Skelligs



Fulmar Spat At.jpg - These birds look superficially like gulls, but are unrelated, and are in fact petrels. They produce a stomach oil made up of wax esters. This is used against predators as well as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their long flights. It will spit and matt the plumage of avian predators, and can lead to their death. I managed to photograph a Fulmar on the receiving end of this foul smelling oil. I took this shot on the cliffs of Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry on the west of Ireland.
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FULMAR SPAT AT

Puffin Portrait.jpg - Deep bill and two and a half grooves signifies that this is a four to five year old puffin. A puffin will only breed after four to five years at sea. As the lovable puffin spends most of the year far out to sea and this may be this puffin's first visit to land to breed it was a wonderful moment to capture this image in the very early morning light.
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PUFFIN PORTRAIT

Run Rabbit.jpg - Atlantic Puffins are colonial nesters, using burrows on grassy cliffs or crevices in clifftop earth or fallen boulders, in a colourful world of sea campion,thrift, lichens and blue sea. On Skellig Michael off the Kerry coast in Ireland they have learned to share their burrows with the rabbit population. On Skellig Michael they have learned to share their burrows with the rabbit population. It is unclear when the Rabbit was first introduced to Skellig Michael but the island was inhabited by monks in the 6th Century. I have visited Skellig Michael many times and had an occassional glimpse of a rabbit. Spotting these baby rabbits interact with the Puffins was a magical experience.They can also face competition from other burrow nesting animals such as Manx Shearwaters and occasionally Razorbills.
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RUN RABBIT

Skellig Michael Landing.jpg - Puffins spend most of the year far out to sea. They come to land to breed between March and August and can be found on islands and mainland cliffs off Ireland. This was taken on Skellig Michael 7 miles off the coast of Kerry in Southern Ireland. They nest in burrows or crevices in clifftop earth or fallen boulders, in a colourful world of sea campion, thrift, lichens and blue sea. The single egg is hatched after 39 days and the chick flies when about 38 days old. It will breed after 5 years at sea.
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SKELLIG MICHAEL LANDING

With This Weed I Thee Wed.jpg - The characteristic bright orange bill plates grow before the breeding season and are shed after breeding. The bills are used in courtship ritual. This pair are tapping their bills together and also one is collecting nest material. Male puffins perform most of the work of clearing out the nest area, which is sometimes lined with grass, feathers or seaweed. It was fun to catch this pair if Puffins multitasking!
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WITH THIS WEED I THEE WED

A Billful.jpg - Puffins spend most of the year far out to sea. They come to land to breed between March and August and can be found on islands and mainland cliffs off Ireland. This was taken on Skellig Michael 7 miles off the coast of Kerry in Southern Ireland. They nest in burrows or crevices in clifftop earth or fallen boulders, in a colourful world of sea campion, thrift, lichens and blue sea. The single egg is hatched after 39 days and the chick flies when about 38 days old. It will breed after 5 years at sea.Feeding areas are often located 100 km (60 mi) offshore from the nest or more, though when provisioning young the birds venture out only half that distance. Atlantic Puffins can dive for distances of up to 70 m (200 ft) and are propelled by their powerful wings, which are adapted for swimming. They use their webbed feet as a rudder while submerged. Puffins collect several small fish, such as herring, sprats, zooplankton, fish (shellfish), and sand eels. They use their tongues to hold the fish against spines in their palate, leaving their beaks free to open and catch more fish. Puffins normally line up the fish in their bills with the heads facing alternate ways and can sometimes have a dozen or more fish in its beak at once
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A BILLFUL

A Room With a View - Great Skellig Lighthouse.jpg - View from a bedroom in the Skellig Lighthouse
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A ROOM WITH A VIEW - GREAT SKELLIG LIGHTHOUSE

All in one Dive.jpg - Puffins spend most of the year far out to sea. They come to land to breed between March and August and can be found on islands and mainland cliffs off Ireland. This was taken on Skellig Michael 7 miles off the coast of Kerry in Southern Ireland. They nest in burrows or crevices in clifftop earth or fallen boulders, in a colourful world of sea campion, thrift, lichens and blue sea. The single egg is hatched after 39 days and the chick flies when about 38 days old. It will breed after 5 years at sea. Feeding areas are often located 100 km (60 mi) offshore from the nest or more, though when provisioning young the birds venture out only half that distance. Atlantic Puffins can dive for distances of up to 70 m (200 ft) and are propelled by their powerful wings, which are adapted for swimming. They use their webbed feet as a rudder while submerged. Puffins collect several small fish, such as herring, sprats, zooplankton, fish (shellfish), and sand eels. They use their tongues to hold the fish against spines in their palate, leaving their beaks free to open and catch more fish. Puffins normally line up the fish in their bills with the heads facing alternate ways and can sometimes have a dozen or more fish in its beak at once
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ALL IN ONE DIVE

Come Fly With Me .jpg - These Puffins were nesting on Skellig Michael off the west coast of ireland. They are a small bird and it is a wonder to see them at such close quarters with their brightly coloured beaks and comical flight
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COME FLY WITH ME

Early Bird Skelligs.jpg - From Skellig Michael looking towards Little Skellig at dawn
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EARLY BIRD SKELLIGS

Early to Rise.jpg - Puffins spend most of the year far out to sea. They come to land to breed between March and August and can be found on islands and mainland cliffs off Ireland. This was taken on Skellig Michael 7 miles off the coast of Kerry in Southern Ireland. They nest in burrows or crevices in clifftop earth or fallen boulders, in a colourful world of sea campion, thrift, lichens and blue sea. The single egg is hatched after 39 days and the chick flies when about 38 days old. It will breed after 5 years at sea.Feeding areas are often located 100 km (60 mi) offshore from the nest or more, though when provisioning young the birds venture out only half that distance. Atlantic Puffins can dive for distances of up to 70 m (200 ft) and are propelled by their powerful wings, which are adapted for swimming. They use their webbed feet as a rudder while submerged. Puffins collect several small fish, such as herring, sprats, zooplankton, fish (shellfish), and sand eels. They use their tongues to hold the fish against spines in their palate, leaving their beaks free to open and catch more fish. Puffins normally line up the fish in their bills with the heads facing alternate ways and can sometimes have a dozen or more fish in its beak at once
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EARLY TO RISE

Fulmar Feeding Young Chick.jpg -
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FULMAR FEEDING YOUNG CHICK

Irish Commishioners helicopter landing on the helipad beneath the Wailing Widow on Skellig Michael.jpg - Irish Commishioners helicopter landing on the helipad beneath the Wailing Widow on Skellig Michael
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IRISH COMMISHIONERS HELICOPTER LANDING ON THE HELIPAD BENEATH THE WAILING WIDOW ON SKELLIG MICHAEL

Keeper of the Rock.jpg - Skellig Michael is host to abundant wildlife. A wren with a morsel
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KEEPER OF THE ROCK

On Wings of Song.jpg -
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ON WINGS OF SONG

Puffin and Rabbit.jpg - Atlantic Puffins are colonial nesters, using burrows on grassy cliffs On Skellig Michael off the Kerry coast in Ireland they have to share their burrows with the rabbit population. It is difficult to know when Rabbits were first introduce to Skellig Michael and you have to look hard to find them. I was lucky to spot a family of very young rabbits. Young rabbits tend to be exploratory in new space and were naturally inquisitive but the puffins always gave chase when the rabbit's curiosty took them too close. However, I did notice they shared the same entrance to the burrows so there must be some tolerance underground. Rabbits, being prey animals tend to freeze and observe when confronted with a threat. However they always ran when the Puffins gave chase.
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PUFFIN AND RABBIT

Puffin Nest Building.jpg - Male puffins perform most of the work of clearing out the nest area, which is sometimes lined with grass, feathers or seaweed. This shot was taken on Skellig Michael 7 miles off the coast of Kerry in Ireland
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PUFFIN NEST BUILDING

Puffin Power.jpg - These Puffins were nesting on Skellig Michael off the west coast of ireland. They are a small bird and it is a wonder to see them at such close quarters with their brightly coloured beaks and comical flight
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PUFFIN POWER

Puffin Taking Off.jpg - Skellig Michael
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PUFFIN TAKING OFF

Puffin Talk.jpg - Deep bill and two and a half grooves signifies that this is a four to five year old puffin. A puffin will only breed after four to five years at sea. As the lovable puffin spends most of the year far out to sea and this may be this puffin's first visit to land to breed it was a wonderful moment to capture this image in the very early morning light.
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PUFFIN TALK

Puffins on Ancient Steps.jpg -
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PUFFINS ON ANCIENT STEPS

Razorbill Kiss.jpg - Birds do it Too! There are many shared moments of tenderness during the mating season on the Skelligs. The other nesting pairs of birds include Puffins, Guillemot, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Storm Petrel, Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Herring Gull, Lesser and Greater Black Backed Gulls.
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RAZORBILL KISS

Sailing By.jpg - Difficult to imagine that two inhospitable rocks rising steeply out of the ocean could be so steeped in history and be home to such abundant wildlife.
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SAILING BY

Sea Pink and Lichen.jpg -
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SEA PINK AND LICHEN

Seven in One.jpg - Puffins spend most of the year far out to sea. They come to land to breed between March and August and can be found on islands and mainland cliffs off Ireland. This was taken on Skellig Michael 7 miles off the coast of Kerry in Southern Ireland. They nest in burrows or crevices in clifftop earth or fallen boulders, in a colourful world of sea campion, thrift, lichens and blue sea. The single egg is hatched after 39 days and the chick flies when about 38 days old. It will breed after 5 years at sea. Feeding areas are often located 100 km (60 mi) offshore from the nest or more, though when provisioning young the birds venture out only half that distance. Atlantic Puffins can dive for distances of up to 70 m (200 ft) and are propelled by their powerful wings, which are adapted for swimming. They use their webbed feet as a rudder while submerged. Puffins collect several small fish, such as herring, sprats, zooplankton, fish (shellfish), and sand eels. They use their tongues to hold the fish against spines in their palate, leaving their beaks free to open and catch more fish. Puffins normally line up the fish in their bills with the heads facing alternate ways and can sometimes have a dozen or more fish in its beak at once
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SEVEN IN ONE

Shags.jpg - Cormorants are colonial nesters, using trees, rocky islets, or cliffs. The eggs are a chalky-blue colour. There is usually one brood a year. The young are fed through regurgitation. They typically have deep, ungainly bills and and here are seen vibrating their necks to cool down on a hot day on Innishbofin off Galway.
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SHAGS

Skellig Guardian.jpg - From Skellig Michael looking towards Little Skellig at dawn
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SKELLIG GUARDIAN

Skellig Lighthouse.jpg - Looking down on the lighthouse on Skellig Michael from the site of the old lighthouse.
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SKELLIG LIGHTHOUSE

Skellig Michael's Monastic Cells.jpg - The monastic cells on Skellig Michael. Small Skellig in background
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SKELLIG MICHAEL'S MONASTIC CELLS

Skellig Michael.jpg - Skellig Michael lies 7miles off the south west of Ireland being mostly inaccessible by sea or air as it is battered by wind and waves. It is a rocky outcrop rising straight out of the sea. There are the remains of a 6th century monastry clinging precariously on its slopes along with lichen and wild flowers somehow emerging from the rock crevices. The small island is Little Skellig home to a Gannet Colony.
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SKELLIG MICHAEL

Skellig Mist.jpg -
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SKELLIG MIST

Stairway to Heaven.jpg - The steps leading up to the beehive huts on Skellig Michael
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STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

Stay Awhile.jpg - Puffins on Skellig Michael
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STAY AWHILE

The Eye of the Beholder.jpg -
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THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

The Nest is Ready.jpg - Atlantic Puffins are colonial nesters, using burrows on grassy cliffs. They can face competition from other burrow nesting animals such as Rabbits, Manx Shearwaters and occasionally Razorbills. Male puffins perform most of the work of clearing out the nest area, which is sometimes lined with grass, feathers or seaweed. The only time spent on land is to nest. Mates are found prior to arriving at the colonies, and mating takes place at sea.The Atlantic Puffin is sexually mature at the age of 4?5 years. The species is monogamous and has biparental care. A single-egg clutch is produced each year, and incubation responsibilities are shared between both parents. Total incubation time is around 39?45 days, and the chick takes about 49 days to fledge. At fledging, the chick leaves the burrow alone, and flies/swims out to sea, usually during the evening. Contrary to popular belief, young puffins are not abandoned by their parents. Synchronous laying of eggs is found in the Atlantic Puffin.
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THE NEST IS READY

Welcome Dawn.jpg - Dawn on Shellig Michael
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WELCOME DAWN