Island update: LTVs Lotti and Erin

Su’mae! My name is Lotti and I am one of the long-term volunteers (LTVs) on Skomer from April to July 2023! 

I graduated in Zoology last year, during which I spent an incredible year as a placement student with a field centre in the Scottish Highlands, and after which I worked as an Assistant Ecologist in Devon. I came to Skomer because I wanted to learn more about surveying breeding birds and what goes into managing a nature reserve, as well as to connect with other nature enthusiasts and experience an alternative way of life that is more connected with wildlife and the land – and what better place than Skomer?! 

Checking biosecurity boxes

I had never been to Skomer before and was in awe as I arrived on a gloriously sunny day, with wonderful swirls of puffins around our boat as I made the short crossing over, and the cheery waves of the staff and volunteers already on the island greeting me. My first couple of weeks here have flown past and I have already been involved in lots of exciting tasks all over the island, from the second island-wide puffin census of the season, biosecurity checks and repairing burrows, to welcoming day visitors and giving talks. I have also really enjoyed getting back into the habitat of making daily bird counts and sharing them at the evening Skomer bird logs where we can hear what everyone else saw around the island as well. The staff have all been incredibly kind and welcoming throughout, even surprising us with a hilarious Easter egg hunt when least expected!  

Sunshine on the Neck

After the busy of the day, I have enjoyed spending time exploring the island further and have spotted hen harrier, black redstart, porpoise, common dolphin, Skomer’s own vole subspecies, and of course all of the auks, puffins and Manx shearwater! I have also discovered my favourite place to watch puffins: along the sea campion swathed slopes of the south-east of the island, where I have watched the puffins at sunset billing and collecting large tufts of campion to line their burrows.  

Watching puffins at sunset in the sea campion © Lotti Budd-Thiemann 

The highlight so far has been experiencing the magic of the Manx shearwater at night. Under the cover of darkness, the island is filled with a cacophony of their calls, and having never seen or even heard Manxies before, it has been incredible to find yourself residing an island that by night is theirs. By our red lights we watched birds sitting by the path and running clumsily along the ground, with one even running straight under our feet! 

Night time walks looking for Manx shearwater! © Lotti Budd-Thiemann 

It is a privilege to be able to spend several months on such a special island and I can’t wait to see how it changes as the breeding season ramps up and the island blooms with bluebells and red campion. I am also looking forward to the bustle of breeding bird surveys, carrying out a personal project, and hopefully learning to ace bread making and crocheting in my free time!  

Looking forward to writing another blog of Skomer adventures soon! 

- Lotti, LTV

Lotti and Erin with their Easter egg hunt haul!

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Hi everyone! My name is Erin, I'm 23 and I'm one of the long-term volunteers on Skomer for March - July. I arrived on Skomer nearly three weeks ago, but the warm welcome has made it feel like I've been here for much longer. Armed with a map and clicker, I spent my first evening here helping with the record-breaking puffin count under the guidance of legendary volunteer Alison. After one day of sun my first week turned wet and windy, but I was kept busy with cleaning, painting, drilling and digging to get the island ready for visitors. Since then, I have been giving welcome talks to day visitors, doing biosecurity checks, exploring the island, as well as going on my first breeding bird survey.

Painting the fishbowl corridor

Studying zoology in Cornwall was where I discovered my love for seabirds, especially gulls. Living a few minutes' walk from the beach, my time at university felt constantly observed by the ever-watchful eyes of the resident herring gulls. Through their permanent presence on the beach, in the bins and nesting on the roof, I noticed how beautiful, intelligent and full of character gulls are, and studying their behaviour has made me realise how just a few simple steps can make it easy for people to live alongside them. As for other seabirds, watching Manx shearwater fly past from a ferry to the Scilly Isles, finding fulmar and kittiwake nests along the Cornish cliffs, and paddling past cormorants during sunset sea swims are all memories that stand out from my time in Cornwall. I can't wait to share the wonderful world of seabirds with Skomer's visitors, and maybe even convert some of them into gull lovers, or at least gull appreciators!

Since graduating in 2021, I have volunteered with giraffes in South Africa, at a seabird reserve in Anglesey, and in a peat bog on Mull. Spending just a week or two in each of these amazing places made me look for opportunities to volunteer for longer periods of time, so I am super excited to be staying on Skomer for over three months. While here I am hoping to gain more practical conservation skills and improve my wildlife ID, from bumblebee species to breeding bird calls to ageing immature gulls. After living inland for the past two years, I am thrilled to be back by the sea and living on an island surrounded by diving gannets, nesting fulmars, calling chough and singing seals.

Walking along the ridge above High Cliff - Siân Hassan

Highlights from the past three weeks have included seeing Manxies for the first time, learning to drive the gator, and working with three fantastic groups of weekly volunteers. Having never been to Skomer before, I am looking forward to getting to know the island in depth and seeing how Skomer changes over the next three months. I am particularly excited to help with seabird counts, start my project on the predation of Manxies on Skomer, go swimming in North Haven and hopefully see some gull chicks.

Thanks for reading! Diolch! 

- Erin, LTV