Manx Shearwater in full flow

Today's totals: Sooty Shearwater 33N, Manx Shearwater 357N, Great Skua 15N 9S, Arctic Skua 3N 15S and Storm Petrel 2N.

The trilithon at Ha’amonga on Tongatapu, Tonga, is one of Polynesia’s most enigmatic archaeological monuments. Built over 700 years ago, it’s been suggested that Ha’amonga ‘a Maui is a seasonal calendar.

A 125-page Tonga Travel Guide based on the Kingdom of Tonga chapter in the 8th edition of Moon Handbooks South Pacific is now on SouthPacific.org.

Friday 12th August comments: Well, our first sample of ‘rare’ weather this autumn – easterly flavoured winds and rain – occurred yesterday and has brought in quite a haul. With visitor boats stranded for the day due to the high swell, wardens were able to thoroughly check the islands for any migrants that dropped in throughout the day, and did they ever! Although the fall didn’t produce any big rares, the sheer number of other migrants made the day enjoyable for all, as Whitethroats and Pied Flycatchers showed well for onlookers. Two Grasshopper Warblers were found skulking in the orache fields of Staple Island, staying true to form and flushing at very close range before heading deep into the vegetation again for another run. Hopefully this marks the beginnings of a good autumn migration season for the Farnes...

And on another note, a happy birthday today to our glorious leader and head warden David Steel, currently enjoying his 11^th year on the Farnes, his knowledge and experience keeps the whole place running smoothly and the Farnes has definitely improved significantly under his reign. Best wishes from the whole team here on the Farnes!

11th August highlights: Pied Flycatcher 4 lingering on both Inner Farne and outer group islands, Sedge Warbler 2, 1 Reed Warbler managed to find the only grassy area on Longstone, Garden Warbler 4, Whitethroat 3, Grasshopper Warbler 2 on Staple, Whinchat 3, Wheatear 5, Spotted Flycatcher 1 showing on Inner Farne, Lapwing 2 settled on Inner Farne’s north rocks and a flyover of a Greenshank and Green Sandpiper.

French Polynesia's cultured pearls originate on cooperative and private pearl farms on 26 atolls in the Tuamotu Islands. A radiant, perfectly round, smooth, and flawless pearl with a good depth of metallic green/blue can sell for thousands of dollars.

Like much of North America, Michigan is home to some of the most beautiful islands in the world with the added advantage that they are often located on vast fresh water lakes.

One of the newest and most stunning islands to come on the market in Michigan is Lotus Island.Exceptionally unique Tobocman & Lawrence home on Lotus Island with stunning views of Lotus Lake. Escape to your private 1-acre island complete with state of the art contemporary home., featuring an open floor plan for entertaining, expansive walls of windows, spacious rooms and a huge screened porch to enjoy the lake. Stunning grounds with private gardens. Patio stretches to the waterfront and overlooks the lake and fountains. An absolute masterpiece.

For more information visit Private Islands Online

On many private islands around the world the sun is plentiful but power is at a premium. This is why many island owners are turning to alternative energy sources to power their appliances and products.

One of the most efficient and economical of thse products is the solar powered phone charger. A new solar panel cell phone charging system by Nokero has recently been attracting a lot of attention. The Nokero system can fully charge a dead phone in about one and a half hours, using only the sun.

Nokero designed the panels initially to be used by impoverished villages around the globe that have little access to electricity (although they surprisingly have cell phones). However they would be ideal for anyone living in a remote locations.

Nokero chargers are currently available online in sample-only prices, at $29 and $49. A benefit to all eco-conscious cell phone users, the purchase of Nokero’s chargers by urban customers would increase demand, and potentially drive prices even lower for the intended off grid impoverished cell phone users.

Read more: New Nokero Solar Charger Lets Consumers Charge Cell Phones Off the Grid | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

Italy is famous for it’s beautiful beaches, and every summer Italians flee the hot and crowded cities for the cool breezes of the coast. According to the Independent, Italians are taking their beach obsession to a whole new level with more of the countries super rich investing in private islands. .

According to the paper last year a record 150 islands, from Croatia’s coast to the Caribbean and the South Seas, were bought by Italians.

Many VIPs who buy them like to keep quiet, but there were unconfirmed reports that Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani bought a small Greek island for more than £100 million (R1.1 billion).

Customers with £440 000 or more can start enquiring about the coast of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Maldives. Islands in the Caribbean went for £6.2m.

Islands off the coasts of Norway, Brazil and Greece have also proved a draw for Italian customers.

And according to newspaper La Repubblica, the Italian demand for islands looks set this year to outstrip that of last year.

The choice of islands has never been better, as governments seek to refill coffers emptied by recession. In 2009, Croatia said it was putting its Brioni Islands in the Adriatic on sale, in the hope of making more than £880m.

To read the article visit iol travel.