1. Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus, Skomer, Wales, April 8, 1997. The island of Skomer off the west coast of Wales hosts over 160,000 breeding pairs of Manx Shearwaters, but you'll be lucky to see a single one if you only visit during daylight hours. After dark, however, the night air irrupts with calls, as birds returning from a day on the ocean call to their mates in the honeycomb of burrows beneath your feet. The air is full of birds careening around in the darkness, their wingtips brushing your face as they try to locate their burrows. With a flashlight, you can easily see the birds, in the air and crawling around on the ground. It's an awesome experience and I highly recommend it.

2. Manx Shearwater P. puffinus, Skomer, Wales, April 8, 1997.

3. Manx Shearwaters P. puffinus, Skomer, Wales, April 8, 1997.