The first time I saw a puffin was on a small island called Craigleith in the Firth of Forth when I took a boat to the Bass Rock. I was on a regular rigid inflatable boat that didn't have a scheduled stop on this island. This photo was the best I could take from the boat.
I had a very good trip to the Bass Rock, and I thought I should come back to see the puffins up close. Later I learned that Isle of May in the firth of Forth is a better place for watching puffins. In the summer of 2011 I sailed from Anstruther with my wife and friends to this important National Nature Reserve owned and run by Scottish Natural Heritage.
As we approached the Isle of May, we could see the island being swarmed by countless birds.
Sheer cliffs around this small island is home to thousands of sea birds, and these rock faces were all stained by generations of bird droppings.
Puffins live in crevices or burrows in the soil which they excavate with their strong claws. So when we reached the island we were appropriately reminded by the volunteers to stay on well marked tracks around the island to avoid damaging the nests underground.
This puffin in flight shows its characteristic body shape suitable for "flying" underwater.
We have seen many birds resting, this one was particularly relaxing.
The breeding season was coming to an end but many puffins were still seen coming back to the land with Sandeels in their beaks.
Canon EOS 50D + EF 400 mm F5.6 on a Manfrotto 190XPROB Tripod
This was one of our most productive birding trip and the place was extremely beautiful. When we finished our packed lunch, it started drizzling and we were forced to return to the waiting boat as there was literally no shelter on the island. The rain stopped after a while but then it was time for us to leave.
