4 days ago
First pufflings hatching on Isle of May
The first puffin chicks of the year have hatched in their burrows on one of Scotland's most important seabird islands.
Atlantic puffins flock to the Isle of May National Nature Reserve (NNR) in the outer Firth of Forth each year to breed.
More than 40,000 pairs nest in burrows on the NatureScot reserve, five miles off the coast of Fife, which is the UK's third largest colony.
Adult puffins started to arrive for this year's breeding season in March. The first eggs laid in mid April have now hatched, with parents seen bringing fish back to their nests.
Reserve manager David Steel said: 'Over the last few days we've noticed adult puffins flying into the island with sand-eels, which indicates that we have hatched chicks.
'Puffins incubate their single egg for 40 days and it is now that time of year that puffins will become very active as both adults will be fishing and bringing food back to hungry youngsters throughout the day regardless of weather.
'At present it is just a handful of birds but over the next few weeks mass hatching will occur across the Isle of May.'
Puffins lay a single egg, which both parents incubate for around 40 days. Pairs share feeding duties until the puffling is ready to fledge in July.
Each spring, the NNR becomes home to up to 200,000 birds including puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags, kittiwakes, fulmars and oystercatchers as well as various terns and gulls. More than 1200 pairs of eider ducks also nest across the island.
Known as the 'Jewel of the Forth', the Isle of May usually receives around 12,000 visitors each year.
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