After the excitement and sandwiches, it was back to the presence on the cliffs, with quite a few visitors on the reserve enjoying the sunshine. 5 participants joined me on the guided walk, but room was made for many others when a Puffin was seen and telescoped! 7 Puffins were seen in all. The weather was amazing, with birds panting in the heat as they could not leave nest sites in the full sun. Lots of chicks were visible, both Razorbill and Guillemot were busy feeding their young, and newly hatched Kittewakes peered charmingly out from the shelter of their parents. Two visitors from England, who had never visited such a site before, were blown away by the sight and sound, and did not believe that such wildlife spectacles could be seen in mainland Brittain.
On the sea thousands of Herring Gulls were present all day taking advantage of a mass of sand eels accessible just below the surface. They could be watched in the telescope dipping their heads under the water and bringing up large beakfulls of wriggling sand eels before rapidly swallowing them before they could be stolen. Interestingly, although lots of Gannets were passing offshore, which came to check out the feeding flocks of gulls, they did not join in suggesting that there were no larger fish feeding on the sand eels from below.
Away from the cliffs Yellowhammers were calling (at least two pairs), Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers are present at the entrance to the reserve, and Song Thrush appear to be nesting in the gorse. I also saw my first Small Copper butterfly of the year.