Puffin

Took a family trip out to the Isle of May, 1st time for all of us. We crossed using the Isle of May Ferry on a sunny day but windy. So windy in fact that the skipper of the ferry had to make a 50/50 call on whether we went out or not. The crossing took about 90 mins, and was very very choppy. A few sickness bags were handed round and used on the way there. However once we got into the shelter of the East side of the island the conditions settled down. I have to say the scenery was stunning, and the abundance of birds on the island is spectacular. The most spectacular was the sheer number of puffins, thousands and thousands roost on the island every year. Getting close to these little birds is quite easy , find a quiet spot, wait patiently and they eventually come to you !! Spotted this little fella perched on the cliffs on the very windy West side of the island. We only had a couple of hours on the island then it was time to attempt the return crossing. Usually the ferry will go around via the west coast to allow people to see the cliffs, but due to the conditions the skipper decided to head back the way he came. Again very very choppy and the number of sick bags issue/used more than doubled. Was very glad to be back on solid ground. An excellent day trip and would heartily recommend it to anyone.

This picture is part of a set Isle of May 2013