Well, it's taken a couple of days, but puffincam is now LIVE!
Puffins aren't always at Sumburgh Head. There were hundreds on Sunday (and a phone call from a lady this morning revealed they were on shore on the 6th), however yesterday and today few (if any) could be seen. This may be disappointing to visitors, but it was good for us as we could crack on with the installation of Puffincam.
Sunday evening's puffins - they were there honest!!
Newton had an idea of a camera mount, to inconspicuosly secure the cameras in the burrows and minimising potential for disturbance. He set off to town yesterday morning to try and realise his vision. With thanks to the very helpful people in the Malakoff , he returned with a couple of contraptions. Andy Steven, from Promote Shetland, kindly agreed to help us install the cameras in the evening. I learned that technology is a wonderful thing. Andy used his I-pad, connected to the lighthouse Wifi to view the images on www.shetland.org as Newton and I perched on the edge of the cliffs securing, fiddling, poking, turning...
This is Newton and his contraption.
Some time after sunset, we had to give up but were quite happy with the first camera, and particularly pleased with Newton's innovative contraption. A celebratory glass of cider at the Sumburgh Hotel closed the evening.
We returned today to put in the second camera. Andy told us that some folk had been in touch after watching the website last night, witnessing the installation of puffincam. A few folk had commented today too, as we'd been using a singing puffin soft toy to help us direct the camera. It was fairly comical :o)
Here's cameraman Newton with the camera.
This is Andy in his role as Director/Producer with his trusty Ipad, where you can see the singing puffin (for sale at many an RSPB site for a very reasonable price!!)
Now all we can do is watch and wait. We can only hope that the puffin family return to the burrow. Puffins are faithful to their breeding sites, and "our" pair have certainly been here for two years. Whether they are youthful and have a couple of dozen breeding seasons ahead or that they're rather long in the tooth and coming to the end of their breeding days, we simply don't know (but here's hoping for the former!!). We look to the future with a mix of nerves and excitement.
Puffincam area, all neat and tidy. If you look carefully, you might spot the top of the contraption.
All of us at the RSPB and Promote Shetland really hope you enjoy watching puffincam. Most of all, we want you to visit Sumburgh Head to come and enjoy everything it has to offer. Even if, like today, there's no auks to be seen, there are magnificent views, fulmars playing on the wind, Shetland wrens singing their hearts out, twite twittering away, shifting light upon the sea, rabbits perilously leaping around the cliffs, and you might get to meet some nice folk too.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Whilst we were down on the western cliffs a pod of killer whales had been nearshore on the eastern side. A lovely lady shouted to us that they were there, but alas we were too late and didn't see even a glimpse of a fin. Oh well...
Cheers eenoo