Latest news with #puffins
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Maine company offers nature and lighthouse tours along the seacoast
Sponsored by New England Chevy Dealers With tours focusing on local lighthouses and indigenous wildlife, including puffins, lobsters, birds and seals, Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company offers different cruises highlighting the best the Maine seacoast has to offer.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Good news for puffins
Wild Things columnist Eric Brown takes another look at a varied menu of wildlife stories circulating recently including commuters relaxing to birdsong, good news for puffins and the stinky bug arriving from China. Passengers on South Western Railways have experienced an aural nature treat. They listened to sounds of birdsong, waterfalls and flowing rivers on their journeys for a survey conducted by an Oxford professor. It might have been expected that the last two in particular might cause a stampede for the loos but in fact the study of more than 2,000 travellers found 35 per cent said they were less stressed compared to when they listened to nothing at all. So what does this tell us apart from the fact that Oxford professors must be struggling for something to do these days? For a start, anything that distracts from the performance of South Western Railways is welcome for long-suffering commuters. Frequent delays and cancellations have led to SWR becoming the first privately run English service to be nationalised and taken into government control in an attempt to improve performance. The first journey under new supervision was interrupted by a one-hour bus journey due to track works. You couldn't make it up. So perhaps those nature sounds were not so much a Song of Joy but Sad Songs that Say so Much. Wild Things: Searching for butterfly royalty It's doubtful whether the puffin's croaking "aaargh" call will have been among sounds stuffed into commuters' ears. But there is good news of one of Britain's most photogenic and lovable birds. After suffering significant losses during the bird flu epidemic, puffin numbers are recovering. The first puffin survey for five years revealed an increase of 15 per cent to an estimated 50,000 pairs on the Farne Islands. Some 938 puffins perished on the Northumberland island in 2022 and 2023 but the National Trust hopes to celebrate 100 years of Farnes administration in August by recording a further increase in puffin numbers. Not such good news for our river salmon. Mark Lloyd of the Rivers Trust warned of salmon facing extinction after a survey conducted by the Environment Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (try getting that on a T-shirt badge). It revealed that 90 per cent of the fish were "at risk" or "probably at risk". I wonder if this is connected to frequent illegal water company sewage discharges into rivers? Wild Things: Halting the decline of starlings While those companies have created a stink from our rivers, scientists warned of the danger from Chinese stink bugs. These bugs joined other Chinese invaders like the brown winged cicada and box tree caterpillar putting our crops, fruit trees and plants at risk. Some of these bugs were destroyed after being spotted among a consignment of trees at the Sevington inland border control post in Kent. The fruit-eating stink bug produces a stench when invading homes and is believed to be increasing in numbers here. How generous of China to send us such things along with Covid, SARS and bird flu.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Farne Island 'puffin cam' attracts thousands of viewers
A webcam allowing people to spy on puffins has garnered tens of thousands of National Trust has set up cameras near puffin burrows and clifftops on the Farne Islands, off the coast of ranger James Porteus said viewers were "loving it" and that it was helping to end unequal access to said people were able to witness some "really amazing behaviour up close" and told viewers to keep an eye out for pufflings - baby puffins - leaving their burrows at dusk, previously rarely seen as visiting hours on the remote islands are restricted. The Farne Islands are a National Nature Reserve in England and an internationally important home to approximately 200,000 Porteus said viewers had seen puffins bringing fish into their burrows, opportunistic gulls trying to steal the catch, and "amazing sunsets" on the north-west facing camera."There's always something to watch," he said. Puffins have been facing growing threats including climate change, Mr Porteus said."They're a species that need our help," he manager for the Northumberland coast Daniel Wilson said the cameras were solar battery powered and look like a blended piece of were set up to capture the 2025 breeding season and were installed just before the first seabirds Wilson, who has been with the trust for about 20 years, said seeing the huge team project come to fruition was "incredibly rewarding".In the first three weeks of operation, the main puffin camera reached 90,700 views and the average watch-time is about five was an average of 25 people watching at any one time, the National Trust team said it intended to keep the stream going until at least the end of June. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
What I learned from walking Britain's entire coast
Photographer Quintin Lake spent five years walking the coast of mainland Britain. He explains why the coast tells Britain's story better than anywhere else. Camping out on the wild cliffs in Caithness in north-west Scotland, British photographer Quintin Lake wasn't short on company. This remote, blustery corner of the UK is home to thousands of nesting puffins, and Lake spent a "magical" evening and morning with the colourful creatures as they waddled, paraded, fed and groomed before leaving for the winter. This was just one of many memorable moments on his five-year solo mission to walk the entire coastline of the British mainland. He had to take precautions though: "I camped a little distance away from the puffins on a very steep cliff," Lake says. "I tied the tent closed with my shoelaces in case I decided to sleepwalk for the first time that night." Setting off from the steps of St Paul's Cathedral in London in April 2015, Lake travelled clockwise around the island, breaking the epic journey up into legs ranging from two days to two months. In total, he walked for 454 days, covering more than 6,835 miles, camping along the way. Having spent much of his career as a photographer in far-flung locations, his British coastal expedition was a deliberate decision to seek out artistic inspiration closer to home. By the time he'd completed the journey, closing the loop in September 2020, he not only had thousands of photographs and a remarkable visual archive, but a deeper understanding of the island's history, geography, industry, architecture, nature and identity. As he shares in his new book, The Perimeter, the experience reshaped how he sees Britain – and also led to revelations about himself. Here, Lake speaks to the BBC about the wildest and most beautiful places he experienced, the emotional discoveries he made along the way, and why the coast tells Britain's story better than anywhere else. Why did you want to walk the entire British coastline? To get under the skin of our island and to understand this place that I call "home". I'd previously walked the River Severn from the source to the sea and I found it the most interesting thing I'd ever photographed – I wanted more of that. How physically challenging was the journey? Scotland was very physically challenging. I got a torn tendon and I had shin splints, and I was managing being cold and wet in the winter. There were many days where I just had to keep walking – that was the only way to keep my body temperature up. I walked in snowstorms and woke up many times with the tent covered in ice, whereas on the south coast of England, I'd be looking on Tripadvisor and deciding where to get the best ice cream. That said, the light was sometimes the most spectacular in winter in Scotland, so, photographically, I got the most rewards there. What was the most difficult section of the coast? The Knoydart Peninsula on Scotland's west coast. The region around Knoydart's called the Rough Bounds. It's mountainous, with no paths; a lot of broken ground and cliffs all over the place. It's very tough to walk. Did the solitude and isolation ever get to you? Because I found every day so inspiring and I was looking for images, I didn't feel that lonely. But practical things could be very difficult, like sourcing food, sourcing water and keeping warm. Was the solitude important to your experience and to your photography? Picasso said that, "Without great solitude, no serious work is possible". I love walking with friends and family, but if I'm by myself, I'm looking and observing all the time. The slowness and rhythm allow you to absorb the landscape more profoundly. What did you learn about Britain's geography from the adventure? I didn't realise how wild Britain was, especially in Scotland. I didn't realise Scotland is pretty much half of the entire coastline. I didn't realise the most dramatic parts of north-west Scotland would feel like the Norwegian fjords. People say Britain's an overpopulated island, but when you get away from the towns and cities on the coast, you don't need to walk far to feel space and isolation. You get that easily in Dorset, Essex, Cornwall. I think Britain is the most geographically diverse place in the world. If you look at a geological map of Britain, it's like a big piece of different coloured Play-Doh that got squished apart. The geology affects the landscape, and the landscape affects the nature of the people. That makes it a very interesting place to walk through. What impression did you get of modern Britain's identity? How proud and distinctive every region is. My feeling of Britain is a patchwork of "clans". I was moved by how much people I met would talk with love and fondness for their region, with different accents and different words for, say, a bread roll: bun, bap, barm, roll… Did you get a strong sense of British history, too? Walking the south coast of England is like a mini history lesson. You walk past the first Roman landing sites in Kent, then past the Norman Dover Castle. You see Napoleonic-era Martello towers and the places where the Vikings first attacked on English soil at Portland in 787. You go to Portsmouth and see HMS Victory, where Nelson died in the Battle of Trafalgar and the Tudor Mary Rose. You can't help but feel the depth of history of our island. The remains of thousands of tank traps and defences of World War Two also encircle the island. For thousands of years, the coast has been about how we try to defend this island. There are the remnants of those defences and fears of invasion all around. What were the most beautiful places you experienced? Knoydart and the Rough Bounds because it's so isolated and dramatic. People there were amazing, and there was a great sense of adventure. The other big discovery for me was Northumberland. I found that whole area really beautiful: Bamburgh Castle, Holy Island (Lindisfarne), the long beaches and amazing light. I'd also say the Gower Peninsula in Wales. The cliffs at Three Cliffs Bay are quite high and when you arrive via the coast you have a panoramic view. It gives you a sense of freedom. Were there any locations that surprised you visually or emotionally? The Redcar steelworks in Teeside, because it's the end of an era. I didn't meet anyone in that area who hadn't had a family member working in the steel industry there. At Cromarty in Scotland, it was dramatic to see the jack-up oil rigs towering hundreds of metres above the village. That's a moment in our time: the end of the carbon era. I'm sure in 50 years they won't be there. Where was your favourite wild camping spot? On the cliffs in Caithness, up in north-west Scotland. I camped a little distance away from the puffins on a very steep cliff. I photographed puffins in the evening and the following morning, which was a magical experience. Which coastal city impressed you most? I like a city to feel alive and vibrant, not just a historical remnant, so my favourite cities on the coast would be Glasgow and Liverpool. Both had layers of history but they're really energising and felt new and of the "now". What was the greatest architectural wonder you came across? My favourite architectural structures in Britain are the bridges. I think the Forth Bridge, just above Edinburgh, and Kylesku Bridge, right in the Scottish Highlands, a modern bridge surrounded by lochs and mountains, are the most beautiful. In terms of buildings, my favourite is the transport museum in Glasgow by the architect Zaha Hadid, and A House For Essex by Grayson Perry, a really exuberant building on the border of Essex. More like this:• An epic 38-mile hike to England's northernmost point• The Scottish isle you can only visit on a day trip• The Ridgeway: Hike the 5,000-year-old pathway that's Britain's oldest road Are there any easy-going stretches that you'd recommend to people who aren't big hikers? The Norfolk Coast is very well-marked, very beautiful and very flat. You get amazing skies, beautiful flint churches with round towers and long beaches, like Holkham. It's very charming and there's a lot of history. Perhaps my top day walk in Britain is the Seven Sisters from Seaford to Eastbourne, or as a shorter loop from Eastbourne, with the iconic white cliffs. It's not necessarily easy – it's rolling but fairly flat and well-marked. You can do that as a day trip from London. Where would you recommend overseas visitors go to see a new or surprising aspect of Britain? The Aberdeenshire coast up in north-east Scotland, places like Crovie and Gardenstown, where you have former fishing houses tucked in below the cliffs and hidden by the landscape. That would surprise people. It's an area, at Pennan specifically, that was featured in the film Local Hero. I'd also suggest the peninsulas, like the Llŷn Peninsula in Wales for its isolation, history, Castle Cricieth and the Whistling Sands beach. A lot of visitors might go to London or Brighton. But these other places give a sense of romance, isolation, stillness and history. If you go to a hotspot, you don't get that, but that's what makes this island unique. What did you learn about yourself from walking the coast? I've got a still calmness from the journey that's stayed with me. It makes me feel very content thinking about my times on the trail, and I now know that walking and being in nature has to be part of my life on a regular basis. I need that in order to be content. I also know that simply by walking and carrying a camera there is inspiration to be had. That makes me feel very positive about life. The Perimeter by Quintin Lake is published by Hutchinson Heinemann in hardback and eBook, with more of his photos of the British coast on his blog. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Skomer Island puffin numbers hit record high despite global fall
A record number of puffins have been recorded on a small island off the Pembrokeshire coast, despite global populations declining to the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW), 43,626 puffins were counted on Skomer Island this year - a record WTSWW said the increased number of puffins on the nature reserve was a "conservation success story", but warned that the birds were still a species under threat which should continue to be Island, a 2.92km² internationally important seabird island managed by the WTSWW, is located less than a mile from the Pembrokeshire coast. The island's isolation means that it is protected from predators such as rats, cats, dogs and foxes, and also from the human impact on the well as a growing population of puffins, Skomer is also home to 350,000 breeding pairs of manx shearwaters and thousands of guillemots and year, the WTSWW undertakes its annual seabird count on the island to monitor the population of birds that return every spring to puffins are counted during the evening and early in the season by six members of staff. Skomer Island's visitor officer, Rob Knott, said counting the birds was "quite a job"."We split the island into sections and we go round about two hours before sunset when there's the most on the land," he said."We get our clickers out and we count all the ones on the land, then the sea and the ones in the air as well."The last record was set in 2023, when 42,513 puffins were recorded on and around the island. "We think [the counting accuracy] is probably within a few hundred or perhaps a thousand birds," said Rob."Of course, that number is not going to be dead on the right number of puffins that are here, but because we do it in the same way every year and record those birds in the same way, it's always been reported as the final number of that count that we do every year." Although the puffins seem to be thriving in Pembrokeshire, there is a rapid decline many seabird species, puffins are listed as vulnerable to extinction on the global International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, as they face pollution, food shortages and climate to the WTSWW, the growth in Skomer Island's puffin 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".They said the absence of rats and other predators on the island had also contributed to the seabirds' success. 'Cautiously optimistic' Rob said the island's 25,000 visitors each year were often "mind-blown" by the number of warned, however, that there were novel threats facing seabirds - including bird flu and the recent marine heatwave conditions experienced around parts of the UK coastline."I think the monitoring work is absolutely vital, it informs how these seabirds are doing, particularly in this part of Wales but also on a wider scale in terms of how puffin numbers are doing throughout the UK," he said."It helps us look towards policy on how these numbers can increase in the future."They're doing well here, but we can point to this as a good example, there's other places where these numbers are really going down quite rapidly. "We're quite cautiously optimistic about the numbers that we're seeing."They're absolutely iconic birds and the fact that they're on the red list is wrong for so many reasons, not least, because they used to be absolutely thriving, so we're doing what we can to try and improve those numbers."
