Back to Skomer!

With the stove lit, bread rising and dinner on the go, we thought it was high time to update the blog as we begin a new season on Skomer.

We’ll begin with introductions: The island bade farewell to Nathan and Sylwia as wardens this winter, welcoming a new warden in Leighton Newman. Leighton’s name will be familiar to many of you – he was the Skomer Visitor Officer from 2015 to 2017, before spending three years as Ranger at Blakeney Point with the National Trust. He’s joined by me, Ceris Aston, back as Assistant Warden after being furloughed in May last year due to Covid. It’s brilliant to be back on Skomer, and we’re both looking forward to the coming year.

Leighton loading the Mule

Just a few more boxes to go!

 On March 1st, we loaded the Dale Princess, remembering anew just how many boxes and bags it takes to package one month’s shopping and 9 months’ living for two people.

We had a smooth crossing in glorious sunshine and were greeted on arrival by the sight of four red kites flying low over the island. Unfortunately, we also had good views of a recent landslide which has blocked the boat slipway with some rather hefty boulders. First job for the to-do list!

Landslide at North Haven

Boulders - with one Assistant Warden for scale

We disembarked and unloaded at the jetty. The steps haven’t got any fewer (is it possible there are more this year?) but eventually we, and all of our belongings, were installed at North Haven. Many thanks to the skilled boatmen of Dale Sailing and to all those who lent a hand (or several hands) along the way.

View from the Dale Princess

Tuesday morning saw the two of us set off for the farm, to perform a full inspection of the buildings and assess any damage sustained over the winter. Nothing too drastic, but a few sections of gutter and chimney cowls are down – all noted on our quickly growing list. Dumper lessons followed – just as the steps had seemed to get higher, so the gateways seemed to narrow as I approached, but before too long we’d reached the heady heights of second gear. With the dumper safely returned to the shed, and all of the buildings’ windows open to air, we set off for a circuit of the north west of the island.

View from the farm

In North Valley we stopped almost immediately at the sight of a marsh harrier quartering over North Valley, flushing a ringtail (a female or immature hen harrier) as it did so. Leighton managed to read the tags on the marsh harrier’s wings, identifying it as a young Norfolk bird which has been in the local area since November. Other highlights of the day included a Great Northern Diver (my first) preening at Pigstone Bay, porpoise seen from North Haven and Skomer Head, an exceptionally early record for goldcrest and our first chiffchaff of the year. The evening’s harrier roost count, inevitably, saw no harriers – but we could hardly complain.

Tagged marsh harrier

Wednesday began with list-making and phone and computer set-up – always taking longer than you expect. Next came adventures in plumbing, with the flush having flushed its last. Having retrieved the required part from the farm, installation successfully followed – voila, a working toilet.

We also looked at raven and chough monitoring methodologies, and divided up the island between us into monitoring areas. These corvids are early breeders – ravens may already be on eggs, coinciding the feeding of their young with the availability of seabird eggs in April. One of our earliest tasks is to establish the location of their territories and, where possible, nest sites.

Chough feeding

The evening was a chance to catch up on some of the recent videos from the Friends of Skokholm and Skomer 40th anniversary reunion. At about 9 o’clock we heard a sound from outside, looked at one another. ‘Did you hear that?’

It was unmistakeable – a strange breathy chuckling, rising and falling outside the window. The Manxies are back.

We’ll do our best to keep you posted throughout the season. For now, thanks for the support, and we hope to see some of you before too long. – Ceris, Assistant Warden  

The Dale Princess

First North Haven sunrise

View from the kitchen