Eider ducks, Guillemots, Rock Pipits and Atlantic Puffins in Seahouses and the Farne Islands - 10th May 2026

Male Eider duck on the rocks near the harbour in Seahouses

and with a female

Young Shag standing on rock at the edge of one of the Farne Islands

Busy boat service round the Farne Islands

Puffins in the water near the edge of an island

Guillemots standing on the rocks

Bridled Guillemot, on the left, with two other Guillemots at the top of Staple Island

There were other boats in the area with less people on board!

Seals on a rock near the lighthouse

Longstone lighthouse with seals on the rock in front

Another form of transport at the Farne Islands

Bamburgh Castle in the distance

Queue of people waiting to leave Inner Farne with the lighthouse in the distance

Barn Swallow perching on a branch on Inner Farne

The stars of the show - Atlantic Puffins

There were other birds on Inner Farne - Rock Pipit

Guillemots

Guillemots at the edge of Inner Farne with Longstone Lighthouse and Grace Darling's old house in the distance

The boat that brought me to Inner Farne had to wait outside Inner Farne for an hour until it was time for the passengers to reboard

Female Eider duck

and male Eider duck spotted while waiting in the queue to board the boat

More Eider ducks at the edge of Inner Farne and another boat bringing passengers for an hour's walk round Inner Farne - unfortunately, not really enough time on the island!

Looking back at Inner Farne on the way back to Seahouses

Tribute to Sir David Attenborough for his 100th birthday on the beach in Seahouses

Busy traffic at Seahouses harbour

Male Eiders showing off near a female

Popular female Eider duck!

 

Atlantic Puffins, Seals and Guillemots - Farne Islands, Northumberland - 15th June 2025

On my last day in Northumberland, I travelled once again by bus from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Seahouses in order to go on a boat trip around the Farne Islands, which included landing for an hour on Inner Farne.  We boarded the boat, left the harbour and then the engine cut out!  We drifted around for about three-quarters of an hour before the skipper got the engine running again - to huge cheers!

While stuck outside the harbour, I took a photograph of distant Bamburgh Castle

I also took a photograph of Seahouses harbour and other boats that were on the move!

Eventually we were on our way to the Farne Islands and passed a Puffin with a fish in its beak

Puffins were standing on and flying above the cliffs on one of the islands

A group of seals were lying around near another island

There were lots of Guillemots up on the cliffs

A single cute young seal was lying on rocks

We then landed on Inner Farne where there were many Atlantic Puffins to be found

 

Some were standing amongst the pretty white Sea Campion flowers

Other were standing by or in their burrows

A pair of Puffins were beak-rubbing while their companions watched on

This Puffin was definitely refusing to come out of its burrow!

Some Puffins were flying over the island and off on a fishing trip

Pair of Puffins watching the humans wander round the island

Watch out - Puffin coming in to land!

Time to leave after one hour on the island - I could hardly drag myself away!