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Counting Puffins on Farne Islands - Beautiful!

 
Off the coast of Northeast England you'll find the Farne Islands, a group of 15-20 islands (depending on the tide), that are home to a huge population of sea birds, who come there for 'social gatherings' and mating. On last count, the islands hosted more than 23 different species of seasbirds, as well as a thriving colony of grey seals, that come there during autumn to have their pups. 

To keep an eye on the numbers, the National Trust carries out a census of the islands' population twice each decade, and this year they found almost 40,000 mating pairs of puffins on the islands, a 8 percent rise from 2008, which is great to see! 
 
puffins on farne island
Trained rangers pull a puffin out of its little burrow on Farne Islands, located off the coast of Northern England.

puffins on farne island
Another ranger measures a tiny Artic Tern chick.

puffins on farne island
A cute artic tern performs a dive bomb on an unsuspecting ranger.

puffins on farne island
Feeding the chick.

puffins on farne island
Swooping down from the sky.

puffins on farne island
Catching some tasty sand eels for breakfast.

puffins on farne island
A puffin shakes off the rain.

puffins on farne island
After making sure they have their special identification rings, rangers release some shag chicks.

puffins on farne island
A shag protecting its youngling.

puffins on farne island
Catching another chick to put an ID ring on.

puffins on farne island
Gray seals playing in the murky underwater.

puffins on farne island
A grey bull seal comfortable in its water pool.

puffins on farne island
And now fighting for territory and of control of the females.

puffins on farne island
A grey seal mother nuzzling her newborn.

puffins on farne island
A ranger sprays a little seal baby with special pigment so it can be counted. This is the best way to estimate the real numbers of their population.

puffins on farne island
Seals lie on Brownsman Island.

puffins on farne island
The beautiful scenic view of the inner part of the Farne Islands - Inner Farne, as seen off the northern coast of England.

puffins on farne island
A Guillemot swims underwater by the Islands.

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Related Topics: nature, animals, photos, travel, puffin, seals
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