Holidays in Nature – Ealing Wildlife Group

I am fortunate to have three siblings who live near the sea – in Scotland, Northumberland, and the Virgin Islands – and luckily they have an open-door policy for sibling visits! Though I love living in Ealing and enjoying all the local wildlife, I find myself increasingly drawn to the coast. Every holiday, I make a point to spend time in nature. Equipped with Google Lens and iNaturalist for identifying flowers and insects, and Merlin for recognising bird songs, I find it fascinating to discover and learn about various species. I wanted to share some of my recent trips.

Seabirds of Northumberland and East Lothian:

On the Firth of Forth and off the Northumberland coast, there are four fantastic islands that I love visiting to watch the nesting seabirds from late spring through summer. To get there, there are regular buses within East Lothian or a great train service from Edinburgh. There is also a bus service that travels the coast of Northumberland from Berwick on Tweed to Amble; at only £2 for any length of journey, it’s a great way to get around to various parts of the coastal path.

Clockwise from top: Tern; Puffin [Photo credit: Fiona McIntyre]

Clockwise from top: Tern; Puffin; birds flocking; Puffin [Photo credit: Fiona McIntyre]

Bass Rock: Bass Rock is home to the largest Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) colony in the world. It is an amazing sight to take a boat out to observe the colony during the breeding season. The Gannet is one of my favourite birds, not just because of its beauty but also because of its impressive size. Gannets catch fish by diving head-first into the sea from heights of 30 meters, hitting the water at speeds of up to 60 mph. I could watch them for hours as they fish off Belhaven Bay, often accompanied by terns. Catch a boat from North Berwick to the Bass Rock.

Isle of May: A boat trip to the Isle of May is another beautiful experience. You can disembark onto the island to witness its phenomenally rich range of seabirds. From the stunning Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea – you will need to wear a hat as they will dive bomb you!), to the charming Puffin (Fratercula arctica), the sleek Razorbill (Alca torda), and the chocolate-coloured Guillemots (Uria aalge), you will be completely captivated. Thankfully, the birds seem to be recovering this year after the devastating impact of bird flu. Boats sail the Isle of May from North Berwick.

Farne Islands: Last year, a boat trip to the Farne Islands was a real treat, not just because of the pod of dolphins that swam around our boat for at least 15 minutes, but also for the range of seabirds nesting on the island, including the iconic Puffin. Watching the seals with their young pups basking in the sun before going off to find food was fabulous. There is a boat to the Farne Islands from Seahouses with daily trips out to the islands.

Coquet Island: This year, a boat trip to Coquet Island brought new excitement. The Puffins with their colourful bills and the seals with their pups are always a treat. But it was the first time that I had seen the beautiful Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) with its delicate pink chest nesting on the island, such a thrill to see them. There is a boat to Coquet Island from Amble.

Coastal Flowers of Northumberland

I am currently in Northumberland with my sister and have been brushing up on my wildflowers. Late July is a lovely time for coastal wildflowers – they are buzzing with life from bees, butterflies, and insects. The Northumberland Coastal Path is a delight, winding along beside the sea, with some flowers in full glory while others are already turning to seed. My knowledge of wildflowers is limited, but I have been using Google Lens to understand the range of plants and flowers.

Above, clockwise from top: Common Knapweed, Rosa rugosa, Yellow Salsify, Meadowsweet, Teazle, Smooth Hawksbeard [Photo credit: Fiona McIntyre]

Right, top to bottom: Thistle seed head, Rosebay Willowherb, Meadow Cranesbill [Photo credit: Fiona McIntyre]

Along the coastal way, I’ve also seen lots of gorgeous birds: Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus); Shelducks (Tadorna tadorna); Redshanks (Tringa totanus); Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensis); Swallows (Hirundo rustica); House Martins (Delichon urbicum); Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis); Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus); Grey Herons (Ardea cinerea); Linnets (Linaria cannabina); Pied Wagtails (Motacilla alba); Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis); Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus); Yellowhammers (Emberiza citrinella); Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) andKittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla)!

Many of these birds are red-listed, so it was wonderful to see about 100 Curlews (Numenius arquata) on the beach at one point. I also spoke to a birdwatcher who had been watching a Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) off Sugar Sands.

RSPB Wildlife Volunteering – A holiday of a different sort: My nature trips are stepping up a gear, as my next trip in September will be volunteering for a week at the RSPB South Stacks reserve in Anglesey. I am really looking forward to it, though many seabirds and this year’s chicks will have departed to spend time at sea.

I love my holidays out of London to catch up with the amazing wildlife we have in the UK, but I also feel very lucky that I live in Ealing and do not need to leave the borough to enjoy the wonderful wildlife we have on our doorstep.

Fiona McIntyre

EWG Swift Project Lead and Volunteers Officer