As some of you may know, at the start of the year, boatman Dave Butters sadly passed away. Dave had worked with Cornwall Wildlife Trust for over a decade, expertly ferrying visitors to the island in his lovely pale blue boat, Moonraker. We will miss working with Dave and send our condolences to his family and friends.

We are now working with Looe Sea Safari, who have taken on the role of being the only operator of boat trips allowed to land on the island with visitors.

The nesting birds around the coast are a highlight of any spring visit to Looe Island.

In January, cormorants began to breed on the island (sometimes this activity doesn’t start until December) and as a result the main colony can be very noisy… and smelly! The young are calling to be fed and the air is filled with smells of guano (bird poo) and regurgitated fish as parents feed their chicks. Even though this can be uncomfortably whiffy it reminds us that given the right conditions wildlife can thrive.

Oystercatchers have also been nesting on the island. They lay well camouflaged eggs straight into the ground – a good reason for us humans to be mindful of wildlife disturbance and the risk of accidently trampling on nests.

At the other extreme of the scale we shouldn’t forget the ravens. For several years a pair of ravens have been breeding in the same spot on the island’s cliffs. Their massive nest remains in place all year, so each season they simply repair and add to the huge structure.  

Every year early visitors comment on the island’s carpets of wild garlic - also known as Ramsons. At first their aromatic green leaves push through the soil, covering the ground with a lush green colour. Then, the plant adds its sparkle of dazzling white as it produces clusters of small starry flowers. Such spring blooms are great for pollinating insects such as bees and hoverflies, so it’s always worth stopping and peering into the flowers to soak up more signs of spring.

Seals are another joy of this time of year. Seals use the island all year round but over the winter their numbers drop off. Then as we move into spring we start to see more seals and of course get excited when we spot some of our regular visitors. Each seal can be identified by unique markings in its fur.

Since 2008, in collaboration with Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust and Looe Marine Conservation Group, we have been recording seals which are seen from Looe Island. It’s an impressive data set and has really helped us to understand how seals use the island. One thing we’ve also recorded is just how popular the seals are! Unfortunately, it does mean that sometimes they get a bit too much attention. So if you are out and about please remember to ‘give seals space’. Seals need time to rest. They can sleep in the water as well as on land but if people get too close they aren’t able to fully rest. Instead they will waste energy staying alert to the presence of humans. So please keep your distance, keep quiet and keep moving on by.  

Finally, did you know that we now offer ways for people to stay on the island for a short break? This year we have reinstated our wonderful bell tent holidays and have added the lovely Smuggler’s Cottage for stays. For more information, please visit: https://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/explore/visit-looe-island/looe-island-holidays