Latest news with #Puffins
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
UK's most remote inhabited island with rare birdlife and the wreckage of a Spanish Armada ship
ISLE GO UK's most remote inhabited island with rare birdlife and the wreckage of a Spanish Armada ship THE UK's most remote island measures just five kilometres by three kilometres - yet has a lot to boast about. The southernmost of the Shetland Islands, Fair Isle, is home to only 60 people - most of whom are located at the south end of the island. Advertisement 5 Fair Isle is located in the Shetland Islands and is home to only 60 people Credit: Alamy 5 The island boasts coastal walks with breathtaking views Credit: Alamy For those heading to the island, it is home to a large variety of different birdlife including Kittiwakes, Puffins and Gannets. In fact, over 350 bird species have been recorded on the island. Having only recently opened in May, The Fair Isle Bird Observatory offers visitors the chance to look out for many of the rare species or experience a guided tour. From 2026, you can even stay in the Observatory. Advertisement Alongside the bird life, there is a wealth of other fauna and flora to see across the island, making it the perfect spot for a hike. There are a number of coastal walks or you could follow the road up to the North Haven and North Lighthouse. And if you want to learn about the island's history, head to the South Lighthouse for a tour arranged through the Fair Isle Lighthouse Society. The island is also famous for Fair Isle knitting - a traditional style of knitting with patterns using two colours per row. Advertisement The creative knitwear suddenly rose in popularity after the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle jumpers in 1921. Whilst much of today's knitted creations do not follow the original process, some of the island's craftspeople do still create garments using the traditional pattern. We live on a remote island home to only 30 people and don't celebrate Christmas until January... but we're not unique, Rather unusually, Fair Isle also has a long history of shipwrecks with some dating back to the Viking period. One of the most famous shipwrecks is the Spanish Armada ship El Gran Grifón. Advertisement The 650-ton 38-gun ship sank on September 27, 1588 and for many years remained untouched. However, over the years many of the ship's parts and items were excavated and taken, with some brought to Lerwick, where they can be seen at the Shetland Museum. 5 There is also a Bird Observatory on the island that you visit or even stay at from 2026 Credit: Alamy 5 You can see parts of the wrecked Spanish Armada ship at Shetland Museum Credit: National Fund for Acquisitions Advertisement The island can be reached from Mainland, Shetland's main island, either by sea or by flying. If travelling by sea, the Good Shepherd IV ferry carries 12 people and the journey takes around two-and-a-half hours. Alternatively, you can catch a 25-minute flight from Tingwall airport. There are flights to the island each day, providing the weather isn't too windy. Advertisement These Are Expedia's Top 10 Islands for 2025 Aruba Bali Dominican Republic Fiji Jamaica Koh Samui Maldives Oahu, Hawaii Paros, Greece Sardinia, Italy Elsewhere, the UK's 'happiest islands' have white sand beaches and attractions older than the Egyptian pyramids. Plus, five islands off the coast of the UK you can visit without needing your passport.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
UK's most remote inhabited island with rare birdlife and the wreckage of a Spanish Armada ship
ISLE GO UK's most remote inhabited island with rare birdlife and the wreckage of a Spanish Armada ship THE UK's most remote island measures just five kilometres by three kilometres - yet has a lot to boast about. The southernmost of the Shetland Islands, Fair Isle, is home to only 60 people - most of whom are located at the south end of the island. Advertisement 5 Fair Isle is located in the Shetland Islands and is home to only 60 people Credit: Alamy 5 The island boasts coastal walks with breathtaking views Credit: Alamy For those heading to the island, it is home to a large variety of different birdlife including Kittiwakes, Puffins and Gannets. In fact, over 350 bird species have been recorded on the island. Having only recently opened in May, The Fair Isle Bird Observatory offers visitors the chance to look out for many of the rare species or experience a guided tour. From 2026, you can even stay in the Observatory. Advertisement Alongside the bird life, there is a wealth of other fauna and flora to see across the island, making it the perfect spot for a hike. There are a number of coastal walks or you could follow the road up to the North Haven and North Lighthouse. And if you want to learn about the island's history, head to the South Lighthouse for a tour arranged through the Fair Isle Lighthouse Society. The island is also famous for Fair Isle knitting - a traditional style of knitting with patterns using two colours per row. Advertisement The creative knitwear suddenly rose in popularity after the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) wore Fair Isle jumpers in 1921. Whilst much of today's knitted creations do not follow the original process, some of the island's craftspeople do still create garments using the traditional pattern. We live on a remote island home to only 30 people and don't celebrate Christmas until January... but we're not unique, Rather unusually, Fair Isle also has a long history of shipwrecks with some dating back to the Viking period. One of the most famous shipwrecks is the Spanish Armada ship El Gran Grifón. Advertisement The 650-ton 38-gun ship sank on September 27, 1588 and for many years remained untouched. However, over the years many of the ship's parts and items were excavated and taken, with some brought to Lerwick, where they can be seen at the Shetland Museum. 5 There is also a Bird Observatory on the island that you visit or even stay at from 2026 Credit: Alamy 5 You can see parts of the wrecked Spanish Armada ship at Shetland Museum Credit: National Fund for Acquisitions Advertisement The island can be reached from Mainland, Shetland's main island, either by sea or by flying. If travelling by sea, the Good Shepherd IV ferry carries 12 people and the journey takes around two-and-a-half hours. Alternatively, you can catch a 25-minute flight from Tingwall airport. There are flights to the island each day, providing the weather isn't too windy. Advertisement These Are Expedia's Top 10 Islands for 2025 Aruba Bali Dominican Republic Fiji Jamaica Koh Samui Maldives Oahu, Hawaii Paros, Greece Sardinia, Italy Elsewhere, the UK's 'happiest islands' have white sand beaches and attractions older than the Egyptian pyramids. Plus, five islands off the coast of the UK you can visit without needing your passport.
Irish Independent
21-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Independent
Nature Trail: Puffins live most of their lives in the open ocean
They are far from land and as they float on the surface they are perpetually wet. The surface of the open ocean is an exposed place, so they have nowhere to shelter. Consequently, they are often cold. Then factor in rain, storms and rough seas and the result is that the North Atlantic Ocean is a tough environment to spend most of the year in, including the winter months. Over a prolonged period of time the weak succumbed to the harsh conditions and perished. The loss of any individual is, of course, unfortunate but from an evolutionary point of view their deaths meant that their genes were removed from the gene pool. The strong survived and their survival meant that the gene pool was refined and improved, and their offspring inherited characteristics that made them more likely to survive. A dense covering of feathers and an oil gland to waterproof the feathers are key factors if a Puffin is to keep dry and to survive the winter. Insulation in the form of a layer of fat and feathers that trap air are also vitally important to keep warm. Puffins feed by duck diving from the sea surface and pursuing their prey using their wings to fly underwater and using their webbed feet as rudders to steer. They can dive to depths of over 50m and stay down for about one minute. Again, from one generation to another, nature is selecting for continual survival those that have good genes for diving, swimming, and breath-holding. In the open ocean, Puffins have no source of freshwater for drinking. Their diet is extremely high in salt, so they need some way of coping with thirst and excess salt. And so, the list of factors that ensures an ability to winter at sea goes on and on. The one thing that Puffins cannot do at sea is make nests and lay eggs. They have to come to land to do that and that's when we get an opportunity between late May and mid-July to see these remarkable birds.
Wales Online
28-05-2025
- Wales Online
Record numbers of unique bird now populating a tiny Welsh island
Record numbers of unique bird now populating a tiny Welsh island Skomer Island's puffin colony has previously been described as 'exceptional' by David Attenborough A record number of puffins have been counted on Skomer Island (Image: Mike Alexander / WTSWW ) A record number of puffins have been recorded on a small Welsh island famous for its wildlife. The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) counted 43,626 during its observation on Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, this year. This record high bucks the trend of decline seen globally in puffin populations. A warden said that Skomer Island is an example of a "conservation success story" but warned that the species is still at risk. Puffins are listed as vulnerable to extinction on the global red list. Like many seabird species, they they are facing the pressures of pollution, food shortages and climate change. However, puffin numbers on Skomer Island have been steadily increasing over recent years, with over 40,000 birds now returning to the island from April to July. The last record was set in 2023, when 42,513 puffins were recorded on and around the island. David Attenborough once described Skomer's puffin colony as an 'exception' (Image: Jonathan Myers ) The growth in Skomer Island's population is likely linked to the abundance of food in the wider area, meaning there is plenty of fish for chicks resulting in high breeding success. The absence of rats and other predators on the island thanks to its isolation has also contributed to the success of seabird populations on Skomer. Article continues below The treasured island has long been a pride and joy to the Welsh coastline, tucked away in Pembrokeshire. Skomer attracts visitors from all over the world alongside being a regular touring spot to discover vibrant wildlife in the country. Even David Attenborough called the 40,000-strong puffin colony on the island "exceptional" compared to other parts of the world when he visited Skomer for BBC One series Wild Isles. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Every year WTSWW undertakes their annual seabird counts to monitor the population of Puffins that return to the island every spring to breed. Leighton Newman, Skomer Island warden, said: "Our annual Puffin count is no small undertaking, with 6 members of staff working to count every Puffin on Skomer. The island is broken up into seven sections and we systematically count every bird; on the land, rafting on the sea and we estimate the number in the air during our counts. "This is undertaken in the evening, when there are generally more Puffins around the island and early enough in the season that birds are not already in burrows. Big land falls this year, has led to Puffins being seen further up the cliffs than ever before!" Over 40,000 puffins return to Skomer Island each spring (Image: Getty Images ) Article continues below Lisa Morgan, Head of Islands and Marine Conservation at WTSWW, said: "It was a joy to see the masses of birds using the island during our spring count. However, we remain concerned about the increasing pressures on many seabird species. "Novel threats facing our seabirds include avian influenza and the recent marine heatwave conditions experienced around parts of the UK coastline. The long-term impacts are still largely unknown highlighting the importance of our annual seabird monitoring and research programs on Skomer."
Western Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Western Telegraph
Record numbers of puffins on Pembrokeshire's Skomer Island
They are the who fly to the island to make it one of the best seabird sites in Britain. The island is renowned for its iconic Atlantic Puffins, who are particularly precious as their numbers are in decline in most of their habitats. But happily, that is not the case on Skomer. The island's recent annual Puffin Count has tallied 43,626 of the species, whose colourful and comical appearance has led them to be dubbed 'the clowns of the sea'. More Stories Skomer Island and the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales announced the results of the count in a recent Facebook post. And Skomer has 43,625 more puffins than this one! (Image: Amy Compton) They said: "The numbers are in and it's another record breaker! "We're thrilled to announce that 43,626 Puffins were recorded on Skomer Island as part of our annual Puffin Count. 'This count is no small undertaking, with six members of staff working to count every Puffin on Skomer. The island is broken up into seven sections and we systematically count every bird on the land, rafting on the sea and we estimate the number in the air during our counts. "Big land falls this year have led to Puffins being seen further up the cliffs than ever before! It's only a 20-minute sea voyage – operated by .Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips - from the mainland, but is so popular with visitors that there are no day trips bookable before July 25. (Image: Lucy Crockford) 'Although numbers are increasing on Skomer, they are a species under threat and are rapidly declining elsewhere. 'We are acutely aware of the threats facing these charismatic birds and we must do all we can to continue to protect them.' Alongside the Atlantic Puffins, the seabird population of Skomer includes nearly 350,000 breeding pairs of Manx Shearwaters, thousands of Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes and hundreds of Fulmars.
