View Full Version : Are there more puffins this year?
Was recently up north and was very surprised by the numbers of Puffins that I saw both at Duncansby and Dunnet Head.
In previous years they have been in both locations and often quite hard to spot but this time got within a few feet of several as they seemed to be everywhere,was delighted to spot one couple amongst the pink thrift next to several pairs of fulmars.
I would say there are more puffins about this year. I have seen a lot of them in various places around the coast.
Where would be good places to go and see them (kind of close-ish, not as dots at the horizon) Thanks!
Where would be good places to go and see them (kind of close-ish, not as dots at the horizon) Thanks!
Dunnet Head has plenty. Walk through the Lighthouse and out the back gate. Look to your right.:)
Originally Posted by cazmanian_minx
Caithness/Sutherland border. Drive west past Reay and pull in at the small parking area next to the sign that says 'Welcome to Sutherland.' Walk out to the coast, either following the track just back from the parking space or crossing the little bridges by the loch with the duck hides even further back (this will take you down the other side of the gorge and gets you a bit closer, but there's no path) and you can't miss it, it's a big pointy rock just off the cliffs.
I would advise very strongly not going out there in windy weather or if it's been raining the day before - it's soggy enough after 4 straight days of sunshine! If you want to go out there with someone who really knows the area, the Rangers are doing a couple of guided walks that take it in:
Tues 28th July
3pm-4.30pm. Puffin Watch.
Join the ranger at the largest puffin breeding colony in the area to view the
antics of these popular ‘clowns of the ocean.’ Telescope provided but bring
your binoculars. No dogs.
A836 Sutherland and Caithness boundary sign. NC 921 645.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2422/3665160873_39d8529d99.jpg
Margaret M.
28-Jun-09, 03:52
Dunnet Head has plenty. Walk through the Lighthouse and out the back gate. Look to your right.:)
Is the lighthouse open to the public?
Is the lighthouse open to the public?
As I own the Lighthouse grounds I can honestly say that you are one member of the public that is certainly welcome. The Lighthouse tower is not open to the public.:)
Margaret M.
29-Jun-09, 04:14
Gleber, that would be great! In all the years I lived in Caithness, I have yet to see a puffin up close. I'll be heading over in three weeks time -- hopefully the puffins will still be around.
Gleber, that would be great! In all the years I lived in Caithness, I have yet to see a puffin up close. I'll be heading over in three weeks time -- hopefully the puffins will still be around.
They're here until the first week of August. Hope you make it.
northener
30-Jun-09, 14:55
I was talking to Micheal, the coxswain of 'North Coast Explorer' up at Groats over the weekend.
He was saying that there's a lot more birds round Stroma (especially Barnies' Geo) than he'd seen for a couple of years. I know from my own time on the boat a couple of years ago that numbers were dropping off alarmingly.
Lots of sandeel around, too.
An increase in the visability of the birds could well be a two edged sword. Certainly the breeding effort over the last six or seven years has been hampered by lack of food and the last three years have been particularly bad (certainly on this side and the ringing group have been finding lots of under weight and poor condition birds on the islands of the firth)). I would expect the birds that are loafing around to be non breeding birds. Whether they are young birds to young to breed or older birds not making the effort this year remains to be seen...Personaly i am just hoping for the best as the sand eels seem to be holding out at the moment..fingers crossed.
Great to hear that sand eels are numerous - that appears to be the key to viability for a lot of seabirds. The trawling of sand eels got me furious as bird nos. were declining - has that sand eel fishing stopped now does anyone know?
Theres a monotorium on sand eel fishing in the north sea now and has been for a wee while. From the current thinking on the situation the real problem seems to be the sea temprature is rising to much in the summer and the plankton that the eels feed on is failing to bloom. The thought is that the eels are moving off to cooler waters following the food. The ministery research boats are trawling up healthy numbers of sandeels during the winter months so there seems little problems with the stocks. Current conjectour on the situation seems to favour the idea that the extended cold weather of the winter may have helped the sea temprature to remain low for longer this year.
Theres no simple answer tho as numbers seem to be in decline in places like the Farne's and they seem to have little problems with food stocks.
All we can see are the effects and a few of the immediate causes but theres likley something bigger and badder going on here.
All i am doing is crossing my fingers cos we have Puffins,kittywakes,auks and Trens all sitting on young and finding food to feed them. By this time last year every thing had deserted the young starved and it was 100% failure...game over.
Like i say i just have my fingers crossed.
I've just had a German tourist tell me that he had seen some puffins and the penguins at Dunnet Head?????????:lol:
Oh my goodness Gleber2, is this a forewarning of the Ice Age to follow the heat-wave we are presently enjoying?
Or....
perhaps the German tourist had indulged in some of the amber nectar at the Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick before travelling north to Dunnet Head. ;)
northener
02-Jul-09, 19:26
I've just had a German tourist tell me that he had seen some puffins and the penguins at Dunnet Head?????????:lol:
:lol: Nice one.
Well, he's not wrong really. The Guillemots are Auks.
I'd be a little more concerned if someone commented on the Polar bears they saw hunting for seals at Dunnet Head:eek:
Thank you for all the information dafi,much appreciated.
Nah northerner you only see polar bears hunting seals at Brough Harbour!
Is that where Kodiak stays Lizz - I did wonder. :)
Theres a monotorium on sand eel fishing in the north sea now and has been for a wee while. From the current thinking on the situation the real problem seems to be the sea temprature is rising to much in the summer and the plankton that the eels feed on is failing to bloom. The thought is that the eels are moving off to cooler waters following the food. The ministery research boats are trawling up healthy numbers of sandeels during the winter months so there seems little problems with the stocks. Current conjectour on the situation seems to favour the idea that the extended cold weather of the winter may have helped the sea temprature to remain low for longer this year.
Theres no simple answer tho as numbers seem to be in decline in places like the Farne's and they seem to have little problems with food stocks.
All we can see are the effects and a few of the immediate causes but theres likley something bigger and badder going on here.
All i am doing is crossing my fingers cos we have Puffins,kittywakes,auks and Trens all sitting on young and finding food to feed them. By this time last year every thing had deserted the young starved and it was 100% failure...game over.
Like i say i just have my fingers crossed.interesting, thanks dafi
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