Our Wild Isle: Sir David Attenborough on Skomer Island

The eagle eyed amongst you may well have noticed that Skomer has now featured not once, but twice, in the new BBC natural history series: Wild Isles.

Sir David watching Manx shearwaters fledge in North Haven © Alex Board / Silverback Films

Anyone who has visited our island home will already know just how special a place it is. But for Skomer to be included alongside reserves and wildlife spectacles across the British Isles really does go to show how important it is on a national, and international, scale.

During two trips to Skomer in 2022, the Silverback crew, and Sir David Attenborough himself, filmed alongside some of our best known bird species: Atlantic puffins and Manx shearwaters.

Atlantic puffin at sunset © Skomer VO

Crossings to Skomer are always accompanied by something of a will-they-won’t-they feel, with strong winds occasionally playing havoc with boat access to the island. The first visit in June to film puffins was no exception to this. In fact, the island was closed for two days prior to filming as a result of strong northerly winds. With the wind thankfully dropping off just in time, filming was able to go ahead as planned.

I have long suspected that puffins, with their brightly coloured bills, are the divas of the bird world. Filming last June really helped to confirm this. Having been essentially grounded for two days, the puffins headed back out to sea to fish in their thousands. Making the most of the calm weather, their return in the evening was delayed…not ideal for keeping to a tight filming schedule! Fashionably late the puffins did eventually show, pushing filming (and dinner) back by several hours.

Group photo with Sir David after a long evening filming. L-R: Eve (Skomer LTV 2022), Lisa (Head of Islands and Marine), Freya (Media and Comms Officer), Madi (Digital Fundraising and Comms Officer), Sir David, Gina (Marketing and Development Manager), Sarah (WTSWW CEO), Beth (Skomer VO), Ceris (Skomer Assistant Warden), and Kelda (Skomer LTV 2022) © Alex Board / Silverback Films

Thankfully, the second visit to Skomer, this time an overnight stay in late August, was accompanied by calm seas. However, filming Manx shearwater fledglings, which only venture outside of their burrows at night, brings additional complications.

White light is startling to Manxies, who are at their most vulnerable when scuttling around on land. When walking around the island at night, we use red light torches to cause as little disturbance as possible. The Silverback crew were not an exception to this, with specialist (heavy!) camera equipment required to film the Manxies under infrared light. Add in frogs and toads underfoot to the equation and the challenge really is on. The footage, I’m sure you’ll all agree, is beyond phenomenal. Despite living out here, none of us on the island have ever seen Manxies under the night sky in this way. There are no words.

Our usual view of fledging Manx shearwaters under red light © Skomer VO

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who had a part to play in ensuring that filming on Skomer went ahead smoothly last year. From the team at Dale Sailing putting on additional boats, and being their usual flexible selves; to our fantastic volunteers and researchers, who somehow continued working as normal, despite a literal national treasure wandering around the island.

To the Silverback crew, producers and directors: thank you for your time, skill, and consideration of our precious wildlife. We may be biased, we already knew Skomer was a special place, but being able to share it on the big screen is simply mind blowing.

Team photo with Sir David in August. L-R: Anna (Skomer LTV 2022), Leighton (Skomer Warden), Beth (Skomer VO), Sir David, Ceris (Skomer Assistant Warden), Bee (Skomer Seal Fieldworker), and Lira (Skomer LTV 2022) © Alex Board / Silverback Films

Thanks, of course, also go to David and Susie, both of whom it was a genuine pleasure to meet. It was great to have the chance to share Skomer’s incredible wildlife with you both, and to chat about the island, its birds, and life. The kettle’s always on…

Skomer features in episode one (Our Precious Isles) and five (Ocean) of Wild Isles. You can catch up on the series here: BBC One - Wild Isles.

For more information on our island home, please visit: Skomer Island | The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (welshwildlife.org).

Until next time. Wela i di wedyn!

Beth, Visitor Officer.