#fulmar

Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), Procellariidae, order Procellariiformes, Isle of Lewis, Scotland

Birds on the wing, Lundy, Bristol Channel, Devon, 1951

Fast Fauna Facts - Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)

Family: Petrel Family (Procellariidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Like its larger cousins the albatrosses the Northern Fulmar spends much of its life out at sea in northern Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, coming to land in order to breed. Members of this species are so adapted to life away from land that while easily capable of using their large, webbed feet to paddle along the ocean's surface or dive short distances in search of prey their legs are not strong enough to support their weight, forcing them to constantly sit or awkwardly shuffle around while nesting. While nomadic throughout most of the year Northern Fulmars always return to their home colony in the late spring in order to breed (with colonies being scattered around coastal regions of northern Asia, Europe and North America,) and re-unite with the same mate year-after-year to raise a single chick in a simple ditch-like nest. Both sexes work to incubate their egg and feed and protect their chick, and if threatened while on the nest both adults and chicks are able to spew a thick, sticky, foul-smelling oil to panic and ward off predators (adults will also spit a similar oil, derived from the fish, squids and free-swimming crustaceans they catch from near the oceans surface, into the mouths of their chicks in order to feed them.) Northern Fulmars develop slowly (reaching maturity at around 8-12 years old,) and are among the longest lived of all known birds, potentially surviving for over 50 years.

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Our week in Pembrokeshire over the past week was a breath of fresh air packed with sensational wildlife watching experiences. Of course seeing the Puffins on and in the waters around Skomer Island, an exquisite experience that I’ve been lucky to do every few years since I was eleven, was breathtaking getting intimate views of these wondrous and charismatic birds. I said in my post whilst away how nice it was being there soon after hearing Skomer is bucking the trend with Puffin numbers on the up and it's certainly noticeable the last couple of times we've been to Skomer now how many more are around. As I post this on World Oceans Day it is a sharp reminder of what can happen when oceans are protected and exploited less.

Stunning views of Guillemots, Razorbills, Gannets, Fulmars and Kittiwakes were wholesome also as Manx Shearwaters effortlessly glided over the sea’s surface. The sumptuous Choughs were a star of the week too, we saw these scarlet billed wonders on every single day in Pembrokeshire and whilst the holiday focused on the Marloes Peninsula and islands we went as far north as Strumble Head and as far south as St Govan’s Head seeing them at both too so we covered much of the county. They are doing well also which is great to see. Their sweet sharp calls a soundtrack of the week. Seeing our first Spotted Flycatchers of the year at Bosherston Lily Ponds was a huge bonus and many excellent views of Wheatears and Swallows were two other big passerine highlights. Other key birds of the week included Skylark, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Rock and Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Short-eared Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Red Kite, Buzzard, Swift and Shag. 

Being metres away from Grey Seals in the water when sat on a cove beach was one of the most extraordinary experiences I’ve ever had. Insects played a key role in the week too with Wall Brown, Large White, Large Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell and Green Hairstreak some of an exuberant array of butterflies observed. Cinnabar, White-spotted Sable and Common Nettle-tap moths, Lackey moth Caterpillars, Four-spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly, Bloody-nosed beetles, Knotweed leaf beetle and fascinating and beautiful Striped Millipedes were other highlights. 

It was a captivating floral week with many species I don’t see at home observed which I really associate with Wales like wall pennywort, sheep’s-bit and English stonecrop. Biting stonecrop and Portland spurge were new ones for me and coastal delights sea plantain, squill, thrift, ramping fumitory and kidney vetch were also good to see. Pyramidal orchid, heath spotted orchid, marsh orchid, red and sea campion, centaury, restharrow, viper’s-bugloss, bluebells, foxgloves, heath bedstraw and rock-sea spurrey were also good to see. There were some nice mushrooms seen as well like Chicken-of-the-woods. 

The coast of Pembrokeshire is breathtaking and awe-inspiring, it really was so lovely to spend so much time out in the days mostly in the sun taking in splendid dramatic cliff and golden beach views. Wetland and grassland played their part too with some nice buildings seen along the way like Marloes Clock the village we stayed in and St Govan’s Chapel, a fascinating building used in the filming of some of the last series of the BBC's 'His Dark Materials'. I attained a real sense of peace and calm being out in these landscapes and looking at phenomenal wildlife. 

On the way back home to Hampshire yesterday we called into WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire where more joy awaited as we saw the brilliant Bluethroat a rare bird and a new one for us and a beautiful bee orchid for the first time this year. Common Cranes, Shelducks with ducklings, Avocets, Cuckoo heard, Meadow Brown butterfly, purple loosestrife and grass vetchling were other highlights on a bonus look this year at a place we normally go in winter. A nice reset at places I know and love, another incredible holiday this year. 

Fulmar Flypast, Mull, Scotland

I've photographed fulmars in Ireland before but on a recent puffin-watching expedition to Scotland I had the chance, briefly to see another.

Young fulmars spend five years fully at sea, coming back to land to choose a colony after that but even then they won't breed for another few years. They can live for over forty years.

In this image you can see the tube-nose from which the tubenose family get their name, the birds possess a gland which helps to process, store then eject saline through the tube - salty water collected when diving for fish in the north Atlantic.

Fulmar comes from Norse, it means foul gull and relates to the stinking stomach oil that the bird regurgitates in order to deter threats. It matts the feathers of other birds and it covers other animals (humans too) with the stinky non-soluble fluid that can destroy clothes.

I found a washed up 'Fulmar' on Worthing beach.

(image from here: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/seabirds/fulmar )

A bird I've never seen alive in person, let alone a dead one. They apparently use that unique nostril on their beak to get rid of salt, and they also can spit a foul smelling orange liquid when threatened. The beak is what gave away what I had found, you can just see the little tube nostril on top.

Images of dead sea bird under the cut!