Around 800 Puffin nests have been lost in a freak storm on the Farne Islands this week. Lightning struck the visitor centre on the islands, off the Northumberland coast, and more rain fell in 20 minutes than in the whole of last month.The torrential downpour flooded nesting burrows, drowning chicks and washing away eggs.
Resident wardens on the National Trust islands also scrambled to save 105 Arctic tern nests which were hit by flash flooding. The birds were nesting in a courtyard bounded by the island pele tower, chapel, and visitor centre.
Photo: Steve Young (Birds on Film)
