Manx shearwaters migrate over 7,000km from Wales to Argentina at the end of every summer but how do the birds know where to go? A study on Skomer Island is trying to nd the answer.
Every year, more than 18,000 people set an early alarm to spend a day with superstar seabirds at The Wildlife Trusts’ Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire. After a short boat journey on the Dale Princess from Martins Haven – looking out for harbour porpoise while Atlantic puffins whizz overhead – the tourists disembark to start their island adventure.
Visitors take hundreds of photographs and while away the hours watching the frenetic activity of an array of breeding birds on a cliff-face known as The Wick. But what they don’t see, while the sun is out, is arguably Wales’ best-kept secret – hidden beneath the island’s grassy top and only making an appearance after dark.
Joe Wynn’s arm disappears into the earth, as he lies on the ground to conduct a daily check of a study burrow on Skomer. There are 100 burrows marked for research on the island and the doctoral student knows exactly where to place himself to avoid damaging any of them.
He removes a single white egg from the hole and puts it carefully into a container beside research assistant Daryl Mcleod. It is April and the start of the breeding season for this particular feathered resident. “An egg weighs up to 15 per cent of the body weight of an adult, which is kind of nuts really,” he says. “It’s a huge investment, as they only lay one per year, but they do have a high breeding success rate."
Joe’s limb disappears again but this time he removes something much larger, a Manx shearwater or ‘Manxie’. “This one is very chilled – it’s been involved in experiments numerous times,” he says, holding the ringed, adult male. He places it in a bag to weigh it and Daryl jots 485g in a notepad.
This story is from the September 2019 edition of BBC Wildlife.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2019 edition of BBC Wildlife.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE PUFFARAZZI
Every summer, an epic survey of Iceland's puffins takes place - and two photographers decided to lend a helping hand
THE ONLY WAY IS UP
A South American frog whose young erupt from the mother's back
TWIST AND SHOUT
Get ready for a dazzling show as courting birds show off their groovy moves and fabulous colours
FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
Love is a battlefield for damselflies in distress
The importance of child's play
Chimpanzee mothers prioritise playtime with their offspring, even when food is scarce
New life for our rivers
Europe's dams are being removed at record-breaking speed - freeing rivers and restoring healthy habitats
'Stars' are helping repair ruined reefs
Scientists are using steel webs to regrow coral reefs in Indonesia - with impressive results
Songbird slaughter in Cyprus
Last autumn, almost half a million birds were trapped and killed by gangs on the Mediterranean island
Huge rewilding paradise planned for South Africa
The 100,000ha Loskop Dam Nature Reserve project hopes to bring back lost species
Reefs on TV
This one-off BBC special on coral is a must-see