This is a brief follow up to my previous post, Photographing Puffins with Phoblographer. I hope you'll check that out prior to reading this as it should put things into context.
Below is in an image of the Mew Stone off Skomer Island. It's home to a number of birds, primarily the Common Guillemot.
The Mew Stone. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/7.1, 150mm, 1/1250 sec, ISO 400
Guillemots are birds that you've likely seen on nature channels due to their unique nesting habits. They spend the majority of the year at sea but nest on sheer cliffs during the summer months. They congregate during the breeding season, thousands at a time, and they make for a fascinating spectacle.
The Guillemot Cliff. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/9, 170mm, 1/800 sec, ISO 640
If you get close to your screen you'll notice that those black and white dots on the cliff are actually nesting birds. When they are grouped together like this, the sound they create is phenomenal. I'd liken it to a deafening chattering, like a call centre run by thousands and thousands of penguins, all shouting to make themselves heard. Below is a closer view of the same cliff
Cliff Close Up. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/9, 480mm, 1/640 sec, ISO 640
Being exposed on the cliffs makes them vulnerable to predators. I spotted several hawks hovering overhead and seagulls are known to swallow guillemot chicks whole.
Pig Stone. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/8, 150mm, 1/320 sec, ISO 250
This is another rock formation off the edge of the island known as the Pig Stone. It's again home to a group of guillemots, the image below is a close up.
Pig Stone Close Up. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/8, 500mm, 1/800 sec, ISO 640
There were many other birds on the island too, like the juvenile oystercatcher shown below. As I mentioned in my previous post, the sheer variety of the wildlife was quite stunning.
Juvenile Oystercatcher. Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm C @ f/8, 480mm, 1/1250 sec, ISO 320
Well that's it for this mini post. Be sure to check out my previous article Photographing Puffins with Phoblographer, that documents the puffin population on the island. Please consider upvoting & following me for similar content in the future, cheers for now.
All images present in this article are 漏 Alexander White