Everyone knows that the Puffins should be returning to the island in spring to lay their eggs and fledge their chicks but what on earth are seal pups doing getting born in April. Those who know a bit more about British wildlife know that Grey Seals breed all around the British coastline. The pupping season proceeds in a clockwise direction around England, Wales, Scotland and then England again, with those in Cornwall pupping first, in August, and those in East Anglia last, over Christmas. Skomer's seals usually pup in October so finding a perfectly healthy seal pup hours after it had been born yesterday was a bit of a surprise. We will keep an eye on this out of season pup and see if it can survive the rigors of life outside of the seals usual pupping season.
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| Mother pup bonding |
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| Mother and pup doing what they should be doing |
The Puffins are more expected but are still keeping us guessing by going missing for days on end and only returning for a few hours late in the afternoon. The picture below was taken last week when there was a count of 4135 just in North Haven, so plenty. They then did a disappearing act and disappointed all of our visitors on the weekend by not being here. They are now returning in big numbers again and we will try and do an all island count in the next few days.
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| Puffins looking perfectly at home |
Eddie Stubbings, Skomer Warden
I've known a pup to be born in March on the island but not April
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