The puffins of Skomer Island

Last year, I left it too late to book a trip to Skomer to see the puffins, This year I booked in February and have been excitedly waiting for my visit. Last Tuesday I drove down to South Wales and stayed in a charming B&B on a farm where swallows gracefully flew around the barns.

You get approximately 5 hours on Skomer which allows plenty of time to explore the island. With over 43000 puffins this year, there is plenty to photograph. You have to keep to the paths to avoid disturbing the burrows, but the puffins are used to people and you can get remarkably close. Here is a selection of photos from the day, plus a swallow from the previous evening.