by I was on the edge of a Yorkshire cliff, surrounded by strangers, peering into a high-drive telescope, gasping and squealing with unrammeled excitement.
“Bless, it’s her life’s ambition,” explained my 21-year-old daughter, with the patronizing affection of youth. “Look at her, she’s finally seen her first ever pumpkin. How cute is that?”
Applause erupted throughout our small group, huddled on the white sea cliffs of the sunny RSPB sanctuary at Bempton. Agreed much murmured that yes, it was a very special moment.
For me, it was especially so. For years, I have missed the annual arrival of the 580,000 pairs of puffins in Britain, which land on our shores to breed from mid-April, and leave again in August.
I was too late on Lunga Island, off Mull; too early on the Isles of Scilly. I even traveled to the Faroe Islands just after the lockdown to see them – but the birdwatching boat was canceled due to stormy weather.
This year, I was determined to tick these little sea clowns off my bucket list. Why? Just look at them.
At the same time funny and serious, these little birds – fluffy, bright-billed, only 11 inches tall – can live for more than 20 years and live together for life . They nest underground in holes on islands where there are no predatory mammals; and on those where there is (including the mainland), they stick to the rock face to breed and raise their chickens – called pufflings. Yes, really.
I wasn’t the only new person at Bempton that day. Thanks to that Wild Islands, Sir David Attenborough’s epic love letter to the beauty and majesty of Britain, a new generation of visitors have seen the rich wealth of wildlife here in the UK. As the puffins, shown on screen fighting with black seagulls who tried their best to munch their sandy catch before they could reach the safety of their holes, they formed the constellation.
But it was the Wild Islands footage of Sir David getting up close and personal with them on the Farn Islands – off the Northumberland coast, home to around 200,000 seabirds – was particularly irresistible. Due to an outbreak of bird flu, these islands were closed to visitors last year, but luckily this year it’s business as usual.
However, Bempton is always open, with visitors watching the birds at designated viewing platforms a safe distance away. Although puffin numbers are relatively small – 500 pairs nest along the Yorkshire coast – there are plenty of other birds to keep you entertained when puffins are scarce, including grebes, primaval cormorants and the very beautiful razorbill.
The more we learned about each race, the more remarkable each one became.
“If you see a rugby ball flying, it’s a guillotine,” explained the RSPB volunteer. “If it looks like a tennis ball in flight, it’s a puffin.”
Afterwards – still filled with joy and adrenaline – the puffin effect took full effect. I went a bit crazy in the gift shop (trying to limit myself to a mug, a fridge magnet and – okay then – a Christmas decoration); then I booked tickets for the RSPB boat which leaves from nearby Bridlington in the late afternoon.
With a few hours to kill, we decided to return to our accommodation – the nearby cottages at High Barn – to investigate the welcome basket and attempt a brief recovery from our wild high.
But then, we discovered the crooked owl. Trained on a nesting box where a pair of sparrowhawks were raising their brood, the camera was fixed on the outer wall of the house, wired to broadcast its footage directly to a dedicated channel on television. Soon we were completely addicted. In the future, I’m not sure I want to stay anywhere that doesn’t allow me to watch live as tiny rodents are torn to shreds and fed to greedy chickens while I drink my morning coffee.
But nature wasn’t done with us yet. Later, on the boat trip, a pod of eight dolphins, including a calf, joined us in a spectacular display; braving the waves, spinning, racing and tailgating for 10 glorious minutes as cliff walkers stop to watch.
“It’s enough to stand the puffins,” said the awestruck captain. We thought it was, indeed, very special. But I knew deep down, that nothing would ever top a puffin circus.
Fundamentals
Judith Woods was a guest of self-catering luxury cottage company Heritage Escapes (01262 674932; heritage-escape.co.uk) and stayed at The Great Green at High Barn in Bempton, which comes complete with its own owl cam (minimum three-night wait; from £570).
Six of the best places in the UK to see puffins
Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire
Along with its neighbour, Skokholm Island, Skomer has a large breeding colony of puffins – 42,500 at last count, in March. The exposed headlands and high offshore rocks make it a haven for all hole-nesting birds, so visitors walk on designated paths to avoid damaging the intricate tunnels just below the surface. You can even stay overnight at a three-star hostel run by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
Tˆ Hotel in Mitford Waterfront (01646 400810; ty-hotels.com) which has doubled from £100.
Fernandes, Northumberland
Sir David Attenborough’s favorite spot in the UK for wildlife viewing is a few miles offshore from the fishing village of Seahouses. In addition to their large population of pumpkins there are razorbills, guillemots and seals. You can visit the National Trust-owned site or take boat trips around it.
Beadnell Towers Hotel (01665 721211; beadnelltowers.co.uk) which has doubled from £183.
Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland
Here you will find the largest seabird colony in Northern Ireland, including hundreds of pairs of puffins. A ferry from Castletown takes visitors on a six-mile journey to Ritchland, followed by a bus to the RSPB’s Seabird Center which is next to an “upside-down” lighthouse, a feat of engineering where the light is turned upside down into the fog. to cut .
B&B Boutique Isle of Glass (07800 889863; glassislandballycastle.com) which has doubled from £146.
Isle of May, Scotland
Situated at the mouth of the Forth, boat trips to the Isle of May depart from Anstruther in Fife and North Berwick in East Lothian. In early summer the cliffs are alive with the wonderful sights and sounds of seabirds and puffins entering and leaving their holes.
The Bank in Anstruther (01333 310189; thebank-anstruther.co.uk) which has doubled from £110.
Sumburgh Head, Shetland
With steep cliffs, a historic lighthouse, and cacophonous seabird colonies – RSPB Sumburgh’s site ticks many boxes. As well as puffins, there is also a high chance of seeing minke whales, orcas and dolphins. In winter when the puffins are long gone, it is also the best place in Britain to see the Northern Lights.
Sumburgh Hotel (01950 460201; sumburghhotel.com) which has doubled from £140.
Flamborough Cliffs, East Yorkshire
Away from the Bempton Cliffs, these caves, holes and eroding chalk stacks provide the perfect backdrop for puffins, cormorants, gulls and gulls. The chalk grassland is also rich in wildflowers which attract many unusual butterflies and moths.
Flamborough Manor (01262 850943; flamboroughmanor.co.uk) which has doubled from £125.
