We don't often get chance to pop out to a local cafe. And when we do, it's never ever been to collect a puffin. That is until last week.
Customers and staff at The Sands cafe on Bridlington's North Beach were taken aback when an adult puffin walked into the seating area and took up residence. So they called us for advice.
Cafe assistant Lynn Horman said that customers had tried to coax the bird onto the beach but he just came back: “He looked a bit bedraggled but didn’t seem afraid – in fact, he initially sat next to a cocker-spaniel and they both appeared quite happy.”
So it was volunteer, Allan Dawson, to the rescue. He jumped in the reserve's truck and drove round to collect the wandering puffin.
Allan said: “Fortunately the puffin looked healthy and wasn’t injured. Sometimes seabirds become water-logged because their preening glands don’t work correctly and they fail to produce the oil that keeps their feathers waterproof. It seems this was the case with this little chap – so apart from being tired, he was in fine fettle.”
The puffin will be cared for by Jim Ward of Yorkshire Coast Wildlife Rescue until he is strong enough to be returned to the wild..
Ironically, The Sands is one of 30 cafes and pubs in the area serving Capuffinccinos - coffees with a puffin shape sprinkled on top in chocolate - which help sign-post tourists to the puffins at Bempton Cliffs. Coffee maker Lynn Horman said: ' When we agreed to serve Capuffinccinos we never thought a real-live puffin would be part of the deal!'
'It really made our day', Lynn continued. It's not often you can go home and say, today I helped save a puffin'.
Original puffin stencil: Richard Burton