Razorbill (Alca torda)

OTHER NAMES: Black-billed Auk, Falk

Latin Etymology: Alca (Alke - Norweigian name for Razorbill) torida (from Gotland dialect name)

Three adult Razorbill (subspecies A. t. torda) at Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire - April 2022

Featured Subspecies: Alca torda torda
Weight: 505-890g  /  Length: 37-39cm  /  Wingspan: 63-66cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List - Near Threatened

The Razorbill is the rarest auk to breed in any major numbers in England (there are a very small number of black guillemot, but that species is mainly confined to Scotland) and thus the hardest to photograph. It also leaves at the end of July, further confounding the problem. Though they are present, I failed to see any on my trip to the Farne Islands, and so it fell to spotting them on the sea beneath the cliffs at Trevose head for initially photographing them. If you have the luck to go over to the Farnes between March and mid-July you'd probably be able to achieve much better photographs - I had seen them on my previous trip. They do however have the benefit over puffins that they do nest on the mainland, and so can often be seen during the breeding season on the sea beneath cliffs.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Alca
Subspecies: A. t. torda, A. t. islandica

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A locally common Summer breeding species (130,000 pairs)

 - Flocks seen at Trevose Head, Farne Islands, St. Bee's Head and Tintagel in Spring and early Summer.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis)

OTHER NAMES: Shag, Green Shag, Common Shag, Green Cormorant
Latin Etymology: Gulosus ("glutton") aristotelis (name for Aristotle)
                             Four European Shag (subspecies P. a. aristotelis) on The Farne Islands, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Guloses aristotelis aristotelis

Weight: 1.75-2.25kg  /  Length: 68-78cm  /  Wingspan: 95-110cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Unlike its relation the Great Cormorant, the Shag is very much a coastal bird - and can be best sighted along Western and Northern coasts. While at a distance it can be difficult to distinguish it from Great Cormorants by general impression, the main difference is the darker green tinged colouration and lack of any white upon it, plus, when visible, the crest which Great Cormorants lack. For best views, I'd suggest the Farne Islands as you can get some truly close up views of the birds nesting right next to the path, but you can get good views from clifftops in good light on many suitable coastlines.

Related Species: 
Order: Suliformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Genus: Guloses
Subspecies: G. a. aristotelis, G. a. desmarestii, G. a. riggenbachi

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common breeding species (27,000 pairs) and locally common Winter Migrant (110,000 birds)

 - Birds seen in their Summer territories at Trevose Head and visibly breeding on the Farne Islands.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

OTHER NAMES: Gannet, Solan Goose
Latin Etymology: Morus ("silly or foolish") bassanus (after Bass Rock in Scotland)

                                                                     Adult Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) at Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire  - April 2022 

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 2.2-3.6kg / Length: 81-110cm / Wingspan: 95-110cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

A huge distinctive looking bird - there is no other bird in Europe with the same shape and colours. Gannets can be seen along a lot of the coast, but really it is only when the wind conditions are right that they will be seen in close enough to shore to get any particularly close views.  They will occasionally feed more closely in in bays with their spectacular diving being one of the more impressive wildlife sights the UK has to offer, but largely on the mainland coast they are only seen passing by.  The UK is the world's best site for this species in general, with more than 70% of the worlds population living in only twenty sites.

Related Species: 
Order: Suliformes
Family: Sulidae
Genus: Morus
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Locally common breeding species (220,000 pairs) and regularly seen on passage.

 - Birds seen on passage from Trevose Head, St Bees Head and Farne Islands.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Common Guillemot (Uria aalge)

OTHER NAMES: Guillemot, Common Murre
Latin Etymology: Uria (waterbird mentioned by Athenaeus) aalge (Danish name for auk)

 Adult Common Guillemot (subspecies U. a. albionis) in Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire - April 2022

Featured Subspecies: Uria aalge albionis

Weight: 38-45g  /  Length: 38-45cm  /  Wingspan: 67cm

UK AMBER LIST  / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Guillemots are not precisely elusive in the broader sense, there are apparently 1.4 million pairs in the UK. On the flip side, they only come ashore to nest between March and July, and then only at cliff sites - primarily on the West and Northern coasts. This means, that although certainly numerous, if you don't happen to live anywhere near these places you have a window of oppertunity each year to do so. By the time I went to the Farnes and got first Guillemots for this blog, I only saw one or two over the entire trip. The Farne islands are almost certainly your best bet for photographing this species as with many sea birds it allows you to get right up close to them in a habitat where they are used to seeing people.

Further Information:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Uuria
Subspecies: U. a. aalge, U. a. albionis, U. a. hyperborea, U. a. inornata, U. a. californica

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common Summer breeding species (950,000 pairs).

 - Seen at several locations including  Trevose Head, St. Bee's Head and the Farne Islands.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus,IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula artica)

OTHER NAMES: Puffin
Latin Etymology: Fratercula ("little brother; friar") artica ("Northern")

Three adult Atlantic Puffin (subspecies F. a. grabae) at the Farne Islands, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Fratercula artica grabae
Weight: 500g  /  Length: 25cm  /  Wingspan: 47-63cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

Puffins suffer the same problem as many sea-birds for photographing - they live exclusively by the sea, and therefore, firstly require getting to that location. Puffins are seemingly more limited in range than guillemots, seemingly being found almost exclusivly in the West coast, Scotland and Northumbria. Puffins also have a further issue - unlike the other species of Auk, they tend to nest on offshore islands more than on the mainland, presumably due to predation. As with other ocean going birds, they come ashore only to breed from April to August and then leave.I would recommend the Farne Islands as a very good place to photograph these birds, this is the only place I've actually seen them for a start, but you can also get very close to them for photography in a setting where they are used to humans.

Further Information:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Fratercula
Subspecies: F. a. naumanni, F. a. arctica, F. a. grabae 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Numerous but very local breeding species (581,000 pairs).

 - Seen at St. Bee's Head and Farne Islands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .