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What to take to Farne Island? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Kevin
- Start date
Reader
Well-known member
Hi Kevin
Three of us are going on the 16th. We are doing the all day trip (taking in the two islands). If you are going on the 16th as well look at for someone wearing the old style cream coloured BF cap. That will possibly be me.
I will certainly be leaving my scope in the car and just taking my bins and camera. Regarding protection, I have no protection other than I might take a few wipes just in case of accidents, plus a change of clothes for when I get back to the car (again just in case of a few accidents whilst on the islands).
BTW, don't forget to wear a hat.
John
Three of us are going on the 16th. We are doing the all day trip (taking in the two islands). If you are going on the 16th as well look at for someone wearing the old style cream coloured BF cap. That will possibly be me.
I will certainly be leaving my scope in the car and just taking my bins and camera. Regarding protection, I have no protection other than I might take a few wipes just in case of accidents, plus a change of clothes for when I get back to the car (again just in case of a few accidents whilst on the islands).
BTW, don't forget to wear a hat.
John
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
You won't need a scope, in fact it will be a hindrance, You most cetainly will need a hat for protection against the artic terns. When they fly at you they are not kidding, they are proper attacks and the beaks make contact. (Some of them build their nests actually on the boardwalk paths).
I've seen people wearing hard hats - this is overkill - not needed. I once followed a bald hatless man from the boat and before we'd traveled 15 yards his scalp was bleeding freely - he didn't go far enough. I find that a cloth hat is sufficient. A combat hat or baseball cap is fine. The terns still hit you but it feels like being tapped in the head with a pencil and the bill doesn't get a chance to penetrate. The attack becomes part of the fun.
Note that they always seem to go for the highest point, ie the top of the head, and the colony just past the boat landing (Inner Farne) is the danger spot. Further onto the island among the auks it calms down a lot.
You will also need a waterproof, preferably with a hood; not for the island (Although it can come in handy as I once had my goretex annointed by no less a celebrity than a roseate tern a few years ago), but for the boat crossing. In anything other than a glassy calm you are likely to get a bit of spray blown in when travelling into the wind and against the swell.
Enjoy your trips.
I've seen people wearing hard hats - this is overkill - not needed. I once followed a bald hatless man from the boat and before we'd traveled 15 yards his scalp was bleeding freely - he didn't go far enough. I find that a cloth hat is sufficient. A combat hat or baseball cap is fine. The terns still hit you but it feels like being tapped in the head with a pencil and the bill doesn't get a chance to penetrate. The attack becomes part of the fun.
Note that they always seem to go for the highest point, ie the top of the head, and the colony just past the boat landing (Inner Farne) is the danger spot. Further onto the island among the auks it calms down a lot.
You will also need a waterproof, preferably with a hood; not for the island (Although it can come in handy as I once had my goretex annointed by no less a celebrity than a roseate tern a few years ago), but for the boat crossing. In anything other than a glassy calm you are likely to get a bit of spray blown in when travelling into the wind and against the swell.
Enjoy your trips.
ColinD
Well-known member
1. definately no scope. It will hinder you.
2. I was on the islands on Saturday and didn't get hit by a single dropping. You will need a hat though.
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
You can turn up on spec, but I pre-book over the phone. The trips are usually full, so it ensures you get on the one you want.
http://www.farne-islands.com/boat-trips/
http://www.farne-islands.com/boat-trips/
Ruby
Well-known member
Hi Guys,
Interested to hear how you all get on, since I am planning to do the '2 island' trip myself on 24th June....
Regarding the scope - I can imagine that it might be a bit of an encumbrance, but I had planned on doing a bit of digi-scoping (Puffins, Terns, Razorbills being the main targets, but also anything else that happened to be about).... or is it the case that you can get close enough (ie 5m or so) to each of these species that a compakt digi-camera will do the trick??
Ruby
Interested to hear how you all get on, since I am planning to do the '2 island' trip myself on 24th June....
Regarding the scope - I can imagine that it might be a bit of an encumbrance, but I had planned on doing a bit of digi-scoping (Puffins, Terns, Razorbills being the main targets, but also anything else that happened to be about).... or is it the case that you can get close enough (ie 5m or so) to each of these species that a compakt digi-camera will do the trick??
Ruby
Barred Wobbler
Well-known member
Ruby you are so close to the birds that even a standard SLR 50mm will do for some of them. A telephoto lens of about 300 - 500mm will be more help though. Digiscoping is unneccesary because the birds are so close. Puffins about 6 feet away, terns closer, shags and guillemots on the nest ledges under your feet.
A tripod can be a nuisance on the boardwalks because they are quite narrow , but not totally out of the question.
I admit to digiscoping a couple of birds once when a booted warbler turned up in 2005. I tried to get it but it wouldn't stay still long enough to digiscope. I settled for this rock pipit that was at the same spot and a not-very-good shot of a shy roseate tern that was resting on the rocks at the jetty.
EDIT. The puffin is one I took with my trusty old NIkon FM with (I think) a 500mm lens in 2001
A tripod can be a nuisance on the boardwalks because they are quite narrow , but not totally out of the question.
I admit to digiscoping a couple of birds once when a booted warbler turned up in 2005. I tried to get it but it wouldn't stay still long enough to digiscope. I settled for this rock pipit that was at the same spot and a not-very-good shot of a shy roseate tern that was resting on the rocks at the jetty.
EDIT. The puffin is one I took with my trusty old NIkon FM with (I think) a 500mm lens in 2001
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ColinD
Well-known member
It was fairly packed on Saturady (Bank holiday, plus the forecast for Sunday and Monday was poor). However I still got on. I would pre-book if you can, alternatively get there for about 9:15am.
Bear in mind that the boat does not always land on the islands. Given a half decent day you will get on Inner Farne, but Staple Island can be tricky depending on wind direction and strength. It was touch and go on Saturday, and the skipper was still uncertain right up to the point where we approached the landing stage. There's no guarentees until you step foot on the island.
martin kitching
Obsessed seawatcher
Very much overkill. There have actually been incidents in the past where Arctic Terns have suffered serious injury due to impacting on hard hats.
Coigach said:
In my experience they already know whether landing will be possible and inform passengers if it isn't.
Enjoy your trips.
cheers
martin
Lucky Birder
Notts Birder
I think the Arctic Tern hits can be quite painful. Put some stiff cardboard inside your cap and it almost completely deadens the impact.
ColinD
Well-known member
The skippers (I think it was Billy himself) words over the tannoy as we approached the landing stage on Staple Island "We're going to try to land you on the island - we'll do our best".
I agree though that generally they will know before you buy your ticket.
Upland Birder
Birding On The Edge
Hi all,
for those of you who are going to the Farne Isles have a great time. I was there last weekend on the Saturday and spent a whole day on Inner Farne. I was with some student friends from Bishop Burton College and we had the island to ourselves in the morning.
I have put some pics in my gallery if you want to have a look.
You will enjoy the experience but make sure you take adequate provisions. It could get difficult if because of weather you could not get off the island once on !!!
Coigach, we may have crossed paths!! I was also on Lindisfarne on Sunday.
Dean
Cheadle Birder
for those of you who are going to the Farne Isles have a great time. I was there last weekend on the Saturday and spent a whole day on Inner Farne. I was with some student friends from Bishop Burton College and we had the island to ourselves in the morning.
I have put some pics in my gallery if you want to have a look.
You will enjoy the experience but make sure you take adequate provisions. It could get difficult if because of weather you could not get off the island once on !!!
Coigach, we may have crossed paths!! I was also on Lindisfarne on Sunday.
Dean
Cheadle Birder
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Robin Pearson
Herts irregular
If you're not a great sailor pick a really calm day. The boats are not that big and when I went (it was fairly rough) everyone apart from me was hanging over the side most of the time. Me, I was too petrified to move.
ColinD
Well-known member
I did speak to a group just before the causeway on my way off the island. They were sat on the edge of the dunes looking at the waders, and I mentioned a possible Little Stint which I had seen. That wasn't you was it?
Upland Birder
Birding On The Edge
It could well have been. We had walked on the island then made our way to the dunes watching waders, resting, eating and thinking how lucky we had been with the weather!! A guy did stop his car, got out and walked over to us.
Cheers
Dean
Cheers
Dean
Kevin
Registered User (not drugs)
Thanks guys
Thanks guys for all your help, we had a great time, even though the waether was a bit chilly!
I took DSLR & camcorder, got some great video of missus being dived bombed! Got some great photos too (see attached).
The boat was packed, and although we got there early to buy our tickets from the koisk, I had a sense that we only just managed to get seats. If I had to give advice to anyone else, I would definately suggest they book in advance.
We had repeated hits from the artic terns, which became a little bit like a Chinese Water torture after while. They seemed to know just which part of the head to strike, and then strike it again and again and again.
We did the two island trip which lasted 5-6 hours, and we saw loads of grey seal too.
A brilliant day, worth the long journey from Surrey!
Thanks guys for all your help, we had a great time, even though the waether was a bit chilly!
I took DSLR & camcorder, got some great video of missus being dived bombed! Got some great photos too (see attached).
The boat was packed, and although we got there early to buy our tickets from the koisk, I had a sense that we only just managed to get seats. If I had to give advice to anyone else, I would definately suggest they book in advance.
We had repeated hits from the artic terns, which became a little bit like a Chinese Water torture after while. They seemed to know just which part of the head to strike, and then strike it again and again and again.
We did the two island trip which lasted 5-6 hours, and we saw loads of grey seal too.
A brilliant day, worth the long journey from Surrey!
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Kevin
Registered User (not drugs)
Hi Ruby - you'll have a great time.
From Sutton, we travelled across London via the South Circular and hit the MI at it's start. We stayed on M1 to Leeds where we stopped in a Travel Lodge (Leeds Coulton). I hate driving, so we split the journey up with overnight stays. M1 to A1 for the rest of the journey.
To Leeds it took us about 3½ hours with a stop, and about 2½ hours for the second leg (also with a stop). If you plan to do the whole thing in one go, I guess you're looking at 6 hours. Depends how fast you drive, I'm not the quickest and tend to keep to the speed limit.
Road works weren't a big problem.
The first boat leaves at 10.00am, we got there at 9.15am (on a Monday) and there were plenty of people about.
Let us know how you got on
From Sutton, we travelled across London via the South Circular and hit the MI at it's start. We stayed on M1 to Leeds where we stopped in a Travel Lodge (Leeds Coulton). I hate driving, so we split the journey up with overnight stays. M1 to A1 for the rest of the journey.
To Leeds it took us about 3½ hours with a stop, and about 2½ hours for the second leg (also with a stop). If you plan to do the whole thing in one go, I guess you're looking at 6 hours. Depends how fast you drive, I'm not the quickest and tend to keep to the speed limit.
Road works weren't a big problem.
The first boat leaves at 10.00am, we got there at 9.15am (on a Monday) and there were plenty of people about.
Let us know how you got on
Ruby
Well-known member
Thanks Kevin,
We'd plan to make an early start on the Saturday, with a view to getting up to the general area by early afternoon - then have a bit of a look around the area, B&B and then do the all-day birdwatching trip on the Sunday.
I'd just heard bad things about the M1 roadworks (which would have been my preferred route probably...) so was wondering whether it might be better going M11/A1 etc....
We're looking forward to it and hoping for some co-operative weather!
We'd plan to make an early start on the Saturday, with a view to getting up to the general area by early afternoon - then have a bit of a look around the area, B&B and then do the all-day birdwatching trip on the Sunday.
I'd just heard bad things about the M1 roadworks (which would have been my preferred route probably...) so was wondering whether it might be better going M11/A1 etc....
We're looking forward to it and hoping for some co-operative weather!
