Sumburgh Puffins

I keep saying that i have enough Puffin photos but then head up to Sumburgh for more.

Incoming Puffins are the hardest to get, coming at you at a very fast speed. With my system, the A1 the auto focus is fast even with a 1.4x converter on a 200-600mm lens

All these were taken at ISO12800 on a dull day, the i have used Topaz AL noise reduction.

Speed was at 1/5000 second at F9

 

Puffins at Sumburgh, Shetland

Very few Puffins about so far, i was lucky with a few after 45 mins with only seeing one about 50 appeared flying in to their nest holes

It was a windy day so difficult photographing the flying birds. Others have seen none or few birds, just hope this is not a bad year for them. Only one Gt Skua patrolling cliffs

 

Puffins-New bedding please

It seems odd that Puffins are still bringing in nest material but it has been warm and it could be the mites may have taken over in the nest area so a change of bedding may help

Also the latrine area may need changing, either way its just the adults looking after the young Pufflings

They will be leaving early next month but for now there are lots of Puffins on the cliff tops

While there has been one or two bird corpses on the beaches this may be down to predation rather than  Bird Flu

It looks like a successful breeding season again with many birds bringing in lots of fish which seem abundant this year.

Puffins along with other auks need a break, this looks like the third year on the trot that they seem to have been successful.

 

Shetland Puffin book

I have just publsihed my second book, this time Shetland Puffins

It is A4 size with 97 photos, mainly taken down at Sumburgh Head

This book has been released just as the puffins have come back to the cliffs at Sumburgh Head RSPB reserve

If you like a copy it is £14 + postage (£4.75pp in UK) message me at shetpuffinbook@gmail.com 

Shetland beach walk

 The weather has been mostly overcast so it was good to get out on a sunny day. West Voe is a superb beach on the opposite side of the road from the airport. Buried in the sand dunes are remains of WW2 shelters but i have only seen these once after a big storm uncovered them.

With Orkney having recorded around 100 dead Puffins i set out to check a few beaches starting at West Voe. I had only walked bout 20 metres before i came across a dead adult Puffin rapped in seaweed. Another 6 were found most caught up in seaweed and included 2 Pufflings

Puffins should not be seen anywhere near land at this time of year, spending winter far out in the middle of the north sea. A further two dead at Grutness and two more at old Scatness. At Quendale 12 , Sandsayre 1 and Sanick 2. I have asked to be kept up to-date with finds on the beach survey due to take place at the end of December.

Also there was little in the bay apart from Long Tailed Duck (24) Gt Northern Diver (2) and Shag (6). On the beach, Turnstone (6) Purple Sandpiper (4) and Twite (12)

Twite

Back at Grutness , both Red Throated and Gt Northern Diver caught fish and 6 Long Tailed Duck flew into the bay at high tide. Shag (6) Gt BB (6) Common Gull (3) while Curlew (6) Flew over. 

On the pond 4 Mallard and a Teal with Meadow Pipit (2) and several Blackbird

While i was photographing the diver , 3 Grey seal came over and seemed to be wanting a photo or two