Day 8 – Puffin Day on Skomer Island

Today was all about one thing: puffins.

While Sylvie and the dogs enjoyed a peaceful day in Newgale, I set off early for an eagerly awaited trip to Skomer Island, one of the UK’s best wildlife destinations and home to thousands of nesting seabirds. After a short boat ride across the clear waters of Jack Sound, we landed on the island—and were immediately greeted by the unmistakable charm of puffins waddling along the paths, completely unfazed by the human presence.

It was a perfect sunny day, with blue skies and a gentle breeze—ideal conditions to explore the island’s wild beauty and take on the challenge of photographing puffins in their natural element. I spent hours trying to capture them in flight, especially those magical moments when they return from the sea with a beak full of silvery sand eels. Let me tell you—it’s a lot harder than it looks. These little birds are fast, unpredictable, and surprisingly agile, but I managed to catch a few sharp shots (and a lot of blurry ones too).

Beyond the puffins, Skomer offers so much more: razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, and the haunting calls of manx shearwaters from their burrows. The landscape itself is raw and windswept, with carpets of wildflowers and dramatic sea cliffs offering panoramic views over the channel.

Back on the mainland in the late afternoon, I returned tired, sun-kissed, and absolutely thrilled. Puffins are even more delightful in person than in photos—expressive, quirky, and utterly captivating.

Tomorrow it’s Sylvie’s turn to visit Skomer while I hang back with Awen and Nessy. Let’s see who comes back with the better shots!Read more