This is a poetic promotional film by Kip Halsey for North Tyneside Council showing a day in the life of St Mary's Island in winter. The film focuses on the birdlife that roosts on the island as the tide ebbs and flows. The film is accompanied by music performed on the Northumberland small pipes. The film opens with a view of the lighthouse on St Mary’s Island, Whitley Bay,in the early dawn with the moon still in the sky. Title: Time and Tide – St Mary’s Island in winter [over view of...

This is a poetic promotional film by Kip Halsey for North Tyneside Council showing a day in the life of St Mary's Island in winter. The film focuses on the birdlife that roosts on the island as the tide ebbs and flows. The film is accompanied by music performed on the Northumberland small pipes. The film opens with a view of the lighthouse on St Mary’s Island, Whitley Bay,in the early dawn with the moon still in the sky. Title: Time and Tide – St Mary’s Island in winter [over view of moon] As the sun rises, the island and lighthouse begin to emerge from the early morning gloom, part of the lighthouse is lit by a floodlight. Over the sea, a flock of birds come in to land on the rocks and pools surrounding the island. The round disc of the sun appears on the eastern horizon over the sea. The glow of the early morning sun silhouettes the lighthouse. Grass blows in the breeze. General views of the lighthouse, the island and a rising sun follow. Birds wade amongst the rocks and sand searching for food at low tide. A number of turnstones search through seaweed for food. Further out on the rocks hundreds of golden plover congregate. General view of the visitor’s centre and lighthouse in the morning sunshine. The camera picks out the lantern at the top of the lighthouse. One of the island’s wardens arrives to open up the buildings for the first visitors of the day. A high angle view shows two children and an adult walking across the concrete causeway. Other visitors follow. A number of visitors enter the centre or explore the well-known landmark. A view follows of the rocks and sea showing that the tide has turned. Close-ups follow of the different animals that inhabit the rock pools as they come out to feed. Next, a general view of waves lapping over the rocks and onto the shore. By mid-afternoon, the tide is about to engulf the causeway. Visitors make their way off the island bathed in low winter sunshine. A man carries a child on his shoulders as he splashes his way through the tidal water which is now crossing the causeway. Wading birds such as a group of knot forage as the water covers the rocks. They move to higher ground to escape the incoming tide. A group of birds takes to the skies. An aerial view shows the island completely surrounded by water. The birds can now enjoy their isolated sanctuary, for a while at least undisturbed by human visitors. A flock of knot twists and turns in the air, looking for a place to land on the island. They settle on a rocky outcrop not completely covered by the tide. Lapwings arrive next, and soon after a flock of gulls. The commentary states that a number of different species will use this roosting place including knot, turnstone, lapwing, gulls,plovers, purple sandpiper, dunling and numbers of rarer species. Regular counts are made of species using the island. General views show the roosting birds on the rocky outcrop. Gulls are floating on the sea. St Mary’s Island is now isolated from the mainland. Title: Filmed and Produced By Kip Halsey for North Tyneside Council. Credit: With Thanks To: R.A.F. Boulmer Oktober Film