Puffins on Skomer

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Pete
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I am planning a trip to skomer at start of june with a few other guys and I was wondering what lens would be best to take on the island. a few of us only go to 300mm will that be OK
 
More than enough for the puffins! 70-200mm is very useful.
 
From some of the films that I've seen of Skomer a 17-40mm might come in handy! :D
 
Most of my Puffin shots on Skoma were shot on my 70-200. I'd hired a 300 f2.8 but hardly used it for the Puffins.

Steve

Sent from my iPad using TP Forums
 
For Puffins a 70-200 is excellent. At some sites on the island I wished I'd had something like a 17-55 for them. But there's a lot more than Puffins on Skomer. For those birds you're going to want something longer.
 
Puffins in flight I used a 75-300mm and was normally around the 220mm range. For puffins close up on he island I used my kit lens and the range varied from 18mm to about 50mm. They come very close :)
Hope you have a good day, be warned the island seems big if you try and walk around it all in one day.
 
See this thread had helped me on a challange set by my father in law. Photo of puffins for his birthday.

May I ask who you can get onto the island. Any links would be great.

Sorry for asking on your thread Pete.
 
When is THE best time to see puffins on Skomer? I am determined to go but I want to go at the best time, even if it does cost more.
 
DemiLion said:
Teatime of course! :LOL:
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Absolutely correct. Because to be there at teatime it means that you're staying overnight - and you'll get to see the Manx Shearwaters coming in to their burrows. That makes for a real challenge - trying to capture a Manxie in flight, in pitch darkness.

Skomer%20070616%20190%20large.jpg


I went in June and it was great for puffins.
 
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squizza said:
When is THE best time to see puffins on Skomer? I am determined to go but I want to go at the best time, even if it does cost more.
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We went at the end of June last year, we did the Farne Islands the year before in May and that was too early. Plenty of Puffins but no babies, hence no shots with sand eels, and if you're going to shoot Puffins, they must have a mouthful of food ! ;)



puffin01 by Steve Jelly, on Flickr

Steve

Sent from my iPad using TP Forums
 
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I think I've found a destination for a few days holiday in June now! Been thinking about going to Skomer for some time but I think you guys have just made my mind up!
 
Eeeek just waiting for the b and b to confirm my booking and I will be going to Skomer at the end of Juuuuuuuuune :D
 
I'm going in may I'll be taking a 200-400, 70-200, 14-24 and either a 50 or a 105 macro.

Aswell as 2 bodies I didn't get a place on the island so it's going to be 3 big long walks up those steep steps!
 
Thanks for posting your link Brian. Its realy helpfull to decide on what kit to take.

Think we will go twice, Mid May and June.
Even though I may nit need it much I think the 500mm will get to make the trip aswell:D
 
squizza said:
When is THE best time to see puffins on Skomer? I am determined to go but I want to go at the best time, even if it does cost more.
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For Puffins - June to Mid-July as they'll be feeding chicks etc.

If you want to go overnight and meet the shearwaters - then Anytime from Mid March onwards - but you'll need to book well ahead for an overnight stay :)
 
Oh and visits in Late April/May will see lush views of the whole island covered in Bluebells and Campion :)
 
No dates set yet as we don't get back from Mull till the 10th. I suspect either weekend of the 23th or a day in the week from the 10th -23th.

We are also thinking of going late May/early June.

When you going Tori?

It will be a early start to get there so we are first inline of the first or second ferries;)
 
while you are there dont neglect the seals - for that a longer lens is useful (this was actually on skoholm , the island next door, but skomer is equally good)



and actually thinking about it I found the long lens quite handy for the puffs too - it meant being able to pick out the photogenic ones rather than being limited to the ones up close - in the case of this chap it wouldnt have been safe to get within 300mm range anyway

 
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James Wright said:
big soft moose said:
while you are there dont neglect the seals - for that a longer lens is useful (this was actually on skoholm , the island next door, but skomer is equally good)

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/pictures/showphoto.php/photo/9966
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Brilliant photo, how did you get low down to the water?
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carefully - at skokholm the boat landing quay is opposite the rocks where the seals haul out, and for this shot I was lying on the sloped launching slipway about a foot or two above water level

this is a receipe for getting wet , but I had a clear plastic bag wrapped round the camera and a skylight filter on to protect the front element from spray and inside the harbour it wasnt that rough.

mind you insurance is key if you are going to do stoopid things like that - a few weeks later I put my 10D and my original 170-500 out of action while photographing diving gannets off grassholm from a RiB - both were a write off, but insurance paid up no problem and I replaced with a 20D and another coffee grinder.
 
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Im going on Monday:) Early start to try and get the first ferry across. Fingers crossed the weather stays good:)
 
I went on the TP Skomer trips the last two years and will definitely miss not being there this year. I've used a variety of kit: 70-200 f/4, 180 macro, 400 f/5.6 and 500 f/4 (hired) with a 1.4x converter...although I didn't use the 500 at all with the Puffins.

400mm f/5.6 - Puffin at The Wick
puffin1_5853_1.jpg


70-200mm - Puffin at The Wick
puffin.jpg


70-200mm - Puffin at The Wick at sunset
puffin2-2.jpg


180mm macro - Razorbill from the steps to the landing stage
razorbill2.jpg


Have a great time! (y)
 
Richard I now know what I want to take. Thanks for sharing such great pictures with details of the lenses used(y) All will be in the bag.

Can I hire a donkey to carry them all:D
 
salacalvet said:
Im going on Monday:) Early start to try and get the first ferry across. Fingers crossed the weather stays good:)
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Ummmmm they don't sail on Mondays!!

Also I'd call ahead to Lockley Lodge about 8:30 am and check they're sailing :)

Matt
 
I'll be at Skomer Tuesday to Friday next week if anyone wants to meet up. Send me a PM.
 
Check the weather forcast. We were down a week ago and there were no sailings all w/e. There is a number you can phone but can't find it at the moment.
 
ncf15 said:
Check the weather forcast. We were down a week ago and there were no sailings all w/e. There is a number you can phone but can't find it at the moment.
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You can call Lockley Lodge on 01646 636800 after 08:30 am to check whether they're sailing that day :)

And they only sail on Mondays on Bank Holidays :)

Matt
 
Matt they don't sail on Monday's but they do on Bank Holidays to Skomer:)

Landings are Tuesday to Sunday and on Monday there are trips but no landings.
 
salacalvet said:
Matt they don't sail on Monday's but they do on Bank Holidays to Skomer:)

Landings are Tuesday to Sunday and on Monday there are trips but no landings.
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That's what I said but not very clearly (Sorry)! ;)

Oh and if the wind is coming from the North/North West at any point - you can largely write off any landings/sailings as the Sound would be more than a smidge lively then (been there done that, not pretty!)! :)

Matt
 
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