird pretty plumage, the gorgeous blues and yellow of a Blue Tit are on full display!
Over the past few months I have been working on the challenge I had set myself of photographing a Blue Tit in all its finery., the results of which are the photos below.
Blue Tits might be an everyday bird, but they are certainly worth taking the time to watch and admire.

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Introducing my new website and blog!

28th February 2021

Welcome to my new website and blog!

You may notice that it is not very flashy, well that is for two reasons. Firstly I am currently teaching myself website design and construction. Secondly, my aspiration for this blog is to continue to share my passion for wildlife and show its beauty through my photographs. For that reason I want this page to be simple and easy to use, so that distracting gadgets don't get in the way of your (or my) enjoyment of this site!

I am rather excited about this website. Though it is rather small right now, I do hope to expand and build on what I have already created.

Thank you for visiting and I hope to see you again soon!

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