Monthly Report, August 2026

A month in two parts.  With the puffins at Sumburgh Head, then around Oxford and London. 

Puffling (and Puffin) at Sumburgh Head, Shetland

Numbers

Reporting Days: 31

Locations: Shetland, Oxford, London

Distance Walked: 272 km

Distance Driven: 1020 km

Days including a visit with the puffins at Sumburgh Head (Shetland): 8

Days including a walk in Bury Knowle Park (Oxford): 14

In the North

The puffins were ever-present while I was still watching the Sumburgh cliffs.  In early August the breeding puffins (and their offspring) start to leave the cliffs, leaving the non-breeding puffins to get up to what can only be thought of as teenage-antics.  And this involves a lot of sitting around on the cliff tops (and posing for pictures).

From the photographers perspective, it seems as if the puffins have had a reasonable year - last year (when I did spend a lot of time on the cliffs) I saw very few pufflings.  This year I've seen (and photographed) a lot of pufflings.  

Drawing any conclusions from a single data point is always a bit dubious but it's been good to see lots of pufflings this year. 

Watching Puffin, Sumburgh Head

Being watched by a Puffin, Sumburgh Head

Beak Down, Sumburgh Head

At the Burrow, Sumburgh Head

Three's A Crowd, Sumburgh Head

Staring Out To Sea, Sumburgh Head

In the South

It's always a shock being back in Oxford - traffic, people, trees, and this year the parched earth!

Oxford doesn't have the wild spaces that I spend time in on Shetland - but it is good to have Bury Knowle Park for morning walks and both the Botanic Garden and Christ Church Meadow nearby.

And easy trips to London too.

Bury Knowle Parched, Oxford

Not Much Green Grass, Bury Knowle Park, Oxford

Punts at Magdalen Bridge, Oxford

 Oxford Botanic Garden & Magdalen Tower

By the River Thames in London

'Erasing to Create' Emilio Isgrò exhibition
at the Estorick Collection, London

Jubilee Bridge, Christ Church Meadow, Oxford

Next Month

Mostly more Oxford.