Puffins

We were disappointed not to have seen the puffins on our trip to Caldey Island, but all was not lost. When buying our tickets, we’d seen kiosks for other boating adventures around Tenby. Some of these were fishing charters, but one was for a trip around Calder Island and neighbouring St Margaret’s Island, which is a bird sanctuary…and their advertising has puffins conspicuously featured! The kiosk was closed, so we booked online once we were back at base, and looked forward to the next morning’s adventure.

The first sailing was at 10:00, so we made a prompt start and walked into town along the coast path, arriving with 15 minutes to spare. The boat was waiting at the same pier we’d used the previous day, so we boarded and set out with around 20 or other passengers. I asked the crew whether we were likely to see puffins and she told us that, whilst nothing is guaranteed, the chances were good. Sounds like a familiar refrain from my time night-guiding at Zealandia when looking for kiwi! On the way we stopped at a navigation buoy platform which had become the favoured resting-place for two North Atlantic grey seals, and yes, they were in residence. The skipper took us up close and explained the difference between males and females, circled around the buoy so we could get some pictures, then moved on.

Round the other, cliff-faced, side of the island we came across more seals. The tide was high but ebbing, and the seals where doing a behaviour calle “bottling”, whereby they fill their lungs with air. This makes their top half lighter than the bottom half, and they bob about vertically in the water. They’re able to sleep whilst doing this. As the tide ebbed they would then get out of the water as the rocks are uncovered, and lay on the shore. One had already found a position by the time we left. About 90% of the population are females, and males will typically have a harem of several females.

We were still at Caldey Island at this point, but then headed towards St Margaret’s Island. This island was recently made rat-free, and is maintained as a reserve. The general public cannot land there, only conservation workers and researchers. The puffins are in fact quite recent arrivals, and the population is small – only four breeding pairs (they mate for life) and a total population of 20. Our skipper was explaining this in an expectation-management kind of way then started talking about the razorbills and guillemots which were there in abundance. Then a puffin flew over, and we stopped talking about them and concentrated on the puffin. Wait, isn’t that another one? And another! Yes! Six in total made up a small flotilla, bobbing about on the waves.

Eventually it was time to move on, and so we continued round the island, keeping an eye out for dolphins and porpoises which are sometimes spotted, but drawing a blank there. But never mind! We saw puffins!