Baby Puffin (Pufflings)

As the breeding season has finished I wanted to say farewell to the Puffins this year as they had a dreadful start to the season last year with all the rain and the winter was no better. We had big seas, strong winds and by the time they arrived for the breeding season alot of the Puffins did not make it because they were so exhausted. The seas were brown from being churned up all the time so they could not even see through the water to get some food.  The beaches along the east coast were covered in Puffins and and I remember a walk along the beach one day produced 30+ Puffins. However the weather changed and all our seabirds seemed to fluff their feathers and get on with it.

Yes the season was late this year but nature is an amazing thing and they seemed to pull things around. The weather did help and the Farnes is lucky to have huge amount of sandeels which is a wonderful source of food for every seabird, not including Porpoise, Whales and Dolphins and we have had lots and lots of Mackerel this year which is an extra bonus.

The Rangers have done their Puffin count and this is done every 5 years and the Puffin count rose by 8% which is fantastic. The final figure was 39,962 breeding pairs.

We also had a Puffin Cam this year which all the visitors have really enjoyed.

Anyway I was lucky enough to be given some great pictures from Ciaran one of the Rangers of Pufflings growing up and then eventually leaving the Islands, so I have decided to share them with you.

Well done to the Rangers for all their hard work this season as it has been a mad one, but don't worry everyone as this is not the end yet as more twists and turns will come no doubt, but I will leave you with those Puffling pictures.