You may have seen a news report today about hundreds of young
Manx Shearwaters being rescued from rough seas off the Pembrokeshire
coast. The weather has certainly been
severe – but even so, it seems odd that birds which should be used to such
conditions got in such trouble.
Probably the biggest breeding colony of Manx Shearwaters
in the world is just off the coast of Pembrokeshire, with roughly
50% of the world’s population – 165,000 pairs - nesting on Skokholm and Skomer,
its near neighbour. Quite a few people
visit Skomer as it is easily accessible by a daily boat service, but Skokholm
is a different matter. From Broad Haven
the Dale Princess would travel across to Skokholm on Saturday and not return
until the following Saturday.
The Dale Princess arriving at Skokholm
I’ve been three times to stay for a week. For some reason, Val has never been
interested in accompanying me. This
could be something to do with the fact that there is no running water and no electricity. Lighting in the old farmhouse, originally
occupied and renovated by Ronald Lockley many years ago, is by gas, and the
only way to get a wash is to do the dishes and then use any unused hot water
left over in the boiler! The chemical
toilet doesn’t sound too enticing but spirits are lifted by the paintings of
birds which people have doodled on the walls!
It is a magical place though, despite the privations. Measuring only a mile or so long by half a
mile wide, it’s easy to walk around in an hour or so, but the main thing is
that it’s a fabulous place for relaxation whilst enjoying the bird life which
is all around – as well as the Manx Shearwaters there are Puffins, Guillemots,
Ravens, Choughs and lots more.
A Puffin
There’s only room for a dozen or so visitors, and the
accommodation is pretty basic – I’ve stayed in the outside huts, and also a
dampish room in Lockley’s farmhouse. The
first time I went there was an evening routine of reviewing all the birds seen
during the day. As the names were read
out on the first evening, Gus, a Dutchman and keen birder holidaying with his
girlfriend, said “Loos and I had a Shag on the boat on the way here.” and wondered
why the room erupted into laughter. I told
him you can ‘have’ a Gannet, or a Razorbill, or a Cormorant, but you ‘see’ a
Shag – and explained why. Lovely
language, English.
Skokholm is owned by the Wildlife Trust of South and West
Wales, and recently they have undertaken an ambitious programme of
refurbishment, which was well overdue. Now the lighthouse on the island is for
sale – Trinity House want £100,000 for it – and the Trust is doing its best to
acquire it to safeguard the future of the island and return it to its original
status as a bird observatory.
If you want to know more, you can visit the Trust’s web site
at http://www.welshwildlife.org/skokholmIntro_en.link
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