More from my trip to Northumberland back in the spring, AKA another respite from this burning summer in the south.
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About 1,300 years ago, a middle-aged man moved to Inner Farne, seeking hermitage in the buildings where Aidan – Apostle to England – had dwelt not long before. So great was Cuthbert’s need for solitude that he grew his own food rather than accept supplies, but he accepted the friendship of the island’s wildlife, and sheltered eider ducks when the weather turned raw.
Cuthbert passed some of the world’s first conservation laws to protect these exquisite sea ducks on the Farne Islands. When he died, his body was moved to Holy Island (Lindisfarne), and after the Vikings invaded, monks faithfully carried it inland. His eventual burial place by the River Wear is now Durham Cathedral.
That is the drama of many lifetimes ago. But Cuthbert’s ducks – still nicknamed Cuddy ducks in his honour – continue to grace Northumberland, and they are far from alone.
Grey heron, eating a brown trout
Grey wagtail
Oystercatcher bathing on the shoreline
And resting.
Dipper
Sedge warbler
Rock pipit, perched on the whin sill
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Back in Norfolk, it is 32c and the fields are sandy-brown. Roll on autumn.
A Walk with Wildlife 
I am always so delighted to read your posts and see your photographs. They never fail to give me hope. Sending thanks from Boston, MA, USA.
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Thank you Cathy – that’s lovely to hear.
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I like hosting your blog and watching your photos of wildlife.These ones are interesting top and story od that man.Thank You for sharing with that story. GREETINGS.
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I’m sorry for mistake because of changing words by the mobile.It should be visiting not hosting,interesting “story of” that man not “top and”.I’m so sorry.
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Hi Nora, thank you – I appreciate that! And no worries at all about mobile phones changing words. It happens to me, often!
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Thank You for understanding.Have nice Time.
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Very interesting post, Adele. Wonderful photos of these lovely birds too.
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Cuthbert certainly travelled a lot in both life and death, but modern Britain has given him a long distance hiking trail – the St Cuthbert’s Way is 62 miles from southern Scotland to Lindisfarne. Might be fun to walk sometime.
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Thanks for that info, Adele.
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Thanks for the story of Cuthbert and your beautiful photos. A lovely post.
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Thank you Lynette. A short break but definitely worth the long journey north!
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Wonderful photos, Adele, esp. the bathing oystercatcher, great catch!
Stay cool!
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Oystercatchers are such strange birds, bathing or not! I’ve occasionally seen them fly over my garden in Norfolk even though I’m a fair way from the sea. I’ve also seen them wandering around an athletics field in a Northumberland town.
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Interesting story and interesting set of birds!!!
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Thank you Darko. Make sure that you explore Northumberland if you and San ever come to the UK! It’s a fabulous area for both wildlife and history.
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Hmm, I replied, yet it hasn’t appeared. I will give it a few minutes and see what happens…
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Yes, history and nature, my favorite topics 🙂
We are going to Haida Gwaii soon, hope to see some of history and I know there will be a lot of nature there.
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Excellent! Have a good trip.
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I love the sculpture of the monks carrying Cuthbert’s body, and was unaware of his connection with the conservation of Eider ducks. They are very handsome birds, and I can see why they appealed to him.
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Inner Farne must have been dauntingly remote in Cuthbert’s day. I wasn’t able to leave the boat and visit his chapel but would like to on my next visit, avian flu issues permitting of course.
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