The mighty Inner Farne...how many of you saw this sight with that Bridled knot in your stomach?!
I said it after the jaw grinding 2011 Scilly season, then last year after the Farnes constantly produced monster fall after fall, and you what, I'm saying it again. 2013 was the best year ever! Despite lacking as many incredible visual migration events of 2012, the shear quantity of mega retinal inverting birds both on and near the islands is just unbelievable. So. Make a cup of tea, make sure you're along, and feast mind, body and spirit on the following 137 photos, my favourites, from 2013. These include anything and everything BIRD. From the array of breeders to the plethora of scarce, rare and of course MEGA species that I managed to enjoy and grab a cheeky pic of. What a great place. I think you'll agree.
Long-tailed Ducks regular and highly mollusc faced.
Cliche Guillemots.
Pale-bellied Brents over Knoxes, the hours spent watching this reef will be well into triple figures!
Garden birds wandering where the hell they went wrong....
Spectacle, no need for specsavers.
'Purp' Internationally important numbers use the Farnes both on passage and over winter.
These guys....
Jackdaws looking majorly rare.
Robin habitat...
The Info Centre...and one of its many rescued detainees.
Pretty darn stonking.
Short-eared Owl before it was smashed out of the sky by Gulls...(it survived)
My second favourite Farnes breeder.
Trinity Housestart
Collared Reed Bunting. #neckbulge
Aint she pretty? Least this Brambling survived the Merlin..
Knackered gonads. Black Guillemot.
Classic Farnes views of Chiffchaff
Goldcrests are dumb of f#ck! But canny looking, also hold the record for most hand captures of any passerine..
Classic Farnes Willow Warbler.
Young male Black Redstart. Very fringey.Oh baby.
Knackered gonads. Black Eidermot.
All 3 Diver species had good showings, though photos are always hard. Here's a typical view of a Red-throat.
White Wagtail rub my mantle.
The first of several, all successful twitches. How we made it before dark I don't know. But ROCK THRUSH. Living the dream.
Fulmar's might take it up the arse, but they will tear you a new one given half the chance...
Whitethroats trying to find scrub and failing....
Not even sure what these are...
Ladies Path Med(Gull)ley
Yeah mate
Evening Wheatear with my house in the background...
RARE. On the Farnes.
Classic Farnes views of Lesser Whitethroat.
My favourite Farnes breeder! Just look at that.
So. Much. Yellow.
Blue-headed Wagtail, a major bird on the Farnes. And rarer than Fea's Petrel.
Farnes combo. Blackcap vs Puffin.
I walked outside moments after finding out about the Collared Fly a mile or so down the coast to find this. Heart in mouth doesn't even come close!
One of the few birds that initiate a debilitating amount of adrenalin. Collared Flycatcher! Dream bird number 2.
Sedgey
Whinchat artfest.
Mallard nesting in the centre of a gull colony...
One of them funny Robins...
First f three Red-backed Shrikes...
Kind of good views of Wood Warbler....HOLY SHIT! WINGS!
The ultimate storm chaser. Yanks nerds in their big gay fortified jeeps chasing tornado's could learn and thing or two from the Arctic Tern. See you at the south pole yeah?
It's too close!! Black-headed Bunting. Great views, one of many Brownsman birds that are only accessible to those who sacrifice everything by living on the Farnes...
Male Red-backed Shrike doing that thing they do...
Farnes combo...bring it.
Yes son. Noisy but awesome.
Roseate Tern doing an Avocet..
Best views of Roseate Terns I have ever had!
The Info Centre strikes..! Ickterine Warbler getting its pant on, luckily it escaped soon after..
Oystercatcher chick...
This place
Walking through the colonies has to be one of the best part of being on the Farnes...Sandwich Tern egg.
Alreet son! Get some fish in ya!
Alright ladies.
Africans
QUACK
BRIDLED TERN! BIRD OF THE YEAR. NO QUESTION.
An utterly unbelievably good bird that was like the first time, every time.
Prospecting Puffin, can't nest in the Zodiac mate.
Bridled madness
Black-tailed Godwits getting projected
The last appearance of the best bird ever!
Major blocker getting the Vics Vapourub treatment. UNBLOCKED. Pity some mentalists chose to ignore our advice then get pissed when they couldn't get on the island. Birders, no sorry, twitchers, are so funny sometimes...
Farnes Flycatcher..
Willow Warbler about to get the treatment..
Meadow Pipit being autumnal.
Spotted Flycatcher giving 'those views'
The endemic Farnes bent Reed Warbler
Standard Icky habitat on the Farnes
Watching this treat drop out the sky was magical
Speaking of sky, here's some. Oh and some big fat Pink-footed Geese.
HONK
Farnes Wren
Contender fro bird of the year (behind one or two...) Crossbill.
JUP JUP MUTHAF#CKAS
Red-backed Shrike number three. Grilled for Brown, denied.
Whinchatting in the morning sun.
Yellow-browed Warbler invasion begins, the 'rares bench' getting some more action..
In the hand.
Redwing and Song Thrush on the rocks
Lesser Whiteringedthroat
Puffin killer...'dude he's watching me, act natural...'
Looking northwest..
Yellow-browed backdrop.
Look at the neck on that!
going in for the kill...
Rock Pipit hassling Reed Bunting, the scourge of migrants on the Farnes!
Lapdance anyone?
A flavour of home....Firecrest on the Farnes..
REEEEEEEEEEET Brambling.
Perch that! Stonechat.
Spanking little giblets. Pallas's Warbler.
Big old boy. Northern flavour Great-spotted Woodpecker.
BON. XIE.
Prime coniferous woodland, the favoured habitat of the Goldcrest...oh wait..
Those eyes
More mental Goldcrest action..
Siberian Chiffchaff.
Big fat old Mealy Redpoll.
One of two Glaucous Gull this year. Always a pleasure. Especially when they fly over whilst you're watching an Olive-backed Pipit.
WOOHOO HOOPOE
And here is said Olive-backed Pipit
Little Bunting, one of four seen this year.
Spot the two Little Buntings
Some Mealy's were verging on hyper polar.
Artificial tree housing three Blackcap
Yellowhammer, the 7th species of bunting I saw on the Farnes this year
Phwaarlark
Bonaparte's Gull bringing the long-awaited Yankness
Another classic twitch. Lesser Grey Shrike.
Best turn our back on 2013 with a smile. A pure pearly white, unadulterated, teeth shining smile
