UK Holiday - part 5 - Staffa, Lunga and Puffins

We were heading to the small village of Ulva Ferry, where we boarded the Hoy Lass, bound for the island of Staffa, and then onto Lunga in the Treshnish Islands. This trip is run by Turus Mara, and I can thoroughly recommend them.

Staffa is a small island off Mull and is made up of basalt columns.  It is also the home of Fingals Cave, subject of an overture by Mendelssohn. As we arrived, a couple of Black Guillemots flew up to a nest in the cliff. The water was so clear we could clearly see the Herring Gulls legs as it swam in the sea.

As we headed towards Lunga, we were buzzed by a low flying Gannet.  We also started seeing more Auks. Mainly Guillemots, but there were a few Razorbills in amongst them.  Finally, as we approached Lunga we saw some Puffins, the main reason for our visit.

Once on the island we had a short walk to the area where the Puffins were making their burrows.  They are extremely trusting, and it is possible to get within a metre (3 feet) of them if you move slowly.  They had only just arrived back from wintering in the Atlantic Ocean, so they were busy digging burrows and collecting nest lining, and really didn't take much notice of us at all.

Eventually it was time to leave the Puffins, and head back to Mull.  On the way we passed some Shags, a few Eider Ducks, and a group of seals, basking in the afternoon sunshine.