After a weekend of settling in and enjoying being back on Skomer it was back to work with a Monday meeting. A chance to find out what's happening in the next few weeks and sort out our list of tasks to be completed before and after other people return.
As if cleaning our own rooms wasn't enough we ploughed straight on with the volunteer quarters. It seems that each year at least one room gets exposed to the elements while we're away, this winter it was the volunteer kitchen. A window had blown open and there was evidence that an owl had used the place as a short-term roost.
Spot the owl's favourite roost
.
With the full arsenal of the cleaning cupboard Sarah and I set about disinfecting, scrubbing, washing and wiping every available surface. The place is now spotless, apart from the muddy footprints I left when walking across the freshly-mopped floor in order to borrow a potato masher.
Sarah and Jerry stop for a cup of tea, hoping that if they leave the cleaning products by the fridge and oven for long enough they will magically cleanse themselves.
Meanwhile, Chris took on the infrastructure; checking the electric and plumbing systems are working. As I'm able to use the internet and have a hot shower (not together) I'm pretty happy with them.
Chris wondering where the one unlabelled pipe brings water to and from.
We've also been on with checking the boat and engines, assessing winter damage to the landing, moving fridges about, redesigning leaflets and mostly making lists of more jobs that need to be done.
Can't wait to go through the whole process again over on Skokholm.
The bird life is still pretty quiet, but the first Chiffchaff is down North Valley, while Snipe and Wigeon have been about. Guillemots and Razorbills have been on the cliffs today. Ravens are on their nests on the Mew Stone and Amy's Reach. Plenty of Buzzards and a flock of 21 Chough.
Sarah's been out looking for Iceland and Glaucous Gulls near Pigstone but no luck so far.
Jerry Gillham.
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