Lundy Summer Seabirds

LSS (Splitters!).

I’ve been lucky enough to have my second stay in Tibbetts this year, and on a hot week in June, it  was a joy; not only as a mid season break from work but to test the XT-5 and it’s new auto-focus algorithms – especially on the seabirds population.

It’s not all about the Puffins, although their successful re establishment on Lundy (an old Norse word for puffin), is a joy for everyone and a boost for the island finances as the age old problem manifests itself again and again, in that,  how exactly do you keep Lundy wild and free but earn enough payola to maintain the properties, infrastructure and also make it worthwhile for the lovely men and women who work on the rock and make the magic happen. The struggle continues, things fall apart but you must never loose heart.

As always, the photos are best viewed on a larger screen, click on it to make it big.

All the pinks are brown

Razorbill take off.

Gul in a crack

Your mum’s a raft of puffins

Sail away

Taking in the view on peregrine point; south light, Hartland and the castle.

The rat eradication programme that started in 2002 and the statutory establishment of the Marine Conservation Zone in 2010 have resulted in a spectacular seabird recovery on the island. For example Puffins have gone from a low of under 20 to over 1,000 recorded this year.

Two tone Razorbills are the Mods of the seabird world,

Puffins are Flower Power,

and Ravens are Lemmy, performing at the Black Shed.

Crowds of Guillemots.

Herring Gull with chicks

Formation flying

Auto focus keeping up

Paddling

Close encounter

of the unexpected find.

Flying

Flying 2

Auks

Amongst the last sea pink

Incoming, a puffin de-accelerating and looking like a jump-jet,

then an angel,

then a marshal batting his/her own landing.

Then finally on day one;  a special Lundy sunset.

Cheers and

Good night.

This blog is entirely free for anyone to access but please credit the photographer if you steal the photos by accident, ta. (c) esterspears

Fujifilm XT-5 autofocus was not always pinpoint but way. way better than the XT-3

(which is my favorite camera of all time, so I’m never gonna sell it).

Don’t buy me a coffee. I like tea.

Next post: Quiet Lundy up on Wednesday.

Thanks.

Bye.