Puffin.

[JohnP]

Taken on the Island of Skomer, West Wales last June.

 

 

Canon EOS 60D, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
1/400s f/9.0 at 235.0mm iso250

[annie]

oh my days......

 

when I say 'oh my days' it means I am awestruck..........

 

wonderful john, I would so love to see these special birds, and you always capture them so beautifully, ...

 

special!

[bugmeister]

Never get tired of seeing these comical little characters

[annie]

the three of us should go to skoma..............now there's a thought!

[bugmeister]

the three of us should go to skoma..............now there's a thought!

Not a chance, I can get seasick on a boating lake!

[annie]

you need to go on the scillonian over to the isle of scilly............now that's sea sickness.........! I was ill for three days..i was only on the flipping boat for one day.

[DaveS]

Lovely capture John, almost as though he stood there proudly to attention, and posed for you.

 

Dave

[JohnP]

Not a chance, I can get seasick on a boating lake!

 

You wouldn't get sea sick Bugs, it only takes 20 minutes to get over to Skomer. This is the boat that takes you over, it makes five trips each day and takes fifty people maximum each trip. Skomer is a nature reserve and only 250 people are allow to visit each day. 

 

[NannyFerret]

Another lovel puffin shot.
Did you have to book the trip to the island advance?

[JohnP]

Another lovel puffin shot.

Did you have to book the trip to the island advance?

 

They won't take advance booking because the weather can change quickly on the SW tip of Wales and it's too difficult to make refunds, it's first come first served I'm afraid. It's best to get to Martins Haven where the boat goes from early, I got there about 10am hoping to catch the second boat of the day at 10.30am and when I went to get my ticket and landing pass there were only 20 places left on the last boat at 12 noon. Everyone gets the same amount of time on Skomer because if you go over on the second boat you return to Martins Haven on the second boat. The boats start making return trips at 3pm and the last one is at 5pm.

[JohnP]

Another thing I forgot to mention, the Puffins only come ashore to breed which lasts roughly 10 weeks starting in late May and finishing in mid August, they spend the rest of the year far out to sea, early to mid June is the best time to go to Skomer.

[Kobione]

Obviously you went in that critical period John, and captured this lovely shot!! Beautiful birds!!

[JohnP]

the three of us should go to skoma..............now there's a thought!

 

Well you know what you have to do annie! it could be arranged no doubt. It would mean you and Bugs would have to have a few days in Pembrokeshire at the beginning of June, it's much too far for you to do it on a day trip. I did it on a day trip from where I live in June 2006 but wouldn't do that again. You would need to be in Pembrokeshire for a few days because that would give a better chance to pick a nice day to go to Skomer, it has to be nice weather as Skomer is completely open and doesn't even have a single tree for shelter.

[Heather]

love love love !!!

[JohnP]

I just found this old post... Puffins are so funny and gorgeous... I really like them... I've got loads of shots on my computer.

[THELONGMAN]

lovely shot John, every time I see these pictures it reminds me to get off my butt and get up to Skomer,

 

Geoff

[JohnP]

lovely shot John, every time I see these pictures it reminds me to get off my butt and get up to Skomer,

 

Geoff

 

Thanks Geoff...You need to spend a few days in Pembrokeshire, the reasons are explained in my posts above.