[MarkHows]

I am visiting Northumberland just for 1 day mid August and was wondering if the Roseate terns at Coquet Island would still be around and if so are there boat trips etc to see them?

Any info much appreciated

Thanks

Mark

[Steve J - Darlo]

Thet may still be there, but most likely will have fledged. Boat trips i.e. Puffin Cruises run from Amble harbour around the Island but you will not be able to land.

If you are in the area visit East Chevington which this year has been a 'hot spot'

Best regards

Steve J

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Mark,

By mid-August, a lot of them have dispersed down to St Mary's Island (Whitley Bay), where they are very easy to see on the high tide tern roost (I had about 30 there mid Aug, last year):
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...&arrow=y?64,99
and usually fairly easy at other times unless the tide is very low, most often on these rocks at mid-tide:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...&arrow=y?43,40

There will probably still be some on Coquet Island too, make sure you get one of the boat trips that goes out at high tide, as at low tide the boat can't get close enough in to see them well. The boat leaves from here:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...arrow=y?150,44

Some have been visiting East Chevington, at the south end of the north pool:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...rrow=y?190,193
but they're not reliable there, you have to get lucky. The White-winged Tern is still there (yesterday at least), and looks like staying, though. Take the minor road east from the A1068 at Red Row, walk across the field at the end of the pool (well-worn track in the grass!).

If you can let me know which day, I'll look out the tide times for you.

There's also provisionally a BF 'unofficial' bash @ St Mary's Island sometime this Aug, date not yet settled - maybe we could make it that day and meet up.

Michael

[Michael Frankis]

Hi again,

Info for the Coquet Island boat - top item on this website:
http://www.secretkingdom.com/outdoors.asp

Michael

[Paul Hackett]

Mark

Roseate Terns are also viewable from Whitburn Steel

i have taken pictures of them there two years ago and they show close on an incoming tide

and they have been showing there very recently according to the pagers

maybe Michael Frankis can give accurate directions ?

hope this helps

rgds

Paul

[MarkHows]

I will be visiting on the 15th August (Thursday), any tide info most appreciated

Thanks

Mark

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Mark,

Hmmm . . . is that Thurs 14th or Fri 15th ??

High tides for both days:
14th: 05.55 and 18.08
15th: 06.33 and 18.43

A boat from Amble to Coquet Island after about 15.30 Thurs or 16.00 Fri will get close enough in for good views, trouble is, I don't know for certain if they run that late in the day. Try phoning the boatman (number on the link posted before) and find out when his last sailing of the day is.

For St Mary's Island, the causeway gets covered just over 2 hours before the high tide time, so if you want to watch the roost over the high tide you'd need to be on the island by about 4pm on the Thurs, 4.30pm on the Fri. Alternatively, they should be showing well from the promenade from early afternoon onward at the mid-tide gathering rocks (probably the better idea, as you'd not get off the island again until about 9pm!)

If you want to make it St Mary's, I can meet you there if interested.

Sorry Paul, I don't know exactly where the Whitburn roost is (that's foreign territory down in Durham and I hardly ever go there, it needs a major rarity like Melodious Warbler to entice me down there!!), but here's the streetmap link for the area:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...=562500&zoom=4
I think it is just south of the rifle range, but I'm not sure.

Michael

[MarkHows]

Sorry it is the 14th, I will have to view them from the promenade as I need to be elsewhere by 9pm

Thanks

Mark

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Mark,

The slightly earlier tide on 14th should work in your favour. I'll see if I can get down then as well (unless the weather is dreadful!).

Michael

[cuddy]

Hello Mark , i believe the Roseates were back slightly later than usual to Coquet Island but the numbers are better than ususal about 67 breeding pairs and 50 non breeders, so by mid August St Marys, Church point Newbiggan, Black Middens Tynemouth,, in Northumberland will give you a good chance at your time of visit of connecting with this lovely bird

[Michael Frankis]

On birdguides today:

Whitley Bay - 8 Roseate Terns (6 ads, 2 juvs)

Michael

[MarkHows]

Thanks Michael I saw that I will have a good look in the area tommorrow

Mark

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Mark,

I'll try to get down to St Mary's Island about 2-2.30pm. See you there!

Michael

[MarkHows]

See you then
Mark

[cuddy]

Hi Mark the last couple of days have seen a build up in numbers of Roseates at St Mary,s about an hour or two after high tide will afford good views so 7 to 9 am will be good ,cant be there myself being a wage slave but hope you manage to get good views.

Best of luck, and dont forget to keep an eye on the sea and wetland as these can always turn up a few surprises.

Cuddy

[IanF]

Originally posted by Michael Frankis
Hi Mark,

I'll try to get down to St Mary's Island about 2-2.30pm. See you there!

Michael

I may even see you there too if I can make it, as I have yet to see Roseate Terns - watch out for a BF cap !

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Ian,

Hope you can make it! - maybe see you 'safternoon.

Have to look in the Superstore to see what the caps look like . . .

Michael

[MarkHows]

Michael,

Many thanks for all your help on Thursday, great views of the Roseates.

The white rumped Sand had gone but Curlew sand and WW black tern were around.

Mark

[Roseate]

Hello I've just joined BF at BBF, so I'm to late to help with Roseate tern info. for trip.

As someone who rings the roseate terns on Coquet Island I can give up to date infomation on this years breeding. There were 70 pairs fledging a total of 81 young. The vast majority using nest boxes, either to lay eggs into or for young to shelter in. Using nest boxes has increased productivity for fairly obvious reasons such as shelter from weather and predation. Roseate Terns are usually the last terns back and come in waves, so you are never really sure how many you've got until the end of the season. This year I ringed the first chicks on the 12th July a full week early them ever before (I've been ringing them since 1991) and ringed the last on 11 August, a week later then ever before.

I'm fitting a BTO ring to the left leg and a special metal ring to the right. This special ring has a 4 digit sequence which is repeated and is legible in the field from about 30m. These rings are fitted so they can be read in breeding colonies, but I would welcome any observations.

That's probably enough for my first posting.

Tom Cadwallender

[IanF]

Hi Tom,

On behalf of Admin and the Moderators, Welcome to Bird Forum

I can see from your posting that we have yet another knowledgeable member joined us from the Northumberland area. I hope that you like the site and I look forward to reading your future postings.

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Tom,

Fancy you turning up here! Welcome to the crowd.

We had a successful Roseate trip down to St Mary's Island last Thursday afternoon, got 12 of them (9 ads, 3 juvs). Too distant to read the ring numbers, though. Also got a juv Black Tern, which terned up while we were watching the Rosies.

Great to hear the final score was 70 pairs, and a good lot of young fledged

Michael