Sea Birds in Pembrokeshire

Puffins are synonymous with Pembrokeshire, and for good reason. 
In 2024, more than 41,000 individuals were recorded on Skomer Island alone, making it the largest puffin colony in southern Britain. This remarkable concentration highlights the region’s importance as a stronghold for the species ... not to mention the fact that they are super cool.

"Sea Parrots", "Clowns of the Sea", whatever you want to call them, they are incredibly charismatic and just as iconic. They return to Pembrokeshire each April, where they return to their burrow from the previous season. Unlike many of their feathered counterparts, puffins don’t make nests, but instead dig into the ground to create a warm and safe environment to raise their young Puffling.

Yes, you read that correctly. Puffling. Of course the chicks would have the cutest name ever! 

Once the parents are settled, Mum will lay a single egg. The couple will take it in turns to incubate the egg while the other heads out to fish for sand eels. This pattern repeats for around 6 weeks until the egg hatches. A further six weeks are then devoted to feeding and protecting the puffling, with both adults maintaining this careful balance of fishing and babysitting.

Once the chick is strong enough, they will all leave and head back out to sea. The chick will end up going solo until they reach maturity at about 5 years old, when they will then find a mate and then a burrow and so the cycle continues. 

By Mid August, most, if not all of the Puffins and respective pufflings will have left the Islands for the season. So if you want to see these guys up close and personal your window is April - mid August. Best sightings and biggest numbers of birds being around June/July.

Photo: Jack Iles

There is a whole heap of wildlife to see on and around our outlying islands, from Gannets, Guilimots, and Razorbills, to Seals, Porpoise, Dolphins, and even the occasional Whale! We are remarkably lucky! 

One of my favourite birds however doesn’t get as much attention in my opinion. 

Granted, they aren’t quite as cute and colourful as the aforementioned Puffin. But they are very cool, clever, and majestic birds. 

One of the reasons they don’t get as much attention is possibly because they are harder to see. They have tiny little legs, positioned towards the tail of the bird. This makes swimming along on the surface of the water a breeze but walking around on the other hand, really rather difficult.

For this reason they spend their daylight hours in their burrow, or out at sea fishing. 

If they spent too much time aimlessly fumbling around on dry land in the middle of the day they would inevitably be picked off by the ever-prominent Greater Black backed Gull, leaving behind a pair of wings (Rather boney and not that tasty one would assume.) 

A sad but sure sight if you are lucky enough to find yourself on Skomer or Ramsey Island. 

These wings are the biggest attribute of the bird I am alluding to and arguably give the bird its name. The Manx Shearwater. They are so beautiful to watch as they glide over the ocean, shearing the water. Incredibly efficient fliers catching the smallest updrafts from the waves and using this energy to cover hundreds of miles in a day. From Skomer, the Manx can find themselves fishing as far as Anglesey before returning home.

Once they return home the Manx will raft up in huge flotillas waiting for the sun to set before they make their way back onto dry land to find their burrow and their partner. This is to avoid predators and hopefully means they will keep their wings for another day. 

Like the Puffins, Mum and Dad will take it in turns to head out looking for fish while the other stays with the egg until it turns into a chick and eventually gets big enough and strong enough to fend for itself. 

This is where these birds get really clever! 

Once the Manx Shearwater chick is big enough, towards the end of the season, it will get one final feed before it drifts off for a sleep. While asleep, Mum and Dad head out of the burrow and set off for the winter. Destination, Argentina. 

"But what about the chick" I hear you cry! (lol) 

Worry less, they are super clever! 

The chick wakes up from their stupor to realise Mum and Dad have left, wanders to the edge of the burrow and steps out for the first time. 

The chick makes their way to the edge of the island and takes a courageous leap towards the deep blue sea before their beautiful wings catch them. Before you know it they are making their way to meet Mum and Dad in Argentina! 

But how? 

The chick has never left the burrow, let alone been to Argentina!

Turns out, Manx Shearwater’s, along with many other migratory birds, have tiny magnetite crystals located behind their beaks. This is essentially a biological navigation system. Magnetite is a naturally magnetic mineral and the birds use this to map their routes and remember where they have been. No Google maps needed! 

Us humans also have traces of magnetite behind our noses and I think must be where the saying ‘follow your nose’ comes from! Cool eh?

Photo: Jack Iles

So, if you have made it this far, thank you! 

If you are inspired to see these birds and other forms of wildlife up close, then head over to our friends at Dale Sailing and book yourselves a trip. 

You can book the ferry to land on Skomer and see the Puffins and all their burrows. Super unique experience and I can't recommend it enough. I would recommend booking an early sailing to make the most of your day on the island.

You can also book a room with us the night before your trip to help ease the logistics! 

Or book a boat tour where you could get lucky enough to see some dolphins doing acrobatics, or porpoise fishing in the tidal races, along with the many wonders our Pembrokeshire waters have to offer! 

Boat trips can be found here - https://www.pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk/boat-trips/

AUTHOR

Sam
General Manager