The one thing that hits you when you step onto the Staple Islands, apart from the stench and noise and other seabirds, is the vast number of guillemots all closely huddled together on the surrounding cliffs. Perhaps this is a tactic employed to deter predators as you have to look very closely to spot their young. As an adult arrives back from sea with its catch it is initially quite chaotic as they try to find their spot (a needle in a haystack comes to mind). Regularly patrolled by hungry gulls who are after an easy meal, the loud and unique sounding roar of the vast colony as the Gull gets close is magical.
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John Mallaney 