Monster Sandwich Trip

We set out again this morning in good conditions and resolved to get more Sandwich tern tracks. Laura on the island gave us an update on the state of the tern hatchings - just about all the Sandwich tern clutches have hatched and the majority of common and Arctic terns have now hatched. Sitting waiting for our first bird of the morning, we could see streams of these three species flying into the colony with sandeels. It looks as if they are having no trouble finding these fish this year, which is great news given the difficulties they have faced in some recent years.

Coquet island - the old lighthouse buildings

At last, we got ourselves on the right line to pick up some Sandwich terns leaving the island, and we picked up the first bird as soon as we were prepared (everyone has to be safely holding on, the boat pointing in the right direction and all ready and raring to go). We then set off after the bird. If flew over shallow rocks south to Druridge Bay, but Graeme was able to maintain good speed and the crack survey team was able to maintain visual contact with it. It did a few half-hearted swoops at the sea, but seemd to be on a mission. At times, we had to travel at 35 knots to keep up with it. We passed Druridge Power Station, and still no let-up. Then Newbiggin, complete with a giant man and woman looking out to sea carved onto the harbour gantry. A couple of plunges, but this wasn't the place it wanted to be. It continued to fly strongly past Blyth harbour, complete with wind turbines on the harbour wall, and two larger turbines a short distance offshore. The bird made it to Seaton Sluice, where it seemed to have found its preferred feeding location. And boy, did it start feeding. We saw it plunge into the sea and pick up at least eight sandeels, and it scoffed every one for itself. No consideration for its chicks. It switched to feeding in the surf off Seaton Sluice, and agonisingly, we lost it when it appeared to fly into the small harbour there. It was annoying that we couldn't see it pick up a fish for its chick. I sensed when it switched to feeding in the surf that it was looking for a larger sandeel for its chicks (the ones it scoffed were all medium-sized).

We were all pretty knackered after that trip - at least 20 miles of very fast tracking and intense concentration to ensure we didn't lose visual contact, even when it flew among other birds.

We cruised back to the island. Graeme was happy for me to drive, and I managed to avoid running over someone's salmon nets, thankfully. The fisherman was looking a bit worried when we were getting near.

We tried some tracks to the north of the island, again Sandwich terns only at this stage. We managed to track some feeding from at least two other birds, then with Julie on main duty, we managed to track a bird to the point when it caught a fish and took it back to the colony - a large sandeel. Again, we tried to follow it in, but with Thomas (Graeme's son) taking the RIB as fast as he safely could, it eventually lost us, about 1km short of Coquet island. Never-the-less, we were all feeling very pleased to have got a complete fishing journey.

A successful foraging trip and we were there to witness it!

The wind was picking up rapidly, and we tried to track a couple more birds, but couldn't kept losing them when the spray blew into our faces. The wind was even too strong for switching to line transects. So we called it a day. Another very useful day.