Fulmar Friday

We are attempting to extend our daily walks as far as possible, staying local and exercising from home. We feel the distance we can reasonably walk will keep us within lockdown regulations.Today, then, we stretch the distance to take us to  the Little Orme, an eight mile circular walk. 

Again, we’ve managed to find somewhere new. While we’ve driven past so many times, we’ve never actually walked here. It’s a large rocky outcrop that forms the eastern marker of Llandudno bay, its big brother - not surprisingly the Great Orme - forms the other. 

It’s a glorious morning, and we head for Angel Bay, a haven for seals (more of this tomorrow - I’m going to be rebellious and bend the rules). 

The high cliffs of both Ormes are populated by seabirds, and as we walk, we can here the unmistakable screaming of fulmars. The first time we encountered them - only last month on a different walk - we thought they were dogs fighting. They’re very loud. 

We look up and can see ones and twos set in nesting sites on high ledges. A few are flying back on forth, seemingly practising their cliff approach and landing, touching rock then flying off once more. On closer inspection (binoculars or telephoto lenses are essential) it seems their nesting partners are screaming for them to fly away and actually get some food. 

Despite their ugly sound - and their unpleasant habit of spitting foul-smelling oil at intruders - they’re really pretty birds with dark doe-eyes, their tube-noses clear on their heavy beaks. They may look like gulls, but these are more closely related to the albatross 

It’s hard work holding high my 600mm lens, but I’m generally pleased with the results. 

I’ve included a few additional shots in the extras, as well as a shot of the cliffs where they nest.