BirdingInSpain

A drama of Puffins on Handa Island

You have to be hard-hearted to resist the pull of Puffins. Not to be moved by their friendly, almost comic demeanour and their endearing lack of grace on land and even in the air, as their little wings flutter, feet extend and they make a belly-landing on a grassy slope, their colourful, oversized bills clutching onto a row of tiny fish.

Atlantic Puffins, Fratercula arctica

Over the years we’ve visited seabird colonies on the islands of Skomer, off the west coast of Wales, and Handa off the west coast of Scotland. And every time, in among the inevitable photos – you get so close to these confiding birds – people can’t help identifying with the plight of these resilient little seafarers. 

Atlantic Puffins, Fratercula arctica. Photo by Eva Solanes

On one memorable occasion, when the island warden had given us a few insights into the comings and goings of the different birds on the island, and how they interacted, we took a relaxed walk of several hours, enjoying the good weather and the continuous contact with bird life all around us. I was temporarily distracted watching the Common Guillemots “facing the wall” on a guano-covered cliff face when several shrill, human cries caught my attention. Three of the ladies in the group had been watching the Puffins coming in from the sea, landing in front of them with bills full of fish, and then waddling to their burrows nearby. To do that though, each time they had to run the gauntlet and get past the line of marauding gulls waiting for their return. The Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gulls would chase the Puffins to make them drop the fish they were carrying – they were the pirates of the island airspace. The Great Black Backed Gulls, however, were the killers: they wouldn’t stop at a few little fish, they wanted to swallow the whole Puffin. 

Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica. Photo by Howard Kearley

The ladies had been told about this particular relationship, and had been watching with delight and some concern, as the Puffins came flying in. Suddenly, an aerial pursuit between gull and Puffin unfolded before their worried eyes and, inevitably, they sided with the underdog, the poor Puffin. The Puffin did its best to weave one way, and bank suddenly at the last moment to avoid the gull’s attack, and it was when it seemed that the Puffin had lost the struggle and may even be eaten, that they could bear it no longer, and let out a collective scream of anguish and accusation. 

Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arctica

“What’s up?” I called out, as I hastened to the scene. By  then I had an idea of what it was about … Had it been a Herring Gull or a Great Black Backed Gull? To them, that was academic, the Puffin had managed to escape to the safety of its burrow, still clutching its hard-won meal.