A RENDEZVOUS WITH THE CLOWNS OF THE SEA
Did you know: when you join us on our "GG2 Big Whale Safari and Puffins" on our RIB speed boats, you'll be treated with a short stop by Puffin Island to watch these colourful clowns of the sea swimming and diving in the shallow waters just off the island.
About 60% of the Atlantic Puffin population migrates to Iceland annually during nesting season. The rest of the year is spent out on the open ocean. For just a few months each summer, we're able to observe these adorable birds on Lundey (Puffin Island) as they raise their chicks, the so-called "pufflings".
Observing puffins is truly entertaining and fascinating:
These small birds measure only around 25cm in length, still they're busy fishing all day as apart from feeding their young ones, an individual has to feed on about 40 small fish itself daily! Luckily, they're excellent divers and able to reach a depth of up to 60m. They use their wings like paddles and the feet as rudders as they dive for their favourite fish. On each dive, they might collect around ten fish which they stack in their beak before returning home. However, there's footage of a puffin in Britain carrying 62 fish at once!
When not swimming or diving, their wings come in handy for flying, too. Even though looking rather funny and clumsy, a puffin can reach speeds of up to 88km/h up in the air whilst flapping its wings up to 400 times per minute!
Did you get curious? Why not join us on a tour and experience the hustle and bustle at Puffin Island for yourself?
- Sarah