I made my way carefully along the coastal path. It was a beautiful July afternoon: the cerulean sky stretched hazily away to the east and the bright summer sunshine sparkled on the gently rolling waters of the North Sea. But a gusting wind kept me from venturing too close to the 30-metre high cliffs that fell away to dark and dangerous rocks below. It was a tricky business trying to concentrate on taking a safe route while absorbing the extraordinary spectacle about me. It was like an avian airport. The sight and sound (and smell!) of thousands of seabirds coming and going, wheeling and circling, shrieking and braying, was breathtaking.
I was at RSPB Fowlsheugh, in southern Aberdeenshire. It was July 2022, and it had taken me a couple of hours to get to the reserve from the campsite I was staying at just outside Carnoustie. This was my first experience of a substantial seabird colony in the UK. I had already seen kittiwakes and razorbills and guillemots, all species I had never seen before. It was wonderful to watch them in such large numbers and at such close quarters. But there was another bird that I really had my heart set on spotting, so I kept scouring the cliffs hopefully.
And then I saw them. Just two at first. Smaller than I was expecting. They looked rather dumpy perched on a ledge, gazing out to sea with an expression that was both mournful and quizzical. If Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp had been reincarnated as a bird, he would surely have been a puffin. And that wonderfully shaped and striped bill! What on earth was it doing on a seabird? I fought to hold my binoculars steady so I could enjoy my first sighting of this iconic clown of the sea.
I’ve seen puffins twice since then, at two other stunning RSPB reserves – South Stack Cliffs in North Wales and Mull of Galloway in south west Scotland. Spotting them always makes my heart smile. But not quite as broadly as it did at that first meeting, on one of my most magical and memorable birdwatching days ever.
Very descriptive recollection Justin setting the scene so well I felt like I was there and I can picture Charlie Chaplin as a Puffin now ! They are incredible looking birds with all that brightly coloured "face paint"; I think everyone holds a special affection for puffins. So, as the Judy Collins song goes "Send in the Clowns" !!
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Regards, Hazel
Thanks, Hazel. It's one of my favourite songs as well!
A very lyrical description of these charistmatic little birds. You've done very well to recall your emotions when you first saw them.
I have seen them in Iceland, Great Saltee, an island off the coast of Ireland near Kinsale but best of all Hornøya, a small island off the coast of Arctic Norway where you could walk amongst thousands of them.
©Stephen Sondheim
"But where are the clowns?Send in the clownsDon't bother, they're here".
To my great regret I never made it to Skomer or the Farnes where you get equally good views.
PS I should have asked if you minded me posting photos on your thread. Apologies.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Don't mind at all - post away! Are they your photos?
Hi
I saw my first Puffin off Portland Bill in the 70s- then a few on seawatches-
The first one I saw actually perched was in the middle of a road in the fens- storm driven- I took it to the local RSPCA seal hospital and they patched him up and threw him off Hunstanton cliffs a few weeks later
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
JustinW-758551145 said:Don't mind at all - post away! Are they your photos?
Thanks. Yes, photo is mine from said Hornøya.
My first nearly sighting was on a visit to Seahouses many years ago around Easter time. We walked along the harbour and saw the various boat companies advertising Puffin cruises around the Farne Islands. Only after we had paid and set sail were we informed that it was the wrong time of year for Puffins! But we would see plenty of other interesting wildlife, which we did. I have been on the same trip, but in June, quite a few times since, both landing and not, and been lucky enough seen lots of Puffins. As said by others, they always make me smile, they have such a funny way about them. The other thing I find fascinating is how many sand eels they can carry at once.
It's a fantastic photo!
Glad to hear it was a happy ending for that puffin!
Puffins, are always a pleasure to see, I guess it's the sad faces they seem to have which melts our hearts, along with the sand eel shortage. I do recall the Judy Collins song, "Send In The Clowns".
I was interested to read you saw puffins at South Stack, I wonder if that was this year or a previous year?
Another place to see puffins on the eastern side of Anglesey is Puffin Island. There are regular boat trips from Beaumaris up the Menai Straits to and encircling the island. There is also the opportunity to see seals when conditions are right, as they often use the island to bask in the sun on.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler