Typically April, may, June and July are the best times to view the seabirds, particularly puffins, the earlier the better. You can view
seals all year round, with whale spotting late July and August and migrants the last week in May.
Seabirds breeding on Isle of May:
Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)
Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)
Eider (Somateria mollissima)
Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)
Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
Guillemot (Uria aalge)
Razorbill (Alca torda)
Other birds that can be seen en route and around Isle of May:
Flying:
Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) rarely seen
Around shore:
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Note: Puffins normal leave the island in
early August and return around early April.
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