Each of the 603 steps between the Skellig Michael dock and the monastery evoked contemplation, caution, wonder and gratitude.
- Contemplation: how did the monks manage to survive while placing the steps? It can only be by a careful division of labor once a survival tripod was build. By tripod I mean the basics food, shelter, warmth.
- Caution: as with any steps, for a 60+ person I have learned the hard way falls take a long time to recover from.
- Gratitude: for the opportunity, growth and knowledge afforded by travel.
- Wonder: every step offered a new vantage and discovery.
Puffins were on my mind for most of the lower steps being immediately at hand, almost underfoot, constantly. Underfoot, not in a obnoxious way. Underfoot in being right there, unabashed, going about the business of life. Pam and I were lucky, Puffin wise, for the weather. Sensible birds, when the visibility is low Puffins stay close to the burrow, making improvements and socialize with neighbors.
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Bad News: Atlantic Puffin populations are on a precipitous decline across Ireland and British Islands. There are talks of a population collapse. Researchers enlisted assistance from wildlife photography enthusiasts with outstanding results released in 2017. The photographs showed parents returning with less nutritious fish. The stress on Puffin populations follows the decline of fish stocks from over fishing. I listed two references at the end of this post.
The disturbing element to our experience was not one of the birds flew in with a catch. On second thought, this is not unexpected. Late May the eggs are laid and under incubation. The individuals in these photographs were feeding only themselves. If we returned mid-June there would be chicks to feed.
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Why do we love Puffins? We see reminders of ourselves. The expressive large eyes, over a striking beak and there is something expressive about the birds’ body movements. Don’t you almost know what’s on the mind of this fellow? “What’s going on, over there?”
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Puffins are small birds, the size of a human hand. This colony returned in late March or early April, each breeding pair claiming a nesting site. The coloring of the beak happens during breeding. The bird molts while at sea during the winter, the beak and other brightly colored facial characteristics are lost.
Puffin sexual differentiation is unique among birds. The coloring and markings are identical between males and females. Males are somewhat larger than females is all.
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Here is Puffin nesting behavior up close. I did some research on the flowering plants surrounding the burrows and am not sure. I believe the white flowers are a mixture of Sea Campion and Sea Mayweed.
As far as my photographic technique. There are two sets of Puffin shots from Skellig Michael. For the the walk to the top, the monastery site, I used the lighter Sony Alpha A700 dslr with a Sony variable lens, DT 18-200 mm F3.5 – 6.3. On top, I switched to the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and, for the descent, fitted a Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L USM lens.
The shot above and following are the Canon, taken on descent. Prior shots are the Sony, taken on ascent.
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Puffins have striking black and white plumage and leg color some describe as “tangerine.” Tangerine? I guess. Here an individual ducks into the burrow.
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I did not spend a great deal of time in any one spot, being time limited and needing to get back to the boat. Don’t recall very much social interactions between individuals, other than this perching together on the rocks. The foreground Puffin seems to take the behavior of another bird to task.
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Click for another Ireland Posting, “On the River Cong.”
References
Puffins and Technology
Clues to the Puffin Population Decline
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