Pembrokeshire Trip

Fine weather on the weekend of June the 26th and 27th provided a perfect opportunity to return to Pembrokeshire, a trip I haven't embarked on for a couple of years now. My primary target was Skomer Island, a sanctuary for nesting sea birds and Wales' only Marine Nature Reserve.

As ever the welcome was fantastic. As we neared South Haven Bay, the sea and sky began to fill with the frantic flapping of auks. First Razorbills, then Guillemots and finally the star of the island; Puffins. As we climbed from the boat to the meeting point part way up the cliff, gulls, auks and corvids dashed past.

At the southern point of the island I caught glimpses of my first Skomer Peregrine's, a pair resting directly above nesting sea birds. The Wick was it's usual noisy, smelly, frantic and exciting place. Guillemots clung to the cliff edges, Razorbills took advantage of slightly larger shelves to house their scruffy nests. Rows of kittiwake calling their name were joined by the odd Fulmar. At the top of the cliffs, burrowing within the ground, Puffins came to and fro with beak-fulls of Sand Eels. Ravens and Great Black-backed Gulls roamed the cliff faces, looking for an attended nestling, whilst Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls attempted to mug passing birds. Carrion Crow and Jackdaws picked at what ever was available.

The Wick provides a fantastic opportunity to study the hierarchies within sea bird colocnies and produce unrivalled, close-up views of the charismatic Puffin. It was here that I spied my first ever Puffling poking inquisitively out of a hole.

Further round, by the Pigstone the nesting gulls were joined by Oystercatcher. A Short-eared Owl lifted gracefully from its perch and drifted inland.  An Atlantic Grey Seal enjoyed playing in the water.

At the northern most part of the walk, the mammal count rose with at least 2 Common Dolphin. They arched slowly through the racing tide, one even surfacing sufficiently to show its face.

The following day a trip to Tenby resulted in a 1 hour Seal Safari around Caldey Island. Amongst the nesting Herring Gulls were more Auks, Kittiwake and Fulmar. The fact that the boat could maneuver so close to the rocks ensured superb views of Shag.  There was one solitary puffin, but the real stars of this trip were the Grey Seals.