Farne Islands - Ecology and Natural History

Ecology and Natural History

In the warmer months the Farnes, an important wildlife habitat, are much visited by boat trips from Seahouses. Local boats are licensed to land passengers on Inner Farne, Staple Island and the Longstone; landing on other islands is prohibited to protect the wildlife. At the right time of year many puffins can be seen and these are very popular with visitors; on the Inner Farne, the arctic terns nest close to the path and will attack visitors who come too close (visitors are strongly advised to wear hats). Some of the islands also support a population of rabbits, which were introduced as a source of meat and have since gone wild. The rabbit and puffin populations use the same burrows at different times, the puffins being strong enough (with a vicious bite) to evict the rabbits from the burrows during the nesting season. The islands also hold a notable colony of about 6,000 grey seals, with several hundred pups born every year in September–November.

Breeding birds on the Farnes (as of 2012) include:

• Shelduck - 2 pairs
• Mallard - 17 pairs
• Common Eider – 443 pairs
• Fulmar – 276 pairs
• Cormorant – 135 pairs
• Shag – 965 pairs
• Oystercatcher – 39 pairs
• Herring Gull – 72 pairs in 2011 (not counted in 2012)
• Lesser Black-backed Gull – 52 pairs in 2011 (not counted in 2012)
• Ringed Plover - 4 pairs
• Black-headed Gull - 461 pairs
• Black-legged Kittiwake – 4,241 pairs
• Sandwich Tern – 966 pairs
• Roseate Tern – 0 pairs (endangered species) - Several individuals spotted.
• Common Tern – 88 pairs
• Arctic Tern – 1,180 pairs in 2011 (not counted in 2012)
• Guillemot – 49,076 birds
• Razorbill – 365 pairs
• Puffin – 36,285 pairs
• Barn Swallow - 4 pairs
• Pied Wagtail - 5 pairs
• Rock Pipit – 20 pairs

A total of 290 bird species have been recorded on the Farnes, including in the 1760s, an example of the now extinct Great Auk.

On 28–29 May 1979, an Aleutian Tern, a rare tern from the Aleutian Islands in the North Pacific Ocean, visited the Farnes. It was the first, and still the only, member of its species ever seen anywhere in Europe. It remains a complete mystery how it arrived here.

A longer-staying unusual visitor was "Elsie" the Lesser Crested Tern, who visited the Farnes every summer from 1984 to 1997; during that period, she (paired with a male Sandwich Tern) raised several hybrid chicks, and attracted several thousand birders keen to see this species in Britain. Lesser Crested Terns normally nest on islands off the coast of Libya and migrate to West Africa for the winter; it is thought that "Elsie" took a wrong "tern" at the Straits of Gibraltar on spring migration.

An Arctic Tern from the Farnes, ringed as a chick not yet old enough to fly in summer 1982, reached Melbourne, Australia in October 1982, a sea journey of over 22,000 km (14,000 mi) in just three months from fledging. This remains one of the longest distances travelled by any bird.

One classic view of the Farnes, very popular with photographers, is that from the harbour at Seahouses. However, they are closer to the mainland further up the road northwards towards Bamburgh and excellent views may be seen from here, in the vicinity of the Monks House Rocks, as well as from Bamburgh Castle and beach.