;) Guillemot |
;)
Puffin |
;) Razorbill |
Skomer is a small island off the South West coast of Wales famous for its bird collonies and wildlife. Unspoiled by civilization Skomer is and will remain a protected area of outstanding natural beauty managed by the National Trust.
Having tried unsuccessfully to visit last year and again a month or so ago this year it was beginning to look like we were going to miss out again. However on Thursday last week all came good and we finally managed to make it to Martin's Haven on a day when the boat was able to cross and get a seat (seats are limited and available on a first come first served basis only).
The Boat & Skomer
For any bird enthusiast the excitement begins before you even dock on Skomer with large numbers of Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills fishing in the waters surrounding the island. They'll also be there to greet you as you climb the steep stairway that leads you up the cliff face when you dock.
We decided to head clockwise around the island sticking pretty much to the coastal path which unfortunately meant we didn't get opportunity to check out the various lakes and hides on the island. We'll check those out next time :) and in any case there was plenty to keep us excited on our chosen route.
At this time of year the island really is Puffin paradise with them showing up pretty much everywhere! Ignoring the Puffins just for a moment one of the first treats that we had having just started out was a Short-Eared Owl!
Short-Eared Owl
OK so it wasn't a great photograph but its the first one we've ever seen and we actually got a pretty good look at him through the bins! :)
The next landmark that we arrived at was "The Knapp"; a place where you can expect to have Puffins quite literally at your feet. The path takes you straigh through their collonely with burrows on either side and you can stand and watch as the adults come back from the sea with their beaks full of Sandeels!
|
|
|
|
Also at this point you can see a large number of Razorbills and Guillemots, Fulmars and Kittiwakes.
We moved slightly away from here and found a quieter spot to sit and eat a spot of lunch before continuing our trip around the island.
To be continued...
[ 8 comments ] ( 974 views ) | permalink |
( 3 / 330 )
Calendar
