UK trip

I have a very few days in the UK in the middle of June. My goals are puffins and gannets on very limited time. At the moment my thoughts are flying into Glasgow and heading to the Isle of May for a day trip, then on to the Farne Islands with a Staple and Inner Farnes trip then on to Bempton Cliff. Checked out Bass Rock, won't be there on the dates of the day of the trip to the island.
Any other suggestions for a very rapid few days trying to maximize opportunities. Shall have a car, need to fly out of London towards the end of the week so, as you gather, time is limited. I think I hold the record of someone who went to Iceland and the Westmann Islands and could not get an acceptable quality puffin picture - I'm hoping to be more successful this time round.
Any tips would be more than welcome as well as suggestions as to the longest lens I should carry on this trip for close up images.

Thanks,
Debbie

Debbie,

Hi. Three of the sites which you mention are local to me, as I live almost within sight of Bass Rock.

The Isle of May is a great place. There are two difficulties in visiting it. The first is that the road over from Edinburgh to Ansthruther (where you get the boat) is very slow. Alow two hours driving from leaving the motorway. The other is that the landings are weather dependant. There are often days when it is just not possible to land. Could be a problem on a tight schedule like you will be following. Not sure if I would keep the May on my list if I were trying to cram lots in to a very short time.

One place worth a stop as you work southwards is Dunbar. There is a ruined medieaval castle beside the harbour there with a colony of Kittiwakes. About 50 yards from the nearest car parking! Shoudl be possible to get level with a few of the lower nests from a small grassy mound. Mornings through to early afternoon will have the best light.

Another "drive in" seabird colony as you travel south is Saint Abbs Head in south-east Scotland. You can drive all the way out to a small parking area beside the lighthouse there. There are good seabird cliffs just north of the lighthouse. Some years are better for close nests than others on the cliff tops. However, it is a great place for taking group shots on the cliffs and on some of the sea stacks offshore.

The Farne Isles are a wonderful place. You should try to book a full day trip in advance. This lands on one island in the morning and another in the afternoon. You get longer ashore than if you take two separate half day trips out of Seahouses. The biggest and best boat operator is http://www.farne-islands.com/index.htm. Agsin, landing is weather dependant. I have been unable to land on the Farnes in mid June in the past. If I were you I might think of trying for two days on the Farnes back to back and forgetting about the May. This will greatly increase your chances of actually managing a landing. Also, if you do get two trips, once you have been there you can think overnight about how to optimise your limited time ashore on day two.

Bring a hat! You will have to cross a tern colony as you land on Inner Farne. Mother terns can be picky about letting you along "their" path. There are usually a few chicks around the buildings at the top of the path. Worth bringing a close focussing lens for these e.g. 180 mm macro.

As for other lenses, 400 mm for flight. As for getting really good closeups of birds on the ground, I always advocate taking the largest lens with which you are comfortable travelling. When I go, I take my 600 mm and my extenders. A lot of photographers who visit the Farnes say that there is no need to take such a large lens. However, if you are comfortable flying with a 500 or a 600, you will get the benefit of your efforts. You sometimes get close puffins from the paths with a short lens. You can always get them a little way off of the paths with a long lens.

Do not forget the harbour at Seahouses at both ends of the trip. There are often good opportunities for close photos of Eider there. Also, there should be some confiding starlings, including youngsters.

Bempton will give you good Gannet photography. The cliff have sun on them in the mornings. Sometimes it is easier to photograph there without the sun (cloudy but bright), as a lot of the path has you looking into the sun. Not to mention the usual problem of brilliant white birds with some black bits making for difficult subjects in sunshine.

It is a shame that Bass Rock has become such an unfriendly place. Under the old ownership with a long established boatman fron North Berwick it was a wonderful place. Although this was also weather dependant, Fred Marr was superb at getting you on and off in rough seas. I was once on a non landing trip with him many years ago when we called in to deliver the Sunday newspapers to the lighhousekeepers despite the Force 7 winds. He could also put you onto Craigleith, a couple of miles west of the Bass. A small low lying island of Puffins. Alas, that is a thing of the past. Change of owner for the Bass forced a change of boatman. Also, Craigleith has become rather overgrown and that has spoilled it as a place to visit for photographers. Trips to the Bass are a real rip-off now. I, like a great many other photographers, refure to go because of the level of the landing fees.

I shall be happy to try to advise further if you wish. Feel free to send PM or e-mail.

Best wishes,

Peter

Peter,
Thanks for the time taken for such a detailed response, based on your recommendations shall concentrate on the Farne Islands and Bempton. I'll be emailing you with other questions, your help is really appreciated.
Thanks
Debbie

Debbie,

Just been in Dunbar about half an hour ago - shoppin, not photographing. The Kittiwakes are almost all back on the castle. I was along the coast past Bass Rock a few days ago, and many of the Gannets are back there. They are also back at Bempton. You may want to have a look at some of the posts over the last few days from there on www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?r=0&rty=0 to whet your appetite.

Best,

Peter

Thanks for the tip - my travel plans are falling into place and timed according to your suggestions. Just hope the weather cooperates somewhat for my brief visit, shall however be well prepared!

Peter,
Thanks for your great advice - had a great trip in spite of limited access to the Farne Islands because of weather. However, finally saw puffins with sand eels! - the Farnes are absolutely amazing. Bempton Cliffs was also wonderful, however the fencing was somewhat restrictive for photography. Hope to go again next year and try to get to Bass Rock this time.

Again, many thanks!

Do you have images to share with us here?

Szimi

Szimi
Going through cataract surgery at present, once the second eye is done and I can see clearly enough to edit will post some images.

Oh sure, that is less important than your health. Take care and wish you all the best for the surgery.
Clear and sharp sight is more important!!!

Szimi

Debbie,

Glad that you had a good trip, and hope that the surgery goes well. Looking forward to seeing some of your photos when you are fit to edit and post.

Anything else that you would like to see and photograph next year? There are a few other possibilities in south-east Scotland/north-east England if you have a few days in this area. There is a good Arctic Tern colony just south of Seahouses where you sailed from. Some of the small harbours in that area have tiny Eider chicks. Also, Red Grouse are failry reliable in the hills near here. Mid June is a good time to get them with newly hatched chicks. Very cute. If you are into "small things" there are a few reasonable prospects for woodland feeders, with birds such as Nuthatch, Great and Blue Tits, and various less colourful fare.

Dunbar Castle has very approachable Kittiwake nests. They started to hatch out their young at the end of June. Have been visiting every two or three days this year (on the way to or from the local "pick your own" strawberry farm) to get the range of chick sizes.

Off to the north of Scotland tomorrow for a week or so. With luck a vagrant River Warbler will wait there until the weekend!

Regards,

Peter

Thanks for the info as I am also interested in seabird photography in the UK. I am also looking forward reliable spots for Eurasian Dotterel. Do you have any in highland Scotland?

Szimi

Szimi,

Never photographed Dotterel on their highland breeding grounds. Most of the time that they spend there is, quite naturally, for breeding. That makes things tricky for photographers, as you need a permit to photograph them if there is any possibility of disturbing them when they are on or near to their nests or when they are with young. The hassle of getting such a permit is something which most of us can do without.

My Dotterel pictures were all taken on passage. There are a number of spring sites which are fairly reliable year to year. They are a bit difficult to predict on a day to day basis though. Of these, the best known is probably Pendle Hill in the north Pennines in England. Also, in the Pentland Hills, just to the south of Edinburgh.

Passage reports on www.birdguides.com this year range from 18 April through to 26 May. End of April to about mid May seems to account for most of the birds.

A couple of autums ago I photographed a juvenile in a field only a few mules from home. It was ridiculoulsly tame. I walked slowly to about 15 metres, making no attempt to keep low. Thought that I should not psh my luck and try to get any closer in case I should flush it. When I stopped walking, the Dotterel started walking - straight towards me. For a couple of minutes it was too close for my 600 mm to focus on. Adults on spring migration are a little more shy, but only a little.

Regards,

Peter