Pembrokeshire - Part 6

If the Puffins on Skomer in my eyes seemed a little thin, the amounts of Guillemots and Razorbills was the opposite. On quite a few places around the edges of the island, the cliff face is crammed with thousands of nesting birds. Mainly Guillemots with the odd Kittiwake and Fulmar crammed in amongst them.

I was quite happy to get up alongside a small group of Razorbill over looking the North Haven, with the sun shining and a deep blue sea it was a pleasure to photograph these fairly underrated members of our native seabirds species against a contrasting background. I just love the intricate bluntness of their bills. 

So that pretty much concludes my trip to Pembrokeshire which culminated in an unforgettable trip to Skomer, a visit that I cannot recommend enough.

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Pembrokeshire - Part 5

So as I guess your getting bored of my exploits and sightings from my week away, I finally get to the Puffins. Having decided to leave that part of the island too last, I was quite happy when we eventually got around to the Wick, to see it bathed in glorious bright warm sunshine, and quite thin on the ground with people to match. A good decision I think.

1 Hour later after numerous attempts to capture an incoming flying Puffin, bill full of Sand eels I was left with rather a lot of blurred and out of focus shots,  they tend to fly straight into the burrow because of the large quantity of Herring Gulls waiting to bully them for an was meal. I gave up and thought to focus on photographing the various posing Puffins just feet away. 

I must admit, although in the middle of the day, I had expected to see a lot more birds coming into the cliffs, (meant to be 6000pairs) and was slightly disappointed at having to shoot downwards on the majority of the birds due to the footpath restrictions, giving a green background, where I would have loved a bit of blue. I shouldn't complain at all, because they are a wondrous sight to behold, I just found from a Photographic point of view Staffas Puffins had more to offer than Skomers.

My 2nd Favourite 

My Favourite

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Pembrokeshire - Part 4

Theres always one or more instances on a seaside holiday where you don't have to go to the wildlife, it comes to you. Usually lunchtime and no longer had we found a comfortable rock to plonk ourselves on and the sandwich box had opened, we were joined by a Lesser black-backed Gull. Turns out they quite like flakey pastry and a more than willing to allow you to photography them.

Lesser black-backed Gull

 

Another lunchtime rock visitor was the male Wheatear, who flew and landed feet away causing me to almost drop my sarnie and grab the camera quick, it proved quicker and I sat pondering a missed opportunity. Having spent a weekend in Shropshire earlier in the year see but missing out on photographing these corking migrants, I thought I had blown another opportunity, luckily 20 metres down the path, he was posing atop a lichen covered rock for me.

Wheatear Male

Once at the mid way point, half way round the island we realised we probably need the loo, and being treeless, there didn't appear to be any natural public conveniences. As there was only on on the island, meaning a 30min trudge back down the centre of the island to the old Farm, on the return leg it proved so worthwhile, a Little Owl showing on the stone wall that run parallel to the footpath. My first sighting of the year and my first ever opportunity to photography one. The usual sighting was hearing one call from the shed roof at night time. Im quite pleased with the pics too as I couldn't leave the footpath to get the best angle or reduce the distance.

Little Owl 

Along with the Oystercatchers, another wading bird seemed to pick the middle of the Island as a good nest spot. The Curlew, several pairs could be seen in amongst the rabbit burrows. And one lone bird circled several times above our heads. A singing Wren paused long enough near the footpath enabling me to grab a shot.

Circling Curlew

Wren in full song

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Pembrokeshire - Part 3

It would be fair to say that the boat over to Skomer on a rough sea would be one of the more terrifying experiences I may have encounter, luckily the waves were pretty small so the 15 min crossing from Martin's Haven jammed in like a can of sardines wasn't to bad. On entering the North Haven you are instantly transported to a place where birds rule the roost, the shear numbers of Razorbills, Guillemots & Puffins heading out to fish is staggering. A quick briefing from the Wardens and we were off, deciding on the opposite direction than the Puffins which most of the boats passengers seemed to head for. We instantly picked up a Short-eared Owl being harassed by a Gull as it glided low over top of the island. The one thing that strikes you immediately other than the large quantities of Rabbits and Gulls is the colourful carpet of Campion and Bluebells which seems to cover the entire surface of this treeless island. Quite the sight to behold.

Lesser Black backed Gull in amongst the Campion

Flowers as far as the eye can see

As mentioned before the amount of Rabbits on the island is gargantuan with no natural predator they've been left to thrive and its hard to tell whats a Rabbit, Puffin or Manx Shearwater burrow. Amongst the local population were quite a few pure black colour variants.

Black Rabbit

Perched on the various scrubby bushes throughout the island were a lot of smaller birds, Linnet, Whitethroat, Meadow Pipit and Sedge Warbler all picked up within minutes, one particular Sedge Warbler happily singing away in its territory near the middle of the island, and pausing in the open enough for me to grab a few shots.

Campion Sedge Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Other than the song of the Warblers on the Island, there is one call that resonates throughout, with Footpaths crisscrossing the land at various points, the best spots to nest seem to be fairly close by, and with a fair amount of traffic walking past the resident Oystercatchers kick up quite a din. But also means they're quite photogenic.

Oystercatcher

Part 4 Coming Tomorrow

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Pembrokeshire - Part 2

So determined to make it out too Skomer on Friday, before the weekend hoards arrived we packed up all the gear on Thursday evening and were up and out of the Boathouse by 7.50am joining the already 20 strong queue down at Martin's Haven for the first boat to Skomer which departed at 10am. Within minutes the first 50 places on the boat were taken and 30 or so cars joined ours in the car park. So with an hour and a bit to kill, I thought I'd have a wander up and around the Deer Park in the early morning gloom, the fog from the previous day still hanging in the air, although visibility was a lot better. Loads of small birds perched and singing from the tops of the gorse bushes, with Whitethroat, Linnet, Chaffinch, Sedge Warbler, Meadow Pipit and Stonechat all seen. I walked out to the furthest point, and was rewarded by a fly by of about 15 or so Chough all calling as they dived and weaved their ways along the cliff edge.

Whitethroat

As the clock neared 10 we headed down the very steep road towards the embarkation point, whilst Nat used the public conveniences I was distracted by the close proximity of the Swallows visiting their nests on the Toilet building, eager to try and get a closish shot I soon got the lens cap off but the morning gloom left me disappointed, however some chirping behind me caused me to turn around and see a Swallow perched no more than 15 feet away preening and stretching its wings. Not all that often you see them perched on anything other than a Telephone wire so I was quite pleased to see one on an isolated bramble. Even better with a Green backdrop.

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