"Puffin Island" - Skomer

Skomer Island - 10th July 2018

As I’m in Pembrokeshire on a family holiday I thought I’d take the opportunity and have a day out on Skomer Island as it’s only a relatively short drive of some twenty miles. The alarm goes off at 5.0 am, I have already programmed the sat nav with an arrival time of 6.0am as I want to ensure I’m on the first boat 10.0am boat to Skomer.

It’s a clear dive on empty roads which makes a change, arriving at the carpark there are already five or six cars parked up all with the same idea of ensuring a place on the early boat on a first come first serve basis. Surprisingly its cold at this time of the morning even after all the recent hot weather, its now around 8.0am and their must be 150+ people in the waiting queue, but I have my ticket and retreat back to the car to warm up and a coffee.

The boat trip over to Skomer is relatively short taking about 10-15 minuets, as we approach mainly Puffins with some Guillemots are in the number at the landing point at North Haven, from the boat it’s a long clime up to the top of the island before setting off to the main Puffins breeding areas.As the island for me is too large to cove as a single trip, in any case I like to just site and wait for the right photo op and enjoy the sights, sounds and tranquility of the island, so the plan is to head for the “Wick” and stopping at the Puffing breeding area above South Haven saving energy and more importantly, my feet!

The area at South Haven for me is probably the best location to photograph the returning Puffins, but the path is narrow with the ever present volunteers chipping in your ear if you stray from the path. I would point out I’m on a learning curve when it comes flight photography of Puffins and I would advice anyone to ensure you have a shutter speed of at least 4000/sec, or higher to ensure sharp images.

Moving round on to the “Wick” you pass through the area where Manx Shearwaters breed, strewn about are  the remains of many dead Shearwaters as a result of predation from the Lesser Blacked Backed Gulls that breed nearby and are always on the look out from rocky outcrop. At the “Wick” Puffins return with beaks full of sand eels only to stop at the path waiting for people to part and let the bird pass to it’s nesting hole on the other side of the path.

With lesser photo op’s at the “Wick” I decide to return to South Haven to finish off my trip and maybe a last thirty minuets at North Haven before the boat return. And that’s it, my first time on Skomer, any advice…get there early before 6.30am to ensure a place on the first boat, shutter speed, 4000/sec or more, consider a stop over whereby you can have a more relaxed visit. See you next year.

Atlantic Puffin

Puffin images taken at the "Wick" with the sea background, the sun angle is best when shooting from the path on the left hand side leading up the hill but on the occasion the sun was a little harsh. Watch the DOF as the birds can get mega close.

All the flight shots were taken on the grassed areas above South Haven, the path here is quite narrow so don't leave the Big White unattended or it could be over the edge! Remember to set a shutter speed of 4000/sec or more to stop those whirling wings, I used 3200/sec and it didn't...doh, lesson learned.

Goggle eye's !!