Puffin mission impossible accomplished

Sometimes the desire to see a puffin is so strong, it makes you do strange things.   Like get on a plane and travel across the world in order to see one. 

This is exactly what David and Penny Papps, from Tathra in New South Wales did.   They flew in the region of 15,200 km from Australia to see puffins on the Isle of Mull off the Scottish coast.

Sadly the recent bad weather scuppered their plans to sail to the island.  So they decided on a Plan B – Bempton Cliffs.

Bempton Cliffs is one of the most accessible seabird colonies in Europe.  There’s no need to board a boat to see the annual seabird spectacle where around half a million birds - including puffins - flock to the cliff tops. 

A short walk from the Seabird Centre to a cliff top viewpoint gives breathtaking views over the nesting sites. 

However, arriving in torrential rain, the couple weren’t sure that the puffins would be visible.  But volunteers David Wright and John Bairstow were convinced they could help the long-distance puffin trackers spot one or two.

And sure enough, a three minute walk to Grandstand viewpoint and the intrepid group were greeted by the sight of eight puffins.  A very happy Penny said:

‘It was amazing to see them perched on the towering cliffs. I’ve loved puffins since I saw one on a book when I was three – I thought it was really magical.  Over half a century on, that magic hasn’t faded and seeing them for real is a lifetime’s ambition’.

Puffin season at Bempton Cliffs runs from April – early August.  Viewpoint volunteers are on hand help visitors spot the birds on the cliffs.