Latest news with #puffins
CBC
22-07-2025
- CBC
Boating incident keeps Canadian tour operator on land for week
Popular with tourists hoping to see whales, puffins and other marine life, the Sea Watch Tours vessel Day's Catch got stuck Sunday in Black Rock, south of Grand Manan, during a private tour with few passengers aboard.
Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Irish Times
I saw ‘selfies' with puffins being taken on the Saltee islands. People should keep their distance
On a recent visit to the Saltee Islands off the coast of Co Wexford , I was amazed to find that up to 200 people are landing on the larger island every day in the summer. Four ferry boats ply the 20-minute crossing from Kilmore Quay a number of times each day. Passengers fan out across the island carrying cameras, mobile phones and picnic lunches but the majority are heading for the puffin colonies on the steep grassy slopes. These iconic seabirds are the main draw for most tourists , the majority of whom have never seen a seabird up close, except for a cheeky gull searching the rubbish bins in a city park. When I first went to the Saltees more than 50 years ago, the islands were deserted, a derelict farmhouse standing among the bracken-covered fields, left behind by a farming family many years earlier. We were taken there on a small inshore fishing boat and landed on the beach in a little wooden rowboat that was sculled with a single oar by the fisherman Jack Devereux. There were few visitors, mostly birdwatchers who were there to study migrant songbirds and some scientists monitoring the seabirds. Among these was the late Oscar Merne, one of Ireland's most accomplished seabird experts. In the 1970s, Oscar was the joint author of a seminal book, Saltees: Islands of Birds and Legends, in which he estimated that there were about 830 pairs of puffins breeding there. These were idyllic days when one could wander freely on this beautiful island, which was and still is privately owned. READ MORE But times have changed. Now it can be necessary to book a place on one of the ferries a month or more ahead. On arrival at the larger island, the crowds are excited to see hundreds of puffins standing outside their nesting burrows. Underground, each burrow contains a single fluffy black puffin chick, waiting patiently in the dark for the next load of fish to be delivered by one or other of its parents. In the previous decade, the number of puffins on the larger island had dwindled considerably, due partially to predation by rats which enter the burrows at night feeding on puffin eggs and chicks. But uncontrolled disturbance by visitors was also implicated. Many people unwittingly walked on the vulnerable burrows, causing them to collapse, or stayed too long in the nesting areas, preventing some of the adults from coming ashore with vital provisions for their offspring. On my recent visit, I watched as some people photographed the adult puffins, at a range of little more than a metre, using the ubiquitous mobile phones. Some were even taking 'selfies' with the birds or sitting on the burrows eating their picnics. This behaviour is not confined to the Saltees. On Ireland's Eye, just off Howth Harbour, I have watched an unrestrained dog cause mayhem in a large colony of ground-nesting cormorants while its owner looked on apparently unconcerned. On Dalkey Island in Dublin Bay, visitors walked unwittingly among nesting terns, rendering the eggs and chicks vulnerable to predation by the large gulls, that are constantly present. Researchers on the Pacific coast of Mexico, studying human disturbance of the related burrow-nesting Cassin's auklet, found that chicks in disturbed areas left the nests with lower body weights compared to chicks in the undisturbed areas. As the later survival of chicks at sea can be affected by their weights at fledging, many of these birds may not survive the first winter. They also reported that adult birds whose burrows were closer to paths more often abandoned their chicks and had lower breeding success compared to birds nesting further away from disturbance. [ Rathlin Island's puffins: We have quite a lot of people who arrive and say, 'So, where exactly are the penguins?' Opens in new window ] All this suggests that people should keep their distance if the welfare of the birds is a priority. However, this presents a paradox. For nature to flourish people need to engage with wild creatures. But if that engagement involves disturbance, then damage may be done. Thankfully, the situation for puffins on the Saltee Islands has improved in recent years. Rangers, funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, are stationed on Great Saltee throughout the breeding season. They meet visitors coming off the boats, explaining to them what can be seen and asking for their co-operation in keeping a good distance from the nests. A programme of rat control has also had beneficial effects and the puffin population of the two islands is now estimated at about 1,100 pairs. The late Oscar Merne would have been pleased to see this progress. Richard Nairn is an ecologist and writer. His most recent book is Future Wild: Nature Restoration in Ireland
The Independent
11-07-2025
- The Independent
The little-known island off the coast of Ireland that's filled with puffins and wildflowers
While Skomer Island in Wales often gets the headlines for its puffin colony, I've discovered an Irish outpost that is home to a large colony and is easier to visit. A friend of mine has long disputed my description of puffins as 'bonky', claiming it's both 'ridiculous' and 'not a word'. But I think it fits perfectly. These seabirds are both bonkers and wonky-looking, with their wobbly little walks and seeming inability to fly in a straight line. And when I saw them up close, waddling on the edge of the sea cliffs on the Irish island of Great Saltee, I became even more confident that I was right all along. Every year on this rugged island off Ireland 's Southeast coast, a colony of puffins migrate to breed and nest. And every year, between April and July, people like me flock to Great Saltee Island to see them up close. It doesn't take long to spot them. Mere minutes after landing on the island I was surrounded by a veritable swam of puffins as they pottered between our legs, waddling like tipsy toddlers between the thick patches of purple wildflowers and their burrows, the exact same ones they nest in year after year. I crouched down, silent, and leant against a boulder covered in yellow moss, in the hopes that they would get closer still. And they did. Puffins waddled right past my feet, popping in and out of their burrows and leaping off the cliffs, their bright orange feet splayed out and their bums wobbling as they flew against the sea breeze. More than one looked right into my eyes as they tried to work out who, or what, I was. At one point, I looked down at a burrow I was passing only to see a distinctive beak poking out, its sharp orange ridge the only part visible in the dark hole. As a lifelong puffin fan, it was everything I'd hoped for. Like similar puffin colonies in Wales, their population is on the up (as is their popularity among puffin spotters). By coincidence, I'd been on the Pembrokeshire coast the week before, in the hopes of seeing the birds on Skomer Island. But while Skomer is positively teeming with puffins (the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales just counted a record number of 43,626 puffins on the island), tickets for the landing sell out months in advance. A ticket to the Saltee Islands, however, is much easier to snag and costs just £34 return. Though some dates book out, I found tickets relatively last minute, the week before I set off. And the journey is an experience, too. I spent much of the 20-minute crossing in the cockpit, with the three local lads who drove the ferry barefoot and handed out soggy life jackets when it was time for us to switch to the dinghy that could navigate the shallower waters our ferry could not. I hadn't realised it was possible to be rocked in four different directions simultaneously, but as soon as our boat hit the Irish Sea we were bobbing like an apple at Halloween, each wave causing a squeal of joy or horror among passengers. But as soon as I leapt over the tangled seaweed on the shore, miraculously avoiding putting my whole foot in the water, I spotted my first puffin, hidden in a craggy nook on the side of the dark green hills that lined the beach. And that was just the first of them. When I finally tore myself away from the hundreds of puffins at their main breeding ground, I started hiking the trail that weaves around the south of the island. For an hour, I walked past rocky outcrops overflowing with guillemots and razorbills, and under nesting black-backed gulls prone to swooping down and divebombing any potential human threats. The trail weaves through tall swathes of fern, up and over the headland that looks back over the island, the rocky ridges and arches jutting into and over the sea, the dense lushness of the grass on top scattered with thousands of bright yellow buttercups and bluebells. As we walked further and the puffin-watchers dissipated, we saw seals on the rocks, then three tiny gull chicks, their fuzzy feathers making them look like leopard cubs on the sandy beach. However, the island, and County Wexford itself, isn't just for puffin-watchers. Wexford town is about 25 minutes up the coast, with seafood restaurants like La Côte, where you can tuck into dishes like sea trout tartare with caviar, or herb-crusted local hake with zingy lemon confit, all while enjoying views out over the sea. Kilmore Quay, where the ferries depart (and the aforementioned hake is caught), is a cute harbour village where you can pick up artisanal breads for an island picnic and delve into top notch fish and chips from the Saltee Chipper when you land back in – and after a day on the wind-battered island, nothing tastes as good as a pile of hot, salty chips, crispy battered haddock and mushy peas. To cap off our visit, we saw a few more puffins, much hardier characters than the main gang, who clung to the wind-battered cliffs on the northern edge of the island looking like hardened thugs. Their feathers flurried in the wind as they wobbled back onto the land after diving into the sea, their beaks filled to the brim with lines of silver sand eels. I watched them with my friend as they landed, one after another after another. And there wasn't another person around to be seen. Fly to Dublin from London with Aer Lingus from £49 one-way. Flight time is around 1 hour 25 minutes. Kilmore Quay is a 2 hour drive away, or you can get the train to Wexford and take a local bus to the ferry departure point. A ticket to the Saltee Islands costs £34 return and can be bought at
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Moment tourist, 63, is pecked on the head 20 times by dive-bombing seabirds
This is the moment a tourist was viciously pecked at least 20 times by dive-bombing seabirds as he innocently strolled near the seaside. Sarah Jane Schofield, 57, and her husband Phillip Schofield, 63, had ventured from their home near Garstang, Lancashire, to Inner Farne to see the puffins. But when they reached their destination, the couple were met with a scene reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's film, The Birds. Several seabirds, including aggressive Arctic Terns, lunged themselves at the 63-year-old as he walked along the decked path. His wife, Sarah, can also be heard reacting in pain as she was also attacked by the creatures. She said the pair had been given strict guidelines to keep to the paths, to make sure they didn't step on any young and to walk slowly with their heads down. Sarah revealed that while she was able to get a 'really close-up' clip of a tern and her chick, the bird turned aggressive when she re-approached. She said: 'When I tried to capture her again, she really went for me. I had to take cover in the church! 'Also, while we were queuing to get back on the boat, there was a particularly aggressive bird that dive-bombed anyone who got near a certain spot. 'At the end of the day, they're just being fiercely protective of their young.' Despite the incessant pecking, the couple were prepared for the possibility of attacks and luckily, didn't suffer any serious injuries. 'Our friend had recommended that we protect our heads and it was also in the information when we booked the tour,' she said. 'The hits were a bit sharp although I had a hat on and my jacket hood up so it wasn't too bad.' And while the couple were pecked, several times, Sarah shared that they thoroughly enjoyed the experience and gained an 'amazing insight' into nature. 'My only regret is that I only had my iPhone on me,' she said: 'There were plenty of serious photographers taking some incredible wildlife shots of the birds.' However, while the duo were unbothered by their bird-pecking ordeal others are not so lucky. Earlier this month, a buzzard terrorizing a village in Havering-atte-Bower swooped down and attacked a woman in her dressing gown and slippers. The bird has terrorized locals for months and has forced one local primary school to temporarily ban pupils from going outside during break time. The buzzard, nicknamed Brenda by local schoolchildren is believed to be part of a mating pair. Local resident and parent Louise Whittle, narrowly missed being injured by the buzzard, while in her dressing gown and slippers. Footage showed the moment a buzzard flies down from the roof of a nearby house, appearing to aim for the mum's head. She quickly ducked and managed to run away from the bird, which landed on a fence nearby. Louise said: 'It's absolutely bonkers that there is a buzzard attacking people.'
Telegraph
28-06-2025
- Telegraph
The 10 best things to do in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire has a pinch of everything that makes Wales unique. Here you'll find vast, lonely beaches, tucked-away coves looking out across stormy seas, and hedgerowed lanes swinging to one-pub hamlets and ridiculously pretty harbour towns. Reaching inland, heathery moors and hills are sprinkled with medieval castles, Iron Age hill forts and standing stones. St Davids, birthplace of Wales' patron saint, makes a terrific base for striking out. And when you tire of the road or trudging along coastal paths, you can ramp up the adventure coasteering and kayaking around wild headlands, or seeing how many puffins, seals and dolphins you can spot on thrillingly remote islands. For further inspiration, discover our guide to Pembrokeshire for the best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and more. Find things to do by area: St Davids & Around Coasteering Jump off a cliff Coasteering is all the things your parents told you not to do on the beach as a child: we're talking throwing yourself off cliffs, drifting into caves, and scrambling over boulders. Besides being lots of fun, it's a brilliant way to acquaint yourself with Pembrokeshire's craggy coastline. Simply slip on a wetsuit and helmet to plunge into the shockingly cold Atlantic. Insider tip: Get kitted out at eco-minded TYF in St Davids, one of the early coasteering pioneers in the 1980s. Pros lead you to the best hidden spots along the coast. They'll also take you kayaking, surfing and stand-up paddleboarding. St Davids Discover the huge medieval cathedral in a tiny city A place of pilgrimage ever since Welsh hero St David was born at the sea-facing Chapel of St Non in the 6th century, St Davids, the UK's smallest city, has a huge medieval cathedral disproportionate to its size. In the Middle Ages, two pilgrimages here were known to be worth one to Rome. The cathedral is a riot of soaring, purple-stoned pillars and intricate coffered ceilings. Within its walls, you'll find a shrine that allegedly contains the saint's bones. Insider tip: To experience the cathedral at its atmospheric best, visit at 6pm for choral evensong. Foraging tours Go wild for coastal foraging You'll see Pembrokeshire in a whole new edible light on an illuminating coastal foraging ramble. Julia and John at the Really Wild Emporium head to beaches with rich pickings near St Davids. Their courses range from rock-pool discovery sessions for families to seashore foraging walks. You'll comb the coast in search of everything from mussels, winkles and razor clams to samphire, dulse, sea spaghetti and – the Welsh love-it-or-hate-it speciality – laver. After a forage, head to their art deco cafe in town for seaweed brownies and wild food-inspired lunches. Insider tip: Foraging is naturally seasonal, so what you'll find will vary. Check dates online and book ahead (courses can fill up quickly). Exact meeting points are arranged a week in advance. St Brides Bay Skomer Hang out with puffins You can see puffins in other far-flung parts of Britain, but rarely as close as on Skomer, the nesting ground to 41,500 pairs of these loveably clownlike birds. Take a bumpy boat over to this rugged little island during breeding season (April to July) and you'll be in for a treat. Keep your eyes peeled for puffins (on the water, in burrows and soaring above the cliffs) and their adorable furball pufflings. Come later in the season (September and October) to glimpse the pups of Atlantic grey seals hauled out on the rocks. Insider tip: Book well ahead to stay overnight at the Old Farm for a backstage pass to the wildlife. As the sun sets over the cliffs, you'll see Manx Shearwaters rafting at sea, waiting for the cover of darkness before returning to the island. Skomer is home to the world's largest breeding population (some 350,000) of these remarkable birds, who migrate to South America in winter. Preseli Hills Enjoy a prehistoric walk Pembrokeshire gets wilder and remoter still in the lonesome Preseli Hills that ripple north in a vast expanse of crags, bogs and heather-flecked moorland. The must-do hike is the seven-mile, west-east Golden Road trail. Starting at Bwlch Gwynt on the B4329, it takes in the Carn Bica standing stones (supposed final resting place of King Arthur), the tors of Carn Menyn (thought to be the source of the bluestone for Stonehenge), and an Iron Age hill fort at Foeldrygarn. Bring a map as the path isn't fully waymarked. Don't rush off. In beautifully converted barns, Preseli Hills Cottages are a snug base for the night, with wood-fired hot tubs and log-burning stoves. Insider tip: Detour to Pentre Ifan, an impressively intact burial chamber and one of Wales' most famous megalithic sites. St Govan's Chapel Walk on the wild side of the coast Bearing the full brunt of the Atlantic, the ragged coastline at Pembrokeshire's southern tip is Wales at its wind-whipped, wave-hammered best. For coastal drama, nothing beats the hike along the coast path to St Govan's Chapel, a tiny hermit's cell notched out of the gnarly limestone cliffs near Bosherston. Saint Govan holed up here in the sixth century, and a chambered chapel was built to mark the spot in the 13th century. Count the steps up and down – legend has it they are never the same twice. And while you're here, be sure to walk a few minutes' west to the Huntsman's Leap, a breathtakingly sheer coastal chasm. Insider tip: Park in Bosherston and launch your hike by taking a gentle wooded ramble past the village's lily ponds. Eventually you'll emerge at the Broad Haven South, a gorgeous crescent of dune-backed sand, where Church Rock rises out of the water. Carew Castle Rewind to Norman times Castles are everywhere in Pembrokeshire, but top billing perhaps goes to Carew Castle, originally a Norman motte-and-bailey, later an Elizabethan mansion, now highly romantic ruins. Complete with Celtic cross and medieval bridge, the fort hunkers down on a beautiful tidal river, and a circular mile-long walk leads to a restored tidal mill (crabbing kits are available at the shop). Insider tip: If you like Carew, you'll love other standouts like Pembroke Castle (birthplace of Henry VII), Norman Manorbier Castle, Picton Castle & Gardens (now a stately home with woodland gardens), and 13th-century Cilgerran, which fired Turner's imagination. Solva Gorge on fresh shellfish The little coastal honeypot of Solva is one of the most idyllic villages in Pembrokeshire, overlooking a narrow inlet where fishing boats bob. A 3½-mile path threads up through woodland and over the cliffs to the broad sands of Newgale, affording uplifting views all the way to Ramsey Island. Back in Solva, relax at the pub (the Harbour Inn) or with an ice cream at 35 Main Street right by the seafront. Llama Lodge Take a llama for a walk If walking a llama sounds like a fun afternoon activity, this off-the-radar, eco-conscious farm in Llandissilio is bound to please. Surrounded by pretty oak and ash woodland, this is a delicious slice of remote wilderness. And what better way to explore it than by taking a llama for a walk? With shaggy-haired friends in tow, you'll take in terrific views of the valley and Preseli Hills, following a zigzagging path along the Black Cleddau River. Keep an eye out for buzzards and red kites wheeling overhead. Wellies or walking boots are advisable as it can get muddy. Insider tip: More llama drama, you say? Stay overnight at the snug-as-a-bug, timber-clad Llama Lodge, where you can cuddle up by a log fire and listen to the gurgle of the River Cleddau and hooting owls. Wake up to llamas grazing outside your window. Dinas Island Go hiking One to whisper quietly about, the Dinas Island peninsula between Fishguard and Newport is as ravishing as Pembrokeshire gets, with its sheer, gorse-clad cliffs, smuggler's coves straight out of a Famous Five novel, coastal woodlands and headland commanding bracing sea views. In spring, the island is awash with blossom and you might spot the first puffins returning to these shores via Needle Rock. Insider tip: Hook onto the National Trust's three-mile circular walk for some of the best views in Pembrokeshire. Bring a picnic or round out your hike over a pint and Pembrokeshire crab sandwich at The Old Sailors on Pwllgwaelod beach. How we choose Every attraction and activity in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets and styles, from world-class museums to family-friendly theme parks – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations. About our expert Kerry Walker is Telegraph Travel's Pembrokeshire destination expert. "I seize every opportunity I can to head west to Pembrokeshire – where I'm in my element hiking on the coastal path, leaping off cliffs coasteering, or cooing over the puffins on Skomer."
