WHAT'S HAPPENING ON LUNDEY?
Throughout the last month, thousands of puffins have been arriving back at Lundey (Puffin Island) after spending the winter far out at sea in the North Atlantic. Now the colony is full of activity as the birds prepare for the nesting season ahead.
One of the most fascinating facts about puffins is that many return to the very same burrow year after year, usually reuniting with the same partner each spring. Together, the pairs clean, repair, and strengthen their burrows, which can reach over a meter deep beneath the grassy cliffs of the island.
When preparing their nests, they dig with their beaks and feet, carrying out soil and lining the nesting chamber with soft grass and feathers to keep the egg warm and protected. (each couple will lay just one egg later this month).
Even more remarkably, puffin parents carefully organize their burrows before the so-called puffling arrives: Many burrows include a separate toilet area away from the nesting chamber, helping keep the nest cleaner. This is especially important because the puffling’s feathers must stay clean in order to develop proper waterproofing before it fledges and heads out to sea for the very first time in late summer.
Photo Credit: Sarah (captain/head guide)
