Isle of May: One year on. 2011

First time I went on my own here. Almost never made it due to a closed road and being stuck behind two slow moving vehicles from farms. Arrived with 10 minutes to spare.
They have started accepting credit cards at the booth in Anstruther and rushing to get there on time was wasted on students , one by one, using their CC's. Couldn't one have paid for all and everyone give the one person money to pay back?
Boat was late leaving but still got our three hours on the island so no matter.

Unknown to me prior to going, the Puffins had not arrived and the last 5 boat trips had disappointed people obviously.

My luck was in, the Puffins had arrived in numbers on Saturday.
The May Princess staff said we were lucky, the Puffins have arrived.

Now what was getting me was, we paid the money, we go to the island, we land and find there are no Puffins. Surely staff should have said something before we paid to get on the boat as the Puffins are the main feature and like myself, that's what people want to pay for to see.

If they had done this on the previous 5 trips, then no wonder they were disappointed to put it mildly.

Anyhoo, got there, thousands of Puffins had arrived but more were to foolow and I'm sure the rest heading this way will be there in the next few days.

The boat was quiet in comparison to my previous trips so got a bit of leg room and got better view of things without taller people standing in front of me LOL

Half way accross, I saw a hump appear from the water and looked to see if anyone else saw it but nobody said anything so I didn't. I thought maybe it was one of the seals.

The captain then announced he saw a large, (not quite sure exactly what he said) to the starboard side, a large crustacious? mammal was seen.

One of the crew came over and asked if any of us saw it. I told I had but thought it was a big bull seal but it had a small fin but I wasn't sure as it may have been a bit of flipper?

He siad yes, the captain had seen a minky whale and I had confirmed it. So, my first ever whale spotting. Albeit just the hump

Usually spot a manx shearwater on the way over but not this time.

Anstruther was lovely weather wise but as we headed out, the clouds over the island looked ominous!
Fortunately,it cleared when we arrived and it was a lovely day.

The seals were out lounging and looking on curiously as they always do when boats and people appear. Nice to see so many young ones this time.

A new guy has taken over the meet and greet from the girl who used to do it. She is away to St Syrus (spell) now.

Desperate to head off and use the toilet first, I told the new guy that I need ot go to the toilet first but he insisted that I stay and listen to the talk as there is new updates.

I waited and never heard anything new. Seemingly he is a very good birder and knowledgeable, but I didn't like him as a meet and greet person. Maybe used to the previous girl who was very nice, made jokes, always looked pleased to see you and made you very welcome.
Maybe in time, the guy will learn. Can't be easy if you haven't done it before or not used to it....I'm not sure if he has done this before?

So, free to go, I was first up the hill to the centre and never saw so many rabbits before. I guess being the first there, I caught the rabbits on the hop. scuse the pun
Seemingly a Merlin flies over every morning trying to pick a meadow pipit or two. I dind't see it though. Shame!

There were not may Fulmars about, not in the numbers they are usually at. I think the bad weather we had recently had stalled any migrations for a bit hence the Puffins not srriving till that day.

I fianlly managed to go round the whole island this time

Didn't see any Meadow Pipits this time but did see a Rock Pipit from the top of the area looking down on the pebble beach where the seals have pups.

Surprisingly saw a lot of Gannets. Usually see the odd two or three but this time there was loads flying about the island. Maybe Bass Rock is getting too busy for them

The Shags were allready nesting as usual before the other birds. Plenty of gulls but what I have noticed, don't see any black headed gulls there?
Plenty of Eider ducks were to be seen too.

Kittiwakes, Guilliemots and Razorbills were partnering up and claiming spots for nesting. But the stars of the show are the Puffins for me and thank goodness they had arrived in numbers.

I just love these little characters. And with a low number on the boat and no one coming on the speed boat, the island was quiet, people wise.

The Puffins would fly off if you got too near but once you sat down on a rock, they came back and just watched you
Nice opportunity to get some nice photographs.
Once again, had a great time on the island and got to practise flight shots with the D90. I had the knackered D80 last visit Time flew by too quickly as it always does.

On the way round the island before heading back, the Captian spotted a Peregrine Falcon at the top of the cliffs.
What made me laugh looking back at the pics when I got home was that there was a pigeon on the edge just below the Falcon and the Falcon is loooking over it's shoulder as if waiting for the right moment to pounce.
I will post the pic later once I finish getting the others sorted out.

Weather permitting, I recommend you visit if you have done so before.

I will probably go back next month or July as watching the Puffins bringing back eels and the gulls harassing them for their catch is also great to watch.

So, once again, another enjoyable trip to IoM and weather was lovely.

Forgto to add, saw one Turnstone and one Oyster Catcher also.

List of Birds today were:
Puffins
Kittiwake
Peregrine Falcon
Razorbill
Guilliemot
Pigeons
Gulls
Pied Wagtail
Rock Pipit
Gannet
Shag
Eiders


Other:
Minky Whale
Seals
Rabbits
one butterfly.
Probably a Painted Lady? Only brief glimpse in flight before disappearing.