Photo by Frank Liebmann
Where are the best places to spot puffins? And why would you want to? I’ve been fascinated with puffins since I was very young and picked up a classic book published by Puffin Books. I wanted to know what a Puffin was, and since we didn’t have any on the west coast of America, I was fascinated with them for a time. Many years later, and after one attempt to go Puffin spotting while in Inverness in 2017, unfortunately time would not allow me to head to the northern islands, I decided it would be on the list for next trip.
Puffins are member of the Auk family of seabirds. The inhabit borrows and live on cliff faces. Their brightly colored bill is a great boon during mating season, however there is another feature to that splendid beak. It glows. Great for mating flashing about. My theory, it’s very useful when you have tiny Pufflings, yes the common name for baby Puffins, crammed in a cliff face with very little sunlight? Strange head coming in, where’s the food? Read more about it here:
Puffins Amp Up Their Sex Appeal With Glowing Beaks
The best places for Puffin spotting, cliff faces across Scotland and the isles. St Abbs, Isle of May, Faraid Head, Shetland, Orkney, Noss, Island of Handa. The best time of year is breeding season in May and through to August.
In Ireland? Skellig Islands and Skellig Michael in Co. Kerry.
Where Can I See Puffins in Scotland?
Taistealaiche 