Razorbills

I was extremely lucky to get across to Puffin Island recently. Unfortunately the dates proposed at the beginning of the year for seabird ringing have had to be changed because of the late start to the breeding season. I'd promised to take the ladies to Manchester Victoria railway station to catch the 08.50 train to Newcastle and the boat was leaving Beuamaris at 08.30! Luckily Steve arranged with Stan, the boatman, that I could join one of the tourist cruises and they'd drop me off later in the morning. Probably a wise move given the weather first thing as I shot across from Manchester to Anglesey in torrential rain.

Happily the weather improved and I was dropped off around midday and yomped around the island to join the ringing team on the far side where we split into two teams to search for and ring Razorbill pullus and any adults we could catch. It turned out to be a very successful day with 164 pullus and 17 adults being ringed and 19 adults re-trapped as part of the RAS project. In addition 134 Shag pullus were also ringed.

It was great to see a few Puffins but without time to use the camera I didn't bother taking it so had to rely on the phone !

 Puffins on top of the cliffs with Razorbills.

 Feisty adult Razorbill.

Young Razorbill.

Young auk chicks leave the natal cliffs before they are able to fly properly and join the adults on the sea. Many of the youngsters (like the one above) will have fledged before our next visit.