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A Puffin takes flight on Skellig Michael. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
THE iconic Atlantic Puffins are plentiful on Skellig Michael, (Sceilg Mhichíl) this season.
These colourful enigmatic seabirds are spending their summer on the UNESCO 6th century monastic island, where they are breeding and fattening their chicks on sand-eel and sprat.
The summer visitor arrived in April and will depart in August. Puffin nest sites are found in burrows or in cracks and crevices across the island which offers protection from avian predators. Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichíl) is a Statutory Nature Reserve, a Special Protection Area, part of Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí.
Photographer Valerie O’Sullivan captured striking images of the birds recently as you can see below…
Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
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Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Love is…. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
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Off to a flying start…Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
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Wonderful photos, I love puffins, birds generally.
I shouldn’t say this because I’m doing it myself now, but it was also wonderful to read about the Skellig without a mention of star wars. Your photos I’ve seen in the Kerryman put a smile on my face, especially the first communion ones.