Farne Islands - Watch out, terns about!

Having made the grueling migration back from the shores of South Africa (one is recorded as having made the 11000 mile journey to a beach outside Melbourne), these Arctic Terns on the Farne Islands, now have to contend with the invasion of people to their nesting site on the island.

The terns are vicious in defence of their territory and dive bomb intruders, even grabbing hold of the tops of hats. (The advice of the National Trust warden was to raise your hat up into a peak so they only grabbed hold of the very top and not your head. As you can see this guy on the left had a very different solution to the problem.)

The terns nest wherever there is a few feet of ground to spare; beside the wall of the island chapel (seen here in the photo), in the grounds of the lighthouse and inches away from the boardwalk where hundreds of feet tramp round the island every afternoon. (Visiting to the island is restricted to the afternoon during the breeding season).

This was my second visit to the Farne Islands. Two years ago I visited in April when the terns had not arrived and when there were fewer people - an altogether more civilised experience. Perhaps the terns ought to check out the Long Nanny reserve on Beadnell Beach, when they return next year, where they will have far more protection and far fewer people to contend with. Or perhaps it's time for the National Trust to be far more restrictive with visitor numbers and decide whether the island really is a sanctuary for birds or a tourist `honeypot site'!

The boats for the Farne Islands leave from Seahouses every day, weather permitting.

Weather: better than yesterday but still pretty blowy! Waves rolling the boat and definitely rather choppy.