Trip reports
Visit to Skoma, Pembrokeshire (Spring 2008) "A Personal View"
Saturday, 5 April 2008
We visited the delightful small rocky island of Skoma off the Pembrokeshire coast. We immediately noticed the lack of trees although the ground was blanketed in bluebells and red campion. There were so many rabbit holes which were being used by puffin and manx shearwater. We discovered the shearwater would use the holes at night to avoid the predatory black-backed gulls.
We spotted short-eared owls and oyster-catchers. The cliffs were covered in razorbills, guillemots with fulmars and kittiwakes. Within the small bays we saw seals resting on the rocks. The reserve manager from the Welsh Wildlife Trust guided us to some excellent spots to see the birds. You don't need to be a good photographer to get some wonderful photos, especially with the puffin which ran around our feet, some of which were carrying large beak-fulls of sand eels.
Mick & Ella