Can see two adults in the burrow, but no sign of the peerie een!!
Sad to say that Petey, the Puffling from Maine, passed last night. Here is the first statement...
www.facebook.com/photo.php
"Dedicated Viewers, we are very sad to inform you that our dear Puffin Petey passed away last night.
Of late, Petey was being fed more butterfish which are too large for a young chick because they are too difficult to easily swallow. More typically puffins feed their chicks small herring and hake which are easier to swallow. Shifts in fish populations can very quickly impact seabirds and in this case led to starvation. Fortunately, our biologists on Seal Island are reporting that most other burrows are proving successful with thriving chicks.
One of the hardest parts about these live cameras is that they capture the natural world in its purest state, and sometimes the natural world can be cold and unforgiving. While it’s a privilege to watch the intimate life of these birds in the wild, the truth is that most birds born in the wild each year do not survive the first year. This is why our work to protect birds and ensure more are born next year to replace those lost is so important."
Deballen & OldWeather2
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Petey - following so close on the heels of our one at Sumburgh Head - such a sad time, made all the worse for having got so involved. There will be better times though - don't give up watching!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Hi peoples - don't know if anyone lives in England but did you see 'Britain's Lost World' which started last Monday on BBC4. It's about St. Kitts etc. and they featured Puffin Nests on a ridiculously steep slope which Kate Humble was too nervous to stand up on - main thing was the concern over lack of sand eels & suitable small fish - found too much evidence of tough pipefish being fed to pufflings - not enough flesh & too tough for them so they were starving too. Is a run of 5 programmes but don't know if any more puffin info will be on it.