Gabriella Carr

Returning to the Wild Island of Skomer

I journeyed to the record-breaking puffin colony inhabiting the Welsh island in Pembrokeshire to visit these curious and colourful birds.

One of the species which helped spark my passion for birdwatching was the puffin (Fratercula arctica). These incredible and charming little auks are living on our own coastline and their inquisitive nature means they are a fantastic creature to visit and experience, even if you’re not an avid birdwatcher.

We packed up the car and travelled West to Pembrokeshire over the April bank holiday, in the hopes of revisiting the characterful ‘clowns of the sea’ that live on Skomer Island. April sees the return of the puffins after an Atlantic migration. Each year they reconnect with their life partners and settle down to raise an adorable chick, (called a puffling!) in their underground burrows.

This year the Skomer Island volunteers recorded a record number of the birds: 42,513 ! Excellent news given their threatened conservation status.

Although it was not my first time on Skomer, the boat pulling into the bay of the island elicits the same feeling of awe. Awe and amazement at the tens of thousands of little birds flapping their wings at high speed above you and bobbing in the waves below.

Our visit was accompanied by some unusual blue skies and calm waters which made photographing the wildlife a lot easier. The birds appeared to enjoy the high winds and sunshine, extending their wings frequently to ruffle their feathers.

This year I took my second-hand 175mm lens which allowed me to capture much better photos while maintaining a good distance from the birds and of course remaining on the path. (Due to the delicate underground burrow systems of the puffins and manx sheerwaters, you have to be very careful about staying on the marked track.)

During the weekend we saw a vibrant range of birds including; crows, dunnocks, gannets, herring gulls, black-backed gulls, jackdaws, magpies, pied wagtails, pipits, puffins, razorbills and wrens. I also saw my first stonechats, wheatears and sand martins!

Take a look at more of my photography on my website and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube, Instagram or TikTok to see when my puffin videos are released.

Interested in learning more?

Book your own visit to the wild island or donate to support their conservation.
Watch the Wild Isles series on BBC iPlayer, they visit Skomer Island a couple of times to showcase the beautiful manx sheerwater, puffins and gannets.
Order a free poster from Open University showcasing the range of biodiversity in the UK.