Northumberland bloggers! Help wanted!

Brian and I are off to the Farne Islands soon: we've booked the ferry and hotel and are looking forward to grabbing lots of frame-fillers of Puffins, Arctics, Eiders and Shags. We're also hoping to catch up with Roseate Tern at Whitley Bay.

While we're in the region, it'd be really excellent to catch up with species we don't meet very often in East Anglia. On the insect side, this would include Common Hawker and Large Heath, but do any of you have other suggestions of 'unmissables' we might reasonably hope to find in the day and a half we have free? On the orchid side, if there's time I'd personally like to add Lindisfarne Helleborine to my smallish list: any other orchids we might look out for?

Birdwise: are there any spots for either species of Grouse or Merlin on our journey north or south on the A1?

We'd be really grateful for any help: do e-mail if you'd prefer! And, of course, if you're ever down this way, we'd be more than happy to reciprocate!