Razorbills

Looking back through my archives I find that I last photographed guillemots in April 1984. This was at Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire. At that time I also photographed guillemots, puffins, kittiwakes and gannets. I have a memory (though no photographs) of seeing guillemots, black guillemots, razorbills and other sea birds, including fulmars, nesting at St Bee's Head, Cumbria, in 1999. Looking through my shots of razorbills I find that the eye of these birds is so dark that it barely shows up on any of my photographs. When I called up the Google Images photographs of this bird I find that other photographers have the same problem. It makes them look a little odd.

The photographs above were taken at Stackpole Head, Pembrokeshire.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon P900

Stackpole Head, Pembrokeshire

Stackpole Head is a limestone headland favoured by a number of bird species including guillemot, razorbill, herring gull, chough, raven, jackdaw, peregrine and shag. At the time of our visit the short turf above the cliffs was flecked by the lilac and pink of the sea squill and sea thrift (also called sea pink), and the cliff nesting sea birds were gathering for their breeding season.

 

The headland has stacks, caves and arches and underground collapses were easily recognised by the pits and holes in the cliff-top walk.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5