Running for Home

Landing as close to his burrow as is possible my puffin scooted at speed to deliver the meal.

Brave and feisty little puffins that won my heart many years ago after I saw what they had to endure in bringing up their little puffling chicks. No sooner do they land than they are set upon by a barrage of gulls wanting to steal their hard earned sandeel catch. They have to run and dodge sometimes diving for cover into the the wrong burrows in order to survive the ordeal to keep the vital food for their youngsters.

To add to the puffins woes the sandeel stocks have depleted dramatically and in April this year the government have put in a ban on the fishing of sand eels in British waters - much to the chagrin of the Danes who are trying to overthrow it. 

A puffin bringing home a very poor meal for his offspring in the Extra