Skomer Puffins
Having spent a thoroughly enjoyable day with my son on Skomer Island last year, I returned earlier this month with my dad. Timing was crucial. Last August, we saw much in terms of birdlife, scenery, and environment – including the empty burrows of puffins who had, by then, departed for the season. This year’s visit coincided with the puffins.
About Skomer Puffins
Thousands of puffins arrive at Skomer every year, usually in late March to April. Most of these come from the North Atlantic, although a few also travel from the Western Mediterranean and north-west Africa. This year has been a record year for puffin numbers, with wardens counting 43,626 birds on Skomer.
Life On Skomer
Puffins nest in burrows, typically returning to the same burrow each year, where they reunite with their mate. A single egg is laid in late April, which the adults take turns to incubate. Around six weeks later, the puffling hatches. Parents are both responsible for feeding the chick, travelling up to ten miles off-shore to find food. By seven weeks old, the juvenile bird is ready to leave.
Pufflings depart the burrow under cover of darkness, to avoid predation from gulls. Leaving their parents, they make for the sea, where they take their own migratory path. This might be in the direction their parents will voyage a few weeks later. Or they may end up travelling elsewhere. Wherever they go – Greenland, Iceland, even the Mediterranean – will become the young bird’s winter location for life. It takes about three years for young puffins to reach maturity, during which time they remain at sea. When ready to head towards land, they usually return to Skomer, the site where they were born.
Around 2-3 weeks after the fledglings have left (late July – early August), the adult birds begin their migration. This journey can be up to almost 5,000 miles and take several weeks. Other than coming ashore for breeding season, puffins live on the ocean, spending 8 months a year on water.
Over winter, puffins moult out the bright colours of their bill and around their eyes. The resultant darker coloured bill and face are less easy for predators to spot against the ocean. The colours return the following breeding season.
Our Day With Skomer Puffins
As we approached the island by boat, we were surrounded by puffins. Some flying, others bobbing with the rise and fall of waves.
From there, the day ran according to puffin rules. Skomer is a large island and our group dispersed quickly as we set off to explore. Walking anticlockwise, we were asked to remain on the paths at all times. The slightest deviation could cause burrows to collapse, such is their proximity to the footpaths.
Puffins always have right of way when crossing the path. They’re used to visitors but can still feel anxious if prevented from accessing their burrows because people are blocking the route.
Absolutely beautiful little birds, puffins stand around 30cm tall. Their take off and landing techniques are haphazard but effective – launch off the cliffs and flap to take off, then feet spread and flat to land. They waddle on the island, but are masterful swimmers, reaching depths up to 60 metres.
Other Birds
Skomer is not just about the puffins. We saw a pair of short-eared owls, two of at least four on the island this year. Chough nested among the swathes of sea campion. 
Smaller birds including linnet, wren, wheatear, dunnock and whitethroat could be seen around the gorse. And oystercatchers were positioned round the island, alerting others when the owls flew too close.
Skomer Island homes the largest colony of Manx shearwater in the world, with around 350,000 breeding pairs. Sadly, the only sign of the birds was what remained of those caught by great black-backed gulls. Not adept at moving on land, shearwaters leave the island at dawn and return after dark. Those who mistime departure or arrival make easy pickings for the gulls.
Cliff nesting birds include razorbills and guillemot, both of which were visible in abundance around High Cliff, near the landing jetty.
Buildings
Alongside the natural environment, the island also retains fascinating clues as to human populations across the centuries.
These include:
- a rare Bronze Age (2,500 BCE) cobbled platform at one of the focal points on the island
- remains of Iron Age buildings dating from 5,000 – 2,000 years (one of the most complete remaining Iron Age settlements in Europe)
- two 19th century lime kilns
- the ruins of a farmhouse, built in the 1800s and last occupied in the mid-1900s
Finally
A livestream of puffins on Skomer is available during breeding season, which you can access here on YouTube. At night you may also spot Manx shearwater returned from a day at sea, and the occasional rabbit being chased by puffins.
If you have a chance to visit, I recommend you take the opportunity. With or without puffins, the island is alive with personality and all the restorative benefits of nature.
As always, unless stated otherwise, all photographs and videos within this post are my own and may not be reproduced or otherwise shared without permission.
