Skomer island trip

taff63

taff63

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Going to skomer island for first time next month and really looking forward to it so any advice would be really appreciated I know everyone says about the puffins and yes that's main reason I'm going as I've never seen a puffin up close only in photos so will be a experience but is there anything else I should look forward to seeing
Mark
 
taff63 said:
Going to skomer island for first time next month and really looking forward to it so any advice would be really appreciated I know everyone says about the puffins and yes that's main reason I'm going as I've never seen a puffin up close only in photos so will be a experience but is there anything else I should look forward to seeing
Mark
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hi mark..only been there just the once,but as well as the puffins,there are little owls there,numerous types of seagulls,rabbits by the thousands,gannets,manx sheerwaters[but they are at sea during the daytime].if your lucky,you will see seals,there's plenty of plant life,and dson't discount some landscape photography.

puffin wise,you can get up really close,so close in fact...you may have to move back to compose the shot you want..

lens wise,a nice wide angle,and something like a 70-200 for the puffins and landscape...and something 300mm plus for the little owls if they are about,and most of all...have a great time :)
 
Went last year..... the Puffins are unreal. You can get as close as you want, they just don't seem to mind and the day we went, there were literally thousands of them, you had to mind where you were walking.

Obviously having some sort of zoom lens will help too.

Sadly, the day I went, it was far too sunny (and middle of the day) for getting great shots.... this was probably my best.


DSC_4608.jpg by Zarch1972, on Flickr
 
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When next month are you visiting?

Last year I took my 300mm and found it was too long in a lot of cases and ended up sticking the 70-200mm on some of the time.

Sometimes they get too close to even focus with that.

Other birds I saw ....gannets on the boat ride over. Never saw owls, did see seals which was lovely :)

Hope you have a great time :)

I'm going in June again and I cannot wait!
 
For me I loved seeing melenistic rabbits. Being isolated brings out these forms.

Short eared owls breed on the island too and not unushal to see. Peregrines hunt along the cliffs but only seen one from distance on our last visit.

Lens wise yes you don't need big primes or zooms but I take my 500mm and always use it. If you have two bodies then keep a small lens on the other.

Have a great time were planning our trip as we speak :)
 
going there next month also - at the very last week of the month! When are you heading there? hope you have a great time too as it's our first time and not sure what to expect!!
 
Going on the 12th may have been sorting bag out numerous times :cuckoo: also bought a book called skomer portrait of a welsh island.
Lens wise i normally use a tamron 70-300 but have also packed my 50mm lens and 35-200 :lol:really looking forward to this trip i feel like a kid who has found the magic kingdom of lost haribos :thumbs:
 
In a word BRILLIANT was blown away by the beauty and peacefullness of the place only wish i could have stayed longer the wardens were brilliant didn,t see any little owls or peregrines but didn,t matter was blown away by the place the puffins are so comical such posers :lol:the swallows nesting in the toilets skimming across your head can see why people wear camo clothing :lol:while waiting for the boat to take us to the island everyone decided to wait on the jetty but i decided to climb onto the rocks and glad i did as there in the harbour was a seal nobody else seen it my m8 was gutted but as we were pulling off he popped up again so he was happy the gannets diving were a awesome sight .

mark

ps already planning next trip :lol:
 
thanks for the advice including the link will help me too when I go in june thanks :)
 
How are the rabbits faring this year? From what I understand, their population there undergoes crashes periodically. Whilst I'd be open to photographing any species of wildlife, it's the leporidae that have that special pull, for me. (Of course, when I can actually get along there remains to be seen.. it'll take a while to get over the moving costs. *sigh*)
 
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